To beat the unbackable premiership favourite, it turned out that all you needed to do was play a perfect game of football.
In the end, perfection for the whole game wasn’t even necessary. The Pies touched God for 50 minutes and that was enough.
They blitzed Richmond in the first half and then cleverly let time drip away – beating them to a pulp then taunting the dazed boxer by skirting around the ring, always out of reach, never really in danger.
About that blitz. As a coach you would never plan for everything going right. You wonder, then, what went through Nathan Buckley’s mind as he watched the score build and build, until suddenly it found itself at 64-11 – some absurd, magnificent dream that he couldn’t wake up from because it was real.
Collingwood’s pressure made the expanses of the MCG seem claustrophobic. With ball in hand they had a composure and polish unseen all year. It was infectious – Chris Mayne was out there doing Scott Pendlebury moves.
They rattled Richmond in the first act. The Tigers were spooked and they never entirely regained their composure, or themselves. They were jumping at shadows, turning to run away from Magpies who weren’t there, handballing before they’d properly gripped the ball, blasting kicks that needed to be carefully considered.
Trent Cotchin of the Tigers looks dejected after a loss. (Photo by Adam Trafford/AFL Media/Getty Images)
There was no escape. The pressure around the ball didn’t relent and whenever the Tigers won possession they had nowhere to go. In the fine details, what was most remarkable about the game was how perfectly the Pies spread their bodies around the ground.
They always had men in the right places. They never let Richmond break free, always outnumbering them in defence, always having Steele Sidebottom and Tom Phillips as outlets on the wings, always finding space to lead inside forward 50. They beat the Tigers because they were everywhere and the Tigers were not.
All year, what has made Collingwood most special is the way they spread with the ball. When they win the ball their players explode in different directions with pace, conviction and a plan. They have a wealth of options going forward, which has mitigated the team’s biggest issue – using the ball by foot.
It’s a lot easier to hit a target if you have most of your forward 50 as margin for error.
Against the Tigers that spread was devastating but so was the spread without the ball. This Richmond team has been magnificent, a 12-month masterpiece that had its crowning achievement at the end of month one, and after watching so much of them you develop certain viewing tendencies, certain expectations of how you expect each play to unfold based on how it began.
On Friday night, time and time again Richmond would break from the contest off half-back or on the wing and your mind would tell you that they were seconds away from booming a kick inside 50 to a running player about to waltz into an open goal. But it didn’t happen.
Over and over again it didn’t happen. The play just stopped. It halted on the wing. The player didn’t play on, he paused, surveyed, then trotted back harmlessly. Eventually, it became clear that this wasn’t going to change – that Richmond weren’t going to suddenly re-emerge as Richmond.
Jordan De Goey of the Magpies (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
For a second, it looked like they might when they cut the lead back to 21. But even then, the Pies never looked uncomfortable. It felt like they were in control. The Tigers were drowning and their mini-surge was only a desperate reflex – they never looked like actually making it back to shore.
What does Friday night mean for Saturday afternoon? Who knows – who knows anything anymore. We now have The Mason Cox Game and it was a preliminary final.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
The other big move by Bucks was for Grundy to clear each ruck wide of the packs which seemed to mess up the Tigers ground work structure at each bounce and boundary. He was also clearly instructed to belt the ball forward whenever Grigg was rucking which the Pies mids were well aware of.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
I'm in shock too Jim, wasn't expecting that first qtr. I've done a back flip on Tom Lynch, think he's best suited to Hawthorn. Would love Steven May but he seems destined for Melbourne. Fasolo goes, Dunn and The Sack will get a one year contract. Moore is interesting. His currency has dropped with injuries. The Tigers are an incredible team Jim and quality folks too. As I wrote you play that prelim 10 times, Tigers go 7-3 or even 8-2.
User
Roar Rookie
And after those Collingwood went on to put the result in no doubt by the 10 min mark of the second quarter, that performance by Richmond was insipid but if you prefer pathetic I will use that instead.
Chris
Guest
The two lowest free kick count this finals was pies v gws and pies v tigers. Pies v eagles was normal numbers. The gf will be interesting
Chris
Guest
If tHe tigers were bad at tackling the the free kick against would be high but it is the free kicks for that has been low. Maybe the opposition got better when playing the tigers
Doctor Rotcod
Roar Rookie
Unless you're referring to the greatest of them all,Dean Cox?
