AFL: Collingwood keeps finals hopes alive with win over North Melbourne
Steele Sidebottom will leave Collingwood’s hub in a dent to the Pies’ finals plans. He explains his mixed feelings as Nathan Buckley gives an optimistic take on a scratchy win over North Melbourne.
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It was far from Collingwood’s cleanest win, but it has given coach Nathan Buckley reason to eye the future with optimism – even if he will be without vice-captain Steele Sidebottom for at least a fortnight.
Buckley said there was plenty of “upside” following the five-goal win over North Melbourne at the Gabba on Monday night, which lifted the Pies to seventh and a game-and-a-half clear of three teams – Melbourne, Carlton and GWS – all parked outside eight six points in arrears, but with a game in hand.
The second-half domination, when they held the Kangaroos to just two goals, while kicking six of their own to seal the game is why Buckley has clarity on where the Pies are headed.
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So long as they continue to improve.
“We’ve got to focus on improving the consistency of our football. There were still a lot of basic things that we could get better tonight (Monday), like clean hands, hitting targets, some tackles that could have stuck,” he said.
“I loved the energy of the players and we definitely benefited from having a longer (nine-day) break.
“We had a more normal training week. We were refreshed and ready ... there is still a lot of upside.”
The scoreline belied Collingwood’s start.
North Melbourne bagged the opening two goals from intercept marks inside its forward 50m.
However, after the first change, Buckley said the Pies’ game plan stabilised and they were able to change their fortunes by capitalising on turnovers and not the Roos.
“They were poor decisions because there were exits we could have gone to, but after that we were pretty dominant from turnover scores because it was seven to one after quarter-time,” Buckley said.
“Once we stabilised the clearance we were in control of the game ... but we have to make more of our chances.”
Vice-captain Steele Sidebottom has been ruled out of next week’s clash with Carlton at the Gabba because he would return to Melbourne this week to be by his wife’s side for the birth of their child, although it’s most likely going to be two weeks.
“I’m not going to give you the itinerary because we want him to have some peace when he gets in,” Buckley said.
Sidebottom said he loved footy, but family came first.
“It is very exciting. I had to make the call about a month ago and at times I have felt guilty leaving her at home on her own, but I love my footy,” Sidebottom said.
“I think getting back with my partner and being able to experience my first kid (in Melbourne) is obviously a lot more important.
“I can’t wait.”
Buckley praised the last-quarter effort of ruckman Mason Cox, who returned for his match since Round 6, kicking a goal among his handful of disposals.
The entire team, including defender Darcy Moore – who ran the full length of the field – raced to Cox to congratulate him on the six-pointer.
“Actually some of his best work was off the deck in the last quarter,” Buckley said.
“Some of his deft touches and knocks ons...were pretty good. He took a while to get going but he was able to contribute...especially in the last quarter.”
SHAW TAKES POSITIVES FROM LOSS
North Melbourne coach Rhyce Shaw had a-glass-half-full outlook on his side’s five-goal loss to Collingwood at the Gabba on Monday night.
The Roos packed an early one-two punch, bagging the opening two goals from intercept marks inside their own forward 50m.
Their pressure in forcing Collingwood into errors early in the game was solid, but doing it for four quarters was a bridge too far for his youthful team.
“I know the score probably doesn’t reflect what the game looked like from our point of view, we did so much right,” Shaw told reporters.
“The boys came out and executed really well, I think we won time in the forward half, in the first half ... we just didn’t take our chances and Collingwood made the most of their turnovers.
“That was the game in the end ... it was a disappointing loss mixed with some really good stuff.”
He had concerns for rookies Tristan Xerri and Jack Mahony, who sustained shoulder injuries during the match although they both saw the finish.
Mahony, playing just his 10th game, defied his injury to set up a goal in the second term, which lifted the side and momentarily put the Roos back in front.
“It was a great effort by him because he probably wouldn’t have dealt with something like that, at this level and the way he did was fantastic” Shaw said.
“Then again, there were really positive signs across the board from a number of our players.”
The loss leaves North Melbourne in 17th with just three wins to their credit with the Gold Coast (14th) Suns at Metricon on Sunday.
Shaw ruled out using the final rounds to experiment with his side, given the season is a forgone conclusion.
He said he would give some thought to Majak Daw and Jared Polec at the selection table after reports they “did okay”.
“We will continue to prepare as best we can to win next week,” he said.
PENDLEBURY BRILLIANCE
It took some Pendlebury brilliance for Collingwood to break the deadlock with a passage of play in the third quarter that allowed the Pies to regain lead and never look back.
It started when he took a mark across half back and then moments later followed up his kick to twice get front and square to two consecutive marking contests that ended in a Flynn Appleby-goal.
The footage should be shown to all junior footballers and to show how hard gut-running can create matchwinning moments, but as for the rest of the match, it’s best left in the can.
The victory lifts Collingwood to seventh and a six points clear of ninth-placed Melbourne, Carlton (10th) and GWS (11th) who although they all have a game in hand.
WELCOME BACK MASON COX … SORT OF
If Pendlebury’s goal was important, his teammate ruckman Mason Cox provided the feel-good moment of a very deflating first half with the ultimate ‘team’ goal.
Playing his first game since round six and out of contract at the end of the season, Cox failed to trouble the statisticians until midway through the second term when he got on the end of a Jack Crisp pass.
He nailed the shot from 35m and his teammates ran from all parts of the ground to congratulate the 29-year-old who has been in the doldrums.
Even fullback Darcy Moore ran the full length of the field to praise the key forward.
Up until then it had been a pretty uneventful night for Cox who finished with five disposals and a goal.
THE RUCK BATTLE OF THE ALL-AUSTRALIANS
They’re two of the most respected ruckman in the league with three All-Australian honours between them and Brodie Grundy and Todd Goldstein both failed to exert their influence on an otherwise scrappy contest
Unlike many of the midfielders, Magpie big man Brodie Grundy and North Melbourne ruckman Todd Goldstein rarely let each other out of their sights – they were even rested simultaneously.
They tailed each other from one contest to the next with neither able to really exert any influence on the game.
By half time they had just five disposals each although Grundy had taken three marks to Goldstein’s nil and by game’s end they pretty much broke even.
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SCOREBOARD
COLLINGWOOD 1.2 4.3 8.3 10.5 (65)
def
NORTH MELBOURNE 2.1 3.4 5.5 5.5 (35)
GOALS
Magpies: Ruscoe 2, Thomas, Daicos, Cox, Appleby, Adams, Pendlebury, Sidebottom, Hoskin-Elliott
Kangaroos: Dumont, Hosie, Scott, Simpkin, Xerri
DARREN CARTWRIGHT’S BEST
Magpies: Pendlebury, Adams, Sidebottom, Maynard, Mayne, Moore
Kangaroos: Higgins, McDonald, Anderson, Simpkin, Davies-Uniacke
DARREN CARTWRIGHT’S VOTES
3 — Scott Pendlebury (Coll)
2 — Taylor Adams (Coll)
1 — Steele Sidebottom (Coll)
INJURIES
Magpies:
Kangaroos: Mahoney (shoulder)
Originally published as AFL: Collingwood keeps finals hopes alive with win over North Melbourne