Collingwood leaders Craig McRae and Darcy Moore have questioned why play was allowed to continue after Lachie Schultz suffered a brutal hit to the head laying a tackle that both inspired and rattled his teammates.
Despite a five-day break, a hampered Nick Daicos, and travel across the country, the undermanned Pies overcame a committed but sloppy Fremantle to post a stirring 14-point victory – 15.7 (97) to 12.11 (83) – on Thursday night.
Lachie Schultz of the Magpies leaves the field injured during their round 9 match against the Fremantle Dockers.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
This was a game Collingwood – missing 948 games of experience from the absent quartet of Scott Pendlebury, Brayden Maynard, Jordan De Goey and Brody Mihocek – had no right to win, but no team is better at finding ways to get over the line than Fly’s Pies, who are the team to beat in 2025.
Jamie Elliott was the hero for the victors, booting a career-best six goals in a game where the Pies generated just 34 entries inside 50, were smashed in the middle and spent long periods of the game defending grimly.
The potentially season-defining win was marred by an ugly head knock to Schultz, who was floored in tackle on a charging Jordan Clark. Schultz lay on the ground in the centre square with his left arm raised then tried to get to his feet before toppling over.
Clark did not appear to do much wrong but in the current climate around concussion will likely have his actions scrutinised by the match review officer.
Umpires have the discretion to stop play for player safety, but the game continued for about a minute, with the ball getting within several metres of Schultz at one point. Schultz was still on his way off the field when Elliott was kicking for goal on the other side of the field.
Schultz will almost certainly enter concussion protocols and be unavailable for the Pies’ game against Adelaide on Saturday week.
Moore said Magpies players were fearing for Schultz’s wellbeing, and play should not have been allowed to continue. There was also alarm among staff on the bench.
“When you see an incident like the one with Lachie Schultz, just competing so hard, it’s rattling to see,” Moore told Fox Footy.
Jamie Elliott of the Magpies is tackled by Heath Chapman of the Dockers.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
“It’s a reminder to everyone watching on about the risks the guys take and what they are prepared to do.
“We were pretty concerned at how disorientated he looked, players on both teams thought the game should have been stopped to let him off the ground.
“That was really our first concern, how nasty it looked. But for the guys to regroup and score a few goals when the game was on the line, was awesome.
“He was right in front of me so I could see how much he struggled walking. It was 20 seconds and [we were] taking a set shot anyway, it felt like it was right in that moment.
“Clearly, it happens when [the player] is near the play. Someone is in a state like that and we are still running around, chasing the footy? It didn’t feel right.”
McRae, who was coaching from the bench, also said play should have been stopped.
“We were all worried about his welfare,” McRae said. “We sent out a stretcher and the doctors were trying all they could to make sure Lachie was OK, and he jumped to his feet because that is just the way he goes. He gets knocked down, he gets back up after every contest.
“So we did what we could, ideally, we should stop the game.”
Heath Chapman of the Dockers and Lachie Schultz of the Magpies contest for the ball.Credit: Getty Images
The Magpies were jumped by the Dockers, who booted the first three goals of the game, but recovered to lead by quarter-time. They looked to have the game won midway through the third term, and again early in the last after two quick goals to Elliott, only for Freo to claw within 10 points.
Iron man Jack Crisp, who missed after the siren last week in his record-breaking 245th game in a row, kicked the steadier before Elliott sealed the game with his sixth goal.
Elliott and Bobby Hill, who kicked three goals, were the difference in a game where the Dockers managed 12 goals from 63 inside-50s.
Elliott is now up to 22 goals, and on track to break his previous season best of 39 in the Pies’ 2023 premiership year.
“He’s having a great year,” McRae said. “He’s now in the leadership group and we see a young man who is just as happy as I’ve ever seen him.
“When he got drafted, I was lucky enough to be his development coach and now he’s just really happy and that happiness is expressing itself in his footy. He’s just handled the big moments as he always has.”
Daicos was hampered by a sore left hip, which required treatment during the game, but said he was sore, not injured. Playing a mix of forward and on the ball, Daicos was limited to 18 possessions but lifted in the final quarter with seven.
This was a much-improved performance by Fremantle but frustration is building in the Dockers community, as is the pressure on coach Justin Longmuir. Fans gave their players the Bronx cheers in the third term after they belatedly kicked the ball long, ending a series of sideways and backwards chips.
The Dockers started the season tipped by many to be at least a top-eight contender but have fallen behind the ledger with a 4-5 win-loss record, and have away games against Greater Western Sydney and Gold Coast before their bye.
Collingwood defended hard, but the Dockers were sloppy with their delivery into the arc, managing just six marks inside 50 from 63 entries.
“Maybe look low. There were a few in the last quarter where we are running through the corridor and it looks enticing to kick long to a one-on-one, but there are options 20 metres away,” Longmuir said.
“A short kick and then we can look to connect. At worst, we have to give our tall forwards more of a chance than their defender. We were a bit haphazard with the way we kicked the ball to the forwards.”
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