Round 6 – Carlton v Collingwood: Floreat Pica Society Match report – What’s better than beating Carlton by Ten Goals?

 

Carlton v Collingwood  
Round 6 April 16.
Thursday 16 April
MCG

 

I don’t need to remind any Floreat Pica Society member (particularly any who were watching  the Magpies between 1970 and 1990) from where the intensity and passion of Collingwood’s rivalry with Carlton came.  However one major incident was the taunt by George Harris – Carlton’s most obnoxious President – after the 1979 Grand Final. “hat’s better than beating Collingwood by ten goals? Beating them by five points.”

 

This match was Nick Daicos’ hundredth game (more about this later). It was also a game between a team that had won two games out of five (us) and a team that had only won one game (and wouldn’t have even won that if Lynch had kicked straight for the Tigers). For much of the first three quarters that is how it looked.  There were a few bright spots in the first quarter, Steene’s goal, some good defensive work by Houston and Perryman, Cameron’s general play, Anderson and McCreery applying pressure and accurate passes in the midfield and of course there was Nick Daicos. But there were a lot of mistakes by both sides and, for that matter, the umpires as well.

 

The Second quarter was Collingwood’s poorest and Carlton’s best. They kicked three goals before the Pies managed to score their only goal for the quarter (McCreery).  Our forwards were not playing well. Elliot was competing but lacked confidence and timing. It took Membrey till halfway through the quarter to get his first possession for the match. At half time Carlton lead by 14 points.  Normally one of our little group (Peter, Jim and I) buys coffee at half time. None of us moved, we were all too demoralised by Collingwood’s performance and the prospect of losing to Carlton.

 

Carlton started the third quarter with a goal, and it looked like a continuation of the previous quarter. However things began to look up. Carlton’s kicking began to decline partly because of pressure from the Pies defence. There lots of turnovers from both sides but Collingwood were far more competitive than they had been in the previous quarter. Elliott went and got his own ball on the forward line (rather than wait for a poorly delivered pass) and scored. You could see the rise in his confidence from the stands, Hayes was prominent in the forward half and Cameron was everywhere. With Steene sharing ruck duties Cameron became the dominant Tall on the ground. After goals by Membrey and McStay and goals for Carlton by McGovern and Evans, Carlton went to the third quarter with an eighteen point lead.

 

Carlton has led at three quarter time in several games this year and subsequently lost the game. As we learnt later from his press conference, Fly emphasised this in his three quarter time address. He told the players that they could win from three goals down.   We sat in the Ponsford nervously hoping that the Pies could have a great last quarter but we had no idea what was about to happen.

 

What was about to happen was Nick Daicos was about to play one of the best quarters I have ever seen a Collingwood player play. He made the final quarter of his first 100 games into a statement and a match winner. Nick receives Steene’s knock out kicks it to Schultz, gets the ball and hand passes to Cameron who kicks it forward. Nick takes possession and kicks a goal, 18 seconds into the quarter.

 

Daicos kicks to Steene who goals and shortly after another Daicos handball leads to a goal. Meanwhile Carlton moves the ball forward only to be repelled by Perryman. Daicos kicks to Elliott who goals. Carlton get one goal back through Ainsworth but then Anderson kicks to Daicos who again goes to Elliott for a goal which “Billy” celebrates. He has got his confidence back, not to mention his kicking boots. McGovern kicks a goal, reducing Collingwood’s lead to seven points with five and a half minutes to play. Membrey (who has made up for his slow start) kicks a goal after a chain of handpasses on the forward line. Then Carlton’s Carroll scores to take our lead back to seven points. The same player then has a kick for goal touched so that the difference is now one goal.

 

In the last seconds of the game Josh Daicos gives away a free kick. Talor Byrne has a kick for goal after the siren. A goal would draw the game. Byrne kicks a point. Collingwood beats Carlton by five points. Now where have I heard that margin before?

 

Horsbrough Medal votes.

3. Nick Daicos

2. Harry Perryman

1. Darcy Cameron

 

With apologies to Dan Houston, Jamie Elliot, Beau McCreery, Angus Anderson and Oscar Steene.

 

One final comment.  There is much talk that, other than Nick Daicos, Collingwood has failed to recruit good young players which has put us at a disadvantage over other clubs. In this match, Angus Anderson, Oscar Steene, Roan Steel and Will Hayes 

 

CARLTON             2.3   6.5   9.9   12.11 (83)
COLLINGWOOD   2.4   3.9   6.9   13.10 (88)

 

GOALS
Carlton: McGovern 3, Kemp 2, Ainsworth 2, Carroll 2, Hayward, McKay, Evans
Collingwood: Elliott 3, McStay 2, Steene 2, Membrey 2, McCreery, N.Daicos, Hayes, Lipinski

 

BEST
Carlton: Newman, Walsh, Carroll, Florent, Kemp, Pittonet
Collingwood: N.Daicos, Perryman, Cameron, Howe, J.Daicos, Lipinski

 

INJURIES
Carlton: McKay (head)
Collingwood: Nil

 

Crowd: 78,058 at the MCG

 

To return to the www.footyalmanac.com.au  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 keep things ticking over please consider making your own contribution.

 

Become an Almanac (annual) member – CLICK HERE