Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final Collingwood 7.5 9.5 11.7 16.8 104 Geelong 0.3 3.7 6.10 11.14 80
Going to the footy can be a lot like going to local theatre: you go in with little hope but sometimes the performance produces ineffable delight.
When I took my seat at the MCG on a mild Saturday afternoon, my neighbour asked if I was confident.
"Yes," I replied. "Of a Geelong victory."
As I munched my sandwiches, little did I expect what was to come. In that amazing first quarter, we saw unfold before us one of those magical performances.
We'd had an appetiser the week before, remotely, in a distant ground. But the opposition was not considered serious so it was hard to calibrate our victory's significance. Then we kept Brisbane scoreless for over a quarter. This week, a mighty opponent was kept goalless.
In the stands, replaying the first quarter in my mind, I thought there had been some little signs. Before the first bounce, the entire Geelong defence went en masse to intimidate Collingwood's American giant, Mason Cox. I thought it suggested that they considered him a major concern. They were actually signalling that they were intimidated by him. Early in the first quarter, Hawkins had snapped from about 15m and had hit the post. I'm not sure that I can reliably read body language from across the other side of the ground, 4 levels up, but it looked to me like there had been a touch of panic in the kick.
The first 8-10 minutes were an arm wrestle. Once Collingwood broke through for the first goal, there was a change in the space-time continuum. The Cats were rattled and the Pies grew in confidence. From then on, rarely did a Geelong player have time and space to play convincingly. On the other hand, Collingwood were now doing to Geelong what I had complained about West Coast doing to us. The Pies seemed to have superior numbers at every contest. They were the ones who had time and space - and choices. And they were making good choices, playing on at every opportunity. The team that had been so static for 7 weeks, was now playing frenetic, fierce football. Despite having many more possessions for the quarter, the Pies recorded many more tackles.
As we now know, it did not last. Collingwood lost every other quarter. But let's not forget, Geelong is a quality opponent; even if, on this day, they were not at their best. They put up a fight and got to within 8 points. An earlier Collingwood would have folded; but not today. They regrouped, they took chances, they played boldly and they fought back to win by 24 points.
Changes
Ben Sinclair was out with concussion again. He's not having much luck. Reid came in to take his place.
Positives
How many are there? Let me count the ways.
Sidebottom, Treloar, Pendlebury, Crisp, Adams, Howe, Greenwood, Grundy, Maynard, Moore, Blair, Fasolo, Cox. Probably several others. I don't recall any passengers.
Intensity.
Team work.
Eminently watchable and delightful footy.
Reasonable accuracy in front of goals.
Although Collingwood lost the last 3 quarters, they survived the last quarter onslaught. Geelong threw everything at Collingwood, but Collingwood steadied and kicked 5 of the last 7 goals.
Negatives
Collingwood still has an alarming tendency to leak goals. Having kicked 3 goals in the first 3 quarters, Geelong kicked 3 in the first 7 minutes of the last quarter. A 27-point 3/4-time lead was reduced to 8 points in a twinkling.
I think that was the only negative.
The wrap
Going in, all I wanted was for Collingwood to be competitive and to play like a team. I got that and more. For the first time this year, Collingwood showed a glimpse - more than a glimpse - of the sort of footy that was expected of them. Despite the missing personnel.
We may not always win games such as this, but there will be reason to go to the game.
Another test next week.
Sources, Notes, Footnotes, References
http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_match_statistics?mid=6245
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-match-centre/collingwood-v-geelong-live-afl-round-nine-from-the-mcg-20160521-gp0hwd.html
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