Round 8 – Collingwood v Sydney: To see a good game (Floreat Pica Society)

Collingwood v Sydney Swans

MCG, 7 May 2023

by Peter Butler

After spending much of Saturday Night watching the coronation of Charles III from Westminster Abbey, I was looking forward to Sunday bringing another win in this season and hoping for less stress during the final quarter of the game to ensure my heart keeps ticking with little discomfort? As a born and bred Pom who came to Australia, via New Zealand (my wife is a Kiwi) I was keen to see how the Coronation looked on a 40inch telly in colour as opposed to the 9inch black and white version I saw back in 1953 as a 10-year-old, crammed into the lounge of our neighbours with two other families. The room was darkened with drawn curtains since in those days it was hard to see even a black & white screen in the daytime, without drawn curtains.

Enough of my reminiscing and down to the game. It really has been a roller coaster for us Pies supporters over the past year and a half. The number of games we have won by small margins and the nature of our style of play has made our heroes a delight to watch. However, those who are getting on in years would like to have more games like the Port one earlier this year when we boosted our percentage, and our hearts are less stressed for most of the contest.

Coming into this game we had a team that was on top of the ladder by a clear game with 6 wins and 1 loss up against a team that had won only 3 games and those against teams not in the top eight and unlikely to be so. Sydney had been absolutely flogged by Geelong two weeks ago and lost to their crosstown rivals by a point last week. However, games between these two sides have rarely been blowouts since South Melbourne moved to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney Swans. There have been some close games over this time; a couple of one pointers and others in the less than two goals margin.

There has not been a game in Melbourne against the Swans since 2013, when the Swans won convincingly, in the game dominated by racist remarks by a 13-year-old girl to Adam Goodes. Much commentary has been made by Floreat Pica members already, which I wholly support. I feel the Club’s response is excellent and endorse Steve’s comments as well others who abhor the practice. Times have changed are continuing to change such that what may have been acceptable in the past is not and should not be acceptable. Groaning about umpiring decisions or expressing distaste at actions of opposing players who transgress deliberately is different to booing, which is quite boorish.

Enough of the prognostication on the topic of today. I need to move on to the actual game. On the way to the MCG a gentleman next to me on the bus said he just wanted to see a good game, which lead me to muse on what is a ‘good’ game. To most of us barrackers of one team or another, it is one that our team wins. To the neutral observer is it one where the lead changes continuously and there is little between the scores all day, or there are spectacular feats by many players, lots of goals, high marks or ‘interesting’ tactics. My ‘good’ games is one which Collingwood wins and preferably by a lot, and this qualifies as extra good as we won comfortably in the end. But to the game itself.

 

First Quarter

Collingwood came like the proverbial steam train dominating the first quarter in terms of territory and scoring and should have been more than the 15 points ahead that they were at the first break. It was evident that Sydney were intent on playing a possession game in order to nullify Collingwood’s all action attacking tactics. Constant switching of play when in possession in the back half seemed like a game of chess.

After a hectic first two and a half minutes of all-out attack in the forward 50 Johnson took a strong mark and goaled. Sydney then entered their 50 twice and scored a point then a goal to Clarke, which started a melee after Sydney players reminded Nick Daicos that Clarke was his opponent. Nine players (including Nick; brother Josh) will pay a total of $10,000 for this bit of push and shove, 5 from Sydney and 4 from Collingwood; if they plead guilty!

Hoskin-Elliott restored Collingwood’s lead within 2 minutes with a nice steal from a Sydney defender. There followed a sustained period of pressure from the Pies with Mihocek goaling, followed by 4 behinds, at least two of which ought to have been goals. Sydney were only able to add to their score with a single behind which should also have been a goal on the siren.

Pies 23 – Swans 8

Second Quarter

In contrast to the first quarter Sydney dominated this quarter, suggesting that the Ponsford end would be the scoring end. After an early behind to Sydney, De Goey netted (my soccer background) a nice goal for the Pies after 6 minutes to give them a 20-point lead, but his was the last goal they would score for the quarter, and only one more behind would eventuate before half-time.

The Swans dominated both possession and territory for the remainder of the quarter scoring 4 goals and 5 behinds to take an 8-point lead into half-time. One of the goals by Hayden McLean was a nice soccer along the ground which was nearly touched by Maynard trying out his goalkeeping skills.

This quarter indicated that the Ponsford end might be the scoring end for some unaccountable reason which contradicts Tom Hafey’s observations that the MCG does not have a scoring end, especially after the 2006 Commonwealth Games inspired reconstructions surrounding the arena with stands. If that were to be then Collingwood maybe in a bit of strife at half time.

Pies 30 – Swans 38

Third Quarter

If the Ponsford end were to be a scoring end, then the third quarter made sure it might be. This was a slug fest of a quarter with tackles and tight play making a not too pretty sight from both sides. It was low scoring, but our heroes knuckled down and made sure Sydney did not extend their lead and in fact scored the only 2 goals of the quarter, supplemented by 3 behinds, two from Josh Daicos which might well have been goals. Sydney were camped in their defensive 50 for most of the quarter, only managing 2 scores of a point each.

