Collingwood vs Geelong

In a game that had massive finals implications, Geelong would survive a desperate Collingwood at the MCG on Thursday night, by 25 points, 10.11.72 to 15.7.97. Both teams entered the night inside the wildcard positions, with the Pies eighth and the Cats ninth.

The win leaves the Cats a chance at finishing top four, while Collingwood will now be looking behind, instead of ahead, of their ladder position.

Collingwood started slow in the first term, getting belted out of the middle. Bailey Smith, Tom Atkins, and James Worpel were busy, while the Cats competed well in the air, with Oliver Dempsey’s screamer a highlight of the first quarter.

For the Magpies, Nick Daicos played a lone hand, a 12-disposal first term was excellent from the Collingwood superstar.

All eyes were on Daicos’s clash with Geelong tagger Oisin Mullin, who limited the influence of the Collingwood star across the night.

However, the positives quickly stopped there in the first, Geelong’s pressure was immense as they blankened the Magpies.

Exiting defensive 50, Collingwood’s refusal to take the ball through the corridor hurt them, there ball movement was slow, and Geelong defended the ground expertly. Perhaps Collingwood’s inability to score was highlighted by one of the only times in the first quarter they used the middle to attack.

It was Nick Daicos who grabbed the ball, turning inside and hitting a target in the centre of the ground.

From there, the ball ended in the hands of Daniel McStay, who drove the ball home. In the second term, things got even worse.

A 25-point deficit quickly became a game high 49-point margin at the 12-minute mark of the second term, Geelong doing as they liked.

To their credit, the Magpies found a lifeline to end the second quarter, kicking two goals in a row as the margin slipped back under six goals.

The Magpies were finally able to start moving the ball through the Cats, before Beau McCreery’s clever sidestep saw the Pies get a three-in-a-row as the half-time siren sounded. Collingwood was at its best when it played fast.

In a stark difference to the first quarter, the Magpies were hunting the corridor, and it was paying dividends with its talented ball users delivering to its forwards.

Daicos was excellent, while the record game holder in Scott Pendlebury was important in both action and voice.

However, when Collingwood pressed, Geelong found a way, with Jack Martin entering the game with a goal.

With Geelong with a slender 17-point lead at three-quarter-time, it was anyone’s game.

Despite the Pies getting the first clearance, it was the Cats who struck first. Shaun Mannagh’s kick inside forward was excellent, as Shannon Neale got the all-important first goal.

However, Collingwood weren’t done, Daicos starting Jordan De Goey’s movement forward, as McStay kicked another.

After De Goey’s touched effort at one end, it was Geelong’s young gun, South Australian Jay Polkinghorne who was able to keep the Magpies at bay.

The Collingwood comeback would fall short, Oliver Henry sealing the game midway through the fourth.

Magpies: 1.2 4.4 7.6 10.12.72

Cats: 5.2 9.3 10.5 15.7.97

Magpies: McStay 5, McCreery 2, West, Harrison, Anderson

Cats: Polkinghorne 3, Henry 3, Neale 2, Dempsey 2, Wiltshire, Miers, Martin,

Mannagh, Blicavs

Best, (alphabetical order):

Magpies: N. Daicos, D. McStay, S. Pendlebury

Cats: B. Smith, O. Dempsey, J. Worpel

Injuries:

Magpies: Harry Perryman (hamstring), Jeremy Howe (arm)

Crowd: 60 023