Collingwood crushes Richmond after first-half blitz to march into the Grand Final

THE critics were after Mason Cox a few weeks ago but the giant American produced a finals performance that was the stuff of dreams as Collingwood marched into the Grand Final after crushing the premier.

Collingwood is through to the Grand Final after beating Richmond. Picture: Michael Klein

MOVE over, 1999 preliminary final.

Nearly 20 years after Carlton rolled Essendon by a point in that dramatic upset, Collingwood stunned Richmond with a performance that will live forever.

This time there was no Dean Wallis-Fraser Brown moment. This time there was no one-point cliffhanger.

This game was over before halftime. It was the systematic crushing of a premier.

The Tigers’ bid for back-to-back flags — and the 22-match MCG winning streak that sat beside it — were buried under a first half avalanche of Collingwood goals that were shockingly brilliant.

Shocking because no one expected it and brilliant because the defensive intensity and offensive skill from the Pies took the breath away.

It was 10.4 to 2.8 at halftime — the Pies piling on eight unanswered in a staggering, sustained surge of power football.

The final score was 15.7 (97) to 8.10 (58) in front of 94,000 people.

Richmond was fumbly, slow and hesitant and that was on the rare occasions in the first hour when they could actually get their hands on the ball.

Mason Cox flies over Trent Cotchin for one of his eight contested marks. Picture: AAP

Frequently they were outnumbered — in open play, at stoppages and on long, slow plays down the line. It was inconceivable, but it happened.

The premier lifted in the second half. They had to, but the horse had bolted.

Collingwood’s 44-point halftime lead was the same as the 1970 Grand Final. But this wasn’t a miracle of the comeback kind.

That term was reserved for the Pies’ forward line.

For a man who admitted he was confused over what a preliminary final meant, Mason Cox played with the authority of an all-time great.

The American was unplayable, kicking the first three goals of the second quarter — each from big contested grabs — to send a chant of “USA, USA” around the MCG.

Parents Phil and Jeanette looked on goggle-eyed as their son took eight-contested marks — the equal-most in Collingwood history.

It was the stuff of dreams.

Jordan de Goey takes a one-handed mark and beat Alex Rance on the night. Picture: AAP

Cox’s opponent David Astbury was in doubt with a virus and perhaps should have stayed in bed. He had a shocker.

The Tigers defence, which has been like the Great Wall of China for 18 months, was exposed by a Tigers midfield that couldn’t put pressure on when the game was there to be won.

Alex Rance looked vulnerable against a quick Jordan De Goey, whose hard and direct leading out of the goalsquare made the Richmond superstar uncomfortable.

De Goey had three goals at halftime and added a fourth three minutes into the third when he beat Rance to a loose ball.

That was when Damien Hardwick made the change and sent Dylan Grimes to the emerging Pies star.

So many Richmond players had their worst games for the year.

But Collingwood had heroes everywhere.

Levi Greenwood tackles Dustin Martin, who was well below his best. Picture: Michael Klein

Taylor Adams was a constant energiser, Steele Sidebottom clinical, Jack Crisp had a stack of it and kicked two goals in the first half off a back flank.

Brodie Grundy made an absolute mess of Toby Nankervis and by the last 10 minutes everyone from president Eddie McGuire to Joffa Corfe was going off their chops.

Then there’s Nathan Buckley.

Less than a year after surviving a sweeping review many were convinced would end in his sacking, Buckley is taking a Collingwood side into a Grand Final.

All with an injury list that could have easily crippled another campaign. You couldn’t make it up.

They will take some beating in the Grand Final, too.

The Pies will get an extra day on the either Melbourne or West coast, who will play in 26C heat.

From 13th to a premiership? It was the joke of summer among Pies fans after the Tigers did it 12 months ago.

We sniggered then. Not now.

VOTES

3. Steele Sidebottom

A blinding 41 touches and he used just about every one of them to perfection. What a player.

2. Mason Cox

Took the equal most contested marks (eight) in the history of the club. Three first-half goals. Unbelievable.

1. Taylor Adams

What. A. Game. 20 contested possessions, eight clearances, nine inside 50s and four score assists.

RICHMOND 1.3 2.8 6.10 8.10 (58)

COLLINGWOOD 5.2 10.4 12.7 15.7 (97)

GOALS

Tigers: Riewoldt 5, Higgins 2, Houli

Magpies: De Goey 4, Cox 3, Crisp 2, Mihocek 2, Varcoe, Treloar, Grundy, Stephenson

BEST

Tigers: Riewoldt, Cotchin, Prestia, Grimes

Magpies: Sidebottom, Cox, Adams, Grundy, Crisp, DeGoey, Pendlebury, Langdon

INJURIES

Tigers: Nil

Magpies: Howe (ankle)

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Rosebury, Stevic, Ryan

Official crowd: 94,959 at the MCG

Originally published as Collingwood crushes Richmond after first-half blitz to march into the Grand Final