Round 24 – Collingwood v Melbourne: Floreat Pica Society match report

Match Report, Pies v Dees last round 2025

Preamble.

Been a torrid last month in my life with unexpected commitments coming from left field at times, so I was more than happy to go to the G with Ken, my mate from Perth (and Docker’s Supporter and DR reporter for the FPS v’s Carlton last year) and watch The Mighty Pies flog Melbourne and get some sort of cohesion back into their game.

Nothing like a good scream and yell at the footy to restore some emotional balance in one’s life.

Well, we front up to Gate 4  luckily with a few minutes to spare and I go to my ”Apple Wallet” only to find that my “saved” ticket from Doug (and Ken’s ticket) has not been saved as requested…. At the Tickettex window we are directed to the Collingwood help desk at Gate one because Collingwood tickets are Ticketmaster… Jeez. Luckily the staff have their heads fully around this issue, and have it sorted pronto, thank God! As mentioned, our entry is Gate 4, so that’s a full lap around the G through a footy crowd before we start.

We get to our seats having walked an extra k just-in-time to watch the opening bounce.

Probably a portent to come as things turn out….

We go into the game without the Hypen, Mitchell and big Mason. Clearly we are backing youth. McStay is a worry as he clearly has not mastered ruck duties, leaving virtually all of this task to Darcy Cameron.

Around me most opinion the same.

We have arguably 3 talls (the 3M’s) – McStay, Membrey and Mihocek – and no clear second ruck. The sub is Roan Steele, a small – possibly to imitate Bobby Hill?? Still, the Collingwood brain’s trust have their reasons.

1 – 3 Quarters:

I’m not going to bore everyone with what was a pretty dour affair. (A recently familiar dour affair at that.)

Clearly Melbourne have come to play despite their off field dramas.

Lots and lots and lots of forward entries for no real result, Jamie Elliot hitting the post twice. Attacking from around the boundaries and kicking points.. Demon defenders marking at will. Getting smashed in the clearances. Our opponents getting it over the back and kicking easy goals. A defender going down and allowing the Dees back into the game. The few Demon supporters at the ground sounding loud and confident. The Magpie Army unnaturally subdued (a recent thing I’ve observed) despite the palaver before the game about our supporters.

¾ time and the Dees are 10 points up, 10.5, 65 to 7.13, 55 – 15 shots to 20…..

4^th Quarter:

Two minutes in and we rush a behind, followed by a Melbourne goal – Petracca – to give them a 15 point lead. The Melbourne fans are going off.

Still very do-able if we can find something however.

After some great tackling and a Pendlebury play in the middle, Shultz kicks his 3^rd point from a set shot. Still only 3 kicks in it.

Frampton takes a beauty and we scramble if forward again. Just seem to be playing a tad better.

After a chain of hand passes around a 30metre arc Ned Long dobs a beautiful, bouncing lucky goal from the boundary.

Finally. We get a sniff and the crowd gets right into it and make the Demon supporters seem quiet by comparison.

Go Pies!!!! 8 points in it.

Melbourne haven’t given up and they still press however, and kick a point. Our backs are holding up.

Mr Silky takes the kick in and it’s straight down the middle! Mark, pass, tap on, kick, mark and Elliot kicks it through from a set shot. 4 points down.

The crowd go nuts!

Melbourne to their credit fire right back and score another behind.

Dependlebury again takes the kick in. We’ve seen this before.. It’s time to break out!

He runs around the defender and kicks … straight down the middle…..to JDG, then Shultz in the center who kicks to … McDonald who punches what he should have marked. They are rattled.

Schultz’s next shot via Pendlebury is short, however it rebounds back via Sidebottom and kicks truly to give us back the lead – 10.15, 75 to 11.8, 74

Still heaps of time in this game – still anyone’s – however you can feel the momentum really shift. And the crowd is going off!

Centre clearance (again) to the Dees and Kozzy’s having a shot on goal from 50. Misses.

Even Stevens, 75 apiece.

Once again the on-field-coach, The Master, takes the kick in and sets up another chaos play in which McCreery has a shot on goal but also misses.

One point up.

Mr Silky takes an intercept mark on the wing, clears to Ryan Steele, the sub, who kicks beautifully to McStay who duly converts.

7 point lead.

Still plenty of time, Melbourne won’t go away, Petracca kicks a point – he’s really stepped up. It’s tough, tough footy and the Dees still press. Our backs hold up with great individual efforts.

Siren.

Wow.

The Pies by six solitary points. 11.16, 82 to the Dees, 11.10, 76

The song sung with gusto!

The wash-up:

While I initially wished to give the Dees a good old fashioned flogging at the beginning, I actually believe that last night’s win was better in a way.

To lose a pivotal player just before ½ time against a very worthy opponent (the Dees are a bit of a bogey side for the Pies over the years) – note that 8 out of the 1^st nine placings in last night’s AF (whatever that is….?? Fantasy something) are Melbourne players – and to come back, regroup and get the job done was a better outcome.

Aside from the Hawthorn game, in the last few games we have dropped by 3, 3 and 1 points.

Games we would have won given our track record since mid 2022.

Restores our self belief – players and supporters – something that will take us a long way into September.

Best players:

IQ was good later when it mattered

Moore and Maynard were rocks. Frampton got better as the game went on after Howe was subbed off.

Sidebottom, McCreery, Perryman, Checkers, Lipinsky were all good.

Houston was ok after the reshuffle at ½ time.

McCreery is McCreery, he just adds that something special to this side.

The Daicii continue to do what the brothers do.

Crisp is evergreen, some of his 2^nd and 3rd efforts were inspiring as well – I‘m not surprised he led the tackle count on the night.

Darcy Cameron, was once again the ultimate contester.

Lauchie Shultz. Rewarding McRae’s faith as an excellent tackling defender/forward.

Jordan De Goalie. Just got better as the game went on. A (talented) bull.

Scott Pendlebury. Mr Silky. Our on-field coach. Dependlebury.

When the game was on the line Scott took charge. We are blessed.

Floreat Pica

Go Pies!

Frank

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