AFL Round 2: Collingwood and Richmond draw for the first time since 1917
Collingwood and Richmond have fought out a bizarre low-scoring draw after neither team kicked a goal in the final quarter. And Magpie fans were left fuming after a controversial video review in the first match of the AFL season restart.
There was the moment football missed its fans, and the moment it didn’t.
The first came when Jack Higgins stamped his remarkable comeback from brain surgery with the final goal of a painful draw.
The second came on the final siren, when the lockout felt appropriate, because a stunned silence would’ve fallen over the MCG regardless of the attendance.
The 5.6 (36) to 5.6 (36) result was just the second draw between these teams, and the first since 1917.
And at time when the AFL wants coaches to let loose with attacking, gung-ho football, it was the lowest scoring match this century, albeit played on reduced game time.
The Higgins moment was a special one, and came after he was awarded a goalline mark that left Collingwood president Eddie McGuire unimpressed .
The ball appeared to be over the line for a behind, and the decision should’ve been greeted with thundering boos from a rollicking crowd of 90,000.
Dane Swan thought Higgins was so far over the line he could’ve order a beer from the Albion Rooftop.
“As they say in cricket you have always got to go with the batsman … that’s all I’m saying,” the cheeky forward said.
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Instead, there was deadly silence with the players spared the fake crowd noise broadcast on television.
The only signs of life came in the form of the nearby cardboard cutouts as a 2D version of Magpies cheer squad leader Joffa Corfe sat in silence behind the goals.
Higgins walked to his mark with that trademark smile and threaded the goal as Collingwood’s early 24-point lead was cut to two points.
The Tiger army should’ve erupted. Higgins should’ve turned to the crowd to soak up a special moment in his reignited career.
At least social distancing went out the window. Higgins embraced Tom Lynch, Jack Riewoldt and Jack Graham in a heartwarming celebration, opting for hugs over elbow bumps.
It wasn’t the first time Higgins had outraged the Magpies on the MCG goalline.
Two years ago Higgins kicked goal of the year while wedged around the goalpost, when the decibel count went berserk.
Jack the Ripper’s comeback will be cherished for some time. He was in the votes in Richmond’s full-scale scratch match last week, playing his way into coach Damien Hardwick’s settled 22.
ARE WE SET FOR MORE OF THE SAME?
It is a small sample, but Thursday night provided early evidence that a three-week pre-season was nowhere near enough.
Neither team kicked a goal in the final quarter. The Magpies failed to split the middle in the second half.
“No doubt there would be a few broken TVs,” Magpies captain Scott Pendlebury said after a contest that lasted just 94 minutes.
Shortened quarters wasn’t meant to lead to shortened kicking, but that’s exactly what occurred.
Perhaps the fatigue factor had simply drained every ounce of power from the legs.
Both teams had managed just five goals in the first three quarters, and it seemed neither was too intent on adding to that tally with the four points up for grabs.
Tom Phillips and Brody Mihocek had golden opportunities to push the Magpies clear, and their set-shots combined for one behind. Phillips sprayed his kick out on the full.
Then, bizarrely, Jack Riewoldt failed to make the distance from 45m. The arm-wrestle was sapping just to watch.
CAGED LIONS
Maagpies assistant Brenton Sanderson said pre-game the players were like “caged lions” in the rooms.
He wasn’t kidding. They shot to a 24-point lead, keeping the Tigers goalless in the opening quarter for the first time since 1998.
Taylor Adams might take over from Scott Pendlebury as captain one day, and he might’ve already taken over from Pendlebury as the club’s No.1 midfielder.
Adams, 26, set the Magpies alight last night. Three of Adams’ six clearances in the first term led to scores, including a stoppage goal that came from the right-footer’s boot.
It was system more than pressure from a Magpies backline that looked as organised as crime committed by the mafia in the first term.
RISING STAR HAS FALLEN BEHIND
Jaidyn Stephen has too much class to stay out of Collingwood’s side for long. But the passage back into the best 22 might not be as simple as many supporters think.
Stephenson, 21, has played just two games in the past 12 months and endured an interrupted summer due to glandular fever.
More pressing is that is the fact that the Magpies appear settled. Darcy Cameron only came into the team because Mason Cox had a niggle, and the father-son youngsters are all looking sharp.
Thursday night’s atmosphere resembled a junior game, and Josh Daicos and the Brown brothers (Callum and Tyler) all looked like they belonged.
When Daicos spun out of trouble to thread Collingwood’s fourth goal it was hard not to smile. Daicos’s first 10 touches all hit the target.
MORE FOOTY:
Fans or no fans, thank goodness footy’s back after making a way through its greatest challenge
Teams: See your club’s final line-up for Round 2, 2020
AFL game previews, best bets and a bumper multi for Round 2
BEST:
COLLINGWOOD: Howe, Adams, Pendlebury, Daicos, Sidebottom, Maynard, Moore, Phillips.
RICHMOND: Cotchin, Lynch, Houli, Martin, Higgins, Soldo, Bolton, Vlastuin.
VOTES: 3. Jeremy Howe (Coll), 2. Taylor Adams (Coll), 1. Trent Cotchin (Rich)
Recap all the Thursday night action in the blog below
Originally published as AFL Round 2: Collingwood and Richmond draw for the first time since 1917
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