by Paul Russo for the Floreat Pica Society
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The Thursday of the Easter weekend has been a feature for a while now. The same fixture in 2022 saw Collingwood get away to a good start before Brisbane quickly skipped ahead to a steady lead only to be chased hard by the Pies toward the end. We fell 7 points short. The never-say-die attitude certainly was a taste of things to come in 2022.
Was tonight to bring more of the same? Strong performances in the opening three rounds suggested so, albeit the Maggies would have to go into battle without a recognised ruckman. Given the helter-skelter style of football, does having a half-decent ruckman even matter in 2023? Time will tell.
An interstate away game, I take a walk down the road and am graciously hosted by my neighbours, Steve Fahey and family, to kick off the long weekend of footy.
Q1
Opening bounce and the Big O gets the first tap, easily. The ball bobbles around, then out of bounds on our half back flank. Ball-in. Nick gets the intercept, fast hands to Pendles, then Josh, then Mitchell who runs down the wing and takes on an aggressive 45 degree kick to AJ who has to beat two and does it well with a fine grab. Wasting no time, he gets the ball in deep to B-Mac who spills the mark. Checkers tries to mop up and fumbles a handball, McCreery picks up and dishes it off to Adams who finishes nicely for a goal within the first minute. The running-in-packs and fast-paced football that has kept Collingwood in good stead continues into Round 4. We control the first part of the game well and although we’ve conceded some behinds, we are taking our opportunities.
Josh Daicos roves the contest in the half back line. Clever hands to Bruzzy who gives it off to Jordy by hand only to have the favour returned. Maynard kicks to Pendles in the middle and continues to run past for the handball receive. He takes a bounce, strides to 50 and kicks deep in the goal square. AJ is in prime position and has the sit but gets a front-on shove from his opponent. Free kick in the goal square (the ump puts him on a 45 degree angle; why??? We will never know). AJ kicks across his body for the goal. He has started well.
Cam Rayner takes a speccy at the top of the square and goals for the Lions. Brisbane are slowing the game down and are starting to find the footy to work their way back in.
Nick is running hot with 7 touches halfway through the quarter.
IQ has the fumbles, Cam Rayner swoops and kicks another.
Moore and Frampton get sucked up to the contest and this time it’s Charlie Cameron’s turn. He takes the mark out the back and kicks truly.
Our boys continue to work hard. Adams kicks a mungrel into F50, Bobby Hill is sitting in the hole and takes an easy chest mark – another goal to the Pies.
Ever-dependable Pendles (Mr De-Pendle-able?) kicks a clever clearance from congestion out to the wing; Harris Andrews collects the footy, is grabbed by Billy Elliott and spun around; Bobby Hill picks his pocket and goes for a run into the open goal. It’s superb pressure football, finished with a touch of class.
De-Pendle-able switches the kick to the opposite wing. Sidey takes the mark and holds up play nicely while Noble runs past for the handball receive. He then kicks into the hole in F50 where Nick Daicos takes an easy mark. Goal!
Nick Daicos is running hot, as is Pendles. AJ, Checkers and Maynard are all playing well.
The Woodsmen lead 5.3.33 to 3.2.20.
Q2
Centre clearance goes our way, despite McStay seeming to be totally uninterested in contesting in the ruck. JDG kicks nicely into F50 where AJ’s sticky fingers get to work again, juggling a nice mark. Miss.
McStay wins a rare tap out. Josh Daicos gets the handball clearance to space where Noble wins the footy and kicks very nicely to Billy Elliott on the lead. 50m out on a 45 degree angle, he pushes the kick way out to the right for no score.
Brisbane is matching our intensity at the contest. The pressure is causing both sides to turnover the footy. Their disposal is cleaner while Collingwood seems to be battling with a bad case of the fumbles and missing targets. Another goal to the Lions.
McCreery gets pinged for front on contact without actually making contact. He’s somewhat bemused. I am too.
The Pies are pressing well into F50 without any reward. The Lions are linking up well. Unselfish play. Goal to Daniher.
There are uncharacteristic fumbles from a number of Collingwood players.
The ball gets out the back. McCluggage quick hands to Berry for a goal.
The Lions have kicked 3 unanswered goals.
The 6-6-6 rule betrays us. Simple, undisciplined play hands a centre clearance to the Lions.
