Round 20 – Collingwood v West Coast: It was great to see (Floreat Pica Society)

 

 

My first memory of Collingwood v Eagles was the qualifying final in 1990 at Waverley, I had watched the Eagles on TV previously but with the constraints of playing on Saturday afternoons I am not sure if I was able to get to a game. There are three memories from the qualifying final that have stayed with me. The first was Brian Taylor. He had played a very ordinary game before kicking two late goals, both from ultra-competitive moments, that brought a dying Collingwood back into the game. (Pretty sure he was dropped the next week leaving Gavin Brown to rip Essendon apart in the second semi-final…but that’s another story). BT never played for Collingwood again but I have always appreciated that three minutes when he set up our flag tilt. The second was Sumich’s miss after the siren, another moment of fortune that gave us a chance. The third moment, and a treasured football memory, is that of Darren Millane smashing into John Worsfold leaving Gavin Brown to pick up a loose ball, hand passing to Millane, to Daicos with a miraculous goal that was a generation before its time.

 

 

In 2007 we won the final in extra time with our young players running all over West Coast in the final few minutes. Swan, Pendles and Thomas were emerging as stars and we were on our way.

 

 

Other memories are not so wonderful. There was 1994 in Perth when Worsfold verballed Mick McGuane after he dropped a mark a moment before the final siren that would have set up a shot to win the game after the siren. It was a classless effort from the Eagles skipper and a terrible look for a club captain.

 

 

In 2018 Dom Sheed’s goal was a dagger in our hearts. People tell me it was a wonderful game and that I should watch the replay. But I cannot do it, I still lament that loss and probably always will. I would love to have won that game for many reasons, but the opportunity to have watched the replay over and over again is certainly up there.

 

 

Watching the game on TV doesn’t provide opportunity to see where players line up at the first bounce. However, with Collingwood v Eagles you pretty much know the match ups. The main one for me was who was going to line up on Tim Kelly. With Shuey and Ryan out of the Eagles line up I was keen to see us put some effort into Kelly – he is a prime mover with pin-point disposal. It was happy that we lined up on him at every stoppage, limiting his disposals at 20 and robbed the Eagles of momentum and helped set us up.

 

 

It’s my constant rant.  I love Brodie Grundy, he is a competitive beast and was dominant. I just wish that at centre bounces he would keep his eye on the ball. He looks at the footy, the opposition ruckman, back at the footy and then taps it. I wish he would keep his eye on the ball, it would help our midfield connection. He is improving in this regard, it’s the last bad habit to remove from his game. Our connection was not there early in the first quarter. Brayden Maynard and Mayne intercepted several West Coast entries and ensured the Eagles didn’t hit the score board. Trey Ruscoe (22 disposals) was also good across half back, I would never have picked it but it has been a great move by whoever is responsible. Trey has the knack (besides some fancy dance moves on social media) to get the ball to boot quickly, this combined with his willingness to go through the corridor gives us some quick transition into our forward line. Whilst we were errant early (missing several targets) we owned them at half back and in the midfield. It was only a matter of time before we found connection with goals to Hoskin-Elliott, Sidebottom, Elliott and Ginnivan. Ginnivan’s goal was a highlight, he looks like something out of Pirates of The Caribbean but with a footy in his hands. Quick shout out to Finn McRae, his ability to hit targets, especially inside 50, looks very good. He is a massive win from last year’s trade and draft period and is a good eye to the future.

 

Collingwood   4.1.25
West Coast      0.4.4

 

 

The second quarter started with more midfield dominance, Steele’s NicNat fend off set up a goal to Checkers. The efforts of Taylor Adams and Jordan DeGoey were huge. Adams has carried the midfield for physicality over the last few years, to now have DeGoey matching him with a willingness to work, block and tackle sets us up nicely for the future. Goals to Elliott, Cameron & Oliver Henry followed, building more score board pressure on West Coast. Just on Henry, his abilities to mark the footy at its highest point and protect the ball drop are great attributes. He is going to be a fantastic player, another win for last year’s trade and draft period. Josh Thomas kicked a goal that bought a very cheeky smile to David Rodan (a highlight in our house). Trent Bianco (TB8 as he is known in our house) was due after a series of first half clangers and a goal to Brodie Grundy. Our backline was very good; to have Jeremy Howe back in the team is massive. His leadership, kicking ability and vision ensure we exit from defence in a surehanded manner. Our first half strength was built on a willingness to take risks, handball and go through the corridor. Great footy and great to watch.

 

Collingwood   10.2.62
West Coast      1.5.11

 

 

The early part of the third quarter was important, if the Eagles were going to come back it was from the jump. Importantly it was Collingwood who kicked the first goal through Checkers well into the third. It was our only goal of the quarter matched by a goal by West Coast. Our win was set up with only the final quarter to negotiate. Shout out to Jack Crisp for his hard running, tackling and intercept marking game. To have Steele back to his best was also great for our footy club.

 

Collingwood   11.4.70
West Coast      2.7.19

 

 

The final quarter was just 30 minutes whilst we waited for the final siren. Great to see IQ kick his first goal, before a long goal by TB8 and walk in by Johnny Noble. The Eagles came back with a pressure lapse from the pies but we still ran out 45-point winners.

 

I usually count tackles as a measure of effort but couldn’t do it for this report. The fact is that the Eagles didn’t have the footy enough for tackle counts to matter. We smashed them, they were a rabble owing to our midfield dominance, willingness to move the footy through the corridor and forward connection was too much for them, and it was great to see.

 

 

 

COLLINGWOOD   4.1   10.1   11.4    14.6 (90)
WEST COAST        0.4    1.5     2.7     6.9 (45)

 

GOALS
Collingwood: Elliott 2, Mihocek 2, Bianco 2, Hoskin-Elliott, Sidebottom, Ginnivan, Cameron, Thomas, Grundy, Quaynor, Noble
West Coast: Cripps 2, Yeo, Darling, Kennedy, Sheed

 

BEST
Collingwood: Sidebottom, De Goey, Crisp, Grundy, Maynard
West Coast: Gaff, Sheed, Waterman, McGovern, Naitanui

 

 

 

 

 

The Tigers (Covid) Almanac 2020 will be published in 2021. It will have all the usual features – a game by game account of the Tigers season – and will also include some of the best Almanac writing from the Covid winter.  Pre-order HERE

 

 

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