Beatable, yet hard to beat: The hard calls facing Collingwood

4 hours ago 4

To the delight of many who’ve tired of that monotonous slow chant, of watching Peter Daicos high-fiving in the stands, and even of Craig McRae’s smiling affability, Collingwood exposed their vulnerabilities against the triumphant Gold Coast Suns.

But, in defeat, the Magpies also displayed formidable strengths.

Craig McRae has plenty to ponder, despite his side sitting atop the ladder.

It was a weird game. The Magpies didn’t kick a goal until the third quarter, trailed by 40 points (7.7 to 0.9) and yet, as they do, utterly reversed the momentum and snatched the lead in the last quarter after Jamie Elliott’s third goal. It took the sublime intervention of Noah Anderson to secure the coming-of-age victory for the Suns.

Billed as a test of Gold Coast’s maturity and mettle, it also posed some questions of Collingwood, who reminded everyone that a) they’re quite beatable against quality opposition, and b) that you have to beat them two or three times in the same game.

Six games remain in their home-and-away season and the Magpies are first, with 14 wins and three defeats – two of them by under a kick. This loss was their first since the night of the federal election, when there was a Patrick Dangerfield-inspired late swing to the Cats, who still had to wait until after the siren to see if Jack Crisp would nail the shot.

The Magpies have the same win-loss ratio as Sydney had this time last year, when the Swans were beginning to show the cracks that the Lions prised open on grand final day; Sydney’s lock on a top two berth – really on top spot – was stronger than Collingwood’s this year. Two wins should secure top four for the Pies, three or four more will be necessary for top two.

The Magpies, though, are more formidable than the Swans of 2024, who were up early, like roosters, but had a less-sustainable model for winning the premiership.

Sydney were excessively reliant on Chad Warner, Errol Gulden, Nick Blakey and especially Isaac Heeney; they did not own a single gun key-position player at either end, and were thin in attack. John Longmire had much less material to work with than McRae.

Collingwood’s strengths are three-fold.

First is the relatively large number of very capable and sound footballers in their best 23, Collingwood’s coalition of the (highly) competent having increased with the additions of Dan Houston, Harry Perryman and Tim Membrey.

There’s a depth of good players within their best team, albeit they would be in strife without either of the Mr Darcys (Moore and Cameron) or Nick Daicos.

Second – they have exceptional leadership in their ranks. It was hardly a shock that there was an abrupt shift when Scott Pendlebury took the field after half-time, replacing another on-field coach in Jeremy Howe (groin); Pendlebury is the game’s time lord.

Third – while talented, they are a formidable system team; to beat them, you have to penetrate what a fan dubbed “the Fly trap” – a defensive method that makes the opposition work hard for scores, even when Collingwood are losing territory and clearances.

On Friday night, they were smashed in the first half, yet held the Suns to 69 points by the end.

The weaknesses? They can be sluggish in the middle, have periods of losing ascendancy in the contest/clearances, and are more reliant on senior citizens – those same superb leaders (Steele Sidebottom another) – than any other rival. Their excess/abundance of experience is both advantage and vulnerability.

I guessed that they would struggle to contend in 2025, on the grounds that the age profile would bring injuries. To date, that assessment has been awry.

They don’t have depth in tall backs, hence the need for Moore to remain intact and even for Billy Frampton’s return. Howe will be sorely missed against the Dockers next week, given Frampton won’t be there either.

The Pies are comparable to themselves in 2023, although the superstitious among their hordes will also remember 2011, when they lost momentum late in the season and were overrun by Geelong, their bete noir, in the grand final.

The events of 2011 are as relevant to McRae’s team as the 1958 grand final, or the battle of the Somme. This team has a knack for confounding history. They do so by living in the now and “managing the moments”, as the coach says.

McRae and his match committee have some hard calls ahead if they are to secure what would be a remarkable second flag inside three seasons.

Jordan De Goey’s body has failed him in 2025. Can he get back and if he does, whose spot does he take? If Collingwood are accustomed to life without De Goey, they must be mindful of his capacity to deliver in September. This column’s guess is that the dice will be rolled, provided there are no further breakdowns.

Mason Cox, who performed quite well on Friday night – holding rather than dropping most marks – is another vexing call for the Magpies.

It does not seem feasible to have Cox combined with Cameron, Daniel McStay and Membrey. That McStay’s ruckwork is iffy is a further complication.

Tom Mitchell returned for his first game in a year against hapless Carlton, and the 2018 Brownlow medallist predictably thrived against a midfield that runs at his chugging velocity.

In the first half on Friday, Mitchell was exposed for pace and did not deliver the ball well by foot, as Anderson and Matt Rowell owned the footy. McRae has to decide if he can risk a midfield with Mitchell, Sidebottom (who was sub par v the Suns), Pendlebury and the hard-working but limited Ned Long.

Friday night’s Carrara clash turned when Josh Daicos went on to the ball, which also permitted Dan Houston more licence to attack from half-back.

Was this move a break-glass ploy, or one that McRae should persist with in the remaining home-and-away games? Greater football minds than mine will sort that one.

The optimistic view of Collingwood’s defeat is that they got off the floor when trailing by 40 points on the road, without six of their best 23, namely Brody Mihocek (“managed”), Pat Lipinski (ditto), Frampton, Beau McCreery, De Goey and Bobby Hill, who missed for the third week due to personal issues and was called “day to day” by McRae.

In the remaining rounds, McRae won’t be managing the moments so much as managing bodies and minds, minimising risks while striving to keep that top-two spot and maintain the premiership mojo.

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