AFL Semi-Finals: Anthony the unlikely hero in hot Pies victory

After a day of being bored and getting boiled up by the 30 degree heat, I couldn’t wait for the footy to start. It made me realise how much I miss Saturday afternoon footy, although I initially tried to compensate by watching the VFL.

After eating dinner the footy finally starts. Adelaide run out on to the ground in home jumper and shorts, so I know that must mean Collingwood are wearing away shorts. I am right, and my mind turns to the Semi Final in 2002 when Adelaide came from behind to win against the Dees. The Dees lead by 22 at three quarter time, after trailing by 40 at quarter time and they lost the game by two goals.  I remember being at that game, and sitting behind a couple of heavy drinkers from Adelaide. I wanted Adelaide to beat Collingwood for two reasons: So I could relate it to the Melbourne game in 2002 and so they’d play Geelong on Saturday afternoon, which I would prefer over Saturday night.

I am eager to see how the Pies go, especially since they lost five players from last week, including Josh Fraser, with Cameron Wood coming in to replace him. Brent Macaffer is another inclusion, for his fourth game of the year. I always rated him highly because he was on my Dream Team.

Maxwell wins the toss for the Pies and points towards the Punt Roadd end, and the players go in their positions and the ball’s bounced. The tight-jumpered Crows begin proceedings nicely, but Hentschel’s amazing snap bounces on its point. Hopefully Hentschel can smuggle a few today, having been a revelation in Round 20 at the same ground. Tippett finally puts the Crows on the board from a free, before Thomas, Sidebottom and Lockyer combine out of the centre. 50 to Lockyer! The Pie bangs it through from the square. A third goal in a row from frees is kicked by Hentschel from 25, and Knights takes a strong mark and kicks another into the heart of the Adelaide faithful. Despite the efforts from the Crows, the Pies begin to strangle them but only get a few behinds for their efforts (a couple of them accidently rushed) and Adelaide drive the ball forward. Dangerfield snaps a goal from a throw in, before he does an almost identical snap through straight after. What a star!

Collingwood put two numbers in defence, but it doesn’t help them. Thompson runs into an open goal and the siren sounds, after a long and entertaining quarter. The Pies trail 1.4 10 to 6.3 39. Adelaide’s toying around with the ball in the first term gave them a record disposal amount of 149. Vince has 14, Goodwin and Edwards 13 each! Swan leads for Collingwood with 11 barely-noticed touches.

Adelaide begin the second quarter still dominant, but less dangerous. Adelaide misses a couple of shots before O’Brien launches a 55-metre bomb through at goal post height. I told my brother that he’d kick it, because I remembered that he kicked a goal from the same position in the Queen’s Birthday match last year. The Crows kick the ball long in to their forward line. BURTON!!! He’s taken another screamer! Although it wasn’t as good as the one two weeks ago, he didn’t make a mistake from the shot. Crow Chris Knights comes off with a hamstring injury. The game slows down, mainly due to Collingwood trying to break even and Cloke finds Wellingham loose inside 50 who kicks an easy goal. At half time, the Crows lead 3.5 23 to 7.7 49. Vince and Goodwin have 24 and 23 touches each respectively, while Swan has 20 for the Pies.

After hoping for a blockbuster second half, it begins with the Pies combining well and Swan getting on the end of it with a goal. Dick marks and does likewise from 30, Johnson dispossess Doughty and kicks a goal. What’s happening? Dick almost bananas from the boundary (hits the inside of the post) before Johnson curls through his second in a row from 50. The Crows look tired in the hot weather. Cloke gets held and puts the black and white in front with an easy one. Dick steals in the square and kicks his second to put the Pies further in front. Dangerfield finally marks inside 50 for the Crows but narrowly misses and the siren sounds, 9.7 61 to 7.9 51 in favour of the Pies. 6-0 for the quarter, amazing stuff. Dane Swan has 25 touches for the Pies while Vince leads with 31 for the Crows.

