AFL 2020: Recap all the action from Collingwood's win over Western Bulldogs
Collingwood delivered one of the best renditions of their song after players were discouraged from making unnecessary contact but Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge questioned the stricter protocols.
Brodie Grundy gives Tom Phillips an elbow after a goal. Picture: Michael Klein
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge can’t understand why players deemed healthy enough to play AFL are being discouraged from high fives or celebrating a victory by linking arms while singing their club’s song.
The AFL sent a memo to clubs on Friday after players in the Richmond-Carlton season-opener shared drink bottles and engaged in high-fives and hugs at the MCG, which were replaced by elbow bumps and foot taps at Marvel Stadium on Friday night as Western Bulldogs and Collingwood players adhered to the AFL’s stricter protocols on unnecessary contact.
Beveridge was annoyed that he had to address his players on the extreme hygiene measures before their Round 1 game against Collingwood.
“You can’t have your cake and eat it too,” Beveridge said after the 52-point loss on Friday night.
“If we’re playing, we’re playing. We can’t then be saying, ‘But don’t sing the song with your arms around each other’.
“The assumption is that everyone who is playing hasn’t got the virus (COVID-19). That’s the assumption.
“So if you’re bumping each other and tackling each other and flying against each other and hitting each other … I reckon that’s a lot worse than singing the song with your arms around each other.
“All that peripheral stuff, if we can’t do that then why are we playing the game?”
Brodie Grundy gives Tom Phillips an elbow after a goal. Picture: Michael Klein
Magpie Will Hoskin-Elliott booted an early goal and raised both hands in anticipation of high fives, only to quickly withdraw them and opt for a thumbs-up instead.
But the Magpies backflipped on their earlier decision to not sing the song.
Instead of linking arms the players clapped as they belted out Good Old Collingwood Forever, ensuring COVID-19 did not claim one of footy’s favourite traditions.
However, the stricter hygiene rules went out the window when Dogs debutant Ben Cavarra celebrated the first goal of his career.
Cavarra, 24, was mobbed by every teammate and enjoyed a few high-fives after converting a set-shot that was six years in the making for the man who first nominated for the AFL draft back in 2013.
Josh Bruce celebrated his first goal for the Dogs by fist-bumping all nearby teammates.
Magpies Brodie Grundy and Mason Cox set the tone early, celebrating their goals with a pair of elbow bumps.
During the pre-game warm-up Bulldog Mitch Walli and Pie Jordan De Goey ran 30m towards each other to engage in an elbow bump.
RECAP ALL THE ACTION IN THE BLOG BELOW
Updates
SUPERCOACH SCORES
Chris Vernuccio
BULLDOGS
Hayden Crozier 115
Bailey Smith 106
Jack Macrae 103
Caleb Daniel 92
Lachie Hunter 84
Alex Keath 79
Bailey Williams 77
Marcus Bontempelli 76
Zaine Cordy 68
Matthew Suckling 67
Josh Dunkley 67
Tim English 63
Jason Johannisen 61
Easton Wood 60
Mitch Wallis 59
Sam Lloyd 48
Ryan Gardner 44
Josh Bruce 40
Ben Cavarra 32
Aaron Naughton 18
Bailey Dale 16
Lewis Young 0
MAGPIES
Brodie Grundy 179
Jeremy Howe 156
Brody Mihocek 127
Steele Sidebottom 125
Taylor Adams 112
Scott Pendlebury 109
Chris Mayne 107
Brayden Maynard 104
Will Hoskin-Elliott 96
Callum L. Brown 89
Mason Cox 82
John Noble 74
Jamie Elliott 70
Jordan De Goey 66
Tyler Brown 64
Josh Thomas 64
Tom Phillips 64
Jack Crisp 62
Josh Daicos 61
Darcy Moore 55
Jordan Roughead 37
Jack Madgen 22
SONG BACKFLIP
Chris Vernuccio
Now the Pies telling us they have had a change of heart. Are singing the song post-match. At least have tried to do the right thing with no high fives and as little contact as possible
The Magpies have secured a big win over the Bulldogs in a result that never looked in doubt from the first quarter.
MAGPIES 80 BULLDOGS 33
Chris Vernuccio
The heat has well and truly dropped from this match.
Josh Daicos kicked a classy goal and Taylor Adams has capped a superb game with a goal for himself.
The top four possession winners are Collingwood players Mayne (26), Adam (25), Pendlebury (23) and Sidebottom (22).
Disposals: 18
Hitouts: 36
Inside 50s: 5
Contested possessions: 11
Goals: 1
SuperCoach points: 144
GRUNDY UPDATE
Chris Vernuccio
Disposals: 18
Hitouts: 36
Inside 50s: 5
Contested possessions: 11
Goals: 1
SuperCoach points: 144
Disposals: 13
Hitouts: 26
Inside 50s: 5
Contested possessions: 7
SuperCoach points: 99
3QT: MAGPIES 67 v BULLDOGS 32
Chris Vernuccio
More of the same from Collingwood in the third term.
The Bulldogs haven't looked like challenging and have recorded just 15 inside 50s for the match – you can't win a footy game averaging five entries a quarter.
Hygiene rules were forgotten after Ben Cavarra kicked his first AFL goal.
