Round 21, 2024 Collingwood v Carlton
7:30pm, Saturday August 3
MCG
Scott Pendlebury’s 400th
This week, in the lead up to this game there have been many articles, copy, and media time on the career of Scott Pendlebury.
His very considerable – and fair dinkum unique – abilities, his discipline and total professionalism, his leadership, his role model, his character.
And, like us all, his love of The Game.
This is not a recap, just a couple of personal observations.
For me, Scott Pendlebury, Mr Silky, Man of the Parallel Universe, IS the greatest Collingwood player that I have known in my lifetime of watching this great game of ours and the greatest Club that plays it.
Some time back – probably 5 or 6 years ago (I couldn’t quickly locate the piece) – I wrote (paraphrased) in a Match Report:
“One day kids of today will, when they are grandparents, tell the kids of tomorrow that they saw Scott Pendlebury play – and those kids will be in awe!”
I still stand by that observation.
I am in awe.
Prelude
Well, after the last few weeks I was nervous, particularly after beating the undermanned and out of depth and out of form Richmond last week by a measly 4 or 5 goals.
Still, we had a couple of returnees – Cox, McCreery and McStay who had returned a week prior. Not at all match fit, however some height, forward and back, a bit more needed chase and grunt, and a welcome chop-out for Cameron in the ruck who has been arguably (Naicos and Pendlebury aside) our best performer in the last 2 or 3 winter months. The amount of injuries and forced team changes has been astounding – averaging over 4/week for the last couple of months – it must be a record. I certainly cannot remember so many in so many weeks. Emphatically eclipsing 2018 when we averaged well over two/week for the home and away which seemed massive then.
Still, a win was a win and there were glimpses of some sort of form and system that we could hang our hat on.
However, form would suggest if you believed the hype, that the Blues had the edge.
So we come to Carlton, the pretenders. They were looking good a month ago – one could tell if you were on the streets and suburbs of a cold wintery Melbourne by the preponderance of Carlton beanies and scarves worn by the followers of the evil empire.
Smug and knowing looks, a certain swagger and turn of phrase that lies just below the surface of the entitled folk, even after over two decades of mediocrity… It’s in their DNA (to borrow a recent coaching term).
However, their run of recent form – typical over the last couple of seasons – has yet again seen them wondering and doubting, and the gradual disappearance of the aforementioned branded winter clobber paid silent testament to the reality of the situation as July slipped by.
Speaking to a couple of their faithful later in the week you could feel their earlier confidence paling, particularly as the week and the approach of SP400. Similarly, our supporters were feeling more optimistic as the media hype around Scott built up.
Wonderful.
Whilst I went into this game quietly confident (just), this depended on a deep, deep respect for the opposition who just LOVE to spoil the party (remember the 125 years celebration match in 2017…???). Like a handling a tiger snake in a hessian bag, one false move and you are DEAD.
The Game
1st quarter:
The first 7 mins have been fast and furious and our delivery into our forward line is killing us a bit. Both sides have come-to-play.
8 mins and it’s 2 points to the Blues and a good game really so far. A minute later and they blaze away and miss again and it’s 3 points to zip.12 min and it’s been frantic and hard and The Hyphen has a shot on goal and misses everything. Carlton clear it again! 14 ½ mins in they score another point and we haven’t scored … 2 mins later we hit the scoreboard with … a … point. They kick another – 1 point to 5.
A pressure game.
After a great bit of transition out of the backline to Hoskin-Elloitt, JDG marks and kicks the first goal of the match. 1.1 to 0.5, 18 mins gone. An amazing bit of play and Pendlebury just about kicks one of the most incredible goals of his career, unfortunately it just grazed the post. However, the game seems to be played more in their half than ours … they are not getting reward for effort, however our backline is holding up really well. Curnow has an easy shot from 40 and misses – their lack of scoreboard pressure is certainly keeping us in the game so far. Well, after two quick points by the Blues, it’s all tied up1.2 to 0.8 at the 26 min mark. Well in the dying seconds of this quarter, after a lovely bit of play we kick another goal, followed by the first to them with literally one second on the clock to level the score at quarter time, 2.2 to 1.8.
An interesting quarter of football, Carlton certainly shaded us, with our play not being as slick as it could be probably due to the changes, however there are good signs.
2nd quarter:
3 mins in and we kick a point. A minute later and Bobby Hill dribbles a tough one which hits the base of the post, another point. Another to JDG and Coxy takes a grab and kicks truly, 3.5 to 1.8.
The next goal is just copybook. A tap down to Nick Daicos who kicks it neatly to a leading McStay who converts from directly on front 30-40 metres out.
Beautiful. Football heaven. (If only it was so easy…). The crowd goes nuts.
After another point to Hyphen, Carlton they have a copybook shot dead in front and it’s 4.6, 30 to 2.8, 20. Luck’s a fortune and a miss kick scramble and the Blues get another! A terrific goal to Jordan DeGoey – followed up and great running, and it’s 10 points in it 18 mins in.
5 mins to go and Carlton hit the post, 36 to 27.
