Round 7 – Collingwood v Essendon: Floreat Pica Society Match Report

 

Preamble

 

I watched the game from the comfort of a living room (with a TV). I did try to get a ticket for the game, but I had requested to my source of a possible seat, that no other fellow travellers on Fly Pies United Airline be ‘bumped off’ in order to consider my request. He correctly offered it to his favourite (and only) grand daughter.

 

I watched and listened to some of the pre-game ceremonies with my mate, who had never seen or heard the pre-game Anzac Day events. Some people do seem to have lives, beyond the oval. I suggested that the bit between the bugle and the first bounce was worth experiencing – mostly for the chance to listen to a large crowd being quiet and respectful – until the shackles were off, and the mighty cathartic roar could be heard – almost as if on cue.

 

I then held on to my seat, knowing that “It’s going to be a bumpy ride” (as Bette Davis advises in the film, All About Eve). I wrote some notes during the game, but usually couldn’t bear to look away from the screen for too long.

 

So what follows is a report that mixes notes from during and after the game.

 

*

 

(Ooooh) a storm is threatening, as Ponchos come to the rescue.

 

Captain Nick wins the toss. For the first time; probably not the last.

 

Some players shake hands. Happily no one is punching the daylights out of Naicos this week. I would be much happier if he was instructed to hit the canvas each time he is assaulted.

 

I’m always happiest when we are in black shorts.

 

 

First Quarter

 

Confounding tradition, the ball is tossed up. The AFL must’ve instructed the Ump to not deflate the atmosphere. Sidey, in the centre square, has his arm held and gets the first free of the game. At least one umpire tries to makes a statement. It will be interesting to see how this tactic is adjudicated across the day. Not sure why we should expect ‘consistency’ or justice in this game. Often, it’s just Chooklotto, as to what is seen or how the play is interpreted. Yes, umpires are only human. They can make as many mistakes as the players. My humble wish is that umpires should, at some time, play the current version of the game, at some level, to try to understand it from the inside.

 

Membrey misses an uncontested mark. In the rain, the ball is already slippery. Not for Pendles, who picks it up and handballs to De Goey who tries a check-side banana, that doesn’t connect. Probably needed someone to tell him that he had more time (or use the other foot he has). Players hardly have time to think these days.

 

Goldstein knocks the ball straight across the line. No free.
Redman clearly drops the ball, but only Pies supporters see it.

 

Naicos hit high and grimaces. Nothing.

 

Pendlebury mauled across the eyes. No free kick because he played on.

 

De Goey shoved in the back as he kicks for goal, and almost does a hammy trying to stay on planet Earth. “If you don’t mind, umpire.”

 

The umps have put their whistles away. All of them. They seem to be scared of paying free kicks to Collingwood in front of goal this early in the game, for fear of being seen to be too one-eyed. A large crowd can put the fear into the merest of mortals. In the meantime, 5 frees in a row to the Pies go begging. The Pies have been schooled to be more resilient than I am.

 

Cameron intercept marks, handballs to Maynard hovering nearby, who with composure drills it low and fast to Nick who, in an instant, turns, and kicks it off three short steps, on the 50, with both feet lifting vertically off the ground. The better parts of the crowd also lift to their feet. First goal of the day and first as a Captain

 

Maynard’s kick is something that has characterised the way the Pies have found targets up forward this year with shorter kick against the expectation of bombing it to the teeth of goals. Different players choose either of these options this year because we have some tall timber up there. At last.

 

Maynard’s kicking style has always been elegant. He is finding himself closer to goals these days, with opponents pushing into our midfield. But if you have ever marvelled and wondered how a somewhat diminutive chap like Nick Daicos kicks the ball so well and so far? He connects with the ball at a higher level than most; he kicks the ball around his body, like a golfer, adding rotational upper body disassociation for extra oomph and accuracy. His right hand stretches vertically upwards for balance, to extend his axial elongation to provide extra distance and accuracy. This also allows more room for his foot to swing through. Tech-Nick-ally, superb.

 

The ball has become like the proverbial cake of soap.

 

After some enterprising play by the Dons through the middle, Houston intercepts at Centre Half Back. Instead of the expected bomb, he caresses it to McCreery, alone and unattended on the wing. He keeps the tempo going by kicking it with control to De Goey, also without an opponent. Six of our forwards are leading in different directions to ensure one-on-one contests. De Goey honours the double lead of Checkers who, again, is unceremoniously pushed in the back. It opens a hole behind him for Membrey to take the mark. The Pies are trying to take the Umpires out of the game.

 

Membrey kicks with accuracy. All of that time on the training track during the week, kicking over cardboard players around 2 metres tall has paid off. 2 goals straight is a great start.

