Collingwood defeats Geelong in epic clash at MCG

Twenty-four hours after a season-opener that delivered a low-scoring draw between Richmond and Carlton, Collingwood and Geelong produced another epic encounter between these two modern-day rivals that ended in a 19.11 (125) to 16.7 (103) result.

The Daicos brothers run riot

The Daicos brothers ran riot from start to finish, exposing the Cats on the wide expanses of the MCG with their deep range of precise, deft foot skills on either side of the body.

Debut season star shines again

After winning the Rising Star in a brilliant debut season, Nick finished with 35 disposals and 579 metres gained to start season two, while Josh amassed 27 disposals on a wing, just days after the passing of their grandfather.

Magpies dominate clearances

Box office star Jordan De Goey backed up his brilliant pre-season form with 25 possessions and three goals in a dominant display around the ball, combining with Brownlow medallist Tom Mitchell, who collected 21 disposals, 11 clearances and two goals in his first outing in black and white, and the evergreen Scott Pendlebury, who collected 27 touches and had a few moments where he made time stand still. After being ranked 15th for clearances in 2022, the Magpies won that important statistic on Friday night by seven, amassing nine more stoppage clearances on the back of Mitchell and De Goey’s form in tight.

Geelong’s winning streak comes to an end

Geelong started the night with its four most recent premiership cups on the MCG, but heads back down the highway after it had no answers late to a Collingwood outfit that ended its 16-game winning streak.

Welcome back, Bobby!

Welcome back, Bobby! While it was all about Tom Mitchell and Dan McStay in October, it was all about Bobby Hill on Friday night. In not just his first game at his new club, but in his first game since recovering from testicular cancer, Hill showed he won’t be opening the door for Jack Ginnivan to return to the senior side any time soon. The former Giant kicked an equal career-high three goals and was involved in others, standing up on the big stage first up to provide the Magpies with another avenue to goal.

Acknowledging the Traditional Custodians

In the spirit of reconciliation, the AFL acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea, and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.

Credit: https://www.afl.com.au/news/883461/pies-rise-above-stars-sickening-injury-to-down-cats-in-a-classic

ENND