‘Disgrace’: Footy fans call out MCG exodus as Swans run riot

Footy commentators and fans have called out a sad MCG sight after a record crowd witnessed the Magpies unfurling their flag.

It was supposed to be a night of celebration for Collingwood fans as the Magpies unfurled their 2023 premiership flag.

But the pre-game smiles that adorned the faces of the black-and-white army disappeared midway through the second quarter, by which time Sydney had kicked six goals in a row.

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The Swans would proceed to pile on eight of the second half’s first 10 goals to open up a game-high 52-point lead, before running out convincing 15.12 (102) to 10.9 (69) winners at the MCG.

Sydney played the role of party poopers with glee on Friday night in front of 78,933 mainly dejected onlookers, which was a record VFL/AFL crowd for a game between these two clubs.

However there was nowhere near that many in the stands by the end of the game after a mass exodus of Magpies fans during the game.

The crowd thinned out quickly on Friday night. Pic: Channel 7

The stands were packed with almost 79,000 in attendance at the start of the game. Photo by Phil Hillyard

“A lot of them have already left,” Channel 7 commentator James Brayshaw said about the Pies fans.

On radio Gerard Whateley said: “They might have arrived early to see the flag unfurling, but now they’re leaving early to beat the traffic.”

Fans also noticed the mass departure, with some taking to social media to poke fun at the Collingwood fans who had given up hope of witnessing victory.

“Is the MCG missing 15k fans from the crowd? Where did everyone go? Maybe I’m seeing things,” Ben Lawson wrote on X.

A Carlton fan had a slightly more aggressive take on the matter, writing: “MCG is empty. Your team delivered you a flag 2 games ago. If you left the G early tonight, you’re a disgrace.”

“Giving it to Carlton supporters when they were leaving the ground when the team was playing shit and look at this. First home game after a premiership and they’ve all left. I thought you guys never leave early? Funny that,” wrote another Carlton fan.

While another fan simply joked that the: “crowd at the G thinned out quicker than my hair.”

There was a big crowd to witness Collingwood unfurling the 2023 Premiership flag. Pic: Michael Klein

On the eve of the season, AFL legend and former Collingwood premiership coach Leigh Matthews suggested that the Magpies had spent too much dwelling on last year’s premiership, and for the second week in a row they were convincingly shown up by a fellow flag contender.

It’s only a small sample size, but the early data suggests the Pies might’ve stood still while their hungrier contemporaries have flown past them.

Sydney dominated the tackle count 72-51 and their ferocious pressure forced the reigning champs into numerous costly skill errors throughout the game, while the visitors’ pace on the outside made the Magpies look slow and sluggish.

Midway through the final quarter, Collingwood had already conceded 77 points off turnover after averaging only 40 per game last year and being ranked No.1 in that category in 2023.

Swans fans stuck around. Photo by Phil Hillyard

The chief architects of the destruction were star Sydney triumvirate Chad Warner, who had 27 disposals (11 contested), seven clearances and three goals, Isaac Heeney who finished with 29 touches (13 contested) and two goals, and Errol Gulden (30 disposals), while Logan McDonald (eight marks) chimed in with four goals from 15 possessions.

Nick Daicos was the standout for Collingwood, amassing 37 disposals (15 contested), seven clearances and a goal.

SLOPPY MAGPIES

Collingwood’s sloppy skills were exposed badly by the sharper Swans in the third quarter with turnovers from the usually dependable Darcy Moore, Scott Pendlebury and Isaac Quaynor directly leading to goals.

And another champion of the club Steele Sidebottom set the tone early in the game when his handball intended for Daicos was chopped off by Warner who steadied and booted the first goal of the game.

Darcy Moore leads his team off the MCG after tonights loss to Sydney. Pic: Michael Klein

ABSENT ASH

Ash Johnson was seen as the answer to fill the void left by Dan McStay (ACL) this year, but after only managing two disposals last week, he was subbed off in the third quarter this week having mustered just three touches, one of which was a horrendous set shot from 40m out which went way off target and out on the full.

SKY CAM IN THE WAY

Early in the second quarter, Gulden bombed it forward, but on the way inside 50, the ball bounced off Channel 7’s Sky Cam in mid-air, ensuring it deviated way off its original course. Collingwood’s quick-thinking Brayden Maynard noticed the aerial collision, but couldn’t get to the drop of the ball in time to take a diving mark.

Originally published as ‘Disgrace’: Footy fans call out MCG exodus as Swans run riot