 

After a well-crafted centre clearance started by Darcy Cameron, to Naicos to Jaicos sweeping by, the Dons repel an attack only to be cruelly pinged for ‘insufficient attempt’, just because the ball trickled over the line when no one was near. Like soccer, penalize the player with the last touch before the ball goes out. Trouble is, it would mean more decision-making and more pressure on unloved umpires.

 

Howe spills what seems like an easy chest mark. The ball must be like a cake of soap. Gerard Whately correctly calls it a “rare aerial error”. That’s quite a tongue twister.

 

A push into Quaynor’s back is followed by a push into Darcy Cameron’s back. An easy goal for the offender, Wright. Players go for the push in the back knowing there’s more chance they won’t be pinged for it. As the Coodabeens used to say about the Push in the Back rule: “bring it back”.

 

With all of the replays, we miss the next centre bounce. Or more correctly, the broadcasters miss the opportunity to actually broadcast the centre bounce. It’s such a crucial part of the game, and now often missed. The newly hatched broadcasting idea of 4 replays of (some parts of) the lead up to a goal, has the effect of bludgeoning the audience at home with far too much time for the ‘so-called’ experts to pontificate.

 

Sidey does what Sidey often does. Following the ball with a keen eye and reading the play, his hand intercepts an opponent’s forward move. And then with a second effort wraps a player in a friendly bear hug.

 

Side-by-Sidey backs himself and breaks a tackle, which starts a chain of handballs that are similarly broken, to the ire of screaming Dons supporters, who feel so entitled as to expect a free kick at every turn. Our reputation as the slowest to kick and the fastest to at handballing means that Houston provides the final handball to Perryman on the run, who, we are told, kicks a goal for the team he barracked for as a kid. (Yes, well I barracked for the Pies, as a kid too. Didn’t we all?) None of the commentators actually mention that it was his first goal as a Pie. The players knew, and came from all corners of the ground to congratulate him. (Of course the ground doesn’t have corners, but that’s another story.)

 

The vision mixer cuts to a close up as WHE knocks the ball forward, so we miss the action. We were always taught by Alf Potter not to cut from a wider camera shot to a close up during fast action on a panning shot, as it not only means that it is too difficult for the eye to comprehend, but that the cut itself would obscure the action. So many of the rules and conventions invented by that great Television sports director have been broken by modern day coverage of the football. (He also invented new ways of covering basketball and golf.)

 

The Pies continue to play around the boundary line. Nice idea, but sometimes they are so close to line that it only takes the slightest deviation, or a gust of wind, for the ball to go across the line, and thereby lose the momentum of the attack. The layers are never too upset about this, as there’s time to take a quick breather before a reset, lots of finger pointing and a throw in.

 

Beautiful old-fashioned side bump give Lipinski clear access to the ball.

 

Perryman goes back, with the flight of the ball and almost takes the mark, but more importantly has enough balance for a second effort and a handball to Frampton and then Howe. The backline are combining well, with Howe taking on the role as Elder Statesman.

 

Everyone is trying to knock it forward. In the wet, with a slippery ball, it’s a different kind of game. It suits the way the Pies commit to each contest.

 

Ned Long kicks the ball off the ground in a perfect soccer scoop pass to Nick, who just misses from almost the same position from which he kicked the first goal. Just misses, in the teaming rain. Windscreen wipers would be handy.

 

Pendles, without dreadlocks, misses, what would be for him a usually gettable shot. Some strange force is operating at that end, to pull the ball to the left of the big sticks. No fake histrionics of face-masking shame, as others produce. Within a second, he’s back to pointing and checking positions, and coaching.

 

Dons winning many contests.

 

Great follow up tackle by Long goes unrewarded.

 

The Dons miss a possible snap from a ball that carries over the back of a contest on the goal line, Maynard following the ball with a weather eye, throws his body across the kick, as he does.

 

Eliot slides on his bum across the wet MCG putting green to catch a ball kicked forward by Sidebum. Another miss to the left. The wind must be howling down there.

 

Three tackles in row from the Pies, that stick. For the past three years, our pressure and tackling has been so impressive. Although against the best sides, I sometimes wonder if it might be better to get to the ball first.

 

Nick D kicks into the middle, like Buckley used to, indicating where players should run to. It leads to a chance in the goal square that McStay misses, as the ball decides to go at right angles from his boot.

 

 

Bobby Hill does get pinged for ‘in the back’. I was surprised that he was so surprised.

 

Another great IQ tackle that dislodges the ball, which Howe collects and switches to what used to be the Great Southern Stand side of the ground. WHE finds Nick Daicos in the same place where he already kicked one and missed one. Another miss to the left of the big sticks. There will be more goal-kicking practice at training this week. Perhaps in wet conditions.

