It’s the final warm up for Collingwood leading into the finals as they face-off against North Melbourne at the MCG this afternoon. Live scores and commentary kicks off from 3:20pm AEST.
Collingwood have known their fate for a good couple of weeks, but today was poised to be an integral game for the race for the last spot in the eight for North Melbourne.
Unfortunately for the Kangaroos fans, they’re finals hopes were dashed with an amazing final-quarter fightback last night by Carlton against Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium to snuff out their chances.
Which is a shame really, because of all the five teams that were in the race for the final spot in the finals across the weekend, North Melbourne would have been the most deadly.
There’s no doubt this season, North Melbourne have been exhilarating at times with the way they’ve played.
It’s just that one little aspect – playing a full four quarters to get the job done.
The rap sheet of close losses is not pretty reading at all: Geelong in Round 2, Hawthorn in Round 5, West Coast in Round 8, Adelaide in Round 9, Gold Coast in Round 11, Brisbane in Round 16 and Carlton in Round 17.
Convert two of those and they would have made the finals. Convert four or five and they could have been top four.
Today for the Kangaroos is a chance to send a message to the competition on how 2014 might just play out.
A win today, and we could be talking about a North Melbourne outfit that could seriously challenge a top-four spot in next season… or is that me getting ahead of myself?
What we do know is that Collingwood will be playing finals this season, despite looking a little shaky during the middle part of the year.
Their season has been one of intrigue, but it has been an impressive final month, especially after their shake-up loss to the Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium.
Since then, it’s been four wins out of five, including solid wins against Essendon, Sydney and West Coast.
It’s fair to say the fact that today’s game is at the MCG will be a big plus for the Magpies, with a dominant record of late against the Kangas at the home of football.
In the last six matches between the two, Collingwood has scored over 100 points in five of those games and suffering four losses over 50 points, two of those over 80 points.
I’d suggest Collingwood might take the foot off the pedal a little bit today, but if they’re serious about a premiership tilt, then they should do their best to take the Kangas to the cleaners.
TheSportsFreak
Roar Guru
Seemed to be the story of his season - not being able to kick straight. Had maybe 2 or 3 gimme chances during the match (2 early) and stuffed them up.
TheSportsFreak
Roar Guru
FINAL | North Melbourne 19.11 (125) def. Collingwood 17.12 (114) Quarter by Quarter Collingwood 5.4 10.8 14.11 17.12 (114) North Melbourne 8.1 10.5 15.9 19.11 (125) Goalscorers COLL (7) – Ben Reid 5, Travis Cloke 5, Josh Thomas 2, Scott Pendlebury 2, Paul Seedsman 1, Sam Dwyer 1, Alan Didak 1 NM (10) – Jack Ziebell 4, Lindsay Thomas 3, Aaron Black 2, Drew Petrie 2, Daniel Wells 2, Todd Goldstein 2, Ryan Bastinac 1, Brent Harvey 1, Jamie Macmillan 1, Ben Cunnington 1 Team Stats Disposals: NM 387-338; Disposal Efficiency: NM 82%-78%; Kicking Efficiency: NM 78%-68%; Contested Possessions: COLL 117-113; Uncontested Possessions: NM 264-227; Marks: NM 104-82; Clearances: NM 40-28; Hitouts: NM 31-27; Tackles: NM 43-38; Inside 50’s: NM 52-50 Player Stats Ryan Bastinac (NM) 34 disposals, 12 contested possessions, 6 marks, 4 clearances, 6 tackles, 5 inside 50’s, 1 goal Scott Pendlebury (COLL) 33 disposals, 13 contested possessions, 6 marks, 4 clearances, 4 inside 50’s, 2 goals Brent Harvey (NM) 31 disposals, 8 contested possessions, 3 marks, 4 clearances, 4 tackles, 7 inside 50’s, 1 goal, 1 goal assist Jack Ziebell (NM) 27 disposals, 10 contested possessions, 7 marks, 5 clearances, 5 tackles, 4 goals, 1 goal assist
TheSportsFreak
Roar Guru
FINAL | North Melbourne 19.11 (125) def. Collingwood 17.12 (114) There will be many people inside the North Melbourne fraternity who will be thinking 'what if", with so many close losses this year. A win to finish is great, but they don't have another game to play. September 1 is the end of the penny section for them. Collingwood, maybe eased up a little in the middle part of the final quarter there, but the players did give it a red-hot crack in the last 5 minutes to try to steal the win. They should go in next Saturday night against Port Adelaide as heavy favourites, playing at the MCG again, despite a 6-day turnaround. In the end here though, it's North Melbourne who win their final game of 2013 against Collingwood by 11 points. North Melbourne finish the season in 10th spot (below Essendon) with their 10 wins and percentage around 120%. It's not the highest percentage to miss the finals... that record is still held by Geelong's 1932 side, that finished outside the finals (in a top 4 system) with 139.7%
Brent Ford
Roar Guru
Wow can't believe Cloke kicked one goal after half time, he had the coleman in the box seat at one point. Although had he kicked straight during the year it may have been a different story haha.
TheSportsFreak
Roar Guru
FINAL | North Melbourne 19.11 (125) def. Collingwood 17.12 (114) There's the siren!!! North Melbourne get the victory in a strange old year for them. Collingwood though live to fight another day next week in the finals!
TheSportsFreak
Roar Guru
Q4 0:40 left | COLL 17.12 (114) | NM 19.11 (125) Cloke another chance to mark inside 50 - spoiled by Firrito... Now down the other end... but Pendlebury does well in defence. Now Blair down the guts to Swan - can't mark... Wells mops up... NM will get the win now!
