AFL 2021 season: Gold Coast humble Collingwood – as it happened
Collingwood #Collingwood
12.33am EDT 00:33
Q2: 11 mins remaining: Collingwood 2.7 (19) v 4.2 (26) Gold Coast – Two in quicktime from the Suns. This one was finished by Swallow, but it was all about King. The big lad competed strongly in the air, brought the ball to ground, then he was like a honey badger keeping the ball alive until it was shifted to Swallow in space to kick home on the run.
Neither midfield is clicking. It’s a bit of a slog between the arcs and a royal rumble inside them.
12.30am EDT 00:30
Q2: 13 mins remaining: Collingwood 2.7 (19) v 3.2 (20) Gold Coast – And of course, Gold Coast hit the front with their first attack of the quarter. A hopeful punt bounces in the centre square and lands in the Suns’ favour. Lukosius does magnificently, caressing a huge pass fully 60m to King, who can’t miss from near the goalsquare.
12.28am EDT 00:28
Q2: 13 mins remaining: Collingwood 2.7 (19) v 2.2 (14) Gold Coast – Guess what? Gold Coast get one kick out of their backline and then cough it up in midfield… and Collingwood can’t capitalise. At quarter time the Pies must have reorganised to close that switch the Suns executed so well in the opening 20 minutes.
12.26am EDT 00:26
Q2: 14 mins remaining: Collingwood 2.7 (19) v 2.2 (14) Gold Coast – Another Gold Coast turnover has the potential to spell trouble but Collingwood continue to fail to take advantage. The Pies reinforce their inefficiency with ball in hand, sending an entry inside 50 with time and space straight to a red guernsey. It is all black and white this quarter, but Collingwood are yet to make it count on the scoreboard.
12.24am EDT 00:24
Q2: 17 mins remaining: Collingwood 2.6 (18) v 2.2 (14) Gold Coast – Greenwood takes a towering pack mark on the right wing to allow the Suns to escape from defence, but yet again the chain of handballs in midfield are not crisp and the Pies are gifted a turnover. A couple of quick rushed behinds in succession hint at future scoring opportunities.
12.22am EDT 00:22
Q2: 19 mins remaining: Collingwood 2.4 (16) v 2.2 (14) Gold Coast – Sometimes footy looks so easy. De Goey is awarded a free-kick for holding at the bounce. He thumps the ball inside-50, and Moore clunks the contested mark with ease. Hmmm, then he misses a shot he really should have kicked.
12.19am EDT 00:19
Neither side really got their attacking games going in that opening quarter. Both defences were very much on top. The Suns look to have a clear gameplan, and if they can get their outside midfielders in sync you can see how they’ll prosper. Collingwood just need to get the ball forward faster. When they do, they look potent, but they didn’t do so often.
12.15am EDT 00:15
QT: Collingwood 2.3 (15) v 2.2 (14) Gold Coast
Just the one point separating the sides at quarter time.
Chris Burgess and Brodie Grundy battle for possession. Photograph: James Ross/AAP
12.12am EDT 00:12
Q1: 1 mins remaining: Collingwood 2.3 (15) v 2.2 (14) Gold Coast -Lukosius marks a clearing kick but instead of heading back for goal himself he sets it up to the top of the square and Collingwood intercept. The Suns continue to exert pressure, penning the Pies on the edge of their own 50. Eventually they force another turnover and the ball finds Burgess 48m out on a an angle, but he also opts for the conservative kick and the ball is smuggled behind for a point.
12.09am EDT 00:09
Q1: 3 mins remaining: Collingwood 2.3 (15) v 2.1 (13) Gold Coast – Once more the Suns execute plan A, chipping the ball across their back line until they’re out on the right and away down the right wing. They can’t find a clean entry, but it doesn’t matter on this occasion. Pendlebury wins the ball-in but he coughs it up immediately to Rankine who snaps, without finding perfect contact, but enough to lob the ball over Collingwood’s sweepers and bobbling through for his first goal at the MCG.