 

Some supporters are booing Naicos as he walks in for goal. They obviously haven’t heeded McCrae’s sage advice: “In our family we don’t boo.”

 

Quarter does not end with the often traditional melee. Whew.

 

A feeling at the end of the first quarter, that our centre square work has meant that the ground slopes towards our goals. But the points on our side of the ledger do not reflect how much effort has been expended. Would like to see Mrs. McCreery in the quarter time huddle reminding the boys to ‘make it count’.

 

Instead, in the Quarter time huddle, the text on, what once was the sacrosanct Pies’ portable whiteboard, reads: ‘Take Territory’. It also reads: ‘stuck in the mud’. What might that mean? Perhaps it has something to do with warning about not getting bogged down.”

 

G   B   P

COLL    3   2  22

ESS      1   1    7

 

 

Q2

 

The two play-making captains are playing on each other – or at least standing next to each other. Both coaches wondering who will blink first.  Another ball-up at the start of the quarter. I actually quite like the idea. It will probably mean fewer knee injuries, and more grappling.

 

The Dons start the quarter with a new-found vigour Cameron not pinged after a tackle that waltzes him around 360 degrees. With strength, he fires an amazingly adept handball to the helpful Lipinski. Ruckmen are still afforded that extra second to do things. Howe kicks off the outside of his boot, straight up the chimney, and on the full.

 

After some to and fro, the Dons hit the post. It could’ve been one goal in it.

 

Houston kicks out (a great new idea) and runs a bit further than most would expect to move their defence around. Long is strong as he marks it, and immediately handballs to Jaicos who courageously breaks tackles to take the corridor, to give Elliot a chance to fly again. He spills the mark, but the Pies remain in control as Maynard kicks a delicate pass to Lipinski, who keeps the tempo going with a similar kick to Jamie. It’s more than 25 metres, but the ump keeps shouting play on. I don’t mind this new ruling from the AFL to stop congestion, but as has been suggested by some, if all of the grounds were mowed with 20 metre squares, it would make it easier for all. In a blink of the eye, Elliot deceives the man attending him, and hooks one around his body. He’s more confident with this kick, and anything near the boundary-line, than from straight in front, as there is less pressure on him. I jump through the ceiling, as it correctly curves around the post elegantly. Elliot humbly touches the fingertips of his team-mates: as a vote of thanks and as a way of keeping in touch Nice shot of a smiling Collingwood supporter in the crowd, with a celebratory fist pump with one hand and a half-eaten pie (with sauce) in the other. A great balancing act.

 

In the centre Pendles kicks it off the ground. He could’ve picked it up, but he is reminding the team, of the Whiteboard instruction to ‘take territory’. A newly confident Elliot scoops the ball up, like he used to, and hands it to the always-running Naicos, who arches his back to avoid his opposing Captain, who can’t catch him. Nick’s shot, at full speed, just misses. A few self-admonishments, and then he focuses on the next thing to do. He keeps learning from Pendles (and other good mentors).

 

17 very effective disposals to Josh Daicos, so far, and it’s only 10 minutes into the second quarter. The Collingwood tradition of brothers playing together, as they did in the backyard, continues.

 

Another great side bump: this time from Howe. This tactic doesn’t win a free kick, but golly it sends a longer-term message.

 

After completing a punch to spoil, Pendles butters up, and taps it between his legs, tunnel-ball style straight to Elliot. It’s inventive and ingenious. Such an inspiration. Frampton does come alive in the forward line, to chase down an opponent, which means that the Accountant, WHE, soccers it off the ground to a moving Membrey who is quite happy about kicking the goal around his body. I do wish we could kick more goals on the run. Gerard Whately puts full stops and pauses between his Fly-like mantra: “Every. Yard. Matters.”
I note the reference to Imperial measurement. Was this an expression he had ready for Anzac Day, and the associations with fighting over pieces of ground? In comparison with other current commentators, he clearly is, and has been, in another league.

 

After the next win in the centre, Crisp, on the wing, wins an old-fashioned one-on-one. With Josh at half back flank, directing traffic, Crisp has become the courageous and sometimes chaotic link between the backline and the forward line.

 

Long reminds the opposition what a legal, strong tackle feels like. Scarier than even McCreery and Maynard.

 

Naicos serves a hard straight right to the side of the opponent, even though the ball was over the boundary line. Sort of understandable, after the treatment he cops, but didn’t really need to send such a message. Rules himself out of today’s Medal for best and fairest.

 

Howe spills the slippery ball, and Langford makes the ball bounce into his hands, and at full speed, kicks a low goal that wakes up the previously sleepy Black and Red squadron.