Steve and I ask why the hell Noble is taking the kick in. No sooner have the words been spoken than he kicks down the opponent’s throat. A quick kick inboard for a shot on goal by Hipwood. Four unanswered goals. They have their confidence up and there are worrying signs for Collingwood.
We again have the fumbles, this time it’s Sidey’s turn for an errant handball. A clever kick from the 50m line from out of nowhere results in another Lions goal. They can do no wrong at this point; 5 in a row.
We are disorganised. Another gifted centre clearance. Damn you 6-6-6 rule!
A lovely tackle from Noble in the middle of the ground earns him a free kick. Deep into F50 and AJ flies and gets fingertips to the ball. Apparently it was an unrealistic attempt – has this umpire even been taking notice of how good of a leap he is?? Nothing’s unrealistic for AJ.
A chip into the Lions F50 and Billy Frampton bravely goes back with the flight of the ball and is met mid-air by Hipwood. Ball spills to Cam Rayner who chips nicely to Zorko who kicks truly. It’s 6 unanswered goals now. Billy is still picking himself up off the turf.
Siren sounds… thankfully. Brisbane has kicked 6.2 for the quarter to our 0.3.
The half time scores are Brisbane 9.4.58 to Collingwood’s 5.6.36.
Time to re-set. The ruck duel is a fizzer. McStay still seems disinterested as first ruck. AJ is performing well as relieving ruck but has no tank to take the main role. The Big O is just too big.
Our mids seem somewhat subdued.
They’re scoring too easily and too efficiently out the back. Hard to compete against when their conversion rate for goals is double ours. It’s the risk we take by playing kamikaze football.
Hopefully some time to reassess and readjust is what we need. Can we get an early clearance and shot on goal as we’d done in the first two quarters?
Q3
McStay wins a centre tap out – yay!
Clever ball movement by Brisbane sees a mark taken by Hipwood on a slight angle. He kicks truly. 7 in a row. I’m exasperated but given our never-say-die attitude, there’s hope.
Sidey lays a tackle and earns a free. Advantage. Nick gets the footy across to Maynard, then JDG with overlap run. Perfect delivery to Elliott, 40m out directly in front. The kick slides across the goal face and just shaves the inside of the post on its way through. Elliott has kicked 0.2. The footy gods have abandoned us.
Clean hands from Mr De-Pendle-able, Josh kicks deep but too deep for Bobby to make something of it – 1 behind.
McCarthy on the burst, kicks out the back for Charlie Cameron’s second goal. 8 in a row. Hope is fading in favour of unforgiving reality.
McStay is horribly undersized; holding free kick to the Big O. Deep kick to the top of the square spills out back. Cam Rayner goal. 9 in a row.
Nick is in everything: kick in, hard running to the centre for the link-up handball, inside 50 by Maynard. Whistle blows… “Nick is human” says Daisy Pearce after he is pinged for retaliating rough play.
Steve and I agree that something needs to change. Bring on Markov, sub out McInness (he’s having little impact). The commentary team echoes our words and the change is made.
Our spirit is not yet broken, the running-in-packs style continues. Josh grubs a kick out of congestion. JDG crumbs, hands to Mitchell, then Adams. He kicks for territory straight up the middle. Checkers for the kick across to Nick who has just kept running from the back line. Open goal… poster!
Another gift to Brisbane, 25m out directly in front. Another to Rayner. 10 in a row. Footy gods, why have you forsaken us?!?
Good contest on the boundary, 50m out. Nick keeps the ball alive with a look-away handball that any other footballer would not dare try. Crisp handballs out to Sidey for a quick kick chaos ball to the top of the square. Bobby contests and gets the ball out the back to Checkers. Goal. Finally the streak is broken and a glimmer of hope returns.
We seem to be enjoying a little bit of dominance. AJ’s sticky fingers return for a couple of solid grabs. Confidence is growing but can we put it on the scoreboard?
Murph is holding his own in defence after a ripping game last week. Well done young man.
Boundary throw in on the wing. Fantastic pressure. Nick chips the ball inboard to Bobby Hill. Nick is streaming past for the handball. Oleg Markov receives from Nick. Can his first kick for the club be a goal? He sprays it to the left for a behind.
