AFL pre-season: All the action and reaction from Collingwood v Richmond
There’s great news for Richmond fans ahead of the season opener but it’s a very different story at Collingwood. Here is the latest injury update from both clubs.
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Richmond will kick off its quest for a third successive premiership tilt with a near-full strength side, declaring Tom Lynch and Dion Prestia certain starters for Thursday week’s Round 1 MCG clash with an injury-hit Carlton.
But Collingwood is sweating on the fitness of star midfielder Steele Sidebottom, who underwent scans on his calf on Saturday morning.
Sidebottom aggravated his calf in the opening minutes of Friday night’s AAMI Community Series clash with Richmond, but said he was hopeful he hadn’t torn the muscle.
He has less than a fortnight to the Magpies’ season-opener against Western Bulldogs at the MCG on March 19.
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Will Kelly’s bad luck continued on Friday when he broke his collarbone. He was taken to hospital for surgery and faces a stint on the sidelines.
Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley said Jordan De Goey (knock to his knee) and Brayden Maynard (shin) were fine, while Taylor Adams will be given every chance to overcome his hamstring issues to take on the Bulldogs.
“He (Adams) got through the session really well on Tuesday and he will have a full two-week program into Round 1, and should be right to go,” Buckley said.
Brody Mihocek, who knocked his calf in last week’s practice match with Geelong, is recovering well and should be ready for the Dogs’ clash.
Hardwick said Lynch (toe) and Prestia (hamstring) could have played against the Magpies last Friday, but won’t have any problems taking on the Blues.
The Tigers eased key players Dustin Martin, Trent Cotchin, Dylan Grimes and Toby Nankervis out of the preseason game at three-quarter-time in order to keep them fresh.
Bachar Houli will likely miss the Blues’ clash with his calf injury.
“You just have to get them to the start line,” Hardwick said. “The season is so long, that’s the one thing coming back from last year.
“It is a long game and hopefully they can sustain being on the park for as long as they can.”
‘A different game’: Numbers point to dramatic shift
Richmond coach Damien Hardwick says AFL football already looks “a different game” in 2021 after a small sample of low-pressure, high-disposal AAMI Community Series matches.
Hardwick’s assessment comes as his Collingwood counterpart Nathan Buckley said he was concerned about how the rules changes could impact on players’ fatigue levels.
Both coaches said the AFL’s decision to cut interchange rotations to 75 while returning the game to the pre-COVID 20-minutes-per-quarter - as well as the tweak to the man on the mark rule - appears to have had an impact on the game’s look.
While both concede their views come off a small sample base - their own clash on Friday night as well as Thursday’s Carlton-St Kilda game - they said it would take some time for clubs and players to adapt.
“It’s a different game,” Hardwick said after the Tigers’ six-point win over the Magpies.
“We took 120 uncontested marks and that’s normally a two-game total for us, so it’s a different look and we’ll do a little bit of work on that and see if that’s something we have to work our way through.
“It’s just different. The ball moves a lot freer, sides are trying to use that 45-kick (through the corridor) which has opened up with the man on the mark, so we’ll see how the rest of the games go and we’ll assess over the weekend.
“I think sides are probably a little bit more offensive-based at the start of the year anyway. The running capacity of players (has) certainly improved. Whether they can sustain it for 22 weeks, plus finals, will be something we’ll have to wait and see.”
The Tigers got through the final hitout before their Round 1 clash with Carlton unscathed, with Hardwick choosing to rest Dustin Martin, Trent Cotchin and Toby Nankervis late in the game, conceding: “the more time you have them out there, the scarier it gets at stages.”
Collingwood suffered two key injuries - a broken collarbone to young forward Will Kelly which sideline him for a period and a tight calf for star midfielder Steele Sidebottom that will see him in a race against time to take on the Western Bulldogs in Round 1.
Asked if greater fatigue could ultimately lead to more injuries, Buckley said: “We’ve had a shorter preparation; the soft cap for footy programs have been cut by 40 per cent, so the ratio of staff-to-players is very different to what it was; the games are now back to full length and we are going in with less rotations, (so) there has been a lot of change in the game.”
“There are a few rule changes which are designed to speed it up and to make it more open and more offensive.
“There are a lot of different factors that are happening. The coaching group and playing group that get it right are going to get a kick-start early.”
Buckley said it would take up six weeks of the regular season for clubs to settle into a routine under the changes.
That too will supply a bigger sample size.
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“Richmond would see themselves as one of the better pressure sides in the comp and our numbers are generally pretty good in that area, but they were as low as anything you would have seen,” he said of Friday night’s clash at Marvel Stadium.
“It was a very open game. It’s going to take a good five or six weeks before we know exactly where the game is going to settle.
“We’re all talking about the man on the mark, but 75 rotations with an extra 20 minutes of footy is going to be the biggest test, given that all of us haven’t played a normal length game for nearly 18 months.”
Match report: Pies rocked by injury blows in costly loss to Tigers
Collingwood has suffered a double blow a fortnight out from its Round 1 clash with Western Bulldogs with star midfielder Steele Sidebottom and promising young forward Will Kelly injured in Friday night’s Community Series clash with Richmond at Marvel Stadium.
On a night when the Tigers gave a hint that hunger won’t be an issue in their quest for a third straight premiership, the fast-finishing Magpies were left licking their wounds in the six-point loss.
