Round 2 – Collingwood v Adelaide: Floreat Pica Society match report

 

Match Report – Collingwood v Adelaide Saturday 26 March 2022

By Peter Butler

When I volunteered to do the report for round 2 I felt it may well be our first victory of the year. Like most who have forecast the fortunes of the Mighty Pies in 2022 there is an element of trepidation mixed with hope or optimism. After a sad and sorry 2021 there are lots of new brooms around the club, especially in the coaching box. There is something of a commitment to youth, though the recruitment of Lipinski and Kreuger are more like latching on to players who cannot get a guernsey at the club who initially drafted them. The round one victory over St Kilda, who many have tipped for finals, was a wonderful announcement of a new coaching team with a more expansive game style and commitment to entertainment.

 

The other reason for putting my hand up was to look back at our history of games against the Crows, which is, of course very short as Adelaide only entered the league in 1991, after a mighty spat between Port Adelaide, SANFL and the AFL. Over the past 30 years of 46 games between the clubs the Pies have won 30 and Adelaide 15, with one draw in 2017. The 2017 game was one we should have won but gave way in the dying minutes.

 

They have been some notorious and exciting clashes. Two finals have been won by the Pies with the famous 5 pointer in 2009, when Jack Anthony kicked the winner almost on the siren. I missed that game being in the UK visiting family and for a milestone in my sister’s life. Who can forget the 2003 victory in Adelaide when Chris Tarrant kicked the winner after the siren giving the team the impetus to get to a second Grand Final in two years, only to lose to the Brian’s?

 

At the selection table Mason Cox was ruled out with a troublesome ankle, while Bianco was relegated to the twos.

 

It was great to be back in our seat in the Ponsford stand after two years of no attendance at games or tickets in part of the ground with which we are unfamiliar. The same people who have been around us since 2006 and we welcomed each other like long lost family or friends.

 

First Quarter

 

When we all thought the excitement of last week’s new style would continue from the fist bounce there was not a goal by either team for nigh on 10 minutes. Adelaide played possession footy like Hawthorne in 2005 onwards, lots of kicks and marks but little effect on the scoreboard. Collingwood couldn’t get their game going so it was a real stalemate until a goalmouth scramble gave McCreery and easy goal. A fairly rapid reply from Adelaide’s Rachele (is that really a surname rather than a ladies given name), was followed by 4 goals from the Pies to set up a 22 point lead at the quarter time break.

 

In the running for 3,2,1 votes were Crips and Lipinski who were the leading possession getters for the Pies along with Sidebottom who though he had only two  possessions they were effective and he was notable for getting the ball to others while pushing or kicking on without registering a possession. Other notable players were Howe, De Goey, Pendlebury and the Daicos brothers. It is hard to notice Nick Daicos since his possessions are almost ghostly but effective. I will have to watch him more closely in future.

 

Second Quarter

 

A great part of the second quarter was like the first, especially with Adelaide doing more of the attacking, though not scoring enough to threaten. Adelaide scored two goals to move to within 10 points, which drew some consternation around us though Collingwood replied late in the quarter. Sidebottom kicked our first goal for the quarter late on, though my colleagues doubted he could kick from that far out. I reminded them that he did kick 10 in a Grand Final in his last year before being drafted. We then got a free kick for holding (it was a bit dodgy but then we will take anything when it is given) to go into half time 23 point up.

 

In that quarter Ginnivan racked up 10 possessions on his own while both Crisp and Lipinski dropped off a bit. Sidebottom was to the fore with his involvement and possessions, with Daicos J being also effective. De Goey maintained his work rate but did not seem effective with it. Grundy was having a torrid time against O’Brien and Himmelberg in the ruck, though he was battling on his own, not being given much rest.

 

The quarter was most notable for the evacuation order, which was rescinded before we got to far down any stairs. It was good to see once it was announced to evacuate most did so in an orderly and calm fashion. Yes the pathways were crowded but people were moving an not panicking.

 

Third Quarter

 

The premiership quarter led to a premiership (??) performance albeit against a side that may well finish on the bottom. A seven goal to four quarter with only one of Adelaide’s goals being a well worked one. At least twee of Adelaide’s goals were gimmees from our defence, particularly one silly mistake by Howe who up to then had been almost perfect. By the end of the quarter Collingwood were 43 points to the good, promising to gain a really good percentage. There was a good spreads of goal kickers with only McCreery, Henry and Kreuger notching more than one each, two actually. O’Henry’s snap from the boundary line was notable as was his pass to Kreuger from the pocket, which may well have been out of bounds before his pass, but then who cares!

 

One notable point was that Cameron, the medical sub, came on for a spell in the ruck, though only stayed on the ground for about 10 minutes. Cannot find out why he was allowed to.

 

De Goey was a standout in this quarter racking up 10 touches, especially from out of the middle. Interestingly his stats did not include the most score involvements over the four quarters, so his effect was more from the possession before a score involvement. Sidebottom was also consistent in this quarter and Lipinski picked up his effect from the first quarter. Other players who were effective and had also been good in the first half were Quaynor, Noble and Moore in defence. The three Adelaide goals resulting from errors could not be down to any of these three.

 

Fourth Quarter

 

This quarter was back to the beginning of the game with Adelaide trying desperately to make inroads into the lead but failing to make a real dent. After about halfway through the quarter it was a snore fest really. Collingwood defence was holding up really well, as it had all day, which can be shown through defenders, Pendlebury, Quaynor, and Moore being in the play just about all the time. One goal to each side, with 3 behinds to Collingwood and 4 to Adelaide just about says it all.

 

A 42 point win was really satisfactory with two quarter of really good football and two stalemate quarters.

 

In summary the game plan is working but has a long way to go. Mistakes will be made due to the frantic need to move the ball quickly. Next week we face a Geelong side that was well beaten by Buddy conscious Swans. Let’s see how we fare then, though I feel Geelong are not as good as their performance against Essenscum.

 

Finding three players who stood up all day and contributed consistently was hard, though I have done so.

 

3 votes – De Goey

 

His first half was ok but his third quarter was exceptional, especially when you see that he did not have as many score involvements as some others.

 

2 votes – Lipinski

 

He gets the votes because of his first, third and fourth quarters, as the fact that he was written up in the Age on Saturday morning, which usually means subjects have a bad one!!

 

1 vote – Sidebottom

 

Not the highest possession getter, but very effective. Gets votes for both last week and this. Appears to be playing his best footy for at least three years.

 

Apologies to Howe, Moore, Quaynor, Noble, Pendlebury, Crisp, Ginnivan and the Daicos brothers.

 

COLLINGWOOD            5.3     7.5     14.7    15.10 (100)
ADELAIDE                      1.5     3.6     7.6     8.10 (58)

 

GOALS  
Collingwood: McCreery 2, Henry 2, Kreuger 2, Hoskin-Elliott, Grundy, Sidebottom, Elliott, Mihocek, Ginnivan, Lipinski, De Goey, Cameron
Adelaide: Rachele, Hinge, Dawson, Smith, Pedlar, Gollant, Sholl, Rowe

 

BEST  
Collingwood: Crisp, Pendlebury, De Goey, J. Daicos, McCreery
Adelaide: Keays, Crouch, Sloane, Smith, O’Brien 

 

INJURIES
Collingwood: Kreuger (left shoulder)
Adelaide: Sloane (adductor) 

 

SUBSTITUTES
Collingwood: Darcy Cameron (replaced Kreuger in the fourth quarter)
Adelaide: Jake Soligo (replaced Sloane in the fourth quarter)

 

Crowd: 36,843 at the MCG

 

 

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