The last quarter starts and I take my T-shirt off, and my back sticks to the couch. The Crows stick in it, with Thompson sneaking through the first goal of the quarter from 50. The Crows clear from the centre, Dangerfield passes to Tippett who goals and all of a sudden the Crows lead! It’s thrilling to watch. Players are smashing around, trying to break clear and get that goal. The teams trade behinds and Tippett gets caught high at the tip of the square. He goes back and calmly slots it through to make the lead seven points. The Pies move it quickly; Macaffer gets the footy in space and gently kicks a goal on the run from 52. I was barracking for a draw now for the second Satruday night in a row. Macaffer takes a strong mark inside 50, but only misses to eliminate the “unlikely hero” status. Leigh Brown marks and kicks a long goal from 50. I’m getting the nerves that you always get during close games, similar to those I got in Collingwood v Adelaide in Round 1. Presti gets Tippett in the back.

“Surely he can’t kick it from here,” I say aloud. But he just manages to get it through from 55. Crows by a point. Come on Crows, win the game or draw it. The Pies drive forward, and Otten takes a strong mark in defence.

Oh no! It’s a free to Anthony! Anthony lines up from 40 and drills it through. The MCG explodes. Dangerfield desperately tries to clear but the siren beats him. Now I’m not too fussed about the result, I almost feel happy for Collingwood. The final score’s 12.11 83 to 11.12 78. Vince (for the third time in four weeks) and Goodwin finished with 34 each, Mackay with best on ground for the Crows with 30 and Swan lead for the Pies with 29 and Sidebottom was very impressive with 25 and 10 tackles. I still couldn’t believe Anthony won the game, after doing bugger all for the other 119 minutes.

It was the story of an unlikely hero.

Collingwood  1.4  3.5 9.7 12.11 (83)

Adelaide  6.3  7.7  7.9  11.12 (78)

Goals

Collingwood: Johnson 2, Dick 2, L Brown, Macaffer, Cloke, Wellingham, Swan, Anthony, Lockyer, O’Brien.

Adelaide: Tippett 4, Dangerfield 2, Thompson 2, Burton, Knights, Hentschel.

Best

Collingwood: Swan, Sidebottom, Shaw, Maxwell, Cloke, Johnson.

Adelaide: Mackay, Vince, Goodwin, Symes, Stevens, Thompson, Edwards, Tippett, Johncock.

My Votes: 3. Dane Swan (Coll), 2. Steele Sidebottom (Coll), 1. David Mackay (Adel).

Umpires: Rosebury, Chamberlain, McInerney.               Crowd: 62,184 at the MCG.

About Steve Healy

Steve Healy is an entity of a Melbourne supporter.

Comments

  1. Steve,
    Jack Anthony,unlikely hero?
    come on, even i knew hed pull something like that one day.
    i mean ive been calling him Superman for much longer than Saturday night! :P
    you know i didnt even know it was that hot!
    me and mum were trying on all these dresses and were like omg why the hell are we sweating!!!??? turns out i spend way too much time inside to notice that its 30 degrees outside!

  2. Yeah, well Anthony played a pretty average game up until that kick.Now I guess his nickname makes sense. I noticed the heat in my poorly insulated room.
    The All-Australian team is announced in an hour. I’ve only tipped Swan and Maxwell for Collingwood to make it though.

  3. i dont want ethier of them to play..we shouldnt risk our players

  4. You don’t want Swan or Maxwell to play this week?

  5. nope NOT ONE PLAYER.
    i mean yeah its all fun for them but we need them for the finals.
    why fix something thats not broken?

  6. Lol Danielle are you saying that the All Australian team play?

    They don’t play a game, It’s just the best team of the season!

  7. omg sorry! lol ignore my randomness for some reason i was thinging of the Victoria game..lol dont worry about me im just..
    lol i dont know what the hells going on!
    i think im still stunned from saturday night.

