Round 15 – Collingwood v St Kilda (Floreat Pica Society)

Collingwood v St Kilda

7:35pm, Saturday June 21

Docklands

 

 

Fox Footy are running the nostalgia reel in the lead up to this game, including several famous incidents between these two clubs. Of course, the two grand finals in 2010 were a highlight, including that famous Heater smother, (the memorable backdrop to which, was several hundred Saints fans behind the goals all with hands on head, mouths open wide in aghast) and also that most celebrated leg break bounce, a ball that wonderfully eluded the infamous Saints number 44, Stephen Milne, and dribbled through for a behind.

 

I wandered a bit further into the nostalgia room by asking my dad on a facetime call (he is bearing with the cold Bendigo winter) whether he remembered anything of the 1966 GF. His answer was as expected: ‘no.’ Given the result of that game, I kept this to a short discussion. I was only four months old at the time, blissfully unaware that there would be another five painful losses before we would eventually taste glory.

 

Fast forward to Round 15, 2025 and it’s not a great omen that many away teams (Lions, Roos, Swans) are all having wins this round, but despite the black shorts, we could well say that playing at Marvel is essentially an away game for us.

 

Anyway, to the game, here we go…

 

The first quarter sees some nice, set shot goal kicking from a most unlikely source – our star ruck, Darcy Cameron – two set shots (both almost from the identical position) two goals. We also witness some fine roving from Beau McCreery in the first quarter, but sadly, it is his only quarter, and he would soon be down the race with what the commentators would call hamstring management. If anyone can decipher this mysterious language, I am all ears.

 

Ross Lyon has tapped Marcus Windhager to follow Ed Langdon as Pies public enemy number one – attempting a nagging tag on our star Nick Daicos. I say ‘attempting’ since these tags are proving to be a consistent failure. They say imitation is the highest form of flattery. In football terms, getting tagged every single week is a sure sign of flattery. Windhager’s tactics are causing more than a bit of angst, especially in the first quarter.

 

Late in the quarter, IQ applies a fair tackle on Butler within the Saints 50m arc. The ball spills to the ground and a startled Butler gets a free kick, duly smiles and goals. All players and commentators have no clue. Mystifying stuff.

 

I am enjoying the chance to report on good goal kicking and the resident full forward in the commentary box, Jason Dunstall is also impressed. five goals one behind at quarter time, and the Pies have a 12 point lead.

 

Into the second term and rushed behinds are into the action quickly. A bit of uncharacteristic looseness on our back line sees the Saints with a lucky bounce and the ball lands in Mason Wood’s lap in the goal square. It is now a nine-point ball game. We drive the ball back into our forward line and after a chain of lighting speed handballs, from Naicos, Billy, Longy, it ends with Lippa, who kicks a perfect curveball through for a goal. Back to a 15 point lead.

 

Darcy Cameron is plucking the ball out of the ruck and driving us forward – he is clearly thinking Horsborough votes above all else. Jeremy Howe is defending superbly and getting high fives from all his mates. The ex-Richmond small forwards, Higgins and Butler combine and Butler, sporting the mullet of the day, snaps truly on his left foot, and our lead is back to nine points. Saints pressure, both backs and forwards, has risen to a Collingwood level of intensity.

 

Scrappy football, a Sidebottom tackle on McCrae, a push forward, Ned Long finds the Perryman on his own…goal. Back to 15 points.

WHE seems to be enjoying the winter months in long sleeves. Roaming nicely on the far wing. We keep possession sufficiently for Pendles to get a set shot from 50m, and he kicks perfectly. His celebrations include some piano playing (there’s our trivia question for this week.. does he actually play?)

 

Cameron taps beautifully to Naicos in full flight and the commentators and the crowd are gushing. After five bounces, a wide arc, he drills it forward, but he can only find the young blonde Swede, Tauru. Mitch Owens takes a mark a full 100 cms (sorry, it just sounds better than 1 metre) out of bounds, which clearly disappoints a black and white mob on the wing. Marshall misses a shot, we are 20 points up. Mason Wood picks up a loose ball 10 m out and kicks truly – 14 point ball game.

 

Pendles to Naicos at the bounce, and he moves forward smoothly, but yet again finds a saint in the back pocket. Two more very neat Naicos intercepts in the space of 15 seconds, yet both end up in Saints hands. Fortunately the Saints fluff their exit strategy and Checkers takes a mark within range, his kick flushes the far post.

 

Behinds to Mason Wood, Jack McCrae and Mitch Owens and we take a 12 point lead into the main break. It’s been a frantic quarter and our opponents have been plucky. Jamie Elliott is getting stuck into Windhager on the half time bell. Not sure what that was about.

