Round 5 – St Kilda v Collingwood: A gathering of the faithful

by Guy Fazzino for the Floreat Pica Society
Sunday 16 April 2023, 4.20pm (local time)
Adelaide Oval

 

Preamble

When one thinks Collingwood v St Kilda, a blockbuster game does not normally spring to mind. Apart from brief periods in the mid 1960s and the late 2000s, the Pies have pretty much had St Kilda’s measure over the journey, having won 161, lost 60 and drawn 2 of the 223 games played previously. Early in the 2023 season however, there was reason to think this might not be the case as St Kilda were 1st and Collingwood 5th, and had this game been played in Melbourne, it most probably would have attracted a blockbuster crowd of 80,000. But alas, it was not.

The Saints, undergoing a renaissance due to the second coming of Ross the Boss and despite injuries aplenty, had started the season in blistering form – sitting unbeaten on top of the ladder and with the highest percentage. Really? Some pundits had them pegged as wooden spooners (including yours truly). The Pies, after an impressive first three games, stumbled in Brisbane (again) where its lack of a genuine ruckman was brutally exposed by the big O. Nevertheless, there was still plenty of room for optimism even without Cameron, Cox, De Goey (a late withdrawal), Howe and Lipinski. After a stint on the sidelines due to suspension, the Pies welcomed back Ginnivan at the expense of McInnes and brought in Tom Wilson as the sub for his first game of the year, while the Saints went in with an unchanged side but still missing key players such as Steele, King, Membrey, Coffield, Jones, Billings and Hayes – who kicked 3 goals in a memorable debut in Round 1 last year against the Pies.

Enticed by this Gather Round concept, your correspondent boarded a Jetstar flight delayed by 25 minutes (typical) on the morning of the game, intrigued, excited and a little apprehensive about what lay ahead. Following 36 hours of rain, I was greeted by cool but sunny conditions upon arrival, much to my relief. With 4 hours to kill prior to the bounce, I decided to check out the sights and soak in the atmosphere. A leisurely stroll down Montefiore Rd in the CBD took me past ‘MOD’, and then along the south side of the River Torrens. I saw supporters from various clubs taking advantage of the various eateries beside the river and a zip line over the river was proving popular as was the footy carnival set up in Elder Park. A short wander then saw me traverse the footbridge to the ground itself although I didn’t enter until I’d done a full perimeter inspection of the stadium. As time passed, I found myself walking around with a smile on my face, talking to the car park attendant, the Footy Record seller, and just strangers in the crowd. Their pride in the opportunity they’d been given and what they were doing with it was obvious and my reservations soon melted away, replaced by admiration for what had been done to promote this new concept. Tasmanians – take a leaf out of what South Australia did! Get a new stadium built, wrap it around a sports and entertainment precinct, link it to the Hobart CBD and you could do similar!

I decided to find my seat during the half time interval of the Geelong-West Coast game. It was about 20 rows from behind the goals at the Riverbank end, and I was shoe-horned in a nest of Magpie supporters – so far so good. What took a little getting used to though was the fact that, apart from the expected dose of Saints fans, there were also Eagles, Cats, Crows, Power, Dockers, Giants and even Suns supporters. I felt like a black and white in a liquorice all sorts.

Pre-match consisted of the announcement by Gil and Pete that Adelaide was rewarded with Gather Round ‘rights’ for a further 3 years. This was followed by a more sobering ceremony involving both teams running together through the one banner – signifying their united stance against racism as it was almost exactly 30 years ago when Nicky Winmar lifted his jumper and pointed in defiance to the colour of his skin on that infamous day at Victoria Park. Earlier, this had been accompanied by an unreserved apology by Collingwood on its website to both Winmar and Gilbert McAdam. Though largely symbolic, these actions represented another small step in Collingwood’s journey to Do Better.

With the preliminaries behind us, the game finally began at 4.20pm in front of a “sold out” stadium of 43,796 fans (even though it was only 80% full), at a sun drenched Adelaide Oval.

