NEW NAMES, same old result.
Collingwood was forced to make four changes ahead of Mother’s Day, but has uncovered a deeper squad after a range of fresh faces helped deliver the four points at Marvel Stadium on Sunday.
MAGPIES v EAGLES Full match coverage and stats
While Nick Daicos, Scott Pendlebury and Jack Crisp will battle for the votes on Brownlow Medal night, it was all about a debutant, a pre-season signing and two former first-round picks in the uncompromising 66-point win over West Coast.
After starting the season 0-3, Craig McRae’s side has surged back into the top eight for the first time in 2024 after remaining undefeated since Easter Thursday by banking a fifth win in a period that also included the draw on Anzac Day.
The Magpies are now, remarkably, just half a game outside the top four and firmly back in the premiership hunt after brushing aside the Eagles 15.13 (103) to 5.7 (37).
But the win came at a cost. Jeremy Howe was substituted out of the game at quarter-time after injuring his groin just before the first break. Harvey Harrison exited the game at the same time with an ankle injury, before Jack Bytel suffered a concussion in his first game for the Magpies.
A week after Lachie Sullivan made the most of his first chance at the age of 26, Joe Richards completed a meteoric rise from the Ovens and Murray League to the AFL by quickly looking comfortable at the level, before finishing with 18 disposals, eight score involvements, six tackles, three goal assists and a goal of his own, after hitting the post twice with his first two shots.
Fin Macrae kicked three first-half goals when the game was on the line and Reef McInnes finished with three goals of his own to take the most of their shot back in the senior side.
With Coleman Medal contender Jake Waterman joining Oscar Allen on the sidelines, Ryan Maric returned and converted the first goal of the game to silence the crowd earlier, but that was as close as the Eagles would get to victory.
Collingwood responded swiftly and kicked the remaining four goals of the first quarter, before booting seven goals to two in the second quarter to end the contest by the main break, despite losing Brody Mihocek, Jamie Elliott, Beau McCreery and Lachie Schultz out of the Carlton win.
The Magpies kicked ten consecutive goals between debutant Tyrell Dewar’s first goal in league football in the second quarter and Liam Ryan’s first goal of the day early in the final quarter.
The Daicos brothers dominated proceedings against the Eagles. Nick finished with 36 touches, 17 contested possessions and seven clearances in another brilliant display, while Josh collected 28 disposals and seven score involvements.
Pendlebury finished 28 disposals, but Crisp was the most influential player on the ground, producing his best showing of 2024 to finish with 32 touches, 12 contested possessions and seven inside 50s in his 223rd consecutive game.
With so many changes – plus the absence of Jordan De Goey and Tom Mitchell again – this game presented as a banana peel. But Collingwood didn’t slip.
They smashed Adam Simpson’s side in every facet of the game - +31 contested ball, +25 inside 50s, +13 clearances – including out of the middle where the Magpies waltzed out of centre stoppage and waltzed back into the eight.
More injury headaches at Collingwood
With No Brody Mihocek and Dan McStay still recovering from an ACL tear, Jeremy Howe was set for a stint in attack in May but lasted less than a quarter before being subbed out with a groin injury at quarter-time. By that stage, Harvey Harrison had gone into the rooms to be assessed for an ankle injury. He was ruled out early in the second quarter. After four forced changes out of the Carlton game, Collingwood has had to navigate some injury issues of late, with Jack Bytel also suffering a concussion in his first game for the club.
Box office kids
Harley Reid and Nick Daicos went head-to-head at times across an engrossing encounter in the first of many match-ups across the next decade. The byplay was entertaining, but nothing was as entertaining as the huge mark of the year contender by the 2023 pick No. 1. Just another moment to add to a growing highlights reel.
Fin takes chance
Fin Macrae has really had to earn a spot under Craig McRae. He played three times across 2022 and 2023, but after a strong pre-season at the AIA Centre, the former first-round pick hasn’t been able to crack a spot in 2024, being subbed in or out of his first three AFL games. But after a prolific month in the VFL, Macrae got his shot on Mother’s Day and fired, especially early. Macrae kicked three goals playing across half-forward and got cleaner and better the longer the game went on.
COLLINGWOOD 4.4 11.8 14.11 15.13 (103)
WEST COAST 1.1 3.1 3.5 5.7 (37)
GOALS
Collingwood: McInnes 3, Macrae 3, Hill 2, Sullivan, Richards, Lipinski, Howe, N. Daicos, J. Daicos, Crisp
West Coast: J. Williams, Ryan, Maric, Edwards, Dewar
BEST
Collingwood: Crisp, N. Daicos, Pendlebury, Maynard, J. Daicos, Cameron, Noble
West Coast: Witherden, Ginbey, Barrass, Duggan
INJURIES
Collingwood: Howe (groin), Harrison (ankle), Bytel (concussion)
West Coast: Petrucelle (ankle), Darling (nose), McGovern (internal injury)
SUBSTITUTES
Collingwood: Jack Bytel replaced Jeremy Howe at quarter-time
West Coast: Harvey Johnston replaced Jack Petrucelle in the second quarter
Crowd: 37,433