COLLINGWOOD has marched into a preliminary final after belting the Western Bulldogs by 62 points at the MCG on Saturday night.
The Magpies proved far too good for the Bulldogs in their qualifying final, taking control in the first half before cruising to victory 17.22 (124) to 8.14 (62).
However the win may have come at a cost, with midfield improver Sharrod Wellingham appearing to suffer a serious lower-leg injury.
Other than that injury blow, it was pretty much all good news for the black and white, despite Mick Malthouse’s team once again being plagued by goal-kicking yips.
> Watch Nathan Brown speak to CTV in the rooms after the winCollingwood again spread its goals and had a wealth of contributors.
Dane Swan (39 disposals and three goals) and Scott Pendlebury (30 and two goals) were the best as they dominated the middle while captain Nick Maxwell played the loose man role superbly in defence.
The Bulldogs started well but couldn’t hit the scoreboard despite enjoying the bulk of possession in the opening 10 minutes.
After Pendlebury came off the bench and kicked the game’s first 13 minutes in, his team grew in confidence.
The Pies had only managed 3.6 by the first break but had a 19-point lead.
Mitch Hahn took advantage of a 50m penalty to get the Dogs on the board a few minutes into the second, and his team did manage back-to-back goals later in the term, but most of the footy was being played in the Pies’ half.
Collingwood was wasteful in the second quarter but dominated play, booting 4.9 to 3.2 and its 32-point break at the long change should have been more.
Still, it didn’t matter.
> Watch the team sing the song after the winThe Pies booted four goals to two in the third term and then, with Alan Didak booting one of the goals of the year, rubbed salt into the wound in the final term as Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade started to rest players in preparation for next week.
Collingwood now advances to a preliminary final against the winner of next week’s Geelong-Fremantle clash.
Collingwood 3.6 7.15 11.18 17.22 (124)
Western Bulldogs 0.5 3.7 5.11 8.14 (62)
GOALS
Collingwood: Swan 3, Sidebottom 3, L. Brown 2, Didak 2, Pendlebury 2, Cloke, Thomas, Dawes, Davis, Jolly
Western Bulldogs: Griffen 2, Hall 2, Higgins 2, Hahn, Giansiracusa
BEST
Collingwood: Swan, Maxwell, Pendlebury, Thomas, O’Brien, Ball
Western Bulldogs: Griffen, Murphy, Hudson, Gilbee, Cross
INJURIES
Collingwood: Wellingham (foot)
Western Bulldogs: Ward (elbow), Lake (arm)
Reports: Hall (Western Bulldogs) for using abusive language towards umpire Nicholls in the second quarter.
Umpires: Vozzo, Nicholls, Chamberlain
Official crowd: 66,545 at the MCG
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
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