 

 Again, due to two too many replays, the centre square bounce is relegated to a small box in the corner for far too long. Surely this can’t be a directive from the AFL to try to increase numbers at the games. Can’t fit too many more at the Gee on ANZAC Day. It’s just plain formula-driven TV direction. And don’t get me started about the banner at the bottom of the screen. Yes, the camera operators can see this on their viewfinders, and try to keep the action away from it, but it’s a huge distraction on the screen. There is already a groundswell of disaffection about this banner, but the broadcasters might stick with it for a while. It’s horribly intrusive, like the perimeter advertising. Oops. The banner will be the next way of selling our eyeballs to advertisers. As we know, the content on TV is actually there to provide opportunity for advertising – like uniforms that racing car drivers wear.

 

The ball seems to be over the line, as Lipinski competes, but it may not have been completely over the line. So it’s “play on”.  The Pies seem to have become a bit measured and less ferocious on the wing. Perhaps, they are more interested in getting players into the best positions downfield.

 

One of the Collingwood-hating commentators says that Bomber Durram: “gets away with a nice little push on De Goey.” Not sure what was so ‘nice’ about it. Doesn’t mention that the replay shows a hand clearly pushing De Goey in the back. Only the camera and Collingwood supporters seem to see it. Certainly none of the umpires notice. If we brought in VAR for goal-scoring attempts, as they do with Soccer around the world, we could stamp out some of these game-changing indiscretions. It may not happen in our lifetimes, as the current AFL head-honchos, just want flow, at all costs.

 

Nick Daicos, after the centre bounce, doesn’t see the second tackler coming. He needed a helper. After getting the free, the Essendon Captain pushes Naicos in the back and into the ground, in a very unsportsman-like effort. Does the AFL like sending this image across the world, and to all suburban under 15 leagues. The decision should have been reversed. It might be the only way to stop this horrible bullying.

 

McStay is still in the ruck for the next bounce. A second Durram goal.

 

At the next re-start, Sidey tackles with conviction and correctly deserves a free. He handballs to Josh on the run, who kicks on his left foot. Without the drive he gets with his right foot, it lands short and the Dons take an intercept mark. It leads to another Bomber goal on the run, from a difficult angle. Four Bomber goals have been conceded in quick succession, whilst Cameron is off the ground. He obviously needed the rest half way through the quarter, on such a wet, heavy day.

 

The Pies bomb it twice into the forward line. More intercept marks for the Dons. Pies look hesitant and a bit rattled. So do some of the fans. Cameron is back on the ground and floats across to help Frampton near the Dons’ goals.

 

Jaicos on the wing shows great Macedonian soccer skills, and commitment, to ‘take territory’. But Essendon are taking many uncontested marks. 20 – 9 this quarter.

 

With vision, Nick Daicos kicks a short, soft pass to Long around 45 out.

 

The vision mixer and director are so obsessed with Nick and the cult of celebrity that they miss the handball from Long to the swooping Vice Captain Maynard, who kicks it with balance and timing from 50 on his trusty left. No one seemed to have expected the Maynard drive by attacking move. We’ve seen it a few times this year, but do opposition players actually spend any time on their opponent, or does zone defence mean they are never really responsible for doing so. And do players just leave it to their Line Coaches and video analysts to communicate their intel on the opposition? Much needed goal. (Of course.)

 

Josh Daicos goes for the ball and gets the ball, but gets pinged because Perkins who missed it, and didn’t commit to a contest, decides to overrun the ball. Yes, there is contact below the knees, but it’s innocuous, and teaches the young ones not to go for the ball.

 

McStay is beaten to a chest mark. He has not had a great day. On the slow motion replay of the Jaicos slide and gather, Whately observes, that Perkins ‘knew what he was doing’. I would’ve been happier if he said that Perkin was trying to ‘milk a free kick’. However it was interpreted, it was another horrible, mind-blowing decision. I’m not sure how the players stay sane, when tested by decisions that are not in the spirit of the Game. Or what the Game is meant to be.

 

Bobby Hill slips and allows an easy chest mark for his opponent.

 

The Dons are kicking the ball well into their forward line, and finding team-mates.
It makes it look as if the Pies are now quite loose in the backline.

 

After a string of creative handballs, IQ tries to kick a goal. It ends up on the full. Pity. With 30 seconds to go in the quarter, it would’ve been a fitting way to cap off some creative mid-field handballs. And (perhaps) silenced some of the bozzo broadcast ‘experts’. As soon as the siren sounds, I turn off the sound, and walk away, to avoid them, at all costs.

 

The Dons missed two other gettable goals. We seemed to really miss the presence of Captain Moore in that quarter. Draper has been a bigger loss for them – even though the almost ageless Goldstein (at 36) has been more than useful.

 

G   B   P

COLL    6   5   41

ESS      5   3   33

 

 

Q3.