 

The tight spaces of Marvel are proving tricky, but I am looking forward to the pies getting on top of this contest, in the second half.

 

Into the third and the Saints are tackling hard, hitting targets and our backs are under pressure. Saints kick the first two goals and scores are level on 53 points each, game on.

 

Windhager is straight back to wearing Naicos like a cheap suit. Owens takes a quick snap off the ground – goal, and it’s now a six point ball game. The Saints are holding possession and they are hitting their targets. Another opportunistic shot from Hall and it’s the scores are level.
Jamie Elliott fluffs a good forward, move and finds a Saint at half back.

 

Enter Darcy Moore – he takes a splendid mark on half back and takes off – the push forward sees the ball with Naicos who palms it off to Houston who kicks a point. One point ball game.

Keeping possession is suddenly proving difficult for both sides. The Saints have brought their tackle pressure well into the third quarter. Tim Membrey finds some space in the forward line, but it is rushed behind who does the scoring. To this stage, Bobby Hill has not had a touch. A free kick to Mitch Owens, no score.

 

Another magnificent double of intercept marks by Darcy Moore and Jack Crisp and Darcy Cameron is on his own, with another set shot opportunity from the boundary line. He makes us all nervous by going backwards to his skipper, and the forward push sees a free kick to Dan McStay – it’s a goal and we have an eight point lead.

 

Lippa has been working hard and has had a big term. Another superb forward move by Naicos and he finds Bobby Hill. Bobby voluntarily chooses to increase the degree of difficulty by taking the ’round the corner’ option. Misses. Another set of sharp moves, a very impressive forward push, and Bobby nudges his opponent in the back. Free to the Saints.

Naicos places a huge tackle on the big man Keeler in the middle, free kick. The forward move is fruitless. Another Darcy (Wilson) marks in the Saints forward line and it’s another goal to the Saints. Our lead is back to two points.

 

To the bounce, and magnificent wrestling ruck work again by Darcy Cameron and the ball flutters into the hands of Lippa at CHF and his quick kick (while sandwiched between two Saints) is straight. Pies by eight points.

 

Gary Lyon sums it up perfectly by reminding us that the Saints are refusing to go away.

Frampton, Moore, Howe, IQ and the rest of our back line are under enormous pressure but this time the steadying influence of Jaicos sees us drive it out of the back line, into space in the forward line and it is in the hands of Naicos, who waits, and waits, and finds Pendles with space, and marks for a set shot. He only needs to repeat the dose from the second term, from almost the exact same spot, but he hits the post from 45m. Did the Marvel ground officials install the fat posts tonight?

 

We are about to witness two minutes of Jamie Elliott brilliance. Darcy Moore takes another impressive intercept mark on half back. McStay marks, gives a perfect feed off to Checkers on the run, who lays up the perfect pass, laces out, to Jamie, whose well timed lead gives his opponent no chance. Goal! Back to a 15 point margin. However, Billy is not yet done. A fast and ruthless chase down on Caminiti sees him lining up for another one. He kicks truly and his celebrations are exuberant. Back to a 21 point lead. Time to turn the screws, Pies! Ross Lyon is seen marching down to the boundary line with his coaching team. What exactly is he mumbling to himself? Jamie Elliott is suddenly everywhere. Windhager is massively mobbed on the Saints 50m line by a pack of Magpies. The siren goes and we hold a 21 point lead at three quarter time.

 

Superb ruck to rover work again – DC with a smooth back handed tap to a fast moving Sidey and we move forward – unfortunately no goal as the Saints tighten up again in defence. Jeremy Howe tries a clearing kick through the centre, but after a Sinclair intercept, the ball comes straight back over his head and into the hands of you know who, Mason Wood, who chooses around the corner, despite being 40m out dead in front! He kicks the goal and this game is not done yet.

 

This time Cameron simply pulls it out of the ruck (how good is this big man tonight?) and his left foot snap finds Sullivan and we’re going forward again. Windhager, so Naicos centric, runs straight across the mark, one metre from the kicker and incredibly, there is no fifty. 39,000 Pies fans and four Fox commentators vehemently disagree. This is soon followed by another ridiculous umpiring decision (surely a balancer) with a deliberate OOB decision and Jamie is lining up. His kick floats across the face and RB (Rushed Behind) gets the credit.

 

An animated Ross Lyon is seen barking on what looks like a vintage retro bakelite telephone. Dan McStay goes for the ankle taps on Wangeneen-Milera in the centre and is penalized. Perfectly acceptable in two codes of rugby, but not here. Marshall gets a downfield bonus kick after a Dan Houston bump on Mason Wood, and he kicks the goal. It is now back to a 10 point margin. As was the case in the last quarter, the Saints have the first two goals. Can we please turn the screws now?

