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AFL SuperCoach winners and losers: All the key performers, analysis from grand final rematch

A popular cheapie flopped while an abundance of PODs starred. Discover all our SuperCoach analysis and relive the key moments from Collingwood’s win over Brisbane.

Mitch Bourke
@Mitchbourke
9 min read
March 28, 2024 - 10:40PM
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom
SuperCoach AFL: Buy, Hold, Sell Round 3

Collingwood has survived an almighty second quarter scare to down Brisbane by 20 points in the grand final rematch.

One of the biggest talking points from the clash will be Scott Pendlebury’s third quarter open palm hit to the stomach of Lachie Neale, with many wondering if the Collingwood champion will have a case to answer for.

“I said sorry to him after the game, I didn’t mean to get him quite there and he said he did it last year and got a fine,” Pendlebury said of the incident on Fox Footy’s post match coverage.

“What will be will be, the retaliator always gets caught, mum taught me that and I got sucked in tonight.”

Relive the game’s action and discover all our SuperCoach analysis below.

FT: LIONS SLUMP TO 0-3

A wasteful second quarter came back to the haunt the Brisbane Lions who struggled to regain the ascendancy in the second half.

The Pies weren’t at their best, but were much improved after a very shaky to the season to claim their first win, holding on to down the Lions by 20 points.

Brisbane led the Magpies in inside 50s and clearances, but were far less efficient when moving the ball forward.

79 per cent of SuperCoaches can breathe a sigh of relief after Nick Daicos recovered from a slow start to finish with 110 points.

Unfortunately for the 12 per cent of coaches that own Finlay Macrae he was subbed early in the third term and finished with just 30 points.

It was a match for the PODs, as none of the top five scorers had an ownership of more than 2.8 per cent, as Lachie Neale reminded everyone of his class with a match-high 129.

SuperCoach leaders:

Lachie Neale - 129

Dayne Zorko - 127

Tom Mitchell - 121

Jamie Elliott - 120

Cam Rayner - 113

Nick Daicos - 110

Hugh McCluggage - 107

Oscar McInerney - 106

John Noble - 106

Josh Dunkley - 96

10:10: CHIP ON HIS SHOULDER

John Noble may have had a chip on his shoulder heading into tonight’s grand final rematch after he was left out the decider after playing 23 games throughout the season.

He has responded emphatically against Brisbane, showing McRae why he deserved to play by amassing 107 SuperCoach points with a few minutes left to play in the clash. Has had 24 touches off half back and has used the ball well.

John Noble of the Magpies during the round three AFL match between Brisbane Lions and Collingwood Magpies at The Gabba, on March 28, 2024, in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
John Noble of the Magpies during the round three AFL match between Brisbane Lions and Collingwood Magpies at The Gabba, on March 28, 2024, in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

10:04: MIHOCEK MAKES AMENDS

Collingwood has a game-high lead of 26 points, but it very nearly wasn’t to be.

Brody Mihocek looked to snap around the corner from 15 metres out to extend Collingwood’s lead. It was surely a sure thing, but he booted the ball directly into the outstretched arms of Dayne Zorko who was manning the mark.

He was afforded the opportunity to make amends just minutes later, a Lions defensive breakdown handing him an uncontested mark in a crowded 50, and he converted the set shot from the tight angle.

10:00: COMETH THE MOMENT, COMETH THE MAN

Elliott has two in a matter of minutes and four for the match.

Has a proven track record of standing up when game’s are on the line, and his cool conversions tonight could prove no different if Collingwood can hang on to its 20-point lead.

Jamie Elliott of the Magpies celebrates a goal during the round three AFL match between Brisbane Lions and Collingwood Magpies. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Jamie Elliott of the Magpies celebrates a goal during the round three AFL match between Brisbane Lions and Collingwood Magpies. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

9:56: DECISIVE ELLIOTT TACKLE

Every quarter in this match has been one-sided - until now.

A brilliant Jamie Elliott tackle and subsequent set shot conversion makes it two Collingwood goals to Brisbane’s three in the final term.

A thrilling finish awaits, with Collingwood ahead by 15.

3QT: CAN LIONS COME BACK?

Brisbane trails by 20 points at the final break but if the last three quarters are anything to go by, a comeback is on the cards.

Nick Daicos is back on track after giving owners a scare, and has recovered to be on 79 SuperCoach points with a quarter play.