 

At the start of the third quarter, I remind myself that it’s a game of two halves. (Apparently.) Who knows white might eventuate? No one.

 

Nick Daicos in the centre, gets the first and second kick. The second is marked easily on the chest by the Dons’ tall defender. (Again.) Gaining territory is good; providing a contest would’ve been better.

 

Maynard punches the ball away from a marking contest. (Again.) Seems like someone has reminded the backline players that they are allowed to do so.

 

It’s still raining and the stands are half empty. Queues at the pie stands? More likely at the Facilities.

 

Perryman provides a tackle on Caddy right in front of goal, and punches the ball at the same time. Another shocking umpiring decision, to give him the free kick. It should be ‘play on’. No prior opportunity and a mis-interpretation of the Rules. As the Coodabeens used to say: “You’d hate to see a Grand Final decided by that”. It happens many times in many games.

 

Caddy, from behind, marks over Frampton in the forward line. Goes through with a hook kick. 2 points the difference.

 

Pies gat a free kick against them from the centre bounce. The field slopes dramatically downhill towards whichever team gets it out of the centre, these days. A string of connecting passes lands the ball in the hands of Kako close to goal. The Pies were not able to affect any spoils. He kicks it through the centre of the big sticks. Essendon crowd somewhat happy. With less rain, their handballs are hitting the mark. Proof: the Dons have kicked 6 of the last 7 sausage rolls.

 

After an important intercept by IQ, Bobby gets a sighter from the boundary line. Tries to hook it with his left foot. Just misses. Amazing to even try it.

 

Houston launches another one of his huge roosts into the forward line, and then, after having cold feet for so long, Bobby kicks one from the ‘impossible angle’. Certainly changes the definition of ‘impossible’. Certainly changes the atmosphere of our squad, as he takes a bow to the properly adoring crowd. As Jack Dyer would say: “The angle was so acute, the ball could’ve got stuck between the posts. The Co-llin-gwoo-ood chorus starts. Only 3 poits up, but the faithful want to make their presence felt. We are the only team to recognise the barrackers in the post game winning song. For many reasons, I wish all Pies’ supporters would sing it after every game. The team puts in so much effort each week; each month; each year.

 

Sidebottom puts the ball on the ground after the ball was held to him. Nick Daicos picks it up and hands it to the umpires. Obviously comes from a good family. There should be a medal for best manners.

 

Captain Merrett pushes Sidebottom clearly in the back (as has been the case by many Essendon players, since the first bounce). Sidey gets an obvious free that has not been paid for weeks. Kicks to his old mate Pendles, who swings on his trusty, dependable left foot. McStay out-bodied in front of goal. A strange day for him, so far.

 

Nick Daicos should’ve received another free kick around for around the neck. Doesn’t. Are they going to start adjudicating differently for him, as they did for Ginny? The difference is that Nick does not lower his body. Why would he, when he is so effective maintaining his elegant upward posture?

 

Bobby Hill makes up more ground than the Early Explorers in the back line, to take takes an intercept mark. Not sure if anyone else could have done so. He is doing team things and extraordinary things. This time, Collingwood strings together some well-crafted passes, such that Lipinski kicks the all-important soft short kick to a leading forward. The replay of Bobby taking that mark breaks the usually sacrosanct 180 degree rule. It shows him moving from right to left, whereas we have previously seen him move and mark the ball from left to right, with the camera on the MCC Members side. All in the service of trying to show the only close up they had of the mark. There are Iso(lated) cameras around the ground for big games like this, and the Grand Final. But breaking the long tradition of putting all the cameras on one side of the ground can, and does upset old timers like myself, and confuse others. Using this replay also breaks the build up of audience expectation that properly accompanies a player lining up for goal. “Get rid of it”.

 

Membrey might be a little too far out, in these still slippery conditions. His approach to goal veers slightly to the left: so does his kick. Go figure. Peter McKenna, watching from his seat on the wing, behind Membrey, would be tearing his hair out.

 

Again, no black’n’white player on the mark. Used elsewhere to man-up or fill a hole. I wonder whether other teams will copy this tactic. I think it will depend on whether it’s in the back line of forward line.

 

Some important players get to work. De Goey bursting from the wing (as he used to) Long putting his body on the line and handballing (as we are starting to appreciate), Dependlebury hooking an insightful kick to Crisp in the perfect position on the 50 who marks, gives the forwards time to settle and then kicks a controlled roost (as he does) to a central spot that doesn’t allow a rushed or punched defence. Eliot sees a moment to pounce on a ball that was going to just dribble over the goal line. Until Elliot’s quick thinking and instinct around the goals produces a huge lunging stretch.  He only needs a split-second and contact with the studs of his boot. Yeeeessss. (Strangely, no score review. It must’ve gone ‘upstairs’, because no human eye could ever see the fact that Jamie had only 1/24^th of a second to connect before the ball went over the goal line.)

