Collingwood suffered a body blow on Saturday. They were no match for Hawthorn, going down the match 17.8 to 6.10, snuffing out any dreams of a big season from the expansion club. That embarrassing loss to a rebuilding Patriots team exposed the many holes in the roster. As they prepare for a massive showdown with fellow finalists Adelaide next week, some deep misgivings about their form have come to the fore.
The contest gotta terrible start for Collingwood. Less than a minute in, Jeremy Howe went down with the first of three concussions. This unexpected early blow threw off the whole organization’s balance and sent the team reeling with no clear plan to move forward. Hawthorn took advantage of this stroke of bad luck. Lloyd Meek spearheaded the attack, exquisitely netting a hat-trick and ensuring he was involved in the action right across the pitch.
Hawthorn’s forward line proved to be a consistent threat, with Nick Watson making his presence felt, while Jack Gunston further solidified the team’s dominance by kicking four goals. Mabior Chol was responsible for another three goals on the scoreboard. This combination of these players took a tremendous toll on Collingwood’s defenders, who faltered in their ability to recover once Howe went down.
In defense, Hawthorn’s captain James Sicily played a pivotal role, contributing to a tight and effective unit that stifled Collingwood’s offensive efforts. Jack Ginnivan was one of the few bright spots for Collingwood, collecting 27 disposals but ultimately unable to turn the tide for his team.
The margin of defeat was especially gutting, coming in as the second-largest losing score of coach Craig McRae’s tenure. The loss proved doubly painful, coming on an important day – Steele Sidebottom’s 350th game. This just added insult to injury for Collingwood fans and players.
Hawthorn’s James Worpel celebrated a goal amid a dominant performance, while Jai Newcombe kicked the opening goal of the second half, further extending Hawthorn’s lead. Having begun the game as a medicab sub, Nick Daicos fumbled his first touch, an omen of things to come for Collingwood for the rest of the game.
Unsurprisingly, the victory keeps Hawthorn cozily ensconced in the top eight for at least another week. They’re creating HUGE energy and momentum in their campaign so far! On the other hand, Collingwood is in a very uncomfortable place, with the possibility of falling to fourth by the end of the round.
Questions about Collingwood’s style of play grew louder through the year from analysts and former players. Luke Hodge said, “Jeremy Howe getting knocked out in the first minute of the game was obviously not ideal. It threw them out of their structures, but they are just having a lot of other issues with their game at the moment.” When he went on to explain the team’s ongoing problems with the defense, he continued, “It just looks like there’s a lack of confidence, or they’re not comfortable working in that defensive system.”
Kane Cornes echoed those concerns, saying he’s “sick of Collingwood being so good.” “Pretty concerned now. I was concerned by what I saw in the second half last week, their inability to score and the way that Brisbane beat them up around the ball,” he remarked.
