Finals Week 3 – Collingwood v Brisbane: Floreat Pica Society Preliminary Final Review

Preliminary Final, 2025

Pies v Brions

Preamble:

Well, we go into this game as slight favourites, however as Brisbane demonstrated last weekend – they are last year’s Premiers, and they certainly made it plain to the Suns.

They will be no easy-beats even though they are without Neale and Hipwood, and we’ll have to bring our very best to get over the line and be worthy challenges to the Cats next week.

I like the side as named.

However I did feel for Will Parker, dropped after three fine quarters and subbed off for the last. Certainly, if Howe wasn’t right, the selectors would probably have swapped Steele and Parker, i.e. Steele named and Parker as sub.

A tough one by the blokes in charge, and I have trust in them to make the hard calls.

Johnny Noble’s situation in ‘23 certainly demonstrated this.

We get to the game with Doug and my daughter, Mae, originally intending to sit with Allie and Owen however due to illness and bedridden, cannot attend at the last minute.

Although Owen punched in ‘Best Available’ we are seated at the very back row, Level 1 in the north pocket, Punt Road end.

Feels like we are viewing from a concrete submarine pen/bunker with 180 degree, slit vision.

Can’t see the scoreboard – any scoreboard – and are reliant on two tele screens for close-up play, time and scores. A three second delay doesn’t help…..

Tall fans in front only compounds the claustrophobic effect.

Anyway, we are here surrounded by the faithful, so all’s good so far.

1st Quarter:

The Pies dominate early but can’t score until big Mason gets the first after a dubious free at the seven minute mark.

MOST unsettling news is that Pendles has been subbed out within the first five minutes of the game and this is a MASSIVE  worry, bigtime.

Question to self – who’s gunna step up into his role as mid-field general????

We’ll see.

HUGE test.

At the ten minute mark, Dunkley squares up for the Brions and it’s game on when they kick the next three, scoring freely and the Pies defensive efforts all at sea, particularly in the clearances where we are being smashed.

Pies look rusty, butchering the ball with many skill errors and not holding marks. That said Frampton and Maynard going OK.

Note by Doug: Brions getting a lot of drive from Andrews who is playing on Cox.

Should swap Frampton for Cox and play Frampton as a defensive forward as was done so successfully in the ‘23 Granny.

Quarter time and it’s 1.1 (7) to 4.3 (27) a 20 point lead to Brisbane.

2^nd Quarter:

First score to Brisbane, a minor score. However Elliot gets one back, with our second for the game. Lions press however and score another behind. We are beginning to find some rhythm and are certainly playing better. The Daicos boys have stepped up properly and are really beginning to impress. Champions.

Membrey has a shot from in close and kicks it out on the full. What was he thinking?????

A rushed, dinky around-the-corner kick when his best, most reliable kick is his drop punt!

A minute on he redeems himself with a goal from a similar spot, after taking his full 30 seconds (as he should) and kicking his trademark drop punt dead centre through the sticks…..

3.1 to 4.5. Tackling pressure is right up and we are back in the game.

Nick Daicos has gone to another level again and goals to Shultz and Lipinski, Ned Long brilliant, and we hit the front.

Brisbane are beginning to panic – 2 x 50m penalties and Membrey makes them pay. We have our tails up and two minutes later, Houston kicks another and it’s 6 on the trot and Brisbane are looking a disorganised rabble.

Our defence have tightened up, the  move to put Cox into the centre and Cameron on Andrews looks to have paid off, combined with tackle pressure and the Lions are losing their confidence and clearances.

The Brions rush a point in the last minute and it’s a 6 goal to 3 points for the quarter, a 13 point lead going into the main break.

The Lions coaching staff have a lot on their plate and the siren could not have come sooner for them.

Half time scores, 7.1 (43) to 4.6 (30)

3^rd Quarter:

Well, press Re-Start to the 10 minute mark of the 1^st quarter and two easy, EASY goals at the 50 second and 2 minute 10 second mark, and the Lions are back in it  – just a point the difference.

