AFL Finals: Collingwood defeats West Coast against the odds in elimination final
Kane Cornes has apologised for accusing Collingwood of “making up the numbers”, but told the Magpies to ditch their “cocky” celebrations if they are to progress deeper into finals.
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Kane Cornes has apologised to Collingwood — with a kicker.
The outspoken media personality accused the Magpies of “making up the numbers” before their elimination final against West Coast.
The comments came back to bite the former Port Adelaide player when Collingwood pulled off an epic one-point win in Perth on Saturday night.
On September 27, Cornes said on Channel 9: “I might use TJ’s (Tony Jones’) line and say Collingwood are going to make up the numbers in this one. They’re not winning this game.”
On Sunday, Cornes said: “They were great and I apologise to all of them”.
But he then added he has been surprised by the level of celebration after the Magpies’ triumph, saying they had been “cocky”.
“You haven’t won the premiership yet,” he said.
“Eddie is texting me, Jeremy Howe is tweeting, the footy club is tweeting me — relax. “There’s three games to go before you win it so just settle down. I got it wrong but stop celebrating like you’ve the premiership.
“There’s still a long way to go in this season.”
I’m sure the boys will let me off tomorrow morning 😰. Well played @CollingwoodFC what a brilliant football club #sorry #AFLFinals https://t.co/gjnJdLZxmy
— Kane Cornes (@kanecornes) October 3, 2020
Still here @kanecornes 👋 https://t.co/C3fritV53y
— It's Black & White Podcast (@blkwhitepodcast) October 3, 2020
Hey @kanecornes - how are we making up the numbers? So proud of my black & white men! @CollingwoodFC @EddieSynot @jillgal11942623 pic.twitter.com/zXNVTUzzBE
— Janine Coombs (@janine_coombs) October 3, 2020
@kanecornes that one was for you pic.twitter.com/Ig1nIYse1j
— MiSsBuGsY87 (@missbugsy87) October 3, 2020
BUCKS SAYS PIES CAN GET BETTER FOR CATS CLASH
Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley says his side can get “better again” this finals series after pulling off an inspired win over West Coast.
Written off and accused of “making up the numbers” after finishing eighth on the ladder, Collingwood set up a blockbuster clash with Geelong next Saturday night after upsetting West Coast in its elimination final in Perth.
Turning the tables on a team that beat them by five points in the 2018 Grand Final, the Magpies found themselves in front by one point at the final siren in a match where the lead changed hands seven times.
“It was pretty tight there towards the end,” Buckley said.
“We were able to put a gap there a couple of times but they’re a good team.
“It’s validation for us. It’s nothing that we’re surprised by. We’ve always had great belief in ourselves and it really hasn’t been reciprocated. I suppose you can only be judged on your performances and we know that we’re capable of that type of performance and better again. So we were really focused on a strong performance and to be able to hold our nerve and to play it out right until the end was important in the result.”
SOAK IT UP MAGPIE ARMY pic.twitter.com/nlqgS39DqU
— Collingwood FC (@CollingwoodFC) October 3, 2020
Bucks is PUMPED 😂 pic.twitter.com/Ykxfue7b4L
— 7AFL (@7AFL) October 3, 2020
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But asked if this year was one where a team could come from eighth to win a premiership, Buckley said he was not getting carried away.
“Hindsight’s a great teacher and we hope that we’re talking about that but we’ve got a lot of work to do between now and then,” he said.
A three-goal first quarter from forward Mason Cox set the scene for the Magpies, before a two-goal fourth term from Brody Mihocek helped overcome a five-point deficit midway through the final quarter.
Collingwood’s final score of 12.4 (74) was its third-highest of the season.
Collingwood and Geelong have met in five finals since 2007, including the 2011 Grand Final which the Cats won and most recently the 2019 qualifying final where the Magpies got up by 10 points.
The Magpies, who had to endure seven days of hotel quarantine leading into their clash with the Eagles, will fly back to Queensland on Sunday morning.
PIES VICTORY AGAINST THE ODDS
Collingwood has recorded a famous victory in the latest absorbing chapter of its epic finals rivalry against West Coast.
With two minutes on the clock, Jeremy McGovern took an intercept mark to propel West Coast forward just like in the great Grand Final between these two clubs.
The ball found Jack Darling, who wasn’t dropping anything with a minute remaining this time around.
The play got the Eagles to within a point, but they wouldn’t get any closer.
