Collingwood Football Club faced significant challenges before their recent match, yet they managed to secure a decisive victory against their opponents. The Pies overcame two last-minute outs, with both Bobby Hill and Scott Pendlebury pull out within a couple of hours of the first bounce. Hill had to miss the game due to a serious family concern. Pendlebury missed due to illness and with only final teams lodged, that led to Wil Parker coming into the side.
Despite this turmoil, the Magpies remained resilient. As early as the opening moments of the match, Brayden Maynard was forced out with a foot injury from a marking contest, compounding matters for his side. But they didn’t let these challenges defeat them and focused on staying calm, cool and collected on the pitch.
It was a record-breaking offensive display from Collingwood, led largely by an in-form Jamie Elliott, who ended the day with five goals. A key contributor, Tim Membrey dominated, scoring three goals for the Saints. Brody Mihocek chipped in with two goals, further emphasizing the depth that Collingwood boasts up front.
Nick Daicos was the obvious superstar of the OG Grand Final. He was like a walking video game setting high scores — compiling 38 disposals and registering 12 score involvements! His contributions truly were the catalyst that propelled the team’s success. And Josh Daicos was sublime, being the highest rated on the ground with 31 disposals. Aside from Anderson, Ned Long left his imprint too, tallying 29 disposals and 14 tackles.
In that last quarter, Collingwood shared their collective brilliance with the world and kicked an unbelievable eight goals. They completed a clean-sweep victory with a tally of 15.18 to 9.9. This victory is probably best testament to the side’s incredible depth and versatility. It ensures their hold on first place in the league standings.
Smart growth Collingwood has a significant challenge ahead of them. They will surely take confidence into a huge clash with Hawthorn next Friday night. The team needs to bounce back from some pre-match withdrawals and an early second half injury blow. How successful they are at it will be key to keeping their winning momentum going.