 

Not yet…the Saints are moving forward again and this time it’s Billy Frampton with a fine intercept (pack) mark. Nice work Billy.

 

Some space is needed – some wide movement out of the back line and Allan kicks to Checkers who gets absolutely clobbered in the contest. But he holds the mark! Back and forth, and Allan pops a high kick onto the wing and it’s the safe hands of Darcy Cameron with a big steadying mark under pressure. Although in fact it’s the uncontested marks that we are racking up in this quarter, which means we are holding possession. But forget the stats, the Saints are moving forward again, with the left foot of Jack McCrae, but this time it’s Perryman with the timely mark. Phew!
The Swede Tauru has an interesting crowd of Vikings hats cheering him on.

 

A series of carefully calculated underground, worm burner hand passes sees the ball moving forward again and hello! Windhager has somehow allowed Naicos a two metre gap and our little genius finds a way to thread a goal while under a hard tackle. See attached pic, depicting the immediate aftermath. Later Nick says this kick had somehow ‘floated through’ but looking at the replay, it was both deliberate and picture perfect. By the look of the celebrations, he really enjoyed this one. Our boys quickly go from congratulating Nick, to giving Windhager some well deserved stick. Our lead is now 16 points.

 

The Saints are not relenting – moving forward from the bounce and our backs are under pressure again. Darcy Moore is still defending superbly, yet Bradley Hill is finding space and using it. Jeremy Howe has been outstanding. Another great diagonal forward push across Marvel involving Naicos, who finds a fast leading Checkers on the boundary line, and within 30m. He threads the goal beautifully and turns around to the Magpie army with a big grin; 22 point lead.

 

Crisp, Long and Lippa combine to bring it back forward and it’s that man Darcy Cameron with another set shot for goal from 55m. No score this time. Darcy Moore takes another fine intercept mark on the wing. Touched, play on is the call and a quick succession of handballs and Jaicos finds Darcy Cameron. Taking another set shot from 48m, he decides to pass to Jamie Elliot, but the mark is spilled and the Saints move it out. Back to the wing and a note to Sharman; you cannot play on when the ball is out of bounds.

 

Another sublime Nick to Josh to Nick combination on the back line and we clear it out. Retaining possession is winning us the game. Pendles, Lippa, Long combine to bring the ball to full forward, where our big DC is instrumental in bringing the ball into the goal mouth and it’s Bobby Hill with an off the side of the boot snap for goal pies by 27.

 

A point to Max Hall for the Saints and the camera pans to some disappointed Saints fans. Billy Frampton gets a 50m bonus from the back pocket, thanks to a rough, late shove from the Swede. Another clean passage of possession sees the ball with McStay marking deep in the left pocket. His set shot smacks the goal post, flush. The kick out, and Darcy Moore is not letting it past the wing, with another intercept, straight to the long sleeves of WHE and Tim Membrey takes a one hander in the right forward pocket. His banana kick sails through beautifully.
33 point lead. Those screws have officially turned.

 

It’s all attacking footy now, and a Bobby Hill dribbler from 35 almost makes it through for a goal. But not quite. Lippa intercepts the kick out and gives it to Jaicos, whose 30th possession is a running shot for goal, but the siren sounds as the ball is in mid-flight.

 

This has been an excellent win at a not so happy hunting ground against a very formidable opposition tonight. A great game to report on! The game was up for grabs well into the final term and our lads stepped up to ice it by 34 points. It could well have been another one of those famous under 10 points wins, but we seem to be finding a way to extend our leads this year. I like it.

 

We are six points clear on top and after next week, as long as we don’t lose to the Eagles, we will extend this to 10 points, since the Cats and Lions both have the bye.

 

Long discussions about the Naicos tag after the game. Some commentators were saying that it is going too far. After seeing some footage, most of the Fox team commented that there was a lot that was simply unacceptable. Of course the man himself took it all in his stride, and he spoke humbly about it after the game.

 

 

Collingwood 16.12.108
St Kilda 11.8.74

 

Horsburgh votes:
(3) Nick Daicos – 30 possessions, an inspirational goal, all the while under intense pressure
(2) Darcy Cameron – a stellar performance from our ruck
(1) Pat Lipinksi – very solid game from him tonight, found space on the wing and used it well

 

Apologies to Darcy Moore and Josh Daicos, who both contributed brilliantly.

Cheers to you all from The Bangkok Correspondent.

 

Paul McKay.

 

 

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