Collingwood locks in finals berth, eyes top four after win against Port Adelaide
COLLINGWOOD made the right call when it re-signed Nathan Buckley last August. The Pies will play finals for the first time since 2013 and are eyeing a bigger prize after thumping Port Adelaide.
LOCK it in, Eddie.
Collingwood made the right call when it re-signed Nathan Buckley last August amid a declaration from the president that the club’s list was playing for its coach.
Saturday’s 51-point win against a Port Adelaide line-up treating the Round 22 clash as a final sealed the Magpies’ return to the finals.
There were valid reasons to turf Buckley last year, most notably the declining six-year graph from fourth to 13th.
MATCH CENTRE: FULL STATS AND SUPERCOACH
MASON COX COLUMN: THE WEIRDEST THINGS ABOUT AFL
There are valid reasons why this season could’ve been a failure, most notably an injury list longer than Mason Cox’s arms.
But it has been a success, and one which would become resounding with a climb into the top four next week.
Parking the 14 wins, this has already been a home-and-away season filled with positives.
There has been the emergence of Brody Mihocek and Tom Phillips, the resurgence of Josh Thomas and Chris Mayne, the elevation of All-Australian prospect Brody Grundy, the explosion of Jordan De Goey and the revelation of Rising Star favourite Jaidyn Stephenson.
Strong midfielder Brayden Sier suddenly looks a find and Nathan Murphy opened his AFL innings with 14 disposals.
Murphy became the club’s seventh debutant against Port Adelaide and the No. 39 draft pick became the 39th player used in a testing campaign.
Power stars Ollie Wines and Robbie Gray had set-shots for the lead in the third quarter and from there the visitors were crunched.
The Magpies slammed on the next eight goals, and North Melbourne players watching on from Adelaide would’ve enjoyed the percentage points being drained from Port.
The high stakes were evident with a glance at the early match-ups.
Collingwood high-flyer Jeremy Howe noted from the radio box that Darcy Byrne-Jones was tagging Steele Sidebottom, Levi Greenwood was tracking Chad Wingard and Tom Rockliff was following Scott Pendlebury.
It worked for the visitors. At quarter-time Sidebottom and Pendlebury had combined for just three disposals.
But with the silk in the shade, Taylor Adams picked up the slack. Adams’ 17th disposal of the second quarter was a set-shot goal as the Magpies pushed three goals clear.
It was a first half played in patches.
After De Goey goaled in the opening seconds of the game, the Magpies travelled 13 minutes without an inside 50m as Port Adelaide peeled off three goals.
Then, the Magpies added 3.1 in the first two minutes of the second quarter as they recorded 24 of the first 25 disposals.
Jared Polec provided the game’s highlight. The man in demand sold candy to dance past two Magpies and into the 50m before slotting a snazzy goal on the run.
It was Mick McGuane-esque and Polec owed his teammates. Minutes earlier, the dashing playmaker dropped a mark on the goal line, gifting Stephenson his first major.
At halftime this looked a cracker. That changed as quickly as the pre-game weather, with a 20-minute patch in the third quarter warranting the Benny Hill soundtrack.
Fans must’ve felt like they were watching a tennis match, swivelling their heads from left to right as a litany of turnovers were committed in front of the MCC wing.
Finally, a 50m penalty — albeit a soft one, paid against Steven Motlop — calmed the match as Adam Oxley converted a simple set shot.
Magpie fans would’ve been nervous as he approached, with several Oxley errors leaving them shaking their heads in the first half.
Cox drew three free kicks with his size challenging Port and Buckley is cashing in on his longstanding faith in the American.
And Eddie is cashing on his longstanding love for Buckley.
COLLINGWOOD 4.2 9.7 10.11 17.13 (115)
PORT ADELAIDE 4.1 7.2 9.4 10.4 (64)
SAM’S BEST
Magpies: Adams, Grundy, Mayne, Sidebottom, Pendlebury, Maynard, Cox, Crisp, Phillips. Power: Boak, Westhoff, Motlop, Wines, Polec, Ryder.
GOALS
Magpies: Stephenson 2, Phillips 2, Mihocek 2, De Goey 2, Sier, Varcoe, Adams, Oxley, Sidebottom, Cox, Grundy, Mayne, Thomas.
Power: Ryder 3, Boak 2, Westhoff, Watts, Polec, R.Gray, S.Gray.
INJURIES
Magpies: De Goey (leg).
Power: Watts (left knee).
UMPIRES
Dalgleish, Nicholls, Fleer.
CROWD
46,286 at the MCG.
Watch every match of every round of the 2018 Toyota AFL Premiership Season. SIGN UP NOW >
Originally published as Collingwood locks in finals berth, eyes top four after win against Port Adelaide