MATCH REPORT
Collingwood
vs Sydney: Match Review - Johnson#26
In one of the most hard fought games of the season, Sydney prevailed over the Magpies by 6 points. In a tough encounter all night, Sydney defender Tadhg Kennelly broke free from a Nathan Buckley tackle and goaled from 50 meters out to give the Swans the lead. Minutes later, Michael O'Loughlan sank the Pies as he cooly slotted the goal from 50 meters out on the boundry. With the loss goes Collingwood's season. The Pies now need to win seven of their last eight games to have a spot in the eight, which is now very unlikely, considering we have Fremantle in Perth and Brisbane to come.
After Ryan O'Keefe scored the first goal of the match, Collingwood answered with four of the next five goals to get out to an eleven point lead. However, Swans Barry Hall and Matthew Nicks goaled to put the Swan up by eleven points at the first change. Buckley and Holland were the best for the Pies while Shane Wakelin struggled to keep Hall quiet.
Collingwood scored the first two goals of the 2nd quarter, with crumbers Brodie Holland and Leon Davis scoring their first majors. After Nicks scored his second for the evening, big Anthony Rocca marked strongly and then kicked truely from 50 to give the Pies a six point lead at the half time break.
In the 3rd quarter, both sides went from one end to the other in quick succesion and pepperd the goals, only to see Sydney kick straight and Collingwood wayward. Matthew Lokan had the chance to put Collingwood in front with a long bomb on the run from 60, only to see it ram into the post. In a four goal to two quarter, Sydney went into the last change leading by four points. Nathan Buckley, well held by star tagger Brett Kirk broke free for a telling nine possesions and one goal.
With Collingwood's season on the line in the last quarter they threw everything at the Swans. Josh Fraser marked strongly in the goal square and kicked truely to give the Pies the lead. But Sydney raced to the other end of agoal of their own. Mark McGough had the chance to break the game open when on the run from 35 meters out but missed badly. Brodie Holland goaled before Cameron Cloke marked on the 50 and miss-kicked his shot for goal. The ball skidded through under the pack without anyone egtting a finger tip to it and a goal was paid, giving the Pies the lead. But Sydney did not lay down. Kennelly took the ball from a stoppage on the outer win and charged towards goal, breaking the Nathan Buckley tackle and goaling from 50 to give the Swans the lead.Soon after, O'Loughlan killed off the Magpies finals hopes by goaling from 50 out on the boundry. The Magpies peppered the goals but couldn't find the big sticks, ending up going down by six points. The loss signaled the end of the Pies season, now needing at least seven more wins to make the eight.
Player Review:
Leon Davis: 2/10 - Way too soft and quiet. Needs to wake up fast and actually win his own ball and not be a reciever. If he could do that he would be one of the sides most important players.
Shane Woewodin: 5.5/10 - Not his best night but not the worst. Always used the ball well and is a clear thinker.
Ryan Lonie: 7/10 - Best match for the year so far. Used on the wing and half forward flank, Lonie's penetrating kicks and clear thinking we a feature all night. Showed he also knows where the goals are, with two majors of his own.
Alan Didak: 2/10 - Sat on the pine for most of the night, which is surprising given his recent form. Needs to win his own ball and go in harder, although sitting on the bench for most of the night would not have installed much confidence in him.
Nathan Buckley: 8/10 - Back to his best with 22 disposals. Tagged by Kirk and beat him, showing the way all evening. Now that he is fully fit, he is ready to move back to the midfield perminantly.
Brodie Holland: 5/10 - Not as productive as in recent times but still played his part with two goals.
James Clement: 8.5/10 - Bets on ground once more. His cool head and long kicking as always got the Pies out of dangers. Showed real leadership in the last quarter, putting his body on the line for the 1%ers, such as little knock on's to a team mate.
Richard Cole: 6/10 - Continues his rise in senior footy. Won the ball well in defence and provided drive.
Shane Wakelin: 4.5/10 - Struggled to keep Hall in check but tried as hard as ever.
Scott Burns: 6/10 - Queiter night then usuaral but still provided grunt and vigour around the packs. A real on field leader.
Paul Licuria: 7.5/10 - Continued his good form, wining the ball at will and using it well. He never stopped running and creating and is to be commended for his efforts.
Guy Richards: 3/10 - Tried his heart out in the ruck but was beaten by Ball at the finish. Should be proud of his efforts.
Rhyce Shaw: 1/10 - Pretty hard to mark a guy who sat on the pine for almost the whole night. The question has to be asked: Why does a player like Shaw sit on the bench when the game is there to be won when he is the player who can break the game open?
Anthony Rocca: 4.5/10 - First game back from injuy and wasn't in top form. Can't affort to sit in the goal square for most of the night.
Tarkyn Lockyer: 6.5/10 - Best match since his injuries. Ran hard, used the ball well and a little bit of that Lockyer determination was evident.
Josh Fraser: 6/10 - Good game. Tried hard to lift his side but couldn't do it alone up forwrad.
Ben Johnson: 3/10 - Quietest match for a long time. Surprisingly sat on the bench for most of the night before coming on in the last quarter to hit the packs with some vigour.
Mark McGough: 3/10 - Similar to Johnson and Didak. Why was he on the bench for so long? When on, got front and centre often and his creative handball was a feature. Possibly cost the team the season with his miss from 35 out.
Matthew Lokan: 2/10 - Badly out of form. Williamstown bekons for a guy who has played 38 games in a row.
Cameron Cloke: 5/10 - Still continues his improvement. Led well, marked well but needed to score more goals to be a better contributer.
Jason Cloke: 2/10 - See Didak, Shaw and Johnson. Why was he on the bench for so long? He would have been handy dropping back in front of Hall.
Simon Prestigiacomo: 3.5/10 - Not the Presti of old. Looks out of form and fitness. Will be better for the run.