WHO needs a settled pre-season? Not Jordan De Goey, whose rise from the outhouse to the penthouse has continued, with a career-best six-goal haul that helped spark Collingwood to a 28-point win over St Kilda at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.
De Goey missed the start of the season courtesy of a club-imposed suspension and then an injured hamstring, but since his return in round four he has given the Magpies (5-4) an X-factor close to goal that now has them knocking on the door of the eight.
MAGPIES SINK SORRY SAINTS Full match coverage and stats
The 22-year-old booted three goals in the second term as the Pies kicked away to a 16-point lead, but some quick and direct football got the Saints back in the game and they even took a one-point lead into half-time.
But the Pies dominated the third term with seven goals to two to take a firm grip on the game. There was some luck involved, however. They hit the front at the 11-minute mark following a goal to Josh Thomas after a missed free kick to St Kilda youngster Nick Coffield for an arm chop.
From the bounce Collingwood got the ball to Daniel Wells who goalled with the assist from Will Hoskin-Elliott, who should have been penalised for a hold on a St Kilda defender.
WATCH: De Goey's classy snap
And De Goey then got his fifth major when the Pies swooped on a dreadful kick from St Kilda’s Rowan Marshall that badly missed his target. The youngster wasn't just dragged from the ground but was taken into the tunnel behind the interchange bench to be spoken to by coach Alan Richardson, who spent the evening coaching from the boundary line. Somewhere, former Saints coach Ken Sheldon, who did the same to Craig Devonport, also against Collingwood in 1992, would have nodded his approval.
By and large, the Saints (1-1-7) could not be faulted for their energy. And for that brief time in the second term they played brave and direct footy that for a few minutes, had the Pies on the back foot.
STRAIGHT SHOOTER Five talking points
But they couldn't sustain it for long and their field kicking didn't hold up for long enough. And they were wayward in front of goal once again, unable to apply enough scoreboard pressure when they held the edge. With key forwards Josh Bruce and Paddy McCartin again watching from the stands, they needed Tim Membrey to straighten his kicking, but he finished with 0.3. Officially, he has the yips and it was left to Jack Newnes with a career-best four goals to provide a target.
WATCH: Newnes kicks one through the big sticks
Only once this year have the Saints kicked more goals than behinds.
Collingwood welcomed back skipper Scott Pendlebury and he glided through the midfield with 30 possessions and a superb left-foot snap in the third term as the Pies kicked away. Steele Sidebottom was prolific with 38 possessions, while Jack Crisp and Jeremy Howe, with 30 touches each, provided great drive from half-back.
“It was frustrating at times but for the second week in a row we made adjustments at half time to get things back how we wanted it,” said Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley. “It was a strong enough performance for what we wanted to see.”
GAMEBREAKER Watch Jordan De Goey's six-goal haul
Apart from Newnes, Luke Dunstan (32), Seb Ross and Jack Steven (both 29) won plenty of the ball for the Saints.
But it’s not much good getting the ball if you can’t use it properly. It has been the story of St Kilda so far in 2018 and there isn’t much evidence to suggest it will change any time soon.
“They took their opportunities, we didn’t and we were disappointed with that facet of our play,” coach Alan Richardson said.
MEDICAL ROOM
St Kilda: Key back Nathan Brown suffered a medial ligament strain late in the third term and is set to miss a couple of weeks.
Collingwood: More ill-luck for small forward Alex Fasolo who will undergo scans this week to learn the extent of a syndesmosis injury. It was his first game back for 2018.
NEXT UP
No let-up for the Saints, who are at the MCG on Saturday afternoon to play ladder-leading Richmond. The Pies are back at Etihad on Friday night – as the home team – to take on the Western Bulldogs.
ST KILDA 3.5 7.7 9.9 10.12 (72)
COLLINGWOOD 3.3 7.6 14.7 15.10 (100)
GOALS
St Kilda: Newnes 4, Lonie 2, Gresham 2, Billings, Savage
Collingwood: De Goey 6, Stephenson 2, Wells 2, Hoskin-Elliott 2, Thomas, T. Phillips, Pendlebury
BEST
St Kilda: Steven, Newnes, Dunstan, Sinclair, Brown
Collingwood: De Goey, Sidebottom, Pendlebury, Howe, Crisp, T. Phillips
INJURIES
St Kilda: Brown (leg)
Collingwood: Fasolo (right ankle)
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Margetts, O'Gorman, Harris
Official crowd: 33,994 at Etihad Stadium
