Round 17 – Gold Coast v Collingwood: Witts v Grundy (Floreat Pica Society)

 

Written by Luke Reynolds for the Floreat Pica Society

 

Round 1, 2016. Jarrod Witts is selected as Collingwood ruck ahead of Brodie Grundy, who did have an interrupted pre-season. It’s the last time this would occur. Fast forward 16 months and Grundy has become one of the best ruckmen in the competition. Witts is apparently having a very good season with Gold Coast. Grundy and Witts line up to take each other on at the opening bounce of this Round 17 clash.

 

Gold Coast kick the first goal. Jarryd Blair is back in the Collingwood team, surely as a farewell game? What other reason could he be there? It’s also his 150th game. To celebrate, early on in the match he drops an easy chest mark well within goal range, then, after receiving a free in the forward pocket, misses the goals by a greater distance than he and his teammates have travelled to be at this game. Of course, Gold Coast go straight down and kick another, and a familiar 2017 pattern for Collingwood looks like being played out.

 

But all of a sudden, Collingwood lift. Fasolo kicks a couple. Blair even marks and kicks a goal, and is mobbed by his teammates. Fasolo’s second goal is the result of a lace out pass from Taylor Adams. Watching with Josh, my 7 year old son, who remarks that “ Adams hasn’t even made a mistake yet Dad!” I’m quick to remind the young Pies fanatic that there’s plenty of time left in this game…. Wells shows his immense class with a wonderful goal. What a waste it would have been to bring him back through the VFL. A nasty collision between Fasolo and Grundy sees the former appear in quite a bit of trouble. Otherwise all is good as we head into quarter time with a 21 point lead.

 

Queensland. Beautiful one minute. Pouring rain the next. Reid gets a free in the goal square, too big for McKenzie who has been forced to play on a taller opponent after the injury to his captain and key defender May. He goals, we are 27 points up. But Gold Coast play better in the wet. Our too-much-handballing style is exposed in the South East Queensland rain. The Suns dominate the second quarter, Daniel Wells adds our only other goal as we enter the halftime break with scores level. At least Fasolo has returned to play, looking free of serious injury.

 

Gold Coast kick the first two of the second half and we look in trouble. A good pass from Pendles to Moore, who was rarely sighted in the first half, brings us back to within 4 points. Josh Thomas goals. The Suns reply. Maynard badly fumbles in the forward pocket, recovers, throws the ball on his boot and the banana kick from an acute angle sails through the middle. We’re a point up at the last change.

 

The rain becomes torrential as the final quarter starts. Reid gets a free in the goalsquare. Puts us 8 points up. Swallow replies for the Suns. The ball is kicked to our goalsquare. It’s Steele Sidebottom vs four Gold Coast players. Sidey not only contests well enough to ensure the ball is brought to ground, he gets boot to ball, soccering through an important goal.

 

Thomas, Maynard and the milestone man Blair all miss shots at goal. The impressive Ainsworth goals for the home team and our lead is just 3 points. A soccer goal to Thomas and a snap to Reid seal the game for us. Darcy Moore, who has marked and contested extremely well in the second half, kicks a goal with seconds remaining.

 

An ugly game full of mistakes. From both teams. But it’s bloody nice to see your team win again. That’s what we want them to do as often as possible.

Sidebottom was superb, really influenced the game. De Goey was fantastic in the midfield, much better there than as a forward. Scharenberg played his best game in Collingwood colours. Reid offered much up forward, why he hasn’t been played there more is a complete mystery. Really liked Moore’s second half. Josh, and his Dad, were rapt that Adams continued to make very few mistakes in this game. A top performance after a horrible month for our number 13.

 

As for Grundy v Witts, this was one of the few occasions in 2017 where Grundy has lowered his colours. Witts was fantastic. Really hard to see a talented young ruckman leave your club. But it’s not easy being a back up ruckman either. The picks we received from Witts were used to draft father-son selections Callum Brown and Josh Daicos. I’m backing that duo, plus Grundy, to make it all worthwhile.

 

Horsburgh Medal Votes-
3. Steele Sidebottom
2. Jordan De Goey
1. Taylor Adams

 

Malarkey Medal Votes-

 

3. Gary Ablett (Gold Coast)
2. Steele Sidebottom (Collingwood)
1. Jordan De Goey (Collingwood)

 

COLLINGWOOD 5.4 7.5 10.9 15.13 (103)
GOLD COAST 2.1 7.5 10.8 13.10 (88)

 

GOALS
Collingwood: Reid 3, Fasolo 2, Wells 2, Thomas 2, Moore 2, Blair, Elliott, Maynard, Sidebottom
Gold Coast: Wright 3, Martin 2, Lynch 2, Ainsworth 2, Lyons, Hall, Rischitelli, Swallow

 

BEST
Collingwood: Sidebottom, Treloar, Reid, Fasolo, Pendlebury, Thomas
Gold Coast: Ablett, Rosa, Wright, Ainsworth, Martin

 

INJURIES
Collingwood: Nil
Gold Coast: May (hamstring), Lyons (ankle)
Reports: Nil

 

Umpires: Haussen, Williamson, Mollison

 

Official crowd: 17,275 at Metricon Stadium

 

Floreat Pica

About Luke Reynolds

Cricket and Collingwood tragic. Twitter: @crackers134

Comments

  1. Another great write up Luke you could be the next AFL reporter

  2. Phillip Dimitriadis says

    Great stuff Luke. An ugly win, dead rubber and all. Thought structurally we were better with Howe and Reid in the team.
    Young Josh is learning quickly re: who can play. Can Adams improve or is he a glorified tagger at best?

  3. Dave Brown says

    Good stuff, Luke. Glad to see Scharenberg get a game and play well. A win’s a tonic for many ailments.

  4. Listened to the game after leaving Prospect oval the pies may have been lucky that May and Lyons got injured the commentators gave both ruckman a mention.I rate Scharenburg highly hopefully he is away now admit I am not shattered that Pendles got inj and play Aish !

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