Brisbane are 37 points up but all onlookers are nervous, including Fagan. The Pies have the momentum and are pressing, but the Brisbane defence are equal to the task and when they’re not, the footy gods are denying us in front of the big sticks.
McStay has not grown any taller and the Big O is still dominating him. Nonetheless, Nick roves the throw in, passes to Josh for another deep F50 entry. Ball spills out the back and Checkers has a fresh airy but has time for a re-do. Goal! Deficit is now 31 points. Hope returns. It’s doable.
We still have momentum and are building pressure.
IQ gets involved with a kick to Pendles at centre half back. Our winger is in position to receive an ever-dependable kick; Joshy doesn’t even break stride and spears a bullet to McStay who wheels around and chips the footy inside F50 down the throat of an opponent. The pressure causes a turnover. A smother from the Hyphen, the ball spills to the wrong Starcevich but Bobby applies a vice-like tackle to earn a free kick. AJ has a characteristic brain fade and plays on when no-one was ready. JDG feels obliged to play on and kicks across his body for a point. He’s arguing his case to the umpire to no avail.
IQ cops one in the back and again we play on. Why? Mitchell fumbles, turnover in our D50. Goal to Charlie Cameron. Mental note: don’t ever play “Take Me Home, Country Roads” ever again – it’s giving me the irrates.
Centre bounce, quick clearance by Nick. Ball spills and Checkers kicks a superb goal while being dragged down in a tackle. Everyone enjoys the quick reply.
A couple of minutes left. Don’t concede any more!
Brisbane lead 14.6.90 to 8.12.60. Checkers has kept us in the game with three for the quarter. Nick has been in everything. Murph has held up solidly in the backline.
Q4
An arm wrestle for the first couple of minutes. Will the Lions get on the board early and snuff out the Pies or can Collingwood build on the third quarter.
Contest out on the wing. Free kick Brisbane and Ashcroft is away. Deep entry into F50 and the ball spills out the back. Cameron gets his dancing shoes on. In the spirit of his favourite country song, he does a dosey doe around Murphy and Billy Number Two for a side-stepping and characteristic fancy-pants goal.
Its AJ vs the Big O. None other than Nick gets the clearance. Crisp jams it on the boot for a nice goal.
Brisbane win the clearance. Cam Rayner is on his lonesome. Deep kick inside F50 and a mark in the pocket by Charlie Cameron. Goal. That song annoys me once more.
AJ is doing well against a much bigger opponent. Sidey has plenty of time and launches from 50. The ball misbehaves and slides by the wrong side of the goal post.
The Hyphen kicks into the pocket. Checkers launches for a lovely grab. He’s too far out to kick across his body, surely. He hits the wrong fat bit and the ball goes skew-whiff for a Brisbane mark in defence.
The Lions are cleverly taking their time kicking out of defence.
Mark to B2 (the other Billy) who spots Mr De-Pendle-able on the 45 degree angle. Pendles takes his time for the right option. B1 on a solid lead, 30m out on a slight angle. Billy Elliott is suitably cursed tonight 0.3.
B1 is chasing the loose ball on the half back flank. Hands to Sidey, kick to Bobby and a chip inboard to none other than Nick. Nick kicks 20m inside to Pendles but the umpire has forgotten his measuring tape – “play on, not fifteen”.
The Lions are only starting to play when prompted by the umpire. They’re in no rush.
Kick in by Nick, quick running for the handball receive and a spreading kick to McCreery who kicks a dart into the forward line to the advantage of no-one except Prior. He’s on the wrong bloody team Beau!
They chip around, soaking up more precious time.
Lovely slingshot from the backline. Hyphen-Hill-Mitchell-Crisp-Adams-JDG for the set shot on the 50m arc. Jordy squeezes the ball through for his first goal of the night.
Good signs of aggressive football.
I mistakenly think Maynard looks skinny but it’s Markov who is getting involved. Sometimes good, sometimes not so good.
The ball is on Brisbane’s F50 line and Pendles has Ashcroft wrapped up. I think he looked at him the wrong way because the umpie somehow thinks its high. Long kick by Ashcroft to the top of their goal square and players spill everywhere. Daniher is the last one standing and somehow has a chest mark. He soaks up more time and converts.
