NEW NAMES, same old result.
Collingwood was forced to make four changes ahead of Mother’s Day, but have uncovered a deeper squad after a range of fresh faces helped deliver the four points at Marvel Stadium on Sunday.
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.
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, three goal assists and a goal of his own, after hitting the post twice with his first two shots.
Fin Macrae and Reef McInnes both kicked three goals to take the most of their shot back in the senior side, following a raft of injuries.
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.
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 and seven clearances in another brilliant display, while Josh collected 28 disposals. Pendlebury finished 28 disposals and Crisp was influential with 32 touches and a goal.
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. Craig McRae’s side are now half a game outside the top-four and now have a deeper squad to push for back-to-back flags.
