It’s now undeniable. Collingwood are a seriously good football team.
Perhaps underestimated because of their amazing run of victories in close games last year, Craig McRae’s Magpies have proven within three weeks of the new season that their success was no fluke.
Jamie Elliott celebrates a goal with Magpies teammate Nick Daicos.Credit:AFL Photos
The newly minted premiership favourites overcame a wayward night in front of goals and Richmond’s third-quarter surge to win by an unflattering 14 points on a wet and slippery MCG in front of 85,241 fans on Friday night.
Unbeaten Collingwood made life difficult for themselves with a series of misses – some easier than others – with Jordan De Goey headlining the culprits with three behinds.
They went to half-time with only a 19-point edge, via a 3.10 scoreline, despite having nine more scoring shots and looking the far superior team, from running in waves to maintaining their new-found contested-ball prowess.
The Tigers’ defence – missing the suspended Nathan Broad and injured pair Robbie Tarrant and Josh Gibcus – were under siege for long periods, with even Dylan Grimes looking vulnerable at times.
But the Pies’ errant goalkicking left the door ajar for Richmond, who threatened to make them pay when they kicked three goals inside the first 10 minutes of the third term, after managing just one in the first half.
Steele Sidebottom on the run for Collingwood.Credit:Getty Images
That burst slashed Collingwood’s lead to only three points in a remarkable turn of events, only for the Pies to belatedly find their goalkicking radar but still never quite put their opponents away.
Scott Pendlebury, who danced around multiple Tigers defenders to smash home a close-range goal during the third quarter, and Jamie Elliott should take plenty of credit for that, but the Magpies had an army of contributors.
Steele Sidebottom was brilliant from the outset, whether setting up scoring opportunities with silky passes or cutting off Richmond forays, while De Goey made up for his goalkicking woes with an otherwise superb display.
The Daicos brothers had leather poisoning again, Tom Mitchell’s outstanding start to life with Collingwood also continued, and Billy Frampton was the best defender on the ground with a great shutdown job on Tom Lynch.
The sole negative was ruckman Darcy Cameron’s knee injury, which saw him exit the match late in the third quarter and leave Ash Johnson and Dan McStay to carry the big-man duties.
Liam Baker was resolute down back in a losing cause for the Tigers with 33 disposals and 12 intercept possessions to be comfortably his side’s best player.
They will be desperate for reinforcements to arrive ahead of another tricky encounter next week against the Western Bulldogs.
Billy Frampton.Credit:AFL Photos
THE NEW ROUGHEAD?
Jordan Roughead enjoyed a good end to his career as a key defender in the black and white, after bouncing between the ruck and as a tall option at either end while at the Bulldogs.
Roughead shocked his teammates with his sudden retirement in May last year after 201 games at AFL level, leaving a void down back for Collingwood.
The Pies look to have filled it with another recycled 200-centimetre giant in Billy Frampton, who was better known as a forward and ruckman until switching to the other end last year while still on Adelaide’s list.
In Frampton’s second game for his third club, he kept Tigers star Tom Lynch – a six-goal hero in the teams’ corresponding clash a year ago – without a touch until almost halfway through the second quarter.
Lynch had a few set shots in the second half but was well beaten and finished with only seven disposals in a major win for Collingwood.
Noah Cumberland.Credit:Getty Images
SUPER-SUB INSPIRES TIGERS
Another tick for the tactical sub. Damien Hardwick’s decision to activate substitute Noah Cumberland proved an inspired move as he directly set up three Richmond scores with driving kicks inside 50, while Collingwood managed to cut off a fourth centring pass.
Cumberland has been a tad unfortunate not to play this season until Friday night, after being asked over summer to improve his defensive efforts, but his offensive explosion should ensure he is named next Thursday.
HOW DOES GINNIVAN GET IN?
Collingwood’s football boss Graham Wright warned that Jack Ginnivan’s pre-season illicit drugs ban would cost him more than people realised, given his contract depended largely on match payments.
Ginnivan resumes in the VFL this weekend, but it isn’t obvious how the 20-year-old – who kicked 40 goals last season – will break back into the Pies’ unbeaten line-up.
Bobby Hill’s recruitment and subsequent solid start to the year, on top of the important Beau McCreery and match-winner Jamie Elliott roaming the forward line, mean Ginnivan cannot expect to waltz back in.
