Collingwood’s AFL team’s thrilling win over Kuwarna on Saturday afternoon was the highlight of the weekend for the Club’s four sides.
The Pies held strong against the Crows in a breath-taking contest, however it wasn’t to be for the other three sides who contested games.
The VFL and VFLW teams played out a double-header at Victoria Park on Saturday and couldn’t quite get over the line, while the Senior Wheelchair side suffered their first loss of the season at the hands of Richmond.
AFL – Collingwood defeated Kuwarna by four points
Collingwood’s Round 10 clash at the MCG against Kuwarna went right down to the wire, with the Pies triumphing by just four points.
The evergreen Scott Pendlebury got the home side off to a brilliant start, kicking the Pies’ first two goals of the game, as a back-and-forth opening term saw Collingwood lead by seven points at the first change.
A four-goal to three second term characterised by brilliant team pressure saw the likes of Joe Richards and Reef McInnes hit the scoreboard as the Pies continued their fast start.
Kuwarna were hanging in the game however and kicked three goals to close the first half, leaving the margin at 11 points at half time.
A John Noble long bomb in the mid-season draftees 100th game erupted the crowd early in the third term, while McInnes found his second and Jack Crisp his first amongst a 25-disposal game.
Leading by just under three goals at the three-quarter time break, the Pies were in a strong position with a quarter to go, but Kuwarna responded.
Three goals including one from Izak Rankine to put the visitors in front late in the contest made things tense, however a brilliant team play lead to Jordan De Goey’s match-winner with three minutes to go.
The win was the Pies sixth of 2024 and helped them jump into fifth spot on the ladder ahead of a trip to Optus Stadium to take on Walyalup on Friday.
VFLW – Collingwood defeated by Western Bulldogs by 30 points
The Pies went down by 30 points against the Bulldogs on Saturday afternoon in a hard-fought game at Victoria Park.
A three-goal to one first half in favour of the visitors had the game in the balance at the main break, before Akayla Peterson started the third term hot with a crucial goal for the Pies.
That brought the margin within single digits with plenty of time left on the clock, as the Pies’ defence held strong to keep the Bulldogs goalless in the third term.
It wasn’t to be in the end however as the Bulldogs kicked three final quarter goals to confirm the five-goal win.
Peterson and Sophie McIntosh were the Pies’ two goal-kickers, Jaide Anthony (17 touches, four clearances) and Katie Day (16 disposals, six clearances) continued their strong years.
VFL – Collingwood defeated by Werribee by 52 points
It was a tough day for the Club’s VFL side at Victoria Park, going down to 2023 Grand Finalists Werribee by 52 points.
A promising first term through goals to ruck Liam Purcell and forward Ben Crocker helped the Pies get off to a strong start, however Werribee came out strong in the second term.
The visitors piled on five goals to one as they showed their class, with a Patrick Farrant screamer the highlight for the Pies.
The Pies could only manage one goal in the third term as Werribee kept applying their pressure, however the Pies defence was still leading strong through Charlie Dean and Sam Glover.
Despite trailing by 57 points at three-quarter time, the Pies never threw the towel in, winning the final quarter.
Harrison Kennedy and Farrant kicked two goals to open the term, as part of eight scoring shots in a dominant quarter.
Dean (21 disposals, eight marks), Ned Long (20 touches, 11 tackles) and Ed Allan (17 disposals, nine inside fifties) were the strongest players on the day.
The Pies will have a bye this weekend, before taking on Footscray in a curtain-raiser to the AFL game at Marvel Stadium on Friday May 31.
VWFL – Collingwood defeated by Richmond by 42 points
Collingwood’s Senior Wheelchair side went down by seven goals on Sunday against Richmond.
The Pies had won their opening two games of the season convincingly however were coming up against an undefeated opponent in the Tigers.
Collingwood started well with three goals to two in the first quarter, however the Tigers responded by holding them goalless and finding the big sticks six times in the second term.
Ben Jankovski’s side wasn’t prepared to go down without a fight, putting four majors on the board after the main break, but Richmond’s class held firm.
They ran out 42-point winners through an eight-goal second half, handing the Pies their first loss of 2024.
Patrick McKay continued his strong season to date with four goals, while Anthony Perito finished with four his own.
The Pies will take on the fifth-placed Hawthorn this coming Sunday in Round Five.
