Round 7 – Geelong v Collingwood: A Magpie Moment
Geelong v Collingwood
6:10pm, Thursday July 16
Perth Stadium
If the footy has been tough to watch this season, I’ve found it even tougher to write about without the narrative of a day out at the footy with family or friends, the crowd experience and the theatre of being there. How many different stories can come from viewing from the same couch?
Great moments to inspire, to bring joy, are far less frequent in the shortened, ultra-defensive style we are seeing. Even less frequent right now without the weekly Jeremy Howe HIGHlight. The lockdown saw fantastic football nostalgia brought to the fore (all wonderful viewing) but also brought a maddening cycle of media opinions and headlines, all trying to stay relevant. For that matter alone, it’s fantastic to have sport back. Economically, professional sport HAD to come back. Gillon McLachlan has done a fantastic job steering the ship in troubled times. There will no doubt still be hurdles in the remainder of the season. You won’t find any criticism of the AFL’s effort’s in 2020 here.
Collingwood have played bursts of brilliant football so far this season. As well as some awful, error riddled football. Often in the same game. They’ve been difficult to watch.
Thursday night’s game had a moment though that got us off the couch. A moment to savour. Not the most spectacular moment of the game, nor one that will make any end of season highlight reels. As a kid, Peter Daicos was my, and thousands of other Magpie fans’ absolute idol. When he retired (or was retired), Gavin Brown inherited my favourite player mantle. A slick handball from Callum Brown to Josh Daicos, who snapped a goal, was a beautiful moment at Perth Stadium that brought great joy. It was like being in 1990 all over again. “Brown to Daicos, hey Brown and Daicos, they’re great Collingwood names” excitedly roared Bruce on the telecast as Daicos’ kick went through the middle. They sure are Bruce, no hiccup there.
Callum Brown has seemingly stagnated a bit in 2020 after a very good 2019, while Josh Daicos has emerged as a skilled, consistent player this season after very much being on the fringe previously. I watch these two boys (plus Tyler Brown when he’s been in the team) with the same hope and anxiousness as I do when watching my two boys play sport. In the franchise era, the father-son link is something to keep us connected to the past. I look forward to keenly followed their future.
These are the moments to savour, a reason to keep watching. May there be many more.
Go Pies.
GEELONG 1.1 1.3 3.5 5.5 (35)
COLLINGWOOD 2.2 4.3 5.7 8.9 (57)
GOALS
Geelong: Clark, Guthrie, Rohan, Simpson, Tuohy
Collingwood: De Goey 5, Adams, Daicos, Hoskin-Elliott
BEST
Geelong: Dangerfield, Guthrie, Ablett, Menegola, Tuohy
Collingwood: De Goey, Treloar, Moore, Pendlebury, Maynard, Adams
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As I expressed on Damo’s poem, Crackers, I sometimes get a little sceptical about the opportunities afforded to father-son youngsters purely because of their name. I have witnessed it first-hand on a number of occasions. I will not mention names, but it was obvious that one son of a 300-game player I know was never going to make the grade (which is not the lad’s fault). But the pathways that were open to him, but closed to others of better and more promising ability were ridiculous.
Having said that, I like the look of Daicos this year. Gee, even saying the name seems a little strange, doesn’t it?
148 goals between them in 1990. Brown & Daicos would easily be my best & most favourite 5 Pies seen. It certainly was a Bruce McAvaney ‘speeshal’ moment.
I used to wonder what it would be like to have two of Daicos. Hopefully from next year we’ll have double the Daicos fun with Nick & Josh. If they can = the old man’s output we’re doing well.
Smokie, no doubt the pathway for a father-son is much smoother. But the pressure once they get there is enormous. Which makes the career of G.Ablett jnr even more meritorious.
It’s tough on the clubs too. What if you don’t pick the son of a former great and he ends up being a star?
Jeff, what a combo Daicos and Brown were in the forward line in 1990. Another Daicos in black & white in the next couple of years is such an exciting prospect.