Jim the Jewel Man
Guest
Where would Lynch fit in at Warble land if he did a back flip Peter? Would also like to get your opinion on the recruitment of Steven May, and who stays, and who goes. You were on fire last week, when our fellow roarers (rightly and logically) ganged up on you about Richmond getting the job done. Still in shock. Richmond have been such an awesome team.
Fat Toad
Roar Rookie
I think the reason why the Tigers were heavily penalised was because they put an emphasis on tackling hard rather than accurately. Collingwood's tackling is similar to Richmond's but I think better coached, so over the season the Pies have a +2 differential and the Tigers ae well into the negative.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
That's such an interesting theory Chris. I haven't heard that anywhere so assume you came up with that yourself. It made a lot of sense when you said it actually as there is no doubt the umpires put the whistle away but in doing so earned the plaudits of most and a grand final berth. If it is indeed true it may set a new tone for 2019 and make ruckmen even more important. Can Tom Lynch ruck? I;m wondering if the Tiges may use him in that role?
Chris
Guest
I hope that the umpires start paying free kicks for good tackles again. This is how the tigers apply pressure and crack the game open. The tigers have been penalized all year. Ball-up after ball-up wrecked the game last Friday especially as we didn't have Grundy on our side. It never felt like we could crack the game open
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
I guess when you've won 23 in a row at the G you back yourselves in. There will be some interesting battles next year between the two great clubs Chris, add Melbourne and the Hawks and there's some big Vic clubs up and about.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Come on Dougie surely it rolls off the tongue better than "big Cox"?
Chris
Guest
Exactly right Peter, If there is one player in the magpie side that should be tagged it is Sidebottom. I know its not Richmond's game plans to tag but Sidebottom is such a good user of the ball. Like I said, not enough respect
Pumping Dougie
Roar Guru
Really? Why should Aussies be chanting USA? Americans are a feverishly patriotic bunch, generally ignorant of other nations and belong to the most powerful country on earth (currently). What is it in our psyche that favours underdogs yet makes Pies fans want to chant USA? They're embarrassing all of us, but mostly just their club. If they chanted his name I'd get it - but USA?!
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
An interesting point Chris. One thing I found interesting was highlighted on the Fox "on the couch" where they showed Sidebottom totally on his own at the back of the square for ball ups. I recall noticing that at the G but the ones they highlighted, he came surging in on his own and got the clearance. Got 41 touches and ran and did whatever he liked really with no opponent.
Chris
Guest
I'm a tiger supporter and I think the tigers did not give the pies enough respect. Grimes would have been the best match for De Goey yet Rance went to him because he likes to be the deepest defender. De Goey was too quick for him. Worse still Rance wasn't able to help out Astbury against Cox. The mismatch was obvious after 10 minutes but the Tigers left it for half the game Another less obvious thing helped the Pies. The umpires only paid 33 free kick in total. Good tackles went unrewarded, Players dragged the ball in and the umpires just threw the ball up. Grundy and the Pies midfield became the most valuable players on the ground. If the umpires put away the whistle again it will be a Pies grand final
tim
Roar Rookie
The Tiges had the first three scoring shots, insipid may not be quite the right word.
Tony
Guest
They didn't have to play Astbury or Martin but they chose to so no excuses. Part of Collingwoods success this year has come from not playing unfit players and giving the opportunity of fringe players to step up and play a roll which they have done admirably.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Well Nathan Burke is channeling his best Kane Cornes and has claimed Cox won't get a touch in the Grand Final. If we hear that chant again this week it means the Pies are doing well. Apparently Mason Cox is going to be a cover feature story in the USA Sports Illustrated. Get ready for a wave of American giants heading down under to try their luck. That is what Bruce McAvaney may have meant when he said "what has Collingwood unleashed here, we're seeing the future of the game perhaps...it looks different doesn't it?"
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
The irony of course Matti is that the Tigers have had the best injury count of any side the past two years yet come their first knockout game Dusty was no doubt struggling and I expect Astbury shouldn't have played. I wonder how the Tigers will be affected next year if they do start to get a few now that they are losing some depth players it seems in the off season.