AFL Collingwood vs Brisbane: Lions close to locking in top two as Pies lose more troops

Collingwood lost more troops as Brisbane proved their premiership credentials in a chaotic night at Marvel Stadium. But both sides should be able to book their prelim finals tickets.

Josh Barnes and Ed Bourke

5 min read

11:23PMAugust 18, 2023

News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom

Deven Robertson rips off his shirt in anger.

As wide open as the premiership race remains, you can now pencil in two preliminary finalists.

Brisbane’s wire-to-wire shootout win over Collingwood should surely seal two home finals for the Lions, with a win over St Kilda at home next week to lock in a top-two spot.

Chris Fagan has had mixed results with finals at home over recent years but his men should surely get it done in either a qualifying or semi-final at the Gabba next month.

And unless the injury list worsens for Collingwood – with a beat-up Nathan Murphy to nurse himself to September in the hope he will be rejoined by skipper Darcy Moore (hamstring) in defence for a home qualifying final – the Magpies are surely not going out in straight sets.

Friday’s 24-point loss was potentially written earlier in the week by Pies coach Craig McRae, as even he forecast that the likes of Jordan De Goey (glute) and Bobby Hill (hamstring) would have played this week if it was a cutthroat final.

The Magpies eased off the gas, particularly in defence, and the Lions were good enough to swoop.

Brisbane proved themselves as premiership contenders against the Pies. Picture: Michael Klein

Scott Pendlebury wound back the clock for a brief period in the third term, directly assisting two goals and playing a part in two others, but like Sam Kerr’s wonder-strike on Thursday night it was a sugar hit as Brisbane’s midfield dominated for the rest of the night.

And the Lions forward-half didn’t let the onballers down, as Eric Hipwood, Joe Daniher, Charlie Cameron and Zac Bailey all had their moments in front of goal as the Lions piled on 19 goals.

The defence will be McRae’s biggest headache this week.

After conceding 105 points to Hawthorn in round 21, 101 points to Geelong last week, the Moore-less Magpies let through the biggest score of McRae’s reign to the Lions.

Collingwood’s pressure was high to start the game on Friday, as the Magpies had 17 more tackles in the opening quarter alone, but it wasn’t enough to win the ball back off Brisbane.

McRae’s second-biggest headache will be at the selection table.

Debutant Jakob Ryan will not be available to face Essendon next week after he was concussed before half-time by a Cam Rayner knee in a marking contest.

Forward Beau McReery will be frantically refreshing his emails on Saturday waiting for Michael Christian’s match review verdict after he drove Darcy Wilmot into the turf in a third-quarter tackle.

And for Fagan, in-form Lions forward Cal Ah Chee will be hoping his back isn’t so sore when he wakes up after he was subbed off with two goals to his name.

Cal Ah Chee was forced off the ground with soreness. Picture: Getty Images

Despite the scoreboard though, Friday night’s biggest loser was Port Adelaide.

The Power will now most certainly be on the road to start the finals, likely headed to Brisbane.

With the top-two now seemingly set and half of the preliminary final weekend potentially in place, the scramble is on for everyone else to get into position.

PICS: LION GOES SHIRTLESS IN BIZARRE SCENES

Brisbane Lion Deven Robertson earned himself fan favouritism even with the hard-to-please Collingwood crowd after a bizarre incident in which he threw away his jumper and played shirtless.

The tough midfielder won a free kick when he burrowed into Magpie Tim Mitchell in the second term.

Robertson then emerged with the sides of his No.2 guernsey ripped and continued to play with the poncho-like outfit.

He was wrapped up by two Magpies only moments later, with a visibly frustrated Robertson ripping off the remains of his shredded jumper and throwing it away in frustration.

Have you ever seen this happen before? ðŸ¤£

Robertson has completely lost his jersey...

ðŸ“º Watch #AFLPiesLions LIVE on ch. 504 or stream on Kayo: https://t.co/c5VwhmeFbG
âœï¸ BLOG https://t.co/RZb5lnV095
ðŸ”¢ MATCH CENTRE https://t.co/B2J0jXKoW8 pic.twitter.com/iVwbVRkvCF
— Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) August 18, 2023

Dev Robertson #AFLPiesLions pic.twitter.com/sM3I0bT8aS
— Tim Michell (@tim_michell) August 18, 2023

While a steward waited at the interchange gates with a fresh top, Robertson continued in the play.

“It’s skins versus shirts out there at the moment,” Western Bulldogs legend Brad Johnson exclaimed on SEN.

Robertson drew universal acclaim from fans of both teams when shown on the big screen during play, only to be booed when he eventually put a new jumper on.

The unusual incident may pay off for the 22-year-old Lion, as his shirtless antics saw him draw in more than 4000 new followers within half-an-hour on Instagram, as his followers count flew beyond 15,600.

DISASTER FOR DEBUTANT

Collingwood debutant Jakob Ryan’s night has ended early with concussion while in-form Brisbane forward Cal Ah Chee has been sidelined with a back issue.

The dashing Ryan was helped off the field by Magpies trainers in the late stages of the second term after being kneed in the head, as his family watched anxiously from the stands.

He was later subbed out for Mason Cox, with Ryan entering concussion protocols.

Only moments later, Ah Chee appeared to be tunnelled in a marking contest by Magpie Nathan Murphy, with Ah Chee landing straight on his back.

The electric forward had booted two goals before the incident and attempted to play on, even coming out after half-time to warm up and coming on the field for a few minutes in the third term around getting treatment on his lower back.

But Ah Chee gingerly returned to the bench at the half-way point of the third quarter and was subbed off for Jarryd Lyons.

Jakob Ryan (L) has been subbed out of the game.

Ryan was injured when he went back with the flight and into danger, with Brisbane’s Cam Rayner kneeing him fairly in the contest.

Collingwood later confirmed Ryan had entered concussion protocols, meaning he will be unavailable for the club’s final round clash with Essendon next Friday night.

Goalkicking legend Dermott Brereton said Ryan was “brutalised” by the contact.

“I hope that boy isn’t seriously hurt,” Brereton said on SEN.

MCREERY TACKLE UNDER MICROSCOPE

Collingwood hard-runner Beau McReery is set to come under scrutiny for a heavy tackle on Brisbane speedster Darcy Wilmot.

The Magpie forward carried Wilmot forward in a tackle in the third term of Friday night’s pulsating clash, with Wilmot landing face first on the Marvel Stadium turf.

McReery gave away a free kick in the incident but Wilmot appeared fine and continued to play on without further issue.

Richmond champion Matthew Richardson said he thought McReery could be in trouble for the tackle, with Wilmot’s arms pinned on impact.

Beau McCreery might be copping a suspension. Picture: Michael Klein

“His arms are pinned so there is no doubt that the MRO’s (match review officer Michael Christian) going to look at that, his head did hit the ground,” Richardson said on Channel 7.

“He is alright though which helps a little bit.”

Collingwood was hit by a concussion earlier in the game, with debutant Jakob Ryan subbed off in the first half when kneed legally by Brisbane’s Cam Rayner in a marking contest.

Magpie defender Nathan Murphy landed awkwardly after a marking contest but returned to the field, while Brisbane’s Cal Ah Chee was subbed off with a sore back after Murphy appeared to tunnel him in the first half.