Bloody Hell.

I don’t know what they put in the water at half-time, Collingwood have gone to sleep and the Lions have woken up.

Three minutes later Ty Gallop kicks another and they hit the front, the second quarter rapidly becoming just a pleasant memory…..

A point apiece and Cam Rayner kicks his 1^st (just after I mention to Doug that he hasn’t done much tonight so far……), they’re 2 goals up.

Elliot takes Mark Of The Year plumb in the goal square and duly converts to stop the rot.

McCluggage answers two minutes on, Elliot returning the favour three minutes later.

However Collingwood is now the team under siege with Andrews marking at will and the quarter finishes nearly 18 minutes later at the 35 min mark with another 2.2 to Brisbane – 7.3 for the quarter and 0.2 to The Pies – 2.3 for the quarter.

The Brions 17 points up.

Going to be a defining last quarter.

¾ time scores, 9.4 (58) to 11.9 (75)

Last Quarter:

A massive arm wrestle for the 1^st ten minutes, Rayner scores a point then big Mason sticks his (long) leg out for an opportunistic goal and it’s down to 12 points and still anyone’s game.

However Charlie Cameron bobs up with a goal eight minutes later after doing nothing all day, which begins a run of four goals on the trot to them and it’s All Over Red Rover…….

A consolation goal to Jamie in last two minutes and it’s too little far, far too late with Brisbane winning convincingly,

15.10 (100) to 11.5 (71). 25 shots to 16.

Says it all.

Well done Brisbane.

You were a better side today.

Good luck in the Granny.

Best players:

The Daicii as mentioned.

Cameron, Elliot and Crisp, also IQ and Long.

Frampton.

Maynard, Shultz and Perryman had their moments.

Relections/observations:

Outcoached.

Outcoached in the second half hands down.

Andrews was just about BOG as we gave him free rein. A pretty stark contrast at the other end of the ground although, as noted earlier, I feel that Frampton should’ve been allocated the job to shut him down as in the ‘23 Granny particularly as Howe was back in..

Our reliance on Pendlebury’s nouse, leadership and onfield coaching when the chips are down was nakedly exposed.

Although I was incredibly impressed how the Daicii, Josh and Nick, upped their games to yet again new heights, it just wasn’t enough in the end.

The future.

I’m sure that the coaching brains trust have concluded that our ‘Premiership Window’ is rapidly closing – if not already closed – and that major restructure is due now.

Serious discussions will be had about the future of the elders and honoured servants, including Membrey, Cox, Howe, Mihocek and also possibly, Crisp, JDG, Moore. I think Pendlebury can make his own call as will Sidebottom and possibly Elliot.

We have some real talented young blokes knocking down the gates in the reserves busting to get a game…..

This will be the main topic of discussion right up to Round Zero next season.

Watch this space – 2026 is looking very interesting already.

GO PIES!

Floreat Pica

Frank

COLLINGWOOD     1.1   7.1    9.4   11.5 (71)
BRISBANE             4.3   4.6   11.9   15.10 (100)

GOALS
Collingwood: Elliott 4, Membrey 2, Cox 2, Schultz, Lipinski, Houston
Brisbane: Gallop 3, Bailey 2, Rayner 2, W. Ashcroft 2, Dunkley, Morris, McCluggage, Cameron, Lohman, Zorko

BEST
Collingwood: N. Daicos, J. Daicos, Elliott, Sidebottom, Cox
Brisbane: McCluggage, Bailey, Wilmont, Ashcroft, Zorko

INJURIES
Collingwood: Scott Pendlebury (calf)
Brisbane: Jarrod Berry (shoulder)

SUBSTITUTES
Collingwood: Roan Steele (replaced Scott Pendlebury in the first quarter)
Brisbane: Bruce Reville (replaced Jarrod Berry in the second quarter)

Crowd: 96,023 at the MCG

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