 

The last 2 goals for the Pies have been miraculous.
10 points up with less than 10 minutes to go in this quarter.

 

Goldstein (still 36) wins handsomely from the centre bounce.

 

Houston gets a bad bounce, and Hobbes picks it up to thread it through. He doesn’t seem to enjoy the goal. Instead he puts on a hard-as-nuts aggressive face, as if this is even sustainable. Stoopid un-nameable commentator, again questions Houston’s  ‘hardness’ and commitment, when some basic understanding of the game, and the unpredictable bounce of an oval ball would’ve come in handy. More than anything, it reflects his lack of generosity of spirit and his own fear of being considered anything other than a tough manly Man. Like many in Society, he cannot bear the possibility of admitting to vulnerability. No way will they say ‘Sorry’ or admit to being just plain wrong. He is not alone in this regard. I actually blame the broadcasters for employing agent provocateurs to enflame controversies. Of course, this nastiness, like many aspects of Australian television (and Politics), has been selectively imported (and copied) from dodgy overseas sources. I remind myself not to get too upset, but it has ruined (our) Civilisation, and once Beautiful Game.

 

To not get upset or distracted, I decide to turn off the sound. (I often do.)

 

Aah, much better.

 

A camera operator spots Tuddy sitting in the stand. I’ve recently seen him outside Port Melbourne Bunnings, and had a chat. Legend.

 

Lipinski looks as if he is about to handball, in one direction, but adjust in a blink of an eye. It’s a small gesture, but it puts him into the clear. He has some surprising skills.

 

8 minutes left in the quarter and once again, we seem to be slightly in control of the game, even though we are only ahead by 4 missed points. Frankly, 4 missed shots at goal. Once again, Nick Daicos, gets the dead ball to an umpire. As a new Captain, he is teaching everyone associated with the Game, how to be a model citizen and teach good things to the kiddies. I would not be surprised to see him penalised for this heinous breach of the Rules – even though it is so obviously helpful and respectful.

 

Pendles tries to find Beau in the forward pocket, but the ball sails over his head. He raises his hand, and shouts toward Beau to say: “Sorry”. Another example of good manners and connection.

 

Goldy is providing Cameron with a lesson in ruck play. Experience, gorilla body strength, positioning, the works. Cameron still has his intercept marking in the back line as his 1 Wood.

 

Crisp provides a great smother on the half forward flank to find Elliot in the Elliot pocket. He’s puffing heavily, and points to how close an Essendon player is encroaching on the protected space. As soon as that player looks back at the Umpire, Jamie takes off and plays on. Nicely slotted.

 

In the centre, Cameron wins a clear knockout. Pendles handballs to Bobby Hill, who, in mid-air, knocks it on, inspirationally, to Nick, who finds De Goey in the goal square for a strong acrobatic mark in the rain. JDG knows that when Nick runs diagonally, he will kick across his body diagonally to the other side, and so he leads slightly that way. The whole movement is breath-takingly fast, creative, and a joy to behold. The Pies are in party mode. Smiling, congratulating and admiring each other for the improvisations they keep inventing. Great idea from someone on the coaching panel to put JDG one-on-one in the goal square. Are they learning from the way that Dangerfield is also using his almost immoveable body and football nous up forward? Sullivan is warming up outside the boundary-line. Is someone injured? McStay? The club doctor is on the move.

 

Checkers comes from the clouds to lay a great tackle. Merrett had plenty of prior opportunity. No decision. Even the umpire was in shock. He must’ve blinked at the wrong time. It happens. But what about the other umpires?

 

After the Dons repel another move into the Pie’s forward line. There he is again. Cameron, with a huge, contested overhead mark. It means that the forward line can have another go at it, and the backline can take 3 more deep breaths.

 

Lipinski tricks them by pointing to the goal-square and then short passing. There have been quite a lot of these double-takes today. It really unbalances the opposition. It’s something that Andy Krakouer (RIP) used to do a lot when going for goal. Naicos with so much skill, arrows it to Long. This short kick into the forward line is not new to AFL, but new for the Pies this year. It’s something that’s been in evidence since week 1. Ned Long walks in, keeps to his set routine and rhythm, and from 49 metres out, on a difficult angle, in the bucketing rain, kicks it like a very good player.

 

Another burst from the Centre bounce by Nick. He kick just falls short of a sliding De Goey. Another Cameron intercept mark: this time, on the chest. Crisp marks on the other side of the ground. Tricky swap or is he having a run on the ball? Whatevs, it’s better for his left foot.