 

First Quarter

Frampton begins the rucking duties instead of McStay – interesting. Not long after the opening bounce, the Saints score their first goal from a dubious holding the ball free paid against Murphy in the goal square. But Mitchell responds immediately with a 50m running bomb and then Hill snaps the Pies’ second a few minutes later. It’s a hotly contested game and scoring opportunities are scarce but the Pies are marginally winning around the ground. Ginnivan misses a getable running shot, Sidebottom sprays a 50m set shot out on the full and Elliott doesn’t make the distance from 50m out on the angle. Saints get their second for the quarter following an even more dubious 50m penalty.

The backline is doing well, particularly Murphy, Moore and Maynard. Frampton is holding his own against Marshall, especially around the ground. N Daicos is typically busy and Hill is looking dangerous. Crouch, Clark and Wilke are the Saints’ best. Even though Mihocek and Johnson are virtually unsighted, it feels like the Pies should be further in front.

Would be nice to have a screen which provides basic game statistics or lets fans know who is on the interchange. Nope, nothing, nada. Instead we get treated to a pop song over the loudspeakers after every goal and a dance troupe at quarter time. Hmmmmmm ……….

 

Pies 2.2.14 Saints 2.2.14

 

Second Quarter

McStay has been subbed out of the game – finger injury. Not sure when it occurred. Football ping pongs up and down the ground for several minutes until Higgins scores from a mark. After a couple of bounces, Nick D tries a running banana from 45m out but sprays it. Brother Josh similarly sprays it left moments later after playing on from a mark.

Both teams taking key intercept marks or punching the ball away in their backlines. Ginnivan starting to get more of the ball. It’s obvious that the Pies are trying to run the ball up the ground with handball chains but the Saints are wise to this, often breaking these up with open field tackles. Hoskin-Elliott, hardly noticed, shanks a kick straight to Mihocek who duly converts from 50. Soon after, McCreery snaps one over his right shoulder, pure opportunist goal. Phillipou marks and converts for the Saints.

Very even game but St Kilda is starting to take control around the ball. Marshall getting on top, giving first use to Crouch and others. Noble and Markov, while earnest in defence, are letting themselves down with poor foot skills. Poor entries into Collingwood’s inside 50 making it easy for the Saints to defend.

Pies need more from Johnson, Elliott, Adams, Crisp and Hoskin-Elliott, while Wilson is a non-event.

 

Pies 4.4.28 Saints 4.3.27

A typical defensive struggle against a Ross Lyon coached team. A tense, tight, match but half time features more dancing and more inane banter from the ground ‘announcers’. Doesn’t seem appropriate considering the state of play. Time for some dinner.

 

Third Quarter

McCreery starts the quarter well, with a couple of nice runs and accurate passes along the members wing. But the subsequent kicks are into a stagnant, out-numbered forward line and are easily picked off by the Saints defenders. Frampton runs into an open goal, 25m out and sprays it. It takes a typically classy, lace out pass from Pendlebury to Mihocek in the pocket, who duly converts, to break the deadlock. Caminiti plays on after marking and is tackled but the umpires bizarrely stop play and allow him to take his kick, and he does so truly. What the? Hill takes a clever contested mark and kicks his second. After a lengthy period during which time the Pies miss a couple of half chances, the Saints get one against the run of play by linking up the ground and getting one over the top for Caminiti’s second. Adams dump tackles Ross 30m from Pies’ goal – likely to get looked at by the MRO. Near the end of the quarter, Johnson has a gilt edged chance to kick a set shot but misses left from 45m out.

Pendlebury has his best quarter, Crisp has lifted his output and the Daicos boys continue to get plenty of the ball while Wilkie is clearly St Kilda’s best, along with Crouch, Marshall and Wood.

Despite Collingwood’s territory and statistical supremacy this quarter (for example 22 forward 50 entries to St Kilda’s 7), this isn’t translated on the scoreboard due to a combination of good defending from St Kilda and some indiscriminate kicking into the forward line. Will this come back to haunt the Pies in the last stanza?

