Pies’ ‘cruel, bitter twist’ in sad injury blow… but still power past Roos for seventh straight – 3-2-1

Collingwood lost Steele Sidebottom to a knee injury in his milestone 300th match, but still powered on to a big 35-point win over North Melbourne, 16.9 (105) to 10.10 (70).

Sidebottom got subbed out of the game midway through the first quarter in a cruel blow for the veteran, with the club confirming he suffered an MCL injury.

It mattered not though as the top-of-the-table Magpies put away the Kangaroos with ease for their seventh-straight win and 10th overall on the season.

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The Kangaroos, who fought hard until the final siren including producing a six-goal fourth quarter, meanwhile dropped their ninth on the trot to remain 17th on the ladder.

Before the game, Fox Footy showed vision of Sidebottom’s neighbours celebrating him on the way to his milestone game, with Saints great Nick Dal Santo calling it a “fantastic moment.”

QUARTER-BY-QUARTER MATCH REPORT

There were no late changes for either side, with Will Hoskin-Elliott (Collingwood) and Paul Curtis (North Melbourne) named the starting subs.

Kangaroo Jaidyn Stephenson had an opportunity to kick the opener against his old side, but his snap shot around his body missed.

Sidebottom had a few nice touches early to a loud applause of Pies fans.

Fellow milestone man Cox got a free kick and had a chance to kick Collingwood’s first goal, but his shot also sailed across the face of goals.

“It is one of the most amazing modern-day football stories,” Channel 7 caller Tim Watson said of Cox.

Josh Daicos made good on his opportunity with the opening goal to give Collingwood an early lead.

Harry Sheezel, who was playing forward, appeared to be spending time on Nick Daicos in an exciting matchup between two young stars.

In a concern for Sidebottom, the veteran went down to the rooms midway through the first term to get his knee assessed after appearing to get his leg caught in a tackle.

Sidebottom was eventually subbed out of the game for Hoskin-Elliott in a brutal end to his 300th game.

“Not quite heartbreak, but it’s pretty close isn’t,” Channel 7 caller Luke Darcy said.

“The Sidebottom sub has taken the energy out of the building, you can feel it within the crowd,” injured Geelong skipper Patrick Dangerfield added.

Nick Daicos capped off a strong five-minute patch with the Magpies’ second goal of the day.

Collingwood stacked on two more goals to take a 24-point lead into quarter-time, 4.3 (27) to 0.3 (3).

Magpies footy boss Graham Wright confirmed on Channel 7 at quarter-time Sidebottom had suffered an MCL injury.

“For a man who’s only missed 33 games in 15 seasons, it’s just a cruel and bitter twist,” Channel 7 commentator Jason Bennett said of Sidebottom.

Early in the second term, Daniel Howe kicked the Kangaroos’ first goal of the day.

Cox would make good on his next opportunity, converting a set shot to a loud applause from fans as the cameras cut to his parents in attendance, extending Collingwood’s lead to 29

Stephenson capitalised on his second set shot late in the second term, kicking one against his former side in his 300th game.

It came in a good five-minute period for the Roos just before half-time as they peppered their goals, but they missed a couple of gettable chances.

Collingwood took a 27-point lead into half-time, 7.5 (47) to 2.8 (20).

The third quarter was a real arm wrestle as the Kangaroos continued to play with great fight and spirit.

Brett Ratten’s side would kick the first goal after a surge and scrappy play ended in Nick Larkey marking in the goalsquare.

“There was nothing fluent about this whatsoever … it was fortuitous but they made it happen,” Watson noted.

Jordan De Goey near instantly responded at the other end with a running goal to continue his brilliant day out.

Soon after, Taylor Adams added another for the Pies to open up a 33-point lead.

“They are so good at executing what they want,” Darcy said.

Just like it had all game though, North wasn’t going to bow down, with Larkey converting his second goal.

“They’ve battled really well,” Darcy said.

Watson added: “I think a lot of people came to Marvel Stadium today thinking Collingwood would completely blow North Melbourne out of the water, but that hasn’t been the case.”

Collingwood can stack on goals quickly though, kicking the next three in a row including a classy long-range finish from Josh Daicos.

McRae’s side took a 53-point lead into three-quarter timer, 13.8 (86) to 4.9 (33).

In one of the highlights of the game, Scott Pendlebury intentionally put extra air on a kick to allow Cox to compete, and the big American took an unlikely one-handed mark and goaled.

“He meant that kick,” Dangerfield said of Pendlebury.

The Roos fought the game out superbly though, even if Collingwood’s pressure eased, including Larkey kicking three goals in the fourth term to bring up five majors for the match.

Josh Daicos meanwhile brought up his third goal in a brilliant performance from the son of a gun.

Despite the Kangaroos’ hot finish, this was ultimately a professional Collingwood win where McRae’s side never looked like losing a handle on the game.

THE 3-2-1 …

3. ‘NOT A MILESTONE TO REMEMBER’: SIDEBOTTOM’S CRUEL BLOW

Steele Sidebottom’s 300th game was a forgettable one for the Collingwood veteran, getting struck down with a knee injury.

