Jordan De Goey has starred with five goals as Collingwood ran over the top of Richmond to score an emphatic 44-point win at the MCG.
In their first match without injured defensive general Alex Rance, the Tigers were eventually brought undone by the clinical Magpies, who kicked five goals to one in the last quarter of the 17.8 (110) to 10.6 (66) win in front of 70,699 fans on Thursday night.
De Goey capitalised on the work of Collingwood’s superior midfield that monstered Richmond around the ball, winning the lopsided disposal count 467 to 300.
The Pies controlled the ball for the most part, taking a mammoth 174 marks to the Tigers’ 78, in their first win of the season after a round one loss to Geelong.
“We were all challenged after last week,” coach Nathan Buckley said.
“The credit has to go to the players.
“It was a very good performance tonight … a lot closer to what we’d like the game to look like and the scoreboard looked after itself.”
Adam Treloar and Dayne Beams led the way with 39 and 36 possessions respectively, with Darcy Moore impressive at centre half-back.
Richmond’s midfielders simply struggled to get their hands on the ball, Trent Cotchin (22 touches) and Dustin Martin (18) failing to have their usual influence.
Tom Lynch continued his encouraging start for the club with another three-goal bag.
The Pies’ six-point lead at the first break didn’t really reflect their control of the contest but they reaped the benefits of their aerial mastery with a burst of four unanswered goals in the second quarter.
De Goey was in the thick of the action with a brilliant mark and goal, but the Tigers hit back late with three goals inside the last two minutes of the first half.
Shane Edwards, who was somehow awarded a free kick after Kamdyn McIntosh caught Steele Sidebottom holding the ball, had the Punt Road End fans on their feet when he sliced the margin to six points after the siren.
The Tigers were still in with a shout when Edwards kicked his second early in the final term to cut the deficit to 16 points, but it was one-way traffic from then.
“We were lucky to be within a couple of goals at three-quarter time to be perfectly honest … it was an incredibly disappointing night,” Richmond coach Damien Hardwick said.
“We’ve got some work to do, there’s no doubt.”
Richmond depart the match with injury concerns after Jack Riewoldt hurt a wrist in a spectacular marking attempt in the second quarter, Nick Vlastuin also hurt a thumb.
To rub salt in the wounds, Dylan Grimes faces a nervous wait to see how a lunging high elbow on Jamie Elliott is assessed by the match review officer.
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Diplomatically answered, Darcy!
For all the pomp and circumstance that surrounds the now-traditional Anzac Day clash at the MCG, there has been one thing conspicuously lacking over…
Old mate summing it up better than anyone possibly could!
