Collingwood locks in finals spot as Jordan De Goey shines on return
Jordan De Goey has guided Collingwood into its third straight finals campaign with a best-on-ground performance in his return match.
Controversial forward Jordan De Goey has guided Collingwood into its third straight finals campaign with a best-on-ground performance in his return match against a gritty Gold Coast Suns at the Gabba on Monday night.
The 10.8 (68) to 6.10 (46) win means the Pies will finish somewhere between sixth and eighth and play off in an elimination final.
Their finishing position will be determined by the results of other elimination finals contenders and whether the Pies can defeat Port Adelaide at the Gabba next Monday night. However, it was far from an impressive win with the finals only a few weeks away.
Gold Coast got within three points in the last quarter before Collingwood ruckman Mason Cox, and then Jack Crisp goaled to put the result beyond doubt.
Yet, if not for the brilliance of De Goey, making just his seventh appearance for the season and his first since Round 7 because of a serious finger injury, it may have been a disastrous night for the Pies.
It took less than two minutes for the 24-year-old to hit the scoreboard after he goaled from a free kick from just 25m.
It was the first of three first-half goals for the dynamic mid-sized forward who had no trouble losing his opponent Sam Collins in traffic when it mattered most.
De Goey bagged another in the third and, from 10m out, spoonfed Brody Mihocek on the goal line for a brilliant return.
Also reappearing for the Pies after a lengthy break was damaging midfielder Adam Treloar, who watched the opening bounce from the bench.
Within a few minutes he entered the fray and was by and large minded by either Sun’s dynamo Lachie Weller or co-captain David Swallow.
Treloar immediately got to work, racking up 16 touches, including nine contested possessions, by the long break and finished with a game-high 26 disposals.
While it was his first game since Round 10 because of a hamstring injury, Treloar showed his customary pace through the middle with one brilliant burst of speed ending with a Will Hoskin-Elliott goal. It was a solid four-quarter effort for the 27-year-old that will stand him in good stead for the clash with the Power and the finals.
At the other end, Gold Coast Suns’ enigmatic forward Alex Sexton was just as dangerous as De Goey early.
Sexton, who was dropped twice this year for poor form, proved a handful for the Pies with three consecutive goals in nine minutes.
The Pies’ defence paid little respect for Sexton as he cut a path through traffic to goal from directly in front, and then getting clear of his opponent Jack Madgen to mark 40m out.
His third came after he sharked a marking contest, again with next to no pressure, to bang through the Suns’ third and put them 13 points up. A fourth goal beckoned in the second term but Sexton missed the set shot and he also missed a set shot in the last quarter that could have got the Suns within two goals.
More Coverage
The players that made Robbo want to do a top 57
The hardest spot to pick in the top 50 isn’t No.1. It’s actually No.50. Robbo names the players he wanted to fit into his annual list – but couldn’t.
Full rankings: AFL Draft’s top 60 prospects rated and scouted
The 2024 AFL Draft is just over a month away, and to get you ready for the arrival of footy’s next generation, our draft experts CHRIS CAVANAGH and DAN BATTEN rank every prospect.