Big, burly Brodie Grundy was all the rage this week after his brilliant showing last round against Hawthorn. But perhaps the hardest test of his young career came against West Coast ruckman Dean Cox, the leading man in the role for the best part of a decade. It was an important contest in the context of the game, too. Entering it, the Eagles were ranked second for hit-outs this season compared to the 18th-ranked Pies. Grundy lost the hit-out count (23-28), but had more impact around the ground and won the duel. Another scalp for the fifth-gamer.
Vote for your best three players in Collingwood's big win over the Eagles for your chance to win a $200 gift voucher at the Collingwood Superstore.
2. Trading places
Grundy came to the club via pick 18 at last year's NAB AFL Draft, which was acquired after the Pies traded premiership player Sharrod Wellingham to the Eagles. Wellingham's debut season at his new club hasn't been smooth; his pre-season ankle injury almost ruined his campaign before it started. He had another injury scare in the first quarter against Collingwood after limping from the field favouring is left ankle, but returned to finish with 14 disposals. Magpies forward Quinten Lynch, also playing against his old side for the first time, kicked two goals, both in the first quarter. Lynch crossed from the Eagles, where he played in the 2006 premiership, to Collingwood at the end of last season as a free agent.
3. 'Dids' he do enough?
Alan Didak returned to the Collingwood line-up for the first time since round 11 in a bid to claim a finals spot. The 30-year-old Magpie has been playing with the club's VFL side and last week hit top form, gathering 33 disposals and kicking a goal. Against West Coast, Didak started as the substitute but came into the game at the start of the third quarter when Luke Ball was subbed out. Each of his 15 possessions was cheered loudly by the Collingwood faithful, and he looked at home zipping around the midfield and half-forward. The Magpie army was in raptures when Didak strolled in to kick a goal in the final term.
4. Macaffer's Gaff-er tape
Andrew Gaff has had to deal with a few new things. Clubs have put more time into him this season, and it's meant taggers have come to him more regularly, making it harder for the young West Coast midfielder to sweep from half-back and set up the play. It was again the case against Collingwood, with Brent Macaffer limiting Gaff's influence. Macaffer, in his 50th game, kept Gaff to only eight first-half possessions when the game was won. He finished with 17, but Gaff became another notch on Macaffer's belt in his season of improvement as a defensive midfielder.
5. History repeats
For the eighth consecutive time, West Coast left the MCG after playing Collingwood on the end of a loss. The Eagles last beat Collingwood at the ground in round two, 1995. In that game, the Eagles kicked five goals to one in the final quarter to win by four points. Current coach John Worsfold had 12 disposals, teammate (and now Gold Coast coach) Guy McKenna had 17, while Jason Ball kicked four goals. For the Magpies, current coach Nathan Buckley had 19 disposals.