 

Lipinski goes for a rare screamer in front of goals. With a hand on top of the stepladder in front of him, it’s a free against him. Usually he’s more disciplined in reading the room/field, and wouldn’t do it if we were behind on the scoreboard.

 

Another player does a feign, as if I’m about to do something, but do something else move. This time, it’s Sidey, who makes it look as if he is changing his mind mid-stream. Bamboozling everyone, the effect is to open the space up, as he bursts from the Wing. Jordon De Goey competes for a floating ball, against a much taller opponent, who sweeps it away.

 

We have missed the chance to convert many forward moves this quarter. Seems like team knows to just keep trying different ways to keep up scoreboard pressure. Off field coach holds up two fingers to the players to indicate 2 minutes to go. Now that’s a personal touch, and one of the many reasons why he’s on the boundary-line benches.

 

Mature Sullivan on for injured McStay.

 

Another crazy, courageous Jaicos mark, as he takes the position previously occupied by an opponent. Josh is referred to by a commentator, as a ‘thief’ and a ‘pick-pocket’. Hopefully, in jest. If once, you could say it was lucky. But that’s twice today. How do they keep doing these never-before-seen-things? Pendlebury creates an inch, to swivel on to his favourite left foot, and his shot for goal just misses. Could we actually win without him, and all of the things he does, each week?

 

Siren sounds. What a quarter. Complex. Exciting.
5.4 goals to 3.0. Their straight kicking has kept them within reach.

 

The game, though, is back on our terms, and a sense of control restored.

 

 G   B   P

Coll      11  9  75

Ess         8  3  51

 

Q4.

 

A strong Quaynor overhead mark, reminds us how strong a mark he continues to be.

 

A free kick is paid against Lipinski for incorrect disposal. The close up replay clearly shows that he did dispose by handball, but after that his arms were flung wide by the rotating tackling to make it look like it was incorrect disposal. Neither the umpires nor the commentators saw it. So, another easy goal, delivered on a plate, by an umpire, to the Dons.

 

Exasperated Nick Daicos finally shows that he has been held at the centre bounce. At last, a free kick for holding him. I would instruct Nick to do this at every opportunity. Let’s see if the opposition can cope with continuously losing the centre square contest. A well-directed kick by Elliot to the top of the square falls safely into Darcy’s lap after others run under the ball. What judgement from Darcy Cameron. What fitness to be an extra player one kick from the play, across the ground. Len Thompson would be proud of him. As others have noted, Collingwood like deep entries into the forward line, but have now learnt not to go so deep as to allow the ball to be rushed through. Darcy kicks his first goal for the year. A teacher would write on his report card: Keep up the good work.

 

A legitimate push in the back free kick to Caddy in front of goal. Why did Frampton put a hand into his opponent’s back? It allows the umpire to make a soft call. Even if it was a featherlike touch, umpires love giving that as a free kick. However, there are still free kicks given for when a player is pushed fair and square into the next postcode. I think Frampton is still learning a lot about playing this game. We have stuck with him, and with Moore looking on, need to stick by him. He does some of the small things really well; hopefully, the big things will follow. Still only 3 goals ahead, with plenty of time to go.

 

Interestingly, Long, goes up against Wright at a boundary throw-in. With McStay off for the day, Long has enough strength to compete well.

 

In a contest on the wing, Bobby pulls his opponent off the ball with sheer strength. A free against him has him standing in dis-belief. Me too. I thought it was a fair contest won by a stronger player. More replays during ‘live’ action, mean that the actual play is relegated to a small box in the corner. It should be the other way around: put a replay in the small box for those who think they need it straight away. Otherwise they can wait till later. For example: when a goal is scored. I focus on the small box, and can just see that Crisp, creates a turnover and passes to De Goey on the Half Forward Flank near the boundary line. Nice attempt to kick the goal around the corner, but misses on the near side. Perhaps, it was one of those shots that needed a straight drop punt. Easy to be wise after the event. I’ve always preferred De Goey in the forward line. Now that Long can play so many roles around the ball, everyone is benefitting – especially Sidebottom, Nick Daicos and Pendlebury.

 

After the ball goes out of play, after a missed forward pass to De Goey, be picks the ball up and gives to the Boundary Ump. Painting a picture that shows co-operation and helpfulness must be part of the playing policy. It sends a very good message across the code(s). Checkers punches the call from the next ruck contest with an almighty thwack the reaches, Bobby on the full, who kicks it ‘first time’ (as they say in soccer: without needing to control the ball by any traditional means). It misses the target and dribbles over the line next to the behind post. Whately correctly describes the sheer creativity as: “Almost Genius.” Bobby smiles as if he knows how to adjust his technique when next this opportunity arises. There’s a feeling that some of the cross-training things they try on the training track for fun, are starting to be used in games. Bobby tries for a more conventional shot over his shoulder, but again, misses an opportunity. Of course, many others would never have been able to create the opportunity in the first place.

