5 THINGS WE LEARNED
It was a close contest at Marvel Stadium on Friday night as the Pies fell 6 points short to Richmond. Tipped to be one of the best sides in the competition again for 2021, it was great for the Pies to be able to test their pre-season work against such strong opposition.
Here are 5 things we learned from the match:
1. Jordan De Goey and Brodie Grundy are a match made in heaven.
It didn’t take long, but De Goey and Grundy are back to their best in 2021.
On their own wavelength at stoppages, Grundy was able to finesse the ball into the lap of a De Goey at full speed on multiple occasions.
De Goey hit the scoreboard playing a majority of the night in the midfield. His attack on the football help lift the side as the Pies got back into the game during the third quarter.
The Pies had 2019 Grundy on Friday night, dominate in the ruck and had Toby Nankervis and Collier-Dawkins chasing him around Marvel Stadium all match.
2. Cox up forward is crucial to the Pies ball movement.
In the second half the Pies saw what they’ve been missing from Cox in the past couple of years. Plagued by an eye injury since 2019, Cox hasn’t been able to stretch together a good run of form.
But if Friday night is anything to go off, Cox is such a valuable part of the Pies forward line structure.
Cox took a great mark in front of the pack mid-way through the 3rd quarter to kick start the Pies resurgence. He earned a free-kick soon after and put his second through the big sticks. His third major came from a classic Cox pack mark, and he went back and slotted it.
What was equally as impressive was the 40m kick to Trey Ruscoe who was able to beat two Richmond defenders and run into an open goal.
3. Isaac Quaynor is ready to explode into 2021.
Will the Pies be looking back at 2021 as the year Isaac Quaynor made a name as one of the better intercepting players in the competition? If Friday night’s match was anything to go off then it just might be.
From the get go, Quaynor’s ability to read the ball off the Richmond boot was very impressive.
Typified by several intercepting marks, coupled with strong tackling; Quaynor’s 2021 is shaping up to be a break out year.
Quaynor ended the game with 9 intercept possessions, 23 disposals and 4 marks.
4. Jeremy Howe is still Jeremy Howe
It’s been a long time coming but it was fantastic to see Jeremy Howe running around in the black and white on Friday night.
Howe doesn’t look like he’s missed a beat.
With 20 disposals at 95% disposal efficiency and 316 meters gained, Howe’s rebounding off half-back alongside John Noble, Jack Crisp and Brayden Maynard helped get the Pies back in the game during the second half.
5. The boys don’t give up.
Despite the score not being overly important in a pre-season game, fans should be buoyed by the fact that the Pies did not take the foot off the pedal.
Three goals late in the last quarter from Darcy Cameron got the Pies back in the game after being four goals down with only minutes to go.
Scott Pendlebury pushed forward with Darcy Moore and the intensity went through the roof.
Pendlebury’s 24 disposals, 6 clearances and a match high 9 tackles exemplifying the pressure and intent required to compete against a strong Richmond side.
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COLLINGWOOD 2.3 3.5 6.7 11.8 (74)
RICHMOND 4.3 6.8 8.9 11.14 (80)
GOALS
Collingwood: Cox 3, Cameron 3, De Goey 2, Daicos, Elliott, Ruscoe
BEST
Collingwood: De Goey, Cox, Maynard, Crisp, Howe, Pendlebury