Pies 6.10.46 Saints 6.4.40

 

Fourth Quarter

It takes a mere 20 seconds for the Pies to kick one after a clever dribble pass from Hill to Ginnivan who snaps on his right. Teammates come from everywhere! Soon after, Johnson finally scores one from a set shot. Pies surging now. Mihocek bullocks his way through a pack, shovels it to Johnson who flips it to Hill who kicks truly while the ball is in mid-air! Three in quick succession! Saints start peppering the goals but it’s their turn to miss now. Ginnivan cuts off a sideways pass from Wood meant for Stocker! Ginny baulks him, passes it to Elliott on the bounce and he drills one from 45 on a 45! His best effort in an otherwise dirty day. Pies 26 points up with just under 8 minutes left in a low scoring game – should be all over red rover. With 4 minutes left, and the scores unchanged, Murphy is felled behind play by Caminiti and is taken off – presumably for concussion protocol.

Pies now playing to ice the game, while the Saints are still running it out. St Kilda’s Hill is making an impact, looking dangerous and creating opportunities. Higgins scores with 2 minutes left. After the Saints kick a point, Noble takes the kick out from full back and rather than playing keepings off, decides to kick long to a contest which is marked by Marshall who quickly brings the ball back into the hot spot, the ball spills out and the Saints get one over the top. All of a sudden it’s two goals the difference with 1:11 left to play! Saints stream down the ground from the re-start, and score a terrific running goal from Crouch – 53 seconds left and it’s a 6 point game! Where did this come from? This has all happened since Murphy was taken off. Coincidence? I don’t think so. His absence has left a massive hole in Collingwood’s backline and it has been exploited by the Saints. Maynard takes a match saving mark with 36 seconds left! He kicks wide to Crisp who only has to kill time and find a player but instead he inexplicably kicks up the line to an outnumbered contest! Howard duly marks and pumps the ball back into St Kilda’s forward 50! 10 seconds left! Huge pack flies, ball spills to the ground where it’s fiercely contested! 3, 2, 1…. Ball up! Siren! Game over! Wow!

 

Pies 10.10.70 Saints 9.10.64

Pies have 9 days to prepare for Anzac Day and they will need every one of them.

Best for Collingwood: N & J Daicos, Hill, Murphy, Moore, Pendlebury, Mitchell, Mihocek (2nd half)

Best for St Kilda: Crouch, Wilkie, Marshall, Battle

Postscript

And so endeth Gather Round – an initiative borrowed from the NRL’s “Magic Round” held in Brisbane since 2019. I believe it was a resounding success. To those of you who live in the Melbourne bubble, I encourage you to venture out and give it a go next year. Embrace the concept for what it is – a Festival of Football in a city that really appreciated its opportunity to showcase what it had to offer. OK, so it’s not the MCG with the massive crowds and not everything you’re looking for is on the big screen, and yeah, some of the entertainment was a bit meh, but the city did a very creditable job and it will only get bigger and better. So if you have kids yearning for a school holiday adventure or you’re empty nesters looking for the next road trip or you’re simply young and mobile and could do with a weekend break, then consider spending some time in the City of Churches – because your Faith will be restored.

 

COLLINGWOOD     2.2   4.4    6.10    10.10 (70)
ST KILDA               2.2   4.3     6.4      9.10 (64)

GOALS
Collingwood: Hill 3, Mihocek 2, McCreery, Mitchell, Ginnivan, Johnson, Elliott
St Kilda: Caminiti 2, Higgins 2, Crouch 2, Phillipou, Clark, Byrnes

INJURIES
Collingwood: Dan McStay (TBC)
St Kilda: TBC

LATE CHANGES
Collingwood: Jordan De Goey (illness), replaced in the selected side by Will Hoskin-Elliott

SUBSTITUTES
Collingwood: Tom Wilson (replaced Dan McStay in the second quarter)
St Kilda: Jack Bytel (replaced Zaine Cordy in the fourth quarter)

Crowd: 43,796 at Adelaide Oval

 

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