De Goey goals again as the onslaught continues.
Collingwood have conjured one the great AFL finals upsets and stormed into their first grand final in seven years with a 39-point win over Richmond in Friday night’s preliminary final at the MCG.
The top-of-the-table Tigers had been a firm favourite to advance into their second straight grand final and claim back-to-back flags but the Magpies’ fairytale run proved overwhelming.
Continuing what arguably has been the greatest turnaround from one season to the next in club history, the Magpies produced a stunning first half to hold the Tigers to only two goals and enjoy a game-breaking 44-point lead.
Travis Varcoe kicks an early goal for the Pies.
The Tigers threatened in the final term, closing to within 21 points inside eight minutes but Adam Treloar’s around-the-body, left-foot floater from 35 metres, followed by Brodie Grundy’s superb follow-up to his own tap, rubber-stamped victory, and had club president Eddie McGuire leaping to his feet in a roar of affirmation.
The Magpies now await the winner of Saturday’s preliminary final between the West Coast Eagles and Melbourne in Perth.
Jordan De Goey scores.
Chants of USA reverberated around the MCG as American Mason Cox took three big marks and converted each into goals to start the second term. While this was battle between steeped in suburban VFL roots, the two clubs meeting in a final for the first time since 1980, Cox reinforced how far the game has come in the modern era. In only his 43rd game, the former college basketballer finished with three goals and a career-high 11 marks, and proved to be an unstoppable one-two punch with Jordan De Goey, who had four goals.
In front of a sell-out crowd of 94,959, this was a night to remember for the Magpies, in particular coach Nathan Buckley, who was on the cusp of being sacked during a miserable 2017 campaign which sparked a club-wide review.
Ruckman Brodie Grundy was arguably best afield with 21 touches, a goal and 56 hit outs. This included 10 hit-outs to advantage in the first half and 15-11 overall advantage for the Pies at centre clearances, highlighting why he was an All Australian. Counterpart Toby Nankervis had been instrumental in the Tigers’ fortunes but he had a night he would rather forget.
Dustin Martin tangles with Collingwood’s James Aish.
Steele Sidebottom, the player of the finals to date, led the midfield with 41 disposals, Taylor Adams was robust and flourished under duress, skipper Scott Pendlebury was solid, while the unheralded Jack Crisp and Tom Phillips were also pivotal.
The Tigers could not get the impact they craved from their key rollers, in particular Dustin Martin, Trent Cotchin and Alex Rance.
Jack Riewoldt booted five goals and was a lone hand hand inside attacking 50, booting three in the third term as the Tigers pressed but could not make significant inroads.
Brody Mihocek joins in on the action.
Martin had barely trained since suffering a corked thigh which bled into his knee against Hawthorn in the qualifying final and he lacked his typical explosiveness. He lined up at centre bounces, where he was manned by tagger Levi Greenwood, and then went forward, where Jeremy Howe had the job of containing the Brownlow Medallist. He finished goalless in arguably his worst game in two years.
Tiger Jack Riewoldt is spoiled.
Cotchin worked hard but there were no moments of magic, while Rance could not handle De Goey, the Magpies often denying him his typical run from half back. Rance did regain his mojo in the final term when the Tigers’ tackle pressure lifted but it was too late.
With Cox and De Goey a threat, the Pies maintained the pressure with long, deep, high balls into their forward line. All of this added up to the Tigers having their 22-game winning streak at the home of football snapped.
There had been debate over whether the Tigers had not had enough football over the past month, this being their second game in four weeks, and whether the Magpies would be tired after a six-day break. That they weren’t. Their work-rate was superb, while their game plan of looking to kick and switch play as often as possible – they had relied more on handballing against the Tigers through the home-and-away campaign – was pivotal.
Their intentions were clear in the first term when they dominated the inside-50 count 20-11.
They ran in numbers, attacked the man and capitalised on the jittery Tigers with 73 per cent kicking efficiency.
The signs for the Tigers were not good, with Martin taking 15 minutes to have his first touch.
Steele Sidebottom evades Richmond’s Jack Graham.
COLLINGWOOD 5.2 10.4 12.7 15.7 (97)
RICHMOND 1.3 2.8 6.10 8.10 (58)
Goals: Collingwood: De Goey 4, Cox 3, Mihocek 2, Crisp 2, Treloar, Grundy, Stephenson, Varcoe. Richmond: Riewoldt 5, Higgins 2, Houli.
Best: Collingwood: Sidebottom, Grundy, Cox, De Goey, Adams, Crisp, Pendlebury.
Richmond: Riewoldt, Cotchin, Houli.
Injuries: Collingwood Howe (ankle).
Umpires: Ryan, Stevic, Rosebury.
Crowd: 94,959 at the MCG.
Votes (Jon Pierik)
Steele Sidebottom (Coll) 9
Brodie Grundy (Coll) 9
Mason Cox (Coll) 9
Jordan De Goey (Coll) 8
Taylor Adams (Coll) 8
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