SuperCoach leaders:

Lachie Neale - 112

Dayne Zorko - 103

John Noble - 100

Tom Mitchell - 93

Cam Rayner - 90

9:35: PENDLEBURY FLOORS NEALE

Will this hit land Scott Pendlebury in hot water?

He’s been fined just $2,000 across the entirety of his career, but Pies champion Scott Pendlebury could find himself in hot water with the MRO this week after he floored Brisbane’s Lachie Neale with an open palm hit to the stomach late in the third term.

It comes after Neale was assessed by the Brisbane doctor having rolled his ankle earlier in the game.

9:31: PIES DAZZLE IN PREMIERSHIP QUARTER

Collingwood has kicked five goals to the one in a remarkable third quarter as the match continues to seesaw heavily.

Don’t let the 20-point lead fool you though Pies fans, this match is far from over.

14 out of 16 goals have been kicked at the Stanley St end tonight. Who will be kicking that way in the last quarter? You guessed it, the Lions.

9:28: PRICE TUMBLE LOOMS

As three-quarter-time nears Nick Daicos has just 49 SuperCoach points.

It’s a disappointing showing from the second-most owned player in the game who managed just 54 points last week and already has a sky high breakeven of 167.

9:14: SUB ACTIVATED, NEALE INJURY SCARE

Craig McRae has introduced shock sub selection Jack Crisp into the game as Collingwood looks to build on its early second quarter momentum.

The move has come at the expense of 12.3 per cent of SuperCoaches however, with popular cheapie Finlay Macrae subbed out of the game. Macrae was underwhelming and managed just six touches and 28 SuperCoach points. It comes after a round two score of 12, killing any hopes of cash generation coaches may have been holding out for.

The Lions survived a scare as it appeared Lachie Neale sustained a nasty ankle injury and he could be seen limping heavily. Fortunately it just proved to be a rolled ankle and he soldiered on without leaving the ground.

9:05: PIES HIT SCOREBOARD, FINALLY

Collingwood have regained a slender one-point lead through a Beau McCreery goal early in the third quarter.

It was the Pies’ first goal since the 30th minute of the first team and comes after Brisbane went almost a quarter without scoring earlier in the match.

We could well have a game on our hands.

HT: COLLINGWOOD SCORELESS IN SECOND TERM

Talk about a turnaround.

After a rampaging 33-point opening quarter, Collingwood was held scoreless in the second term.

The Pies are lucky to trail by just five points given the Lions lead every key metric, the fact they’ve kicked eight behinds and are going at an efficiency of just 34.3 per cent inside 50 illustrates their wastefulness.

Dayne Zorko and Lachie Neale have been pivotal to Brisbane’s charge with 39 disposals between them already.

Zorko’s dominance has translated to SuperCoach as he leads the way with 72 points. The $480,600 midfielder is in just 2.8 per cent of teams.

Nick Daicos switch to half back hasn’t yielded the returns many hoping for. The heavily owned DPP has just 37 points at the half, while popular rookie Finlay Macrae only has 19 points.

SuperCoach leaders:

Dayne Zorko - 72

Tom Mitchell - 71

John Noble - 69

Cam Rayner - 68

Brayden Maynard - 64

Dayne Zorko of the Lions is tackled by Patrick Lipinski of the Magpies. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Dayne Zorko of the Lions is tackled by Patrick Lipinski of the Magpies. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

8:32: CHARLIE CUTS IT TO SINGLE FIGURES

What’s happened to Collingwood?

After a red-hot start, the Pies are scoreless in the second term with just five minutes to play.

The margin is now just eight points, but it isn’t all sunshine and roses for the Lions who have been largely inefficient going inside 50 and should arguably be in front.

Brisbane has been dominant at the coalface however, leading the contested possession count 32-10 for the quarter.

8:22: WASTEFUL LIONS

The match is undoubtedly back on level terms, with Brisbane gaining the ascendancy in the second quarter.

But the Lions have been wasteful. They trail by 15 despite having registered as many scoring shot as Collingwood, and their hot start to the term has them leading the inside 50 count 22 to 15.

8:17: NEALE BREAKS DROUGHT

It had been coming.

After seven consecutive inside 50s, the Lions finally found their first goal since the fifth minute of the match.

It was Lachie Neale who took the responsibility upon himself and delivered, with the goal the margin to 17.

QT: PIES PODS ON FIRE

The three highest SuperCoach scorers at quarter time have a combined ownership of 2.5 per cent.

Bobby Hill’s electric three-goal showing unsurprisingly sees him top the scoring with 49 points, while Tom Mitchell and John Noble both have 41.

