COLLINGWOOD has gone down to Adelaide by 81 points in the NAB Cup opener in Dubai.
The Crows beat the Magpies 4.15.10 (136) to 0.7.13 (55) in the United Arab Emirates, the match played on a converted polo field in desert-like surrounds at the Ghantoot Racing and Polo Club just to the south west of the capital.
The victory was set up by a dominant second quarter, in which Adelaide outscored Collingwood 56 points to eight, booting two nine-point "super goals" and six regular goals to the Magpies' solitary six-pointer for the term.
Quality goals to Ben Reid - a clever left-foot snap - and Paul Medhurst, a brilliant running goal from 45m tight on the boundary helped the Pies to a one-point lead at quarter-time. But the Magpies felt the effects of the illness which had hit the team in the lead-up, running out of legs as the game wore on.
While no serious cases of gastro descended on the Pies, the condition was a constant problem throughout the South African leg of the tour and lingered in Dubai, forcing Paul Medhurst and Travis Cloke to miss the team's final training session.
The Pies' two best players were Heath and Rhyce Shaw who provided run out of defence. Dale Thomas, Shane O'Bree and Ben Johnson also tried hard throughout, but had too little support to have any impact on the contest.
New Crows captain Simon Goodwin, playing up forward, was in fine form, booting a goal in each quarter, including a nine-pointer midway through his side's second quarter onslaught.
Midfielders Scott Thompson, Jason Porplyzia and Chris Knights were all strong performers for Adelaide, while key defenders Ben Rutten and Nathan Bock controlled their positions.
But of most promise for Adelaide were the good showings from young ruck trio Ivan Maric, Kurt Tippett and Brad Moran and young tall forward James Sellar.
Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse said the Magpies simply came up against a side that was extraordinarily fit and well-drilled for such an early stage of the year.
“They're a super-fit side, they train at a level that is quite extraordinary through January, February and perhaps even before Christmas and the precision of their foot and handpassing exposed probably our lack of intensity in the first game," he said.
"They were able to cut through us pretty quickly, but I think the most important thing that comes out of this game is playing Adelaide you've probably played the fittest and most correct side in the competition.
"We probably have time now to bolt down the areas that are good and open up the areas that aren't and see if we can work with those."
Malthouse said he could only hope the 81-point loss was due solely to fatigue related to an intense training program at altitude in South Africa.
"It is a bit different, what we have done here, but the thing is you don't know how it is going to turn out," Malthouse said.
"You don't know the effects. We have been away a long time. If we had an excuse, we would be robbing Adelaide of a comprehensive victory, and they deserved it.
"They are, no doubt in my mind - and our forward scout has backed this up - the fittest January side going around.
"We've been away a long time and one of the things you don't know is the residual effect of how you are going to play.
"We came off altitude down to here. Technically, you should have a lot more go in you at sea level.
"But they are young men and they have been away from home for a long time. We took the gamble with that because we went to altitude training not for one game.
"We went to altitude training because we wanted to be better for the whole year.
"The effect of that, and the test of that, will be over the next three or four months.
The match was the only NAB Cup game this weekend, with the remaining seven first-round matches to be played next weekend.
Collingwood 3.3 (21) 4.5 (29) 7.10 (52) 7.13 (55)
Adelaide 3.2 (20) 2.9.4 (76) 2.12.7 (97) 4.15.10 (136)
