Collingwood’s class stands out in win over St Kilda with Steele Sidebottom starring
Like so many aspects of the 2020 AFL season, Collingwood’s clash with St Kilda at the MCG was a bit unusual at times. But the Magpies were able to restore some normality — thanks in part to Steele Sidebottom and Brodie Grundy.
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Like so many aspects of the 2020 AFL season, Collingwood’s clash with St Kilda at the MCG was a bit unusual at times, but the Pies were able to restore a level of normality long enough to secure a 44-point win.
Nathan Buckley’s men were criticised for a disjointed, dour performance in a draw against Richmond at the same venue in round two, but they were far more impressive in a first half that set up the 12.9 (81) to 5.7 (37) win.
Steele Sidebottom starred with 31 possessions and a goal as the Pies doubled last week’s tally of five majors in the first half on Saturday to lead by 38 points at the main break.
They managed just two goals in the second half but that was enough to account for the Saints, who booted just one as the match devolved into a grim stalemate.
“The reality of what we’re going to see in the early stages of this season, off the back of the preparation we’ve had, is an inconsistency in the way the games are played,” Buckley said.
“The first half compared to the second half was evidence of that. “But for the most part our pressure on them was consistent.
“We dropped off in the third quarter and the game changed but our intent to come forward rather than collapse, which is what we saw late against Richmond, was really positive.”
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Scott Pendlebury (26 disposals), Jack Crisp (24), Brayden Maynard (23) and Taylor Adams (19) were important in helping to put on a more fluent display of ball movement.
Brodie Grundy took on Rowan Marshall and Paddy Ryder in the ruck and clearly took the honours with 20 touches and 31 hit-outs.
In his first game for the season, Jaidyn Stephenson booted two goals, as did Jamie Elliott, Brody Mihocek and Adams.
Brett Ratten kept his players on the ground for a stern talking to at halftime after the deficit blew out, but the coach didn’t get the desired result. “We probably over-finessed the ball early, just turned it over, and they got some momentum,” Ratten said.
“There’s no doubt over the four quarters they were tougher and harder in the contest than us.
“Their ability to be cleaner in the contest was evident.” Bradley Hill was among his new team’s best players again with 25 touches, while Richmond premiership player Dan Butler continued his impressive start with 16 possessions and two goals.
COLLINGWOOD 5.3 10.4 11.7 12.9 (81)
ST KILDA 2.1 4.2 5.6 5.7 (37)
GOALS
Collingwood: Stephenson 2, Elliott 2, Mihocek 2, T. Brown 2, Adams 2, Sidebottom, De Goey
St Kilda: Butler 2, Marshall, King, Marsh
BEST
Collingwood: S Sidebottom B Grundy, S Pendlebury, T Adams, J Crisp, B Maynard, J Howe.
St Kilda: B Hill, J Gresham, D Butler, J Carlisle, Z Jones
Wasteful Roos back-up upset with trademark flop
Gilbert Gardiner
New breed, same bad habits.
North Melbourne has earned a lot of plaudits in recent times, and deservedly so with its bold and aggressive style.
They can look like world-beaters the Kangaroos, when it works, and within days of banner wins comes the underwhelming and pedestrian flop.
Sydney turned up the heat at Marvel Stadium and in doing so, punched the hosts in the mouth to run out 11 point winners and extend a 13-year Kangaroo hoodoo in Melbourne.
Save for Todd Goldstein, Jy Simpkin and Trent Dumont the Kangaroos had no four-quarter contributors.
Aaron Hall’s run and carry was useful but blown shots on goal blunted the speedster’s output.
Ben Cunnington’s (back, late withdrawal) absence was felt in the second half as seasoned Swans extractors Josh Kennedy and Luke Parker put the Kangaroos to the sword at the stoppages.
Kennedy was brilliant after a slow start, amassing 12 contested possessions from 22 disposals and six clearances, including four out of the middle.
PAPLEY PARTY
TOM Papley was exactly what the sluggish Kangaroos didn't need.
Quick hands, tremendous vision and a nose for goal combined to put the hosts to the sword in a blistering third quarter cameo.
Papley's impact at ground level exposed and frustrated North Melbourne's back six, with Kangaroos Luke McDonald and Jasper Pittard among others relegated to spectators.