12.06am EDT 00:06
Q1: 4 mins remaining: Collingwood 2.3 (15) v 1.1 (7) Gold Coast – The Suns have been poor in midfield, especially in transition – both defensively and offensively. They’ve butchered three or four golden opportunities to punish a retreating Collingwood defence, Miller the latest culprit.
12.04am EDT 00:04
Q1: 6 mins remaining: Collingwood 2.3 (15) v 1.1 (7) Gold Coast – Classic 6-6-6 clearance for the Pies. Daicos mops up the clearance, thumps the ball deep early and Cameron is too strong in the 1-1 marking contest. His set shot misses on the narrow side.
12.03am EDT 00:03
Q1: 7 mins remaining: Collingwood 2.2 (14) v 1.1 (7) Gold Coast – We could rename them the Gold Coast Switches such has been their tendency to move the ball from one wing to the other. They look to be out on the right but then cut back to exit on the left, but before they have a chance to deliver to a leading target they turn the ball over and Collingwood break. A handy free-kick in midfield helps them power on before the Suns can flood back and it results in Mihocek’s lead being honoured 40m out straight in front. He kicks his, and his team’s second of the day.
12.01am EDT 00:01
Q1: 9 mins remaining: Collingwood 1.2 (8) v 1.1 (7) Gold Coast – Moore does superbly to take a strong contested mark on right centre wing but by the time he’s handballed infield to Brown, Gold Coast have flooded back. A promising attack is again stymied before it’s had chance to develop. However, on this occasion it still bears fruit when Mihocek is tackled high when he’s scrambling at ground level, but he misses the resulting left-footed snap.
11.58pm EDT 23:58
Q1: 11 mins remaining: Collingwood 1.1 (7) v 1.1 (7) Gold Coast – More through luck than judgement Collingwood work the ball downfield, Daicos to the fore, but again they can’t fashion space for a marking forward. The Suns have looked solid deep in defence, which they’ll need to be, because they’re being cut open in midfield in transition.
11.55pm EDT 23:55
Q1: 13 mins remaining: Collingwood 1.1 (7) v 1.1 (7) Gold Coast – Massive switch from left to right across the defensive 50 is fraught with danger but the Suns get out, and the ball is quickly in King’s hands near the apex of the 50m arc and the boundary line. The set shot is beautifully struck but just clips the far post.
11.53pm EDT 23:53
Q1: 15 mins remaining: Collingwood 1.1 (7) v 1.0 (6) Gold Coast – The Pies are growing into this nicely, transitioning the ball with ease from defensive to attacking 50 – largely via Sidebottom – but they’re lacking penetration into the arc, for now.
11.51pm EDT 23:51
Q1: 17 mins remaining: Collingwood 1.1 (7) v 1.0 (6) Gold Coast – Collingwood get on the board with a behind, without ever threatening a major, then the Suns piece together a methodical attack down the right flank until it’s fisted over the boundary deep inside Collingwood’s defensive 50. The Pies rebound nicely but Collins takes front position to intercept the vital kick. The next clearance is less effective and after a turnover on right centre wing Sidebottom drills a dangerous entry that results in a free to Mihocek 40m out bang in front. He kicks truly to steady Magpie nerves.
11.47pm EDT 23:47
Q1: 19 mins remaining: Collingwood 0.0 (0) v 1.0 (6) Gold Coast – 16 seconds, that’s all it takes for Gold Coast to win the tap, Miller to burst clear, Keane to misread the ball in flight and Burgess to finish smartly with a snap across his body about 25m out.
11.45pm EDT 23:45
Conditions are glorious, by the way. A bright blue sky, the temperature is around 20C, and there’s just the occasional whisper of a breeze across a lush-looking track.
11.44pm EDT 23:44
Both sides are out on the MCG, Collingwood in their traditional black and white, Gold Coast in red. No danger of that shambolic ANZAC Day kit clash this afternoon.
11.37pm EDT 23:37
And if you want some more Collingwood reading material in the ten minutes or so before the opening bounce, you can chew on the choice of the new president, or enjoy the latest chapter in the row with Port Adelaide over the right to wear a replica of Notts County’s black and white stripes.