 

Howe takes a(nother) elegant mark in the back line. A little later, a two handed-spoil. In the teaming rain, Pendles clears to Sullivan to Elliot. Do they go to Tassie to train in this kind of rain, or just hire rain machines at Magpie Park? Elliot kicks a goal from a set shot, from some distance, to once again, take himself off the Essendon Christmas card list.

 

two Pies’ supporters

 

standing in rain-soaked ponchos

 

ecstatic Rapture.

 

Wright pushes out Howe, with clear hands in the back. No free, as Caddy greedily wrestles with teammate Wright for the mark. To solve who should ‘ve been paid the mark, the free should’ve gone to Howe, who is very upset about some inconsistent umpiring decisions. Caddy misses his shot. I’ve lost count of how many game-changing umpiring mistakes have lead to Opposition shots at goal.

 

Pies supporters are looking at the clock and doing the calculations. 7 minutes to go; 4 goals ahead. “Time enough, if (they are) good enough” was the old saying. That last Collingwood goal seemed to relax many Pies supporters; others are not so sure.

 

Another intercept mark to Howe. He’s taking them for himself and his absent off-sider, Darcy Moore.  Thanks to Houston applying some last minute pressure, Caddy misses another gettable opportunity, by kicking it into the base of the goal post. With a few different turns and bounces, and Caddy kicking the last 2 goals, there would be 2 goals difference, with 6 minutes to go. I know: it doesn’t necessarily go that way, but idiot supporters like me can easily catastrophize the maths.

 

After some gut busting running from De Goey to get a handball chain started, to Long, to Sullivan, and back to the steamrolling Long, who kicks to with poise to Eliot who misses a speccy, but allows Will Hoskin-Elliot to keep his eyes on the ball and kick a goal with what seems to be his third kick of the day. He seems to pop up whenever Collingwood need somebody to do the right things at the end of a game.

 

After the next centre bounce down, Pendles taps the ball, and leaves it for Long to pounce, collect and then take off with thighs pumping relentlessly, to take those extra steps to deliver a huge kick deep into the forward line. Jamie Elliot takes what seems like an easy chest mark, but is really the result of De Goey turning his back to the flight of the ball and moving his opponent with hands to his chest. Another radically new piece of forward play by De Goey, using his strength and footballing smarts. Perhaps, luckily there was no free kick against him. It might also be another example of his ingenuity. As Jamie catches his breath and considers whether to kick straight for goal or around his body, we see a concerned Maynard, behind the play, checking whether a limping Essendon Hobbes is OK. Again, a very good look, in terms of sportsmanship. With a curling hook kick, Collingwood’s number 5, kicks number 5. With the ability to breathe again, the Collingwood chant rises into the atmosphere, against a wide shot of the Gee. Hard to describe what this team has been able to achieve: today; across our yesterdays, and hopefully, again, into our tomorrows.

 

Another nicely spinning kick forward by Josh Daicos, creates a predictable flight path for a chest mark (and free kick) to Checkers on the 50. It’s a reward for playing in front. Now it’s his turn to kick a goal with what seems to be his third kick of the game. Late in the game, we are kicking goals, and not points. Go figure. But with 2 minutes to go, and 7 goals ahead, the Pies have shown resilience, and a belief in each other, and their systems.

 

Proper accolades for Vice-Captain Maynard for intercepting a pass and making sure it goes over the boundary line; but it was the desperate lunge and tackle by WHE that causes the ball to stray towards the line.

 

Just to show that Collingwood not only play the minutes but also the seconds, a red 15 second sign in seen in the background. And again, Will Hoskin-Elliot provides a  trademark desperate tackle, just as the siren sounds. Sidey half-arrests, and half-cuddles, an opponent. Another good look. We then see Pendlebury shaking hands, and others embracing and well-wishing each other – with sincerity.

 

The words that seem to sum up my feelings are admiration and gratitude.

 

Final Scores

 G   B     P

Coll      16  11  107

Ess       10    6    66

 

*

Straight after the final siren, I put my mind to the difficult task of doing The Votes.
I’m not sure if I am fully in agreement with the idea of giving stars to individuals,
as it is a Team Game. (“A Champion Team will always beat a Team of Champions”.)
But here’s what I will contribute to Floreat Pica medal:

 

1. Pendlebury (for 100 reasons each game, as playing coach)
2. Daicos (for his efforts across 4 quarters, and for helping his Brother)
3. Daicos (for a Statesman-like performance as a stand-in Captain,
   ball-winner, and for kick-starting the team, when it’s his turn to do so …

 

 

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