  8. Hahahaha, then you won’t remember your name if Collingwood win the premiership.

  9. …wait…whos collingwood?
    and what is the premiership??

  10. Lol. You won’t remember Anthony or Brown either.

  11. true and then ill jump up and down proclaiming: “ALAN TOOVEY WILL BE THE NEXT BROWNLOW WINNER!!”

    OH GOD! lol
    if your not doing anything i wouldnt mind some help with this accounting homework!
    tell me:
    what is link between the profit and loss statement and the balance sheet?
    NOW WHO’S LOST :p
    lol

  12. Hahaha.

    Danielle, we all know how much you like live chats. Go on to the AFL Website and there is a live chat for the all australian team.

    The team so far:

    B Lake Scarlett Enright

    HB Goodwin Bolton Maxwell

  13. omg steve was that ur comment about buddy’s gal being ‘hot?’
    lol

  14. hahahaha I’ve sent about 100 comments and that was the only one that got through.

    Well spotted

  15. OMG! LOL i knew it!
    i was like..thats STEVE FOR SURE!
    lol go me!!! :)
    my comments arnt getting through.
    regarding the buddy pic i sent:
    “OMG WHAT BUDDY WHY DOESNT HIS TIE MATCH HER DRESS!!?”

    seriously though, he should match!
    at my formal last year we didnt even have set partners but the guy we became my partner bought his shirt and tie to match my dress.

  16. Hahaha did you see my other one: “Burgoyne to the Dees. Carn the Dees!”

    Lol I’m not too fussed about that stuff

  17. yes is saw that one too.
    but i left to see ths pics!
    firstly WTF the chick wif Swan isnt the same one that he was on the Herald Sun Front cover with!!
    Didak is always seen with Jacinta-OOOH!
    Pendles and his missy look adorable and they MATCH im sure she made sure of it!
    RIEWOLDT IS DATELESS! WOW THERES A SHOCKER!

  18. Yeah lol I tried to send “Hi Danielle” but it didn’t show.

    Presti’s wife/GF is tiny

  19. There’s another Steve on it now hahaha

  20. lol i tried to send:
    “OMG I KNOW STEVE, HI STEVE!”
    lol they didnt put it through!
    looks like i will be working for the Herald Sun, they love my comments!

  21. I left the computer for 20 mins and the forwards still aren’t up yet!

    Yeah you will be working for the Herald sun

  22. lol one went up
    it said
    DANNI: REIWOLDT= FAKE BLONDE!

    lol and theres a JOSH on there! :P
    im gonna hit the hay..well after i clean my room..you cant see the floor!
    cya
    :)

  23. Hahaha cya. I saw a Damian talking about Marc Murphy as well.

    Yeah I saw that comment at 9:16. A little early for you Danielle!

  24. Josh Barnstable says

    I hadn’t seen any news about football other than the games, but when i was in Port Augusta maccas a couple of nights ago i grabbed the local paper and it said Shaun Burgoyne was looking for a new club. Can someone tell me what has happened?

  25. Josh, Shaun Burgoyne told Port Adelaide that he wanted to go back to Victoria, and he favours the Hawks (although he could still go to the Dees)

  26. Michael Allan says

    I wouldn’t be so confident Steve.

  27. Now with McLean gone, I think we do need him, but the Hawks are probably going to give a big offer for him that the Dees can’t afford.

  28. Michael Allan says

    Well that’s where I think Dees have a chance Steve. Hawks can’t offer him much because they don’t have any room in the cap with all their premiership players. Whereas Demons only have a few like mcDonald and Davey at the moment. But McLean is only 23 and is a really goiod player. He would’ve been in your next premiership so I’m confused as to why you’d get rid of him.

    But yeah Burgoyne to Hawks for pick 9 and a Campbell Brown or some like that.

  29. Josh Barnstable says

    I thought McLean was part of the next generation of players that would take Melbourne towards their next premiership

  30. Yeah so did I, Josh. But I just hope we pick a ripper number 11

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