The battle between Tyson Goldsack and Josh Kennedy could decide the Grand Final, writes Matthew Lloyd
TYSON Goldsack is a much-loved player at Collingwood and it would be an absolute fairytale if he was to win a second premiership. But first he must find a way to beat Josh Kennedy, or it could become a nightmare.
Matthew Lloyd
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TYSON Goldsack is a much-loved player at Collingwood and it would be an absolute fairytale if he were to win a second premiership after the major setback of a knee reconstruction in March.
To then return on the eve of the finals after six months is a credit to his great assets — dedication and commitment.
In the cold light of day, though, he is also one of Collingwood’s biggest concerns in a Grand Final where sentiment won’t stand for much in the heat of battle.
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Goldsack is a third tall defender who is being asked to play a role well above his size, strength and capabilities.
The Collingwood forward line and midfield have to be manic in their pressure all day to protect Goldsack from a Josh Kennedy mauling.
Goldsack will need to play off Kennedy so that he doesn’t get caught in a wrestle.
The pressure ahead of the ball from Collingwood needs to force West Coast’s forward entries to be high and messy, so that Goldsack can get a run and jump at the ball to spoil, rather than trailing Kennedy on the lead where the Eagle will be far too powerful.
Goldsack said this week that he had considered the possibility of being left out for Saturday’s game. Waiting in the wings were Ben Reid and Darcy Moore, who were never likely to play.
As strong a competitor as Goldsack is, those doubts suggest his confidence has been rocked a little after Jack Riewoldt’s dominant display in Friday night’s preliminary final. Riewoldt played a lone hand for the Tigers, taking eight marks and booting five goals.
There were euphoric scenes at the final siren for everyone involved at Collingwood last Friday, but deep down Goldsack would have been bitterly disappointed that he was the only Magpie to clearly lose his one-on-one match-up.
Riewoldt is not the powerhouse that Kennedy, is but he was too strong in the air for Goldsack and lost him out the back of the contest a number of times.
The fitness of Jeremy Howe is critical to Collingwood’s chances as he is one of the best lay-off players in the game.
And Goldsack will desperately need his aerial support.
Howe will have to play on the in-form Jack Darling, who will cover enormous territory, so he may not be able to help as much as he would like.
Consequently, Brodie Grundy becomes the Pies’ most important player.
Grundy obliterated Toby Nankervis and Shaun Grigg in the ruck last week, giving teammates Taylor Adams and Steele Sidebottom first use of the ball.
His dominance allowed for the ball to be locked inside Collingwood’s front half of the ground for long periods.
That is exactly what Goldsack will be relying on. The less he has to scrap with Kennedy the better.
Some Eagles players would have wondered whether they would get this chance again after the debacle of the 2015 Grand Final against Hawthorn.
Kennedy would be one of those players as he was blanketed on the day by James Frawley.
Hawthorn attacked the Eagles physically and mentally from the first bounce and the game was over at quarter-time.
The Eagles were shell-shocked. As every minute passed, Frawley’s confidence grew, and it grew off the back of the Hawthorn pressure farther afield, as well as scoreboard pressure — which is the most important pressure of all.
Frawley ended up with 22 disposals and 11 marks, while Kennedy had nine disposals and didn’t register a score.
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Kennedy will not have another day like that, but if Goldsack can keep Kennedy to under three goals, he has done his job.
Goldsack is an absolute warrior and is one of the great blokes you will meet in football, but today he faces the biggest on-field battle of his career, on the biggest stage of them all. It is not in Goldsack’s nature to die wondering and he will lay it all on the line, but nobody should underestimate how fierce a competitor Kennedy is and he has a score to settle after the hurt and embarrassment of 2015.
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Originally published as The battle between Tyson Goldsack and Josh Kennedy could decide the Grand Final, writes Matthew Lloyd
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