AFL – Preliminary Final – The Tiger Train Derailed

What a game of football! Richmond Tigers met the Collingwood Magpies in a Friday night blockbuster at the MCG with both teams eyeing off a Grand Final appearance next week. A crowd of nearly 95,000 supporters flocked to the home of football to see Richmond’s run of 22 consecutive wins at the “G” come to an end with Collingwood walking away 39-point victors.

Richmond were a team full of confidence but they had their motors well and truly matched by a determined Collingwood outfit who brought pressure, excellent ball movement and a dangerous forward line. By quarter time the Pies led by 23 points and held the Tigers to their lowest first quarter score of the year. At the main break the margin extended to 53 points.

Richmond aren’t a team to lie down and they came back at Collingwood to reduce the margin to just over five goals at the final change after Richmond scored a four goals to two third quarter. Early in the final quarter the margin was down to 21 points but Collingwood again took control and kicked away courtesy of goals from Adam Treloar, Brodie Grundy and Jaidyn Stephenson.

Steele Sidebottom, Mason Cox and Jordan De Goey were stand out performers for Collingwood on a night where the entire team stood up. Sidebottom collected a total of 41 possessions and showed plenty of composure in crucial moments, while Cox had a huge second quarter kicking three goals which is when the Tigers really had their work cut out for them. The Pies faithful got right behind Cox with chants of “USA.. USA” echoing through the “G”. Cox had copped his fair share of criticism with quiet performances against West Coast and GWS Giants but rose to the occasion finishing will 11 marks and 15 possessions. De Goey starred for the entire game and finished with four majors.

It was not the Tigers night and there were only a few players in their side that stood out. Dustin Martin came into the game under an injury cloud after sustaining a corked thigh and had little to no impact on the game. Jack Riewoldt produced a heroic one man attempt to keep his side in the game kicking five goals but only had a couple of players helping in the form of Bachar Houli, Trent Cotchin and Dion Prestia.

Collingwood medico’s will be keeping a close eye on Jeremy Howe who appeared to suffer an ankle injury in the second half but returned to the field, albeit a little ginger.

It’s the end of the line for Richmond, their banner read before the game “All aboard the Tiger train running express through September.” Unfortunately, their plans were railroaded after 120 minutes of relentless football from the Pies.

RICHMOND              1.3      2.8       6.10     8.10    (58)
COLLINGWOOD     5.2     10.4     12.7     15.7     (97)

GOALS
Richmond: Riewoldt 5, Higgins 2, Houli
Collingwood: De Goey 4, Cox 3, Crisp 2, Mihocek 2, Varcoe, Treloar, Grundy, Stephenson

BEST 
Richmond: Riewoldt, Cotchin, Houli, Higgins
Collingwood: Sidebottom, Cox, Grundy, Adams, Crisp, De Goey, Greenwood

INJURIES 
Richmond: Nil
Collingwood: Howe (ankle)

Crowd: 94,959 at the MCG