AFL Round 7 – Collingwood v North Melbourne: Powder-puff guernseys spell trouble for Kangas

by Josh Barnstable

If there’s any team I want North Melbourne to beat in any year, it’s Collingwood. Not since that wonderful year of 2008 have we beaten the Pies, while not that long ago, any losing streak against Collingwood is too long. With the Roos coming off wins against Hawthorn and Melbourne, I am slightly confident. I don’t know why. Collingwood are in white-hot form after huge wins over Hawthorn, Essendon and Carlton. As much as it pains me to say this, but they are my tip for the premiership in 2010. That’s the sad reality of football.

Of course, with every Collingwood game is Danielle Eid’s dramatic opinion on how she thinks Collingwood should play. After a week of chastising from me, I think she’d be interestingly waiting for the result of this match.

The game began and Chris Dawes took a strong grab and kicked the first goal, before Cruize Garlett ran into an open goal. Paul Medhurst goaled from a stupid free kick against Lindsay Thomas, but Thomas won back some respect with a bullet-like pass from 60m out that bounced on for a goal. Alan Toovey gathered from a turnover and booted a goal; something I believe would have released a lot of nervous laughter from Danni. Andrew Swallow received a free kick, kicking the goal before Leon Davis grubbered through a great goal from the pocket, before Steele Sidebottom ran into an open goal, giving the Pies a 14 point lead at quarter time, 5.4 to 3.2.

The second quarter started and Sidebottom kicked his second before Heath Shaw booted a long goal on the run, taking the margin out to 26. Sidebottom booted his third, but Daniel Wells goaled from a free kick. My hope started to fade for this match quickly as Travis Cloke and Darren Jolly both goaled, but David Hale and Swallow both kicked goals, cutting the margin to 27. A killer after the siren to Alan Didak saw the half time margin at 35, 11.9 to 6.4.

The second half began and Sidebottom, Danni’s favourite hill-billy, booted his fourth, before Ben Warren chimed in with his first. Medhurst kicked his second from a good mark, followed by a long bomb by Ben Johnson that was shepherded through on the goal-line by Cloke, but Aaron Edwards got onto the end of a Wells’ torpedo, receiving a free kick and goaling. Shane O’Bree snapped a great goal after it was yet again helped through on the last line by Cloke, but Thomas hacked a great goal out of mid-air, reducing the margin to 43. Dawes kicked his second, as did Jolly but goals to Wells and Warren saw the Roos within 45 points. But terrible news as Liam Anthony, one of North’s best players, severely injured his shoulder while being tackled. It was clearly out of its socket as he ran from the ground in pain. On this note, Didak put salt in the wounds with an open goal after a great handball by Cloke, setting the Pies up for a big last term, 18.14 to 11.5 at the last break.

The final term began and Medhurst kicked his third, before Edwards booted his second off the ground. Sidebottom gathered and snapped his fifth, but David Hale replied after intercepting a kick-in, sending it over the goal umpires’ hat. Dale Thomas goaled after a great mark to Dawes, but his namesake for North snapped his third over his head in the goalsquare, bringing the margin back to 55 points. But late goals from Davis and Cam Wood (go figure) saw the Pies win comfortably by 11 goals, 23.19.157 to 14.7.91.

I don’t feel so bad about this loss. Last year, the Roos would have only kicked six or seven goals on a night like this. The fact that they played out the game and managed to kick at least 20 points per quarter is heartening. But, in those powder-puff guernsey’s, North have lost by a combined margin of 184 points in the three games they have worn them. Of course, we only play Geelong and Collingwood in them, which people seem to forget. But I think North should do a reverse Collingwood. That’s a royal blue Guernsey with white stripes. It would solve the clash with those two aforementioned teams. But at the moment, the only clashes I need to worry about are with Collingwood supporters.

Oh and happy birthday Danni.

Collingwood 5.4—11.9—18.14—23.19.157

North Melbourne 3.2—6.4—11.5—14.7.91

Goalkickers:

Collingwood-Sidebottom 5, Medhurst 3, Davis 2, Jolly 2, Didak 2, Dawes 2, Wood, Johnson, O’Bree, Shaw, Cloke, Toovey, Thomas

North Melbourne-Thomas 3, Warren 2, Edwards 2, Wells 2, Swallow 2, Hale 2, Garlett

Best:

Collingwood-Shaw, Sidebottom, Thomas, Swan, Didak, Johnson

North Melbourne-Harvey, Bastinac, Rawlings, Adams, Anthony

Crowd:

52,696 at the MCG

Votes:

3: Heath Shaw (C)

2: Steele Sidebottom (C)

1: Dale Thomas (C)