TheSportsFreak
Roar Guru
Q4 1:40 left | COLL 17.12 (114) | NM 19.11 (125) Didak fishes out a handball to Dayne Beams... who we haven't seen too much of. Kicks from 40m out - but kicks it out on the full... That could be it.
TheSportsFreak
Roar Guru
Q4 2:05 left | COLL 17.12 (114) | NM 19.11 (125) NM free kick in the middle of the ground. That hurts the Pies. And NM intent on running the clock down.... But then turned over to Sam Dwyer!
TheSportsFreak
Roar Guru
Q4 2:41 left | COLL 17.12 (114) | NM 19.11 (125) A long kick from Alan Didak to the goal square - CLOOOKE!!!! Takes it cleanly. Needs to work quickly, does, kicks a GOAL!! He has 5 now... needs 2 more for a share of the Coleman and Collingwood need 2 more to win the game!
TheSportsFreak
Roar Guru
Q4 4:16 left | COLL 16.12 (108) | NM 19.11 (125) A quick snap from Steele Sidebottom amongst a throng of players 25m out - HITS THE POST!!!
TheSportsFreak
Roar Guru
Q4 5:43 left | COLL 16.11 (107) | NM 19.11 (125) Cunnington with a great handball for Wells at the wing, then a short pass for Goldstein... left it behind... Now Aaron Black kicks to the top of 50m - Robbie Tarrant!!! Good mark, good lead. This could just about be the ball game if he kicks this - tough kick though. From 52m out - to the pocket... but goes through for a behind
TheSportsFreak
Roar Guru
Q4 7:00 left | COLL 16.11 (107) | NM 19.10 (124) Centre Clearances - COLL 11, NM 24! Now COLL with a free kick in the middle of the ground. Need to really hurry. Swan a long ball inside 50 to Cloke... couldn't finish the mark...then Sidebottom gives away the free kick
TheSportsFreak
Roar Guru
Q4 7:33 left | COLL 16.11 (107) | NM 19.10 (124) Drew Petrie runs to half forward - but he's run down!!! Turn over - Didak down the other end fumbles, so too does Sidebottom. Then Bastinac steals it back for NM. Thomas a chance to mark in the pocket, can't take it... then Cunnington snaps from the same position - GOAL!!!! That could be the nail in the coffin!
TheSportsFreak
Roar Guru
Q4 9:42 left | COLL 16.11 (107) | NM 18.10 (118) The NM midfield just starting to turn the screws... or has COLL put the cue in the rack for looking forward to next week's final against Port Adelaide? COLL going forward... Swan kicks it inside 50m... Kennedy almost gathered, Dwyer handballs to Paul Seedsman, kicks to the goal line... bounces away, then off to the boundary. Ball in - Didak turns it over twice - one in a poor kick, then one in a free kick.
TheSportsFreak
Roar Guru
Q4 11:22 left | COLL 16.11 (107) | NM 18.10 (118) Ben Reid's come off for COLL... suggestions of a possible leg injury. Wells out of the middle to Goldstein. Then from half forward, kicks to the pocket towards Black... spoiled away, ball in. From the stoppage - Todd Goldstein wins a free kick for a hold. The replay's a bit 50-50... Goldstein from 25m out - GOAL!!! He's 8 from 8 in set shots in 2013!
TheSportsFreak
Roar Guru
Q4 12:23 left | COLL 16.11 (107) | NM 17.10 (112) Shaun Atley down the middle of the ground, pin-points Black... then passes short to Sam Gibson. Launches long inside 50 - Tarrant almost gives up the free kick - TURN OVER from COLL... Black, handballs to Ziebell... kicks off one step - GOAL!!! His 4th! What a game!
TheSportsFreak
Roar Guru
Q4 13:10 left | COLL 16.11 (107) | NM 16.10 (106) This shoot-out continues. A ripper way for the home and away season to end. At 50m for NM... cleared to the wing for COLL towards Dwyer... loses it though... but then Kennedy wins it back for COLL. Kicks to half forward - Hansen takes a great mark in defence!
TheSportsFreak
Roar Guru
Q4 14:31 left | COLL 16.11 (107) | NM 16.10 (106) Didak at the half forward line, tries to spot up Reid... can't mark... pack forms... ball up at the 50m arc. Pendlebury from the ball up, does what Thomas did at the other end - Moses parts the seas, and kicks the GOAL!!!
TheSportsFreak
Roar Guru
Q4 15:35 left | COLL 15.11 (101) | NM 16.10 (106) Cunnington wins a free kick in the middle of the ground - long ball inside 50, but marked by Maxwell. COLL to go forward... until Kennedy gets brought to ground at the wing. Quinten Lynch back on the ground for Collingwood Now Daniel Wells kicks inside 50 to Thomas... can't mark it... juggled it three or four times, but couldn't finish. Ball u. From the ball up, Thomas gathers, snaps - GOAL!!! NM back in front!
TheSportsFreak
Roar Guru
Q4 16:50 left | COLL 15.11 (101) | NM 15.10 (100) A bad turnover in the middle of the ground as Maxwell takes over... then kicks long inside to the goal square... Reid should have got the free kick, but Firrito wins the footy... Cleared away by Atley... TURNS IT OVER AGAIN!!! This time a better kick for Reid inside 50 - marks it well. Kicks from 25m out - GOAL!!! And Collingwood back in front. Reid has his first ever 5-goal bag!