A no-look over-the-shoulder handball gifted James Rowbottom a goal then Papley chimed in again with a searching run and pass to Lewis Taylor for the easiest of goals from the point blank range.
MISSING PERSONS
Ben Brown went the best part of three quarters between touches.
Tarryn Thomas spent the best of three quarters trying to get a touch.
Jasper Pittard was fumbled most things, operating at 45 per cent efficiency in a forgettable game for the bottle blonde who spent the first half tagging Swans bombshell Isaac Heeney.
Curtis Taylor, Cameron Zurhaar, Aiden Bonar and Kyron Hayden struggled while experienced Kangaroos Jamie Macmillan and Mason Mood had no impact.
Slick midfielder Shaun Higgins only battled and Jack Ziebell was sporadic.
The impact of same-day travel has yet to be fully determined or understood, but on face value the Kangaroos appeared to be a stride off the pace seven days after an 18-hour Sydney roundtrip.
Whereas as the Swans, in contrast, were spritely in their attack of the Sherrin.
GONE BEGGING
You only get limited opportunities against a well drilled side like Sydney and North Melbourne wasted them.
After bouncing out of the blocks, Ben Brown converting the first two goals, the Kangaroos ground to a hop, scoring 1.9 from their last 10 scoring shots to halftime.
Aaron Hall was responsible for three flying shots on goal gone begging, while Jack Ziebell tugged two set shots from long range.
Cameron Zurhaar needed a second look from 30m out directly in front to find his range and kick a steadier after Sydney banged on five unanswered goals to put the Kangaroos on notice.
NORTH MELBOURNE 2.3 3.9 5.11 8.12 (60)
SYDNEY 2.1 5.3 10.8 10.11 (71)
GOALS
North Melbourne: Brown 3, Zurhaar, Ahern, Hall, Dumont, Simpkin
Sydney: Papley 2, McLean, Hayward, Dawson, Blakey, Heeney, Rowbottom, Taylor, Parker
BEST
Kangaroos: Simpkin, Goldstein, Dumont, Hall
Swans: Kennedy, Parker, Papley, Lloyd, Florent
VOTES
3 Josh Kennedy (Syd)
2 Luke Parker (Syd)
1 Jy Simpkin (NM)
SWANS LEARNING TO DEAL WITH NO BUDDY
CHRIS CAVANAGH
NO Lance Franklin, no worries.
Sydney is 2-1 and fast learning to cope without a major presence in its forward line.
Underdogs against North Melbourne today, the Swans’ efficiency going forward and range of options was a major factor as they held on to an 11-point win at Marvel Stadium.
Sydney kicked 10.11 (71) from just 41 inside-50s and have averaged 73 points from their first three games this season.
That average score is just five points a game less than 2019 despite shorter quarters meaning 20 per cent less game time this season.
“We’ve had to learn to deal without them,” Swans forward Isaac Heeney said of injured key forwards Franklin and Sam Reid.
“Hayden McLean came in and stood up and duked one early and kicked the goal to set the tone there which was nice.
“We got out-marked way too easily last week (against Essendon) coming into the forward line so that was a big focus for us, not to get out-marked. Then we know our little fellas – which is the majority of us – can put that pressure on and go to work in there.”
Sydney had nine individual goalkickers – a spread they achieved just three times last year – and led the Kangaroos by as much as 33 points late in the third quarter.
The Swans then endured a late scare as North Melbourne surged in the final term to narrow the margin to 12 points with 1min 40sec to play.
“We would have liked to finish off a bit better but our third quarter really set it up nicely and I think we had to really respond after last week,” Heeney said.
“We just had to go in this week and focus on the basics. It’s a bit cliche but that’s what we had to do and we had a full 22 stand up rather than last week where we only had a handful. It was a more even contribution over the full ground.
“It was a pleasing win but it was a bit of a heart attack in the end.”
The Swans face a five-day turnaround before a clash with the Western Bulldogs at the SCG on Thursday night where they will search for a third win.
“They’re a side that’s been touted to be pretty good and didn’t perform the first couple of weeks and on Friday night had a cracker,” Heeney said.
“We’ve just got to go into that and focus on a few key points and we’ll hopefully put a full four-quarter performance together.”
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