It was a great moment Luke. Daicos has got a great ball-to-boot drop. He also seems to be able to dance out of trouble and find the right option when he’s further up the ground. Very encouraging.
Brown is deceptively quick and can really open the play with his dash. I hope he can work on his kicking, as he gets a lot of opportunities about 45 metres out, but this seems to just be just out of his range (although maybe that is the case with most modern day players).
Well played,Luke definitely one of the highlights for the year ( Bruce was a tad excited )
Onya Luke. I’m all for a Daics and Browny story, what a cracking moment it was – warmed the heart on a cold wintery Melbourne night! Loving Daics’ development this year, really seems to have found his feet and some self belief. Cal is having a flat patch, but he showed plenty of form in 2019 and his first quarter against the Tiges in Round 2 shows what he is capable of. Let’s hope we have Daics X 2 and Brown X 2 performing great feats for years to come.
Thanks Damian. Daicos does have that natural foot drop, add confidence to that and he’s now a formidable player. Callum Brown just seems short of confidence right now, I’m sure he’ll rebound.
Cheers Rulebook, thanks for sharing this piece!
Ramon- nothing has warmed my heart in the 2020 season as much as that moment! 2 Daicos’ and 2 Brown’s running around in a year or two is a very exciting prospect.
With the speed of the ball in close (as opposed to the speed of the game itself which can be dreadfully slow) decision making becomes crucial. Daicos looks like a good decision maker.
As a bit of an aside, the players throw (literally) the ball around in tight spaces in modern footy. Fast hands they call it. Throwing I call it. The handball over the head is a classic example. A throw every time because the bottom hand holding the ball throws it (whether or not there is a fist at the last second). I’m glad that a few of these are starting to be picked up by the umpires. It needs to be eliminated otherwise the ball will get chucked like the rugby pass.
Father/sons who should be Magpies, but ain’t –
Heath Shaw, GWS – son of Ray
Jake Kelly, Adelaide – son of Craig
Brandon Starcevich, Brisbane – son of Craig
Ted Richards, Footscray – grandson of Ron and grand nephew of Lou!
James Stewart, Essendon – son of Craig
Sam Weidemann, Melbourne – son of Mark and grandson of Murray! Really cut up about this one as I was hoping he would come home on the cheap, but he’s finally come good for Melbourne so that is most unlikely!
It looks like our centre half forward problem could be solved next year thanks to father/sons. Will Kelly, son of Craig, once he gets over his injuries, looks to be a key forward in tandem with Mihocek and dare I hope Mason Cox. This will restrain our mob from foolishness like throwing the kitchen sink at Jeremy Cameron.
One scribe suggested we should have gone after Levi Casboult of Carlton! Having gone through inaccurate forwards in the past, I would let Levi ply his trade at Princes Park. One I would show interest in, however, is Riccardi of GWS. He doesn’t look like getting a game there with all their forwards, so maybe we can swap him for a ruckman.
Dips- agreed, throwing is absolutely rampant in the AFL at the moment, a real blight on the game.
George- the grandfather/grandson rule needs to be brought in, it really is a shame Sam Weidemann and Ed Richards aren’t at Collingwood. Was very disapppointed when Heath Shaw left, but at least he will always be remembered for 2010.
Kelly looks a real prospect, can’t see us throwing the kitchen sink at Jeremy Cameron when we will probably have to throw it at Moore and De Goey!
Have to pick you up on one of those players George, the young Starce is the nephew of Lions AFLW coach Craig…but him aside, Pies do look a bit like the Cats of 15-20 years ago when it comes to F/S picks!
Thanks for your review Luke. I’m a week late and it’s probably a more sobering start to the week for you Pies fans after the weekend. My Lions have had a funny run with father-sons. Jonathan Brown for a pick in the 30’s I think but we also had Marc Murphy understandably choose to stay in Victoria. For me, it would be very strange to see a Daicos and a Brown running around in any jumper other than a Magpie one. Enjoy the swings and roundabouts of the season!