McCreery gives away an unnecessary free and they’ll kick from 50, however it is rushed through on the goal line for yet another point.
With 2 ½ mins to go, Mason gets a free, 10 metres out, 45 degrees which he duly converts. Well, there’s no love lost and Coxy’s taking no attitude from the Blues and a good old-fashioned melee starts directly after his kick, with McCreery helping out who also seems to have some skin in the game…
After a really nice, slick bit of play, Carlton have a shot on goal which unbelievably, Motlop misses. Talk about get-out-of-gaol.
Half time and it’s 6.6, 42 to 3.11, 29 and we are up by 13. We seem to be finding some sort of rhythm and are certainly looking better. That said, Carlton are looking dangerous and can certainly turn on some slick football given half a chance.
3rd quarter:
The quarter begins with The Hyphen kicking a point, followed up by a beautiful goal at the 5-minute mark to our perennial Steak Knife, Jack Crisp. A fast break with no pressure out of the centre at the restart and they kick yet another point. We seem to click into another gear and just get the ball down our end where Hoskin-Elliott kicks his first on the goal line. The Blues get one back after some tidy ruck work in front of their goal and it’s 8.8 to 4.12, 20 points up.
Maynard gives one away and they get another a minute later, 14 points in front. Bobby Hill gets it free, plays on and kicks truly, back to 20 the difference. They get one back and we rush a behind, now 15 points. At 23 ½ mins Shultz gets a free in front of goal which he duly converts, 21 up.
Just been informed that JDG has been subbed off with an injury and Lipinski has come on. Hopefully we won’t miss his drive, he’s been a bull tonight.
Curnow hits the post, another let-off, yet they won’t go away. Hoskin-Elliot duly converts at 28 mins and its a 25 point ball game which is the margin at the three-quarter time break. 11.9 to 6.14.
Playing well but the Blues still very much in it. Watch this space.
4th quarter:
Well, I’m not going to be expansive here, suffice to say that after a lovely Jamie Elliot goal 2 ½ minutes in to give us a 31-point margin, the Blues came home with a wet sail. The last five goals were kicked by them, 3 in the space of under 3 minutes – the last at the 22 ½ minute mark.
Elliot made a desperate attempt at the 26-minute mark for a behind, however the last gasp came to Carlton with 10 seconds on the clock with a virtual uncontested mark out in front, kicking from around 50 metres, slight angle.
McGovern, taking his kick after the siren, missed the lot – did not make the distance.
We won a thriller by 3 points.
The wash up:
Well, my impression was that this game was played in three segments. The first 30 minutes belonging to the Blues, albeit it was an arm wrestle, where, if they were more composed could have set them up for a win.
The second 60 minutes belonged to Collingwood where they managed to find a bit of last year’s form. Slick transition and tackle pressure setting up the win.
The last 25 mostly belonged to Carlton.
The loss of Jordan De Goey at three-quarter time found our midfield and clearance work sub-standard. Clearance out of the backline was wanting. Long kicks to a pack where the Blues dominated the air was just dumb. Lost their cool. Needed to adjust and keep possession. That said, I thought Moore had a good game as did Howe. It says volumes that we were able to stop their momentum for the last 10 minutes giving them only one real chance to score. Maynard and IQ had serviceable games although IQ is still well away from his form of last year.
On the AFL “fantasy” (whatever that is…) ranking, Collingwood has only 5 in the top 14 for this game. We must be doing something right.
Great to have both Cox and McCreey back, although not match fit, they played their role and were critical to our victory. Dunno about Bytel, his kick on goal was unconvincing to say the least…
Bring on Swannies next week – they are playing terribly and are cherry ripe for the picking. The Brions the week after will be another matter I reckon. Much is going to depend on who is going to step up and fill Tom Mitchell (our most missed and critical player in my humble opinion) and/or JDG shoes if we are to make the finals and go further this season.
Still hangin’ in there, just.
Finally, we won. We managed it for Pendles. I look forward to him smashing Harvey’s record and holding the all-time record for the most games played.
I’m looking forward to him becoming one of The Club’s and The Game’s greatest coaches.
And, I hope to see one of his proteges break his game record sometime well into the future.
Go Pies!
Floreat Pica
Frank
To return to our Footy Almanac home page click HERE.
Our writers are independent contributors. The opinions expressed in their articles are their own. They are not the views, nor do they reflect the views, of Malarkey Publications.
Do you enjoy the Almanac concept?
And want to ensure it continues in its current form, and better? To help things keep ticking over please consider making your own contribution.
Become an Almanac (annual) member – click HERE.
About that coaching job – i would be very wary about giving any Collingwood champion the job at Magpieland. I would rather he tested his mettle at North or West Coast or Port.
I would like him to be a successful coach, but after the Shaw and Buckley debacles, I would like our coach in the future to prove himself elsewhere (McRae already had a VFL premiership at Richmond).
Worth noting that we have had 6 Magpie champions coach the club since 1964 – for nil premierships, and nine finals wins. Only Choco Williams at Port Adelaide has won the flag, once.