Sidebottom didn’t even last 12 minutes after getting his knee caught awkwardly in a tackle, causing the 32-year old to exit the game and go down to the rooms before getting subbed out.

Collingwood footy boss Graham Wright confirmed on Channel 7 at quarter-time Sidebottom had sustained an MCL injury, with the exact severity unclear.

“It’s certainly not the way you want a milestone game to go – and it didn’t look that bad,” four-time premiership Hawk Jordan Lewis said on Fox Footy at half-time.

“It happened in this tackle, he got up to walk and looked really poppy.

“It’s not a milestone game to remember.”

Sidebottom has been so durable over his 15-season career too, missing a grand total of just 33 games during that span.

It comes in a season the wingman has had a huge impact for the top-of-the-ladder Pies, looking revitalised with his brilliant two-way running.

But it now appears likely Craig McRae’s side will be without Sidebottom for several weeks in a cruel blow.

“We heard from a handful of his teammates past and present saying he’s really lighthearted. This is where you need to be lighthearted, you need to find something funny out of this unfortunate moment,” three-time All-Australian Nick Dal Santo said on fox Footy.

“It is concerning. There’s different gradings of the MCL, (given) how quickly they subbed him out of the game, it must be of some significance unfortunately.”

2. ‘SPEED … BUT UNDER CONTROL’: HOWT ELECTRIC PIES BREAK TEAMS

Although it wasn’t its most dominance performance, this is a well oiled Collingwood machine.

The Magpies’ slick ball use and powerful drive was again on full display at Marvel Stadium as they consistently carved the Kangaroos up.

There were times where seemingly in the blink of an eye Craig McRae’s side transitioned the ball from its defence to forward, such is its electric transition the key hallmark of its game.

Fox Footy pundits were full of praise for the Magpies’ high-speed – but calculated style.

“They challenge the best in the competition, let alone where the Kangaroos are,” three-time All-Australian Nick Dal Santo said on Fox Footy.

“You highlight the speed, they don’t go back over the mark and wait to see what the best option is.

“If you’re forward of the football, you know the ball is coming to you extremely quickly.

“They are so fast, but they play an offensive system (where) you may know what they are going to do, but good luck trying to defend them.”

Four-time premiership Hawk Jordan Lewis added: “What you do when you get the ball if you’re Collingwood – you don’t play on and force yourself under pressure.

“You mark the ball and turn your head forward to see if there is another option and quite often there is for Collingwood.

“It’s really smart the way they move the ball with speed, but they do it under control.”

The Magpies were led brilliantly by Jordan De Goey (34 disposals, one goal), Nick Daicos (32 touches, one goal) and Josh Daicos (18 possessions, three goals), but it was ultimately a well-rounded showing from McRae’s men.

Dal Santo gave a special shot out to Nick Daicos though, arguing the talk around his incredible statistics overshadow his brilliance on the field.

“Sometimes we get caught up in Nick Daicos’ numbers and you forget how he does it. His work rate is as good as anybody,” Dal Santo said.

“You don’t get the amount of possessions Nick does if you don’t run like that.

“He just keeps on working at the level to give him a chance to impact the game.”

1. ‘WHOLE LOT RIGHT’ FOR ROOS IN PROMISING SIGNS

Sometimes the stats – or scoreboard – don’t tell the full picture of a game.

The Kangaroos played with great fight and spirit against Collingwood, even winning clearances (35-33), only narrowly losing contested possessions (126-124) and having the weight of inside 50s early in the game.

But the class of the two teams was clear, with North much more wasteful going forward and generally less sharp.

But despite what the scoreboard suggests, this was far from a Collingwood onslaught.

And perhaps most importantly, the Kangaroos never gave up and played until the final siren, kicking six goals in the fourth quarter even if the Pies’ pressure eased later in the game.

“It was about the polish. If you’re looking at it statistically, their clearance work and contested stuff was great. They got their hands on the ball, but it’s just the ability to one, execute, and two, find a spare teammate,” Hawks legend Jordan Lewis said on Fox Footy at half-time.

“Going at 49 per cent by foot just isn’t going to cut it against one of the best pressure sides in the competition.”

Three-time All-Australian Nick Dal Santo also believes there was promising signs from the Roos under caretaker coach Brett Ratten.

“They’ve done a whole lot right the Kangas. Brett Ratten is in a position at half-time where he’ll be complimenting those things we’ve touched on – the basics and fundamentals of the game.

“They’re competing really hard, they just don’t have the speed outside the stoppage to make the Pies really defend in really dangerous positions.

“And I feel like they’ve left a few (goals) out there.”

North’s turnovers were an area that really hurt them as the Magpies constantly punished them the other way.

But Dal Santo argued Ratten’s had to have a crack and be daring with the ball or it’d sit merciless against Collingwood.

“You’ve got to keep being brave. There’s a style of football – if you want to challenge any team, let alone the Pies – you’ve got to take it on and you will naturally turn the ball over,” Dal Santo added.