1. Magpie in trouble for ump bump?
It will be interesting to see what the match review officer makes of a second-quarter incident that saw field umpire Robert O'Gorman dumped to the ground. Nat Fyfe collided heavily with the man in fluoro green but it was Magpie Brayden Maynard who shoved Fyfe into the ump. Maynard's push was in retaliation for Fyfe pushing one of his mates over. Real schoolboy stuff, but will there be consequences for the Magpie?
PIES TOP-FOUR BOUND Full match coverage and stats
2. Rookie recruit delivers the goods for Pies
Collingwood is back in the top four for the first time since 2012. And the Pies can thank big Brody Mihocek for getting the chocolates in Perth. Three second-half goals, two of them in 30 seconds midway through the final term, proved critical. Particularly with star forward Jordan De Goey well held by Joel Hamling. Mihocek definitely looks the type who can have an impact in September. A solid record interstate has also played a part. The Pies have managed wins over Fremantle, Adelaide, Brisbane, Gold Coast and a two-point loss against Sydney. As much as Pies' fans might have had their hearts in mouths for much of the game, it could prove to be the perfect preparation for a tough finals series.
Two goals in no time at all from Brody Mihocek!
— AFL (@AFL) August 25, 2018
He puts the Pies back in front!#AFLFreoPies pic.twitter.com/ZT1YVDHxGC
3. Freo's Lyon-hearts come to play
Fremantle coach Ross Lyon, backed by his club, hung tough as the outrage from the disaster at Geelong reached fever pitch last week. The terrible round 22 effort, Fremantle's average losing margin – 54 points – the worst in the AFL; the Dockers' match average of just 70 points per game; the worst scoring season in club history – it was all set up for a Pie shellacking. But, to borrow the greatest cliché of all “a week's a long time in football”. There were signs this would not be an easy kill. At Optus Stadium this season the Dockers were 7-5, kicking 80 points per game. And the Magpies had lost five of their past six in Perth. While the Dockers didn't get the points, they showed plenty for their fans as they head into pre-season.
High-fives all-round after Matty Taberner's off-the-ground finish! #AFLFreoPies pic.twitter.com/lkZArhSIQ3
— AFL (@AFL) August 25, 2018
4. Goodbye MJ
Michael Johnson's 244th match in purple was his last and captain Fyfe vowed the club would show just how much they loved him against the Magpies. Joel Hamling didn't read the script when he floated a pass meant for Johnson out on the full early on. And the umps didn't have a lot of love for MJ either when they didn't believe he'd touched the resultant snap from Tom Phillips. Nor did Chris Mayne when he dug his knee into Johnson's buttock and sent him from the field briefly in the opening term. But his day improved from there and he would have been proud of his finale. Danyle Pearce also retired but wasn't at the ground because he was playing WAFL, while fellow retiree Lee Spurr was there in his suit to say goodbye.
The scorpion save from MJ!#AFLFreoPies pic.twitter.com/4Nh9rKtp7O
— AFL (@AFL) August 25, 2018
5. The streak is over
After conceding 23 goals in a row to finish the match against Geelong in round 22, Fremantle let in the first three to take the streak to 26 but when the Dockers hit back, they hit back hard. They booted the last five goals of the first term to take a 12-point lead to quarter-time and, believe it or not, got a standing ovation from a fair few Dockers supporters at the first change. Hayden Ballantyne's four-goal return also gave the fans something to cheer about.
Winding back the clock!
— AFL (@AFL) August 25, 2018
Hayden Ballantyne kicks his fourth on the fast break.#AFLFreoPies pic.twitter.com/ztbPg3ioQv