Sidebottom lasted only five minutes of the match – for two disposals – before he came from the field with a suspected tight calf.
The 30-year-old didn’t return to the ground, donned the tracksuit, and now faces a race against time to be ready to take on the midfield might of the Bulldogs on March 19.
Kelly was crunched by the high-flying Dylan Grimes during the second term and emerged clutching his collarbone.
It was confirmed Kelly fractured his collarbone and he was sent to hospital for surgery.
Defender Brayden Maynard was also limping at the end of the game with ice applied to his shin, but should be fine.
Sidebottom’s absence throughout most of the match at least gave Jordan De Goey the chance to spend more time through the midfield, as the club wants him to play in 2021.
Having missed last week’s practice game against Geelong, De Goey had plenty of game time, kicking two goals and helping to drag Collingwood back into the contest late.
On Friday night’s evidence, the Magpies’ plan to use him more in the midfield looks a winner with his 27 disposals and five clearances a taste of what could be to come.
The Tigers were ultra professional as usual, with Dustin Martin dominating early in the midfield before easing into a forward role.
Jayden Short was sensational with 43 touches and rebounding at will, Jason Castagna kicked four goals for the night, Josh Caddy showed some solid early form as he seeks a senior return, while the Tigers back half set up so many forward moves.
The Tigers also took the chance to look at some of their younger players in the second half.
Importantly, Richmond coach Damien Hardwick said he was relieved to have got through the game unscathed, having taken off key players including Trent Cotchin and Toby Nankervis in the second half.
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The injuries to Sidebottom and Kelly could hurt Collingwood in the short term.
Both endured interrupted 2020 seasons.
Sidebottom, 30, managed only nine games last season and was desperate to make up for lost time.
He was suspended for four matches for breaching COVID protocols early last season and then couldn’t get back into Queensland after the birth of his first child after his last game in Round 13.
Kelly, 20, impressed in his AFL debut game, kicking a goal in Round 6 against Hawthorn before suffering a sickening elbow injury that required surgery, which ended his year.
IN A NUTSHELL
RICHMOND
The Tigers took 19 of their 2020 premiership side into Friday’s game, so it was hardly a surprise they looked slick in their last outing before the Round 1 clash with Carlton.
The same old stars were precisely that – stars.
Dustin Martin ran amok early in the midfield and forward before taking the foot off the gas, Jason Castagna booted four goals for the game, Jayden Short and Shane Edwards dominated early possession, and the backline – led Dylan Grimes – was as impeccable and impassable as ever.
But the hunger will come from those who missed out on a premiership medal last year, with Josh Caddy showing some solid early signs he will do everything in his power to win back the spot he lost last year.
COLLINGWOOD
The injuries will be a talking point, but so too will Jordan De Goey’s midfield minutes.
The explosive Magpie started in the middle alongside Scott Pendlebury, Steele Sidebottom (for five minutes) and Brodie Grundy, and spent much of the night there.
Having missed last week’s practice game against Geelong, De Goey showed why the Magpies are so keen to use him through the middle more often in 2021.
Defender Jeremy Howe got some much needed game time down back and now seems right to take on the Bulldogs in Round 1.
But at the other end of the ground, Collingwood’s forward structure still looks a concern, though Mason Cox did kick three second half goals after a slow start.
Could Howe or Darcy Moore be used as swingmen in a ‘break glass in case of emergency’ situations this year?
ONES TO WATCH
RICHMOND
The Tigers got a good look at a number of younger players on Friday night including Jake Aarts, who was so stiff to miss out on a premiership medal after a solid 2020.
He looks ready to reclaim his spot, while Mabior Chol had a good second half duel with Grundy in the ruck after coming on at halftime.
The Tigers also took the opportunity to play the hyphens – Riley Collier-Dawkins and Callum Coleman-Jones – but in many ways, it was the stars who did most of the damage.
COLLINGWOOD
Issac Quaynor won a Rising Star weekly nomination last year, but appears ready to take the next step in 2020.
Cool and composed off half-back, he reads the ball well and can build heavily on the ground he made in his second season in 2020.
It’s hard to believe he couldn’t get a game in the first five weeks of last season, but that won’t be the case in 2021.
He is going to be a serious player, and works well with John Noble, who is getting a look at the wing role now.
SIDELINED
RICHMOND
Unlike their Round 1 opponents (Carlton), Richmond looks relatively healthy less than a fortnight out from the season-opener.
Bachar Houli is more than likely going to run out of time, but the Tigers are super optimistic Dion Prestia and Tom Lynch will be right to tackle the Blues.
The Blues, in contrast, have a number of injury concerns.
COLLINGWOOD
The Magpies will get a full rundown of injuries suffered by Sidebottom and Will Kelly in the coming days.
The coach will be sweating on the results.
Taylor Adams said on Fox Footy he was “ticking the boxes” in an effort to take on the Bulldogs, but it will very much be touch and go, while Chris Mayne should be right.
SCOREBOARD
COLLINGWOOD 2.3 3.5 6.7 11.8 (74)
RICHMOND 4.3 6.8 8.9 11.14 (80)
GOALS
Collingwood: Cox 3, Cameron 3, De Goey 2, Daicos, Elliott, Ruscoe
Richmond: Castagna 4, Riewoldt 2, Caddy, Coleman-Jones, Edwards, McIntosh, Rioli
INJURIES
Collingwood: Kelly (shoulder), Sidebottom (calf)
Richmond: Nil
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