A Jordan De Goey inspired final-term has helped lead Collingwood to a resounding 16-point win over Essendon at the MCG on Sunday afternoon.
The Magpies were tested all afternoon by their old-rivals who had recently found some form and provided a stern challenge until Nathan Buckley’s charges were able to kick away late in the final term.
Steele Sidebottom was instrumental in his 200th game (27 disposals, two goals) and captain, Scott Pendlebury (34 disposals, nine tackles) who had an incredible 14 disposals, seven contested possessions and six clearances in the final term to help his team over the line.
However, it was the efforts of De Goey who kicked three second half goals including two clutch goals late in the game to help the Pies to their seventh consecutive victory.
The Bombers were led brilliantly by Dyson Heppell and Zach Merrett (33 disposals each) and flanked by boom recruit, Devon Smith (31 disposals, 13 tackles) as they kept in touch with the Magpies the whole game including having the lead for a large portion of the second half.
It was the Bombers who started the brighter with Mitch Brown kicking the opener but was responded by a classy left-footed finish by Steele Sidebottom and a beautiful snap from Jaidyn Stephenson to give the Magpies the lead.
Late goals to Brodie Grundy and Josh Daicos extended the lead to seventeen at the first break as the Pies had full control after the first half-an-hour.
The Bombers surged back into the game as they kicked three unanswered goals with Brown, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti and Kyle Langford chiming in to give the Bombers the lead at half-time by one point as the Magpies were kept goalless in a scrappy second term.
Collingwood were able to start the brightest after the half-time break as Will Hoskin-Elliott was able to shrug off a first-term injury and kick the Magpies back into the lead, but the Bombers responded quickly as Shaun McKernan kicked back-to-back goals and could have made it three had it not been for wayward kicking.
With the Bombers pressing, the Magpies moved De Goey to full-forward which created an incredibly difficult matchup for the Bombers defence as he was able to slot an important snap to keep the Pies within touching distance.
While Brody Mihocek made no mistake giving the Magpies the lead momentarily but a wayward error from Jeremy Howe allowed for the Bombers to break and Mark Baguely was the benefactor gifting the Bombers the lead heading into the final change by one point.
Once again, the Bombers started the brighter with Brown kicking his third and opening up a seven-point lead, but it was De Goey who went back with the flight and took an incredible mark and snapped home an important major to bring it back to a one point margin.\
Moments later, the milestone man, Sidebottom converted a long set-shot to give the Magpies the lead and soon after, Mason Cox was able to extend the lead after an incredible pack mark and finish to put the Bombers in a precarious position.
It only became more difficult when Taylor Adams was rewarded a free-kick for a fantastic tackle on Jake Long and pushed the lead back out to three goals, however, Essendon’s Andrew McGrath was able to pull one back to set-up a nervous finish with five minutes to play.
It wasn’t to be for the Bombers as some beautiful roving from Scott Pendlebury was launched inside 50 and the lumbering American, Mason Cox’s was able to palm it down into an on running Mihocek who gifted the goal to De Goey and sealed the game for the Magpies.
Collingwood, who are still second on the AFL ladder take on the West Coast Eagles at the MCG in a blockbuster next Sunday afternoon while the Bombers travel north to take on the severely out-of-form, Gold Coast Suns.
ESSENDON 1.2 4.5 7.6 9.8 (62) COLLINGWOOD 4.1 4.4 7.5 12.6 (78)
GOALS Essendon: Brown 3, McKernan 2, McDonald-Tipungwuti, Langford, Baguley, McGrath Collingwood: De Goey 3, Sidebottom 2, Stephenson, Grundy, Daicos, Hoskin-Elliott, Mihocek, Cox, Adams
BEST Essendon: Merrett, Smith, Heppell, Hurley, McKernan, Goddard Collingwood: Pendlebury, Grundy, Sidebottom, De Goey, Adams, Crisp, Langdon
INJURIES Essendon: Orazio Fantasia (groin) replaced in selected side by Jake Long, Ambrose (hamstring), Heppell (cut eye) Collingwood: Hoskin-Elliott (right knee), Appleby (hamstring)
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Donlon, Foot, Rosebury
Official crowd: 69,868 at the MCG
Talking Points
1. De Goey knows De way
Yes, incorporating memes and AFL football is de way to go from now in (I did it again!)
Jordan De Goey, recently re-signed for the Magpies in mid-week and continues to justify his big money move after an incredible final-term which saw him take the proverbial bull by the horns and lead his side to an impressive seventh consecutive victory.
Three goals in the final term and numerous contested marks against countless Bombers defenders including Michael Hurley showed his versatility to take on all opponents, no matter the size difference.
In particular, his goal late on where he was able to round off some brilliant team-work from Cox and Mihocek to seal the game.
There’s only one way to describe it.
Belissimo, mwah.
2. September fantasies? A little too late for the Bombers
Essendon’s late season revival has been quite exciting to witness, but this loss may have just made it that more difficult for John Worsfold’s charges.
Having the game in full control mid-way through the third term, the Bombers were unable to convert their dominance and put together a winning score as they were outgunned by a fast-paced, inspired Magpies outfit in the final-term.
They are playing football as good as anyone in the competition at this point of the season but sitting two games and percentage outside the eight is going to make it just the little more difficult for the Bombers.
They will really be ruing the losing streak in the early part of the season which has now set them back oh so dearly.
3. For every injury, there’s a benefactor and a returnee
The Magpies injury list is almost as long as Santa’s naughty and nice list but the Pies continue to defy the odds with their ‘next-man up’ mentality.
Last week, the Magpies lost inspirational defender, Lynden Dunn who was ruled out for the season with a torn ACL but the Pies remarkably didn’t replace Dunn with a key defender, as they continued to play an undersized defence which stood up quite well.
Their woes could get even worse with Will Hoskin-Elliott suffering a bruised right knee and young defender, Flynn Appleby tearing his hamstring late in the game.
However, these injuries have created opportunities for a few young Magpies who have been able to shine including Josh Daicos, Brayden Sier and Brody Mihocek who have performed admirably this season.
The good news is, Hoskin-Elliott finished the game, Darcy Moore and Travis Varcoe returned in the VFL and got through unscathed which puts them in the mix to play next Sunday.
The news might get even better for Pies fans with Jamie Elliott, James Aish and Alex Fasolo all set to return next week in the VFL, adding to the Magpies depth and all three of them potentially still being a chance to play a role in their push for a sixteenth premiership.
留言