Collingwood defeat Port Adelaide in ‘game of the year’ contender

AFL fans were treated to a Grand Final preview as Collingwood proved why they’re the team to beat in an instant classic.

Daicos was instrumental in the fourth. (Photo by James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Jamie Elliott and Collingwood have done it again.

The fourth quarter masters produced their latest rabbit out of the hat as they took down Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night.

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A top of the table clash had fans salivating in the lead up and it delivered in spades as the two combatants duked it out.

The Pies trailed by 17 points with one quarter to play, but as they’ve proved time and again they’re never out of it.

Steele Sidebottom got the ball rolling with the opening goal of the term before Jamie Elliott delivered in the clutch once again.

Down by five points Elliott marked just inside the boundary line before going back and slotting his kick directly through the middle of the goals.

A six goal final quarter saw the Pies stun the Adelaide crowd as they claimed the 13.7 (85) to 12.11 (83) win.

Fans watching on were loving every minute of the encounter with many hopeful the matchup occurs when the finals action gets underway in September.

Nailing chances - as @CollingwoodFC did via Elliott X 2 & Josh Daicos & Sidebottom (off one step)- was the difference. @PAFC had more opportunities, more of the better players overall & didn’t close. Game of the year. #AFLPortPies

— Jake Niall (@JakeNiallTHEAGE) July 22, 2023

What a game. If that’s a final or grand final preview, we’re in for some kind of September … two very good sides

— Glenn McFarlane (@MaccaHeraldSun) July 22, 2023

YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT! pic.twitter.com/YFfefWtZiX

— Collingwood FC (@CollingwoodFC) July 22, 2023

So often an event that has been hyped as much as this clash was fails to live up to the build-up, but fans got everything they wanted and more from the titanic tussle.

Played with finals-like intensity and desperation by both sides, the enthralling contest was all tied up with 10 minutes remaining.

In a thrilling crescendo, Elliott put his side in front from the boundary line with seven minutes left only for Sam Powell-Pepper to hit the ball at speed at the other end a minute later to restore his side’s advantage.

With just over three minutes left in the pulsating affair, Elliott converted another shot from the boundary line to put Collingwood in front for good.

Jamie Elliott for the win. (Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images)

The energy in the stadium was palpable pre-game and reached fever pitch during a high quality first quarter that saw the lead change hands five times.

Powell-Pepper helped set the tone with a bullocking goal after brushing off Nathan Murphy and Darcy Moore, who shared an engrossing duel with Charlie Dixon.

The Power’s vaunted pressure game was on from the outset, with the home side bouncing out to a 10-point lead thanks to the strong play of Zak Butters, who had 13 possessions in the opening term, and back-to-back goals to Connor Rozee.

Rozee’s first was a typically classy effort on the run then he hoisted his second high into the Riverbank Stand from close range after he was released by a superb assist from Dixon.

Collingwood was up to the task, Scott Pendlebury matching the 13 touches of Butters, with a Brody Mihocek goal edging the visitors in front by three points at the first break.

Daicos was instrumental in the fourth. (Photo by James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Port gained the ascendancy in the second quarter with the effective tag applied by Willem Drew on Nick Daicos a key factor.

Drew kept the second-year star to 11 disposals in the first half, with his efficiency by foot not to its usual standard thanks to Drew’s tight checking.

The Power midfielder also worried Daicos going the other way with 11 possessions of his own and two shots on goal that he was unable to convert.

The Pies led by eight points after Elliott, who was streaming into an open goal, decided to gift a goal to milestone man Taylor Adams, who was outstanding in his 200th AFL game.

But it was the visitors’ only major of the term, the Power edging in front by seven points at half-time.

Such was Drew’s effectiveness, Daicos started the third quarter on the bench and didn’t come on until the nine-minute mark.

With Jordan De Goey’s influence becoming a problem, Drew was redeployed allowing Daicos to play a key role late in the game.

– with Jason Phelan, NCA Newswire

Originally published as Collingwood defeat Port Adelaide in ‘game of the year’ contender