Collingwood took a 5-point lead into the final quarter, which was the first time they had led at three-quarter time since the St Kilda game in Adelaide (and then by only 6 points) and only the third time this year. The questions on everyone’s minds in the Pies camp was “could we keep our lead and maybe extend it” or is there really a scoring end at the ‘G’?

Pies 45 – Swans 40

Fourth Quarter

The quarter began with Sydney pressure in the forward line that resulted in a mark to Lance Franklin, that he would have kicked with ease in his real heyday but resulted in only one point. This should have resulted in ‘Bronx’ cheers not the booing that had been going on for most of the day, though I only noticed it later in the game. From hereon in it was all Collingwood cementing them as a fourth quarter team ‘par excellence’. Mihochek followed his 2 goals in the first three quarters with 3 in the fourth, the second would do justice to anything from Dennis Law, Lionel Messi, Pele or any of those other soccer greats. A bicycle kick to make sure De Goey’s attempt became an actual goal. Billy Frampton iced his excellent game in the ruck with a long range shot that was ushered through by Mihocek and Jack Ginnivan made the most of his substitution in this quarter with a typical snap. Sydney could only manage a single goal and 2 points at the ‘scoring’ end in this quarter to go with only 2 points in the third, a return of only 10 points in the second half.

The Pies can win final quarters when not behind at the start of them. Their pressure and movement of the ball improved immensely in this quarter and was more evident than in the second as well as parts of the third.

Pies 77 – Swans 48

This was a gutsy win a against a team that despite its results this year so far is still a contender for finals and has a core group of excellent, determined players. Their tactics of possession football and movement of the ball sideways out of defence was an attempt to create space so our pressing style would be reduced to chasing tails. This worked out in the second quarter but slight adjustments to our placement of players and additional pressure on the ball carrier in the second half meant their movement of the ball and pressure could not be sustained, so after a stodgy third quarter from both teams we were able to emphasise our team effort and draw away for a well-deserved win.

Votes and Better Players

This was quite difficult as there were many contributors to the victory so some who were effective will not get a guernsey. Excellence over four quarters was hard to find. Sidebottom and Noble were to the fore in the first quarter, in fact Noble was a solid contributor all day. Josh Daicos was also evident early on but faded a little before coming back later. Mitchell was solid all day, as were Moore, Murphy and Mihocek, especially Brodie’s 5 goals. Hoskin-Elliott started well, faded in the second, but came back in the 3rd & 4th. Adams was his usual in and under player most of the day. Nick Daicos was less effectual than in most games this year, but as mentioned earlier was tagged and targeted by Sydney. He was still an effective  player. Billy Elliott seemed to get some of his mojo back and contributed with a goal and 5 tackles.

This leads me to the three players who get the Horsburgh votes:

1 vote for Billy Frampton

This player has done all that can be asked from someone who has been called to fill a role for which he was sought. His effort in the ruck was excellent, dominating the hit outs. Accepted, his opponent went off injured in the first quarter and may have been hindered for the rest of the game, but to dominate hit outs by 32-19 and help create a centre clearance positive of 11-6 is outstanding. He did have the support of Mason Cox which can only help going forward until Cameron is ready to comeback.

2 votes for Isaac Quaynor

This was probably his best game this year. Nine marks in total with most being either intercept or contested shows he is maturing as the player we were told he would be. His dash and speed off the mark is electric. I will excuse the mess he and Josh Daicos made when contesting a ball as 2-1 against a Swan and not getting the ball to Billy Elliott in the 3rd quarter for probably a certain goal. He performed better than Darcy Moore in defence which is saying something.

3 votes for Scott Pendlebury

What the hell will we do when this super sleek machine decides to give it away. After a week off after being poked in the eye, his amassing of 31 touches with his usual panache in distributing them was superb. I am amazed that he can still move so slowly yet so smoothly to put the opposition off and deliver a handball or foot pass to perfection. A Collingwood legend to match with the Roses, Daicoses (Peter), Buckley, Shaw’s and many more.

A final comment on the overall stats for the game. The fact that we had 78 less possessions than Sydney shows how they played the game to try and nullify ours. Interestingly the deficit was largely in the handball area. Surprisingly we won the free kick count 24-10, though it did not seem like it.

Fittingly we won the clearances, especially from the centre; the contested possessions (138-129) and by a large margin the uncontested possessions (195-294).

Looking forward to Mother’s Day against the Giants

Go Pies

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COLLINGWOOD          3.5     4.6      6.9      11.11 (77)
SYDNEY                      1.2     5.8     5.10       6.12 (48)

GOALS 
Collingwood: Mihocek 5, Johnson, Hoskin-Elliott, Ginnivan, Frampton, Elliott, De Goey
Sydney: Sheather, Papley, McLean, McDonald, Hayward, Clarke

INJURIES
Collingwood: Adams (left ankle)
Sydney: Ladhams (shoulder/neck), Sheather (left knee)

SUBSTITUTES
Collingwood: Jack Ginnivan (replaced Bobby Hill in third quarter)
Sydney: Aaron Francis (replaced Marc Sheather at half-time)

Crowd: 71,463 at the MCG

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