11.33pm EDT 23:33
Some stats that make pretty ugly reading for Pies supporters:
11.29pm EDT 23:29
Scott Heinrich has cast his eye over both these sides this season. It’s safe to say he hasn’t been impressed.
11.27pm EDT 23:27
Absolutely Harry. For a half it felt like the unbeaten Doggies were laying down a premiership marker, and then the Tigers turned up the pressure to 11 and did what champion sides do.
11.24pm EDT 23:24
In case you’ve missed it, we’re running an in-depth series on the impact of concussion in sport. There’s groundbreaking analysis, exclusive reporting, and leading comment on one of the biggest challenges facing modern sport.
11.16pm EDT 23:16
Gold Coast XXIII
Stuart Dew has named an unchanged 23, backing in the group that did the job against the Swans last time out. Alex Sexton remains the medical sub.
B: H.Greenwood, S.Collins, W.PowellHB: O.Markov, C.Ballard, J.FarrarC: B.Ellis, D.Swallow, S.LemmensHF: N.Holman, C.Graham, J.CorbettF: I.Rankine, B.King, S.FlandersFOLL: C.Burgess, J.Lukosius, T.MillerI/C: B.Ainsworth, N.Anderson, J.Bowes, L.WellerSub: A.Sexton
If the Suns are going to shine this afternoon, much will depend on the form of key forward Ben King. Photograph: Jono Searle/AFL Photos/via Getty Images
11.08pm EDT 23:08
Collingwood XXIII
Nathan Buckley has cut four members of his ANZAC Day squad in a bid to keep Collingwood’s season alive. Out go youngsters Trey Ruscoe, Will Kelly, and Tyler Brown, as well as defender Jack Madgen.
The list of ins is headlined by Jordan De Goey, who returns following a concussion, while Mark Keane is back after suspension, and veteran Chris Mayne comes in to add his graft and experience. There’s also a debut for Caleb Poulter, the club’s third first-gamer in as many weeks.
B: B.Maynard, J.Roughead, I.QuaynorHB: J.Crisp, M.Keane, J.NobleC: N.Murphy, S.Pendlebury, C.PoulterHF: D.Cameron, D.Moore, B.McCreeryF: C.Brown, J.De Goey, J.ThomasFOLL: B.Grundy, J.Daicos, S.SidebottomI/C: W.Hoskin-Elliott, F.Macrae, B.Mihocek, C.MayneSub: J. Rantall
IN: M.Keane, C.Poulter, J.De Goey, C.MayneOUT: T.Ruscoe, J.Madgen, T.Brown, W.Kelly
193cm midfielder Caleb Poulter is certain to catch the eye on debut for Collingwood. Photograph: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images
10.48pm EDT 22:48
Preamble 
Hello everybody and welcome to live coverage of Collingwood v Gold Coast from the MCG. This round 7 clash gets underway at 1.45pm.
It’s been another bruising week for the Magpies (aren’t they all?) following a disappointing defeat to Essendon in last Sunday’s ANZAC Day clash. The future of the out-of-contract Nathan Buckley has once again dominated the footy agenda, a subject magnified by confusion of the state of Collingwood’s list and whether the club remains final contenders or in a state of rebuild. If that wasn’t enough, the club was once again embroiled in the PR disaster that is Eddie v Kochie in the battle of the bars.
The Suns appear to be where they have been for years, namely no-man’s land. Another talented list continues to underwhelm and after promising early signs pressure is mounting on a well-credentialed coach. Injuries continue to dog them, but it is an excuse that only carries so far. Arriving into today’s game with a 2-4 record, against an opponent second-last on the ladder, four points could galvanise their season and prove they have the mettle to grind out important results. Another defeat and it’ll be a long run home in the wilderness for the Queenslanders.
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Scott Pendlebury and the rest of the Collingwood squad will need to rebound from their disappointing ANZAC Day defeat. Photograph: Michael Willson/AFL Photos/Getty Images
Updated at 10.53pm EDT