Centre contest pressure sees Mitchell win the clearance. He steps through, Pendlebury-like and drives the ball deep into F50. Everyone watches the ball bounce and the only one willing to get it is Nick. He is pushed as he kicks and accentuates the contact nicely. Nah, that wasn’t a dive – what are you talking about Brisbane crowd? He runs around the mark to kick his second goal.
Murphy wastes no time, kicking aggressively on the 45 degree to spark his team mates into action. We work it forward but have no space to work the ball. The Lions defence stands firm and continues to slow down the play, soaking up more precious time. Adams has a shot – point. Josh has a shot – another point.
Brisbane take the kick-in and AJ has reapplied the Grippo. Another contested mark. Disappointingly, another failed F50 entry.
Murphy outplays three. My admiration of the unsung defender continues to grow.
It’s Bobby Hill’s time for a dash down the far wing. He sidesteps for a F50 entry. The Maggies work the footy across to Nobes who takes a running shot from 50 – point.
Charlie gets out the back again. Please erase that song from my playlist.
Brisbane Lions 18.8.116 defeat Collingwood Magpies 11.17.83.
Summary
Well played Brisbane and great response to their criticisms of last week around contested footy and a poor performance from their forward line, Daniher in particular.
More of the same in front of goals for my beloved Magpies this week – errant kicking has hurt us. We had two more scoring shots and lost by 33 points. Billy Elliott (B1) needs to find his goal kicking mojo again.
Were we a little rattled? Probably. We had several 6-6-6 warnings and free kicks against us for infringements. With the timer on the big screen and the umpires giving players the hurry-along, there should be no excuses. Uncharacteristic team discipline mistakes.
B2 continues to settle in well with our backline – he knows his role and his limitations and plays it well.
Crispy was down on his typical output, especially early in the game.
Nick was everywhere. Another stellar performance, together with some mistakes to remind us all that he’s human.
Checkers keeps making his way to contest after contest. I’m sure he wins the admiration of suburban footballers and coaches alike. A real workhorse and team player.
Mr Dependable. He goes alright for an old man. Plays much younger than his 35 years – perhaps because time slows down around him whenever he has the ball.
AJ with his sticky fingers and freakish leap. Another who played his role well and within his limitations.
I think my feelings for Murphy are known (guess who played in defence as a junior).
McStay as the starting ruck seemed almost disinterested. If the tactic is to be beaten in the ruck and to rove to your opponent a-la Shaun Grigg, surely your job is to strive to be the best at applying pressure within the midfield group? Very disappointing.
To answer the pre-game question of whether or not we need a recognised ruckman considering the style of football we play, I think the answer is YES. We need that second big body crashing his way through the forward line.
Despite the result (and like many others), if I’d been offered a 3-1 start to the season knowing our draw, I would’ve gladly accepted it.
Next week, we take on the Saints in Adelaide for the Gather Round.
Votes
3 – Nick Daicos. 38 disposals, 2 goals, 633m gained and team high of 12 score involvements. Looks great on paper and even better in real life. A genuine superstar in the making and we have the privilege to watch it happen.
2 – Scott Pendlebury. Ever dependable and such great game sense. Did you know he had a basketball background?
1 – Brody Mihocek. 3 goals. The footballer’s footballer who seemingly enjoys the hard work of getting to contest after contest.
Unlucky
Ash Johnson, Bobby Hill, Brayden Maynard, Nathan Murphy.
Special Mention
Oleg Markov. First game for the club and with limited game time, he got involved with 5 tackles. His speed was on display on a couple of occasions also. Could be a real asset but who does he come in for?
Unlucky not to get a goal with his first kick for the club.
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BRISBANE 3.2 9.4 14.6 18.8 (116)
COLLINGWOOD 5.3 5.6 8.12 11.17 (83)
GOALS
Brisbane: Cameron 6, Rayner 4, Hipwood 2, Daniher 2, Zorko, Wilmot, Prior, Berry
Collingwood: Mihocek 3, Hill 2, N.Daicos 2, Johnson, De Goey, Crisp, Adams
INJURIES
Brisbane: Nil
Collingwood: Nil
SUBSTITUTES
Brisbane: Deven Robertson (replaced Jack Gunston in fourth quarter)
Collingwood: Oleg Markov (replaced Reef McInnes in third quarter)
Crowd: 33,565 at the Gabba
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