‘Collingwood bashing’ response way off mark after Giants loss

The biggest conclusion drawn by many after the opening round of the AFL season has been rejected by an unlikely figure.

Collingwood's Nick Daicos and Darcy Moore leave the field. Phil Hillyard.

Former Brisbane Lions captain Tom Rockliff has told the footy world to “chill out” after Collingwood’s loss to the Giants in Round Zero.

Magpies coach Craig McRae paid tribute to GWS after his team’s 18.6 (114) to 11.16 (82) defeat, but plenty of footy commentators have focused more on the concerning performance from the reigning premiers on Saturday.

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Essendon legend Matthew Lloyd was among those to voice concern about the Pies’ first game of the year, describing the performance as “poor”.

“Attitude-wise they were shown up last night by the Giants,” he said during a segment on Channel 9’s Sunday Footy Show.

Lloyd went on to say: “It was a wake-up call last night for Collingwood. I know it’s one game, but Craig McRae can walk in and say: ‘We were exposed in just about every department of the game’”.

Collingwood legend Nathan Buckley also spoke about Collingwood’s issues after watching the first half of Saturday’s game on Fox Footy.

“Collingwood is putting all its eggs in the frontal pressure basket,” he said, dissecting the side’s defensive shortcomings.

“When the Giants get out of (those) first two or three handballs, Collingwood can’t stop them in the midfield and can’t defend D50 at the moment.

“Fifteen scores from 24 entries (to half-time) for the Giants is a real red flag for the Collingwood coaching staff and they’ll have to (decide) if they’re going to balance their defence across the field a little bit more.”

Nick Daicos on the western Sydney showgrounds turf. Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

The most striking criticism around the Pies came from AFL icon Leigh Matthews, who last week said he was concerned by the team’s attitude.

Matthews urged the club to “stop revisiting what happened six months ago” in response to the timing of the club’s premiership documentary release earlier this month.

“You don’t want to be just enjoying and celebrating the grand final … I’m talking players and in-club people – you have to get back in the here and now,” Matthews told 3AW.

“You have to get your mindset back to what it is, which is starting again ... everyone starts afresh and that’s the attitude you’ve got to have going into the new campaign.

“Revisiting what happened six months ago ... to me, that’s never helpful.”

Tom Rockliff has pumped the brakes. AAP Image/David Mariuz.

Rockliff on Sunday said it was too early for suggestions the club is facing a “premiership hangover”.

“I am all for Collingwood bashing - but seriously can we all chill out,” the former Port Adelaide star wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“They won a flag and did all their obligations including watching the GF back for a Fox Footy Special that plays in the lead up to round zero/one.

“Do you know how hard it is to play AFL footy?

“Do you know how hard it is to win games of AFL footy?

“Do you know how hard it is to win AFL finals?

“Do you know how hard it is to win AFL Grand Finals?

“I don’t know the answer to most them but I do know playing at the top level is bloody hard work.

“They played a team that we all expect to be Top 4 - a little underdone. I think they will be fine. Bit early to be calling it a Premiership Hangover.”

McRae spoke about areas where his team needs to improve during his post game press conference, but also shrugged off a suggestion the result was a reality check.

Collingwood's Nick Daicos and Darcy Moore leave the field. Phil Hillyard.

“It’s early to sort of think that, but one thing for certain coming into the game is we thought we’d improved physically,” he said.

“You get here and the reality is that everyone else is improving.”

There were areas of encouragement for Collingwood, finishing the contest with 60 inside 50s.

McRae said their inability to capitalise on those chances let them down.

“The stats would say we had opportunities to score well but we just didn’t connect going inside 50,” he said.

“There’s a lot of parts to that. There’s chemistry, roles, opposition defending that part well.

“We touched on that at halftime and how we couldn’t quite capitalise. They scored quite easily when they went inside 50 which was a bit of a trend.

“One of the great things about this game is we learnt some really good lessons early.

“We want to have deep wins and nourish those wins, and we want to have shallow losses but learn the lessons really quickly.

“The great thing for our fans is that we come back in six days’ time when we play the Swans at the MCG when we get all our fans to celebrate.

“They can unveil the flag and we’re getting back to work.”