Chris Fagan noted the importance of stopping Jordan De Goey pre-game, yet he has also been influential.

After a free-flowing start riddled with turnovers, the match settled into its rhythm later in the quarter, and it was Collingwood who put its stamp on the game first to lead 5.3 (33) to 1.3 (9) at the break.

SuperCoach leaders:

Bobby Hill - 49

Tom Mitchell - 41

John Noble - 41

Dayne Zorko - 38

Billy Frampton - 35

8:02: HILL SLOTS THIRD

Bobby Hill has slotted two goals in a flurry to give him three inside the first quarter.

The dream start has seen him shoot past the SuperCoach half century with 53 points to his name.

Collingwood has four goals on the trot to lead by 24 points as the first break nears.

7:55: MITCHELL FLYING IN GAME 200

Celebrating his 200th game, Tom Mitchell has exploded in the first quarter to shoot to 39 SuperCoach points with five minutes to play in the term.

If he can continue this from throughout the remainder of the match, the mere 500 coaches that own the $529,000 midfielder will be ecstatic. He has seven disposals at 100% efficiency.

7:44: SCORE REVIEW WORKOUT

If the first three goals of tonight are anything to go by, we’re in for plenty of score reviews.

Jamie Elliott’s goal handed Collingwood a six-point lead, but not before a score review to confirm it hadn’t scraped the post.

It was certainly a close call, but it came just minutes after a much more assured Rayner goal was also reviewed.

7:38: RAYNER OVER HIS SHOULDER

How’s that for a goal?

It was from close range, but it certainly had flair, with Cam Rayner plucking the footy at the top of the goal square and slotting it over his shoulder with his back to goal.

It levels the game at one goal apiece.

7:34: BOBBY STRIKES FIST

The Pies have struck first through Bobby Hill.

Norm Smith medalist Bobby Hill put enough space between himself and Dayne Zorko to mark comfortable 25 metres out streaking towards goal. Converted coolly.

7:20: PREMIERSHIP HANGOVER?

If winning a premiership is the greatest feat in football, the going back-to-back is the stuff of legend.

Collingwood can attest to this, having slumped to 0-3 in a disastrous start to the season. It would take a monumental effort to win the flag from here.

Sam Landsberger analysed the 10 symptoms of a premiership hangover earlier today, find out how many are plaguing the Pies.

Tom Mitchell warms up ahead of his 200th AFL game. (Photo by Matt Roberts/AFL Photos/Getty Images)
Tom Mitchell warms up ahead of his 200th AFL game. (Photo by Matt Roberts/AFL Photos/Getty Images)

7:00: DAICOS BACK IN DEFENCE?

Talk of a role change for Nick Daicos swirled pre-game, and the events of the last 30 minutes have only intensified the speculation.

Jack Crisp has been named as the sub which has certainly opened the door for the move, while Sarah Jones noted on Fox Footy’s coverage that Daicos was warming up with the defensive group.

After a very lean SuperCoach showing of just 54 last week, the whopping 133,000 SuperCoaches that own Nick Daicos team will be hoping for a return to his scoring highs, which a switch to defence wouldn’t hinder.

Despite the threat Daicos poses, Lions coach Chris Fagan revealed pre-game he’s more concerned with another star Pie.

“We’ll probably look more to look after De Goey to be honest, and that’s not to downgrade Daicos,” Fagan said of which opposition players will receive attention on Fox Footy.

“You just need to make sure the guys that are playing on (Daicos) at any given time are paying him the due respect.”

6:30: SUB SURPRISE

The final teams are in and we’ve avoided any late changes, however Craig McRae’s ensured there is some news, making the bold decision to start Jack Crisp as the sub.

While the decision will certainly raise eyebrows, it won’t affect many SuperCoaches, with Crisp in just one per cent of teams.

Collingwood’s two changes mean the axe has been swung on Oleg Markov, while Steele Sidebottom was notably rested just three games into the season. Will Hoskin-Elliott and John Noble are the Pies ins.

Brisbane have named Kai Lohmann as the sub and are set to be bolstered by the return of Lachie Neale. His SuperCoach ownership is just above 3000, but that could skyrocket with some strong showings. Jarryd Lyon’s omission will hurt the 16,000 coaches that took a punt on him as a cheap mid-price option.

Darcy Gardiner and Conor McKenna are the Lions’ other outs, while Jack Payne and Darcy Fort return.

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Originally published as AFL SuperCoach winners and losers: All the key performers, analysis from grand final rematch

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