Collingwood have kicked off season 2023 in sensational trend with a 22-point win over reigning premiers Geelong on the MCG on Friday evening in a highly-entertaining rematch of their epic qualifying ultimate.
In entrance of 86,595 followers – the second-biggest home-and-away crowd for a match that includes these two groups – the Pies snapped Geelong’s second-longest successful streak of 16 matches in a 19.11 (125) to 16.7 (103) stunner to get the Cats’ premiership defence off to a shaky begin.
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For a lot of the evening, Geelong’s unbelievable accuracy (they have been 16.1 at one stage) saved them within the sport as Collingwood dominated common play, with wholesome leads in inside-50s and clearances for essentially the most half, however did not convert that benefit onto the scoreboard.
The Magpies’ wastefulness regarded prefer it may cost a little them the sport after they discovered themselves 22 factors down 26 minutes into the third quarter.
However the extra energetic Pies didn’t relent, booting the ultimate eight objectives, together with two from sub Reef McInnes, to run proper excessive of the exhausted Cats who ran out of puff and didn’t rating within the ultimate quarter till the 29-minute mark.
In the long run, the Cats buckled beneath the sheer weight of statistical numbers because the Magpies completed effectively clear in disposals (372-313), contested possessions (135-128), clearances (45-36), marks (105-69), inside 50s (62-46) and scoring photographs (30-23).
The Pies made their mark in 2022 by successful 9 of 10 video games by seven factors or much less however did it significantly simpler within the opening match of 2023.
Jordan De Goey franked his pre-season kind with a best-on-ground efficiency that noticed him register 25 touches and three objectives, whereas at 35 years of age, Scott Pendlebury as soon as once more proved himself to be the Benjamin Button of the AFL, delivering an influential efficiency which included 27 disposals (10 contested), eight tackles and a purpose.
The previous Collingwood captain’s successor Darcy Moore (9 intercepts) began his reign in tremendous model too with a dominant efficiency down again, whereas Tom Mitchell (21 touches, 11 clearances and two objectives) and Bobby Hill (three objectives) began their life in black and white in thrilling trend. Dynamic brother duo Nick (35) and Josh Daicos (27) additionally had an enormous say in proceedings, combining for 62 possessions.