Brody Mihocek stepped into Dom Sheed’s shoes to play the hero in the Magpies’ riveting 12.4 (76) to 11.9 (75) elimination final victory at Optus Stadium.
Mihocek kicked two last-quarter goals to finish with three, before dropping into defence as a spare man to mop up the pressure in the dying stages.
On another night, Andrew Gaff’s late smother or Liam Ryan’s brilliant pass might have been dwelled on. But now those moments, like West Coast’s 2020 season, are history.
The Eagles were down by 10 points at the final change, the same deficit they came back from in the qualifying final at the same venue two years ago, but they had the lead by the five-minute mark of the last quarter.
They were riding a wave of crowd emotion and the Magpies needed something special. Mihocek and Jordan De Goey obliged.
West Coast were playing catch-up from the outset after American Mason Cox’s extraordinary opening.
After two weeks to prepare, it took just 16 minutes for Adam Simpson’s defensive plans to unravel after Cox tore apart a quarter in a final for the second time in his career.
After monstering Tom Barrass for three consecutive marks and three goals in less than five minutes, and just two minutes of actual playing time, Barrass was on his way to the interchange bench for some instruction and McGovern was standing in the goalsquare on Cox.
Barrass has had success on Cox previously but it was still a moment where you would have given the dropped Will Schofield – whose career is now over – a penny for his thoughts as the Eagles suddenly looked light on for tall options.
Barrass soon returned to resume duties on Cox but the damage was done as the Pies jumped 16 points clear at quarter time.
The Cox carnage came on the back of the Magpies’ early midfield control, with Tim Kelly (one disposal), Luke Shuey (one) and Dom Sheed (none) barely sighted in the opening term.
West Coast steadied the ship with four goals to two in the second stanza, as Nic Naitanui’s dominance of Brodie Grundy helped the Eagles to play the game in their forward half.
The home team kicked significant majors in both the first and last minute of the second term.
The first was the classic Naitanui to Kelly to Josh Kennedy formula.
The last was produced by a monster contested grab from Jack Darling against three opponents before he kicked truly.
This was a big man’s game, with Darling and Kennedy having two apiece at the major break to answer Cox’s three in the first term.
Grundy was benched in his 150th game to begin the third term, with Darcy Cameron taking over in the ruck as the Pies held firm to ensure they would hold the lead at every change.
RYAN V MAYNARD II
Nathan Buckley tipped the ruck battle as the key sideshow, but with Naitanui running amok there all eyes were on a pair of smalls.
Ryan’s statement grand final shirt-front on Collingwood defender Brayden Maynard was credited as a turning point in the second quarter of the 2018 premiership win.
Last night in the second quarter Ryan had a repeat dose for his man, flooring him with a similar effort that left Maynard on the ground gasping for air.
The pair shared some terse words in the middle of a melee and not long after when Ryan took a finger-tipper at full stretch on the lead, he turned and showed Maynard the ball to the delight of the crowd.
REST IS BEST
There was plenty of talk about West Coast’s underdone stars and most of them played solidly despite the defeat.
Jamie Cripps was a strong performer after missing the last four games of the regular season.
Cripps marked the birth of son Reif with a third-quarter goal, while Jeremy McGovern was solid in defence on return from his hamstring injury before Mihocek took control late.
Jack Redden (thumb) was a diligent worker in the middle, while skipper Luke Shuey lifted with a big third quarter after having just four disposals in the first half.
Kennedy, who shook off an ankle complain to take his place, was a constant threat before finishing with 3.4.
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SCOREBOARD
COLLINGWOOD 4.0 6.1 9.4 12.4 (76)
def
WEST COAST 1.2 5.4 7.6 11.9 (75)
GOALS
West Coast: Kennedy 3, Darling 3, Allen 2, Ainsworth, Cripps, Ryan
Collingwood: Cox 3, Mihocek 3, De Goey 2, Adams, Noble, Elliott, Hoskin-Elliott
BEST
West Coast: Naitanui, Duggan, Ryan, Gaff, Cripps, Darling
Collingwood: Treloar, Adams, Pendlebury, Mihocek, Greenwood, Cox
INJURIES
West Coast: Nil
Collingwood: Nil
BRADEN QUARTERMAINE’S VOTES
3 – Adam Treloar (Coll)
2 – Nic Naitanui (WC)
1 – Brody Mihocek (Coll)