Steele Sidebottom subbed out after 15 minutes in milestone 300th game as Collingwood crush North Melbourne

It wasn’t meant to be on Sunday for one of Collingwood’s most durable stars, being heartbreakingly subbed out in his 300th game.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MAY 28: Steele Sidebottom of the Magpies is seen during the 2023 AFL Round 11 match between the Collingwood Magpies and the North Melbourne Kangaroos at Marvel Stadium on May 28, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

The Magpies were too quick and too clean as they cruised to a 35-point win over North Melbourne, but their seventh win on the trot was marred by a knee injury to milestone man Steele Sidebottom.

With a sea of family and friends in the crowd for his 300th game, Sidebottom hobbled off with a suspected medial ligament sprain midway through the opening term and was subbed out of the game.

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The Kangaroos brought more of last week’s competitiveness under caretaker coach Brett Ratten and booted six final quarter goals, but lost the game through two major lapses where the competition leaders piled on four quick majors in the opening term and during time-on in the third.

A knee injury in his milestone game didn’t stop Sidebottom celebrating with fans and teammates alike. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Hugh Greenwood and Will Phillips were strong at the coalface as the Roos won the clearance battle, but they did not have the running power to match the Magpies brigade led by Jordan De Goey and Nick Daicos, who hit targets and changed angles with ease to stretch North’s defence.

Forward duo Nick Larkey and Cam Zurhaar were dynamic for the Roos and kicked four between them in the final term, only receiving the supply they needed after the heat was out of the game.

MELANCHOLY MILESTONE

Steele Sidebottom made a red hot start to his 300th game but within 15 minutes was down in the rooms and ruled out of the game with a medial ligament injury to his right knee.

The classy wingman was met with a rousing cheer for each of his four kicks, which were the most of any player on the ground before he was forced from the field with the injury stemming from contact after a big tackle he laid on Cam Zurhaar.

The Magpies will have a tough time replacing Sidebottom while he is sidelined, with fellow aerobic beast Pat Lipinski unlikely to be fit until after their round 14 bye.

Sidebottom carried his daughter Matilda with him onto the field ahead of the game. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

PHILLIPS ARRIVES

Former No. 3 pick Will Phillips announced himself in his 23rd game, racking up 29 touches as the Kangaroos midfield had the better of the Magpies around the stoppages.

He was just one shy of his career-high 19 disposals at halftime, and impressed with his clean hands and acceleration out of stoppages in a full-time midfield role.

The Roos midfield was comprehensively beaten in transition by the Magpies, but the significant clearance win over the premiership favourites suggests Phillips has cemented his place in the midfield mix.

DEPRECIATING ROO

Ben McKay’s patchy form this season continued on Sunday, with the restricted free agent soundly beaten in the air defensively and only managing a single handball to halftime.

He failed to bring a ball to ground in a one-on-one with the significantly undersized Will Hoskin-Elliott, who then converted his set shot, before moments later leaking another goal after being easily worked under a ball by Brody Mihocek.

The 25-year-old’s performances are undermining his market value and have possibly driven away rival bidders, but the immediate issue for the Kangaroos is there are no real alternatives to challenge him for his key defensive post.