COLLINGWOOD is a game clear in the top four after a 40-point win over the Brisbane Lions at the MCG on Saturday night.
Trailing by 14 points at half time, the Magpies kicked five goals in the third quarter and held the Lions to two behinds after visiting captain Jonathan Brown (five goals) had threatened to cause an upset.
Even with full-back Simon Prestigiacomo missing with concussion for three quarters, wayward Collingwood was able to overrun the Lions to see the final scores 12.23 (95) to 8.7 (55).
Weight of midfield possession encouraged the influence of Scott Pendlebury (10 third-quarter disposals for a total of 36) while Leon Davis (24), Dane Swan (36) and Alan Didak (29) were also important.
Simon Black (27 possessions), playing the 250th game of a decorated career, was among the Lions' best after dominating the early stages and eventually shaking a second-term tag.
> Watch the team sing the song in the rooms after the win
The victory gives Collingwood a one-game buffer over the Lions and Adelaide, which lost to Geelong by two points earlier in the day; a handy advantage given the Pies travel to play the Crows next week.
They could have won by more if not for some inaccurate kicking for goal and after the main break needed a spark to kick off the third term.
It came in the opening minute with a brilliant mark and goal from John Anthony.
Minutes later Davis did what Davis does, booting a difficult running goal from deep in the forward pocket.
The Magpies were within a point and had all the momentum. After Thomas' third goal of the game, they had the lead and did not look back.
Davis and Pendlebury dominated the third term in the respective forward and midfield roles.
It was in stark contrast to the opening of the match when the night looked set to belong to the Lions, in particular Brown.
He had clashed heads with opponent Prestigiacomo early in the first quarter, forcing the groggy defender from the ground and into the Collingwood rooms.
Prestigiacomo did not return until midway through the fourth term to the rapturous applause of the Magpie faithful.
Leigh Brown took over the duties against the big Lion who was in his element, booting three first-quarter goals to send the Lions as much as 18 points ahead.
Despite the result and a quieter second half, Brown was easily his side's best player of the night.
> Watch Harry O'Brien speak to CTV in the MCG rooms after the round 18 win over the Brisbane Lions
Collingwood did not shut him down by finding a winning match-up but instead nullified his influence through pressure on the Lions' main ball-winners.
Whenever their running defenders and midfielders looked to counter-attack, they struggled to spot targets within the Collingwood flood.
They clearly missed the presence of Daniel Bradshaw for a second game while Jared Brennan was well covered by Harry O'Brien.
The second term was a true arm wrestle until exciting Pie Dale Thomas inserted a bit of magic with a snap goal from 20 metres.
Thomas' goal gave his side the lead after it had trailed the Lions by nine points at quarter time but three goals in time-on gave the visitors a 14-point buffer at the main break.
Mitch Clark starred in the ruck against former teammate Cameron Wood, while Daniel Merrett enjoyed his night of new experiences.
He presented well in an unfamiliar role forward and, after kicking the first goal of the game, worked hard to help his teammates out.
But the highlight of his night came in the dying minutes of the second term when he took an uncharacteristic speccie on the shoulders of Magpie Heath Shaw.
Collingwood 2.4 4.8 9.14 12.23 (95)
Brisbane Lions 4.1 7.4 7.6 8.7 (55)
GOALS
Collingwood: Thomas 3, Davis 2, Beams 2, Pendlebury, Didak, Medhurst, Anthony, O’Bree
Brisbane Lions: Brown 5, Sherman, Rischitelli, Merrett
BEST
Collingwood: Pendlebury, Davis, Cloke, Swan, Didak, Maxwell, Medhurst
Brisbane Lions: Brown, Clark, McGrath, Black, Sherman
INJURIES
Collingwood: Prestigiacomo (head), Dawes replaced in selected side by Goldsack
Brisbane Lions: Bradshaw (hamstring) replaced in selected side by Roe
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Vozzo, Grun, Chamberlain
Official crowd: 47,268 at the MCG
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the club.
