Australian Football

Match Report

Collingwood has returned to the winners list with a 49-point win over Brisbane in a lacklustre match marred by slippery conditions at the 'Gabba on Friday night. 20 millimetres of rain fell on Brisbane earlier in the day and the two sides were met by a wet ground and both struggled to cope with the greasy ball.

The Magpies settled first and kicked the first three goals of the match via Jamie Elliott, Darren Jolly and Ben Reid. Brisbane did not score their first major until time on, when Rohan Bewick chased down Nick Maxwell to earn a free kick, which he duly converted. But Elliott and Josh Thomas then added two more for Collingwood, and the Magpies led by 26 points at the first break. They then kicked the first three goals of the second quarter, Reid, debutant Kyle Martin and Ben Kennedy to open up a 45-point break.

It was a margin that the Magpies more or less maintained throughout the remainder of the match, as they coasted to a comfortable win that has seen them re-enter the top eight.

For Collingwood, Dane Swan returned to something like his vintage best. He revelled in the wet, had 36 disposals and kicked two goals. The Pies were also well served by Steele Sidebottom (31 touches) and ruckman Darren Jolly, who had 40 hitouts and 18 possessions, and also kicked a goal. Best for the Lions was 318-game veteran Simon Black who, when he is injury-free, is still one of the competition's elite midfielders. He received good support from the up-and-coming Dayne Zorko (21 disposals) and Jack Redden (22 touches and a goal).

Collingwood now has a chance to cement their place in the eight, with a matches against lowly Melbourne, on the Queen's Birthday, and then the Bulldogs before the Pies enjoy their mid-year bye. Brisbane, which has slipped to 15th on the ladder behind the Bulldogs, has its bye this week, before playing more tough matches against Fremantle at Subiaco, Geelong at home and Hawthorn in Launceston. If the Lions can't eke out a win in at least one of those games, the pressure on coach Michael Voss will be immense.

GOALS
Brisbane: McGrath 3; Bewick, Staker, Redden, Paparone
Collingwood: Reid 3; Ellliott, Martin, Kennedy, Swan 2; Jolly, Thomas, Blair

BEST - BRISBANETIMES.COM.AU
Brisbane: Black, Zorko, Redden, Adcock
Collingwood: Swan, Sidebottom, Seedsman, Jolly, Macaffer, Pendlebury

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Brisbane: Black, Zorko, McGrath, Redden
Collingwood: Swan, Jolly, Sidebottom, Pendlebury, Macaffer, Martin

COACHES' COMMENTS
Michael Voss (Bris): It was unacceptable. At the start of games, there's a responsibility to be able to win the ball. You just can't have a wait of possession so much in favour of the opposition and expect to get any sort of flow or system or strategy to try and put the opposition on that back foot at times. We were backs-to-the-wall from the start of the game and we're just not handling that as well as you'd like.

Nathan Buckley (Coll): The first half was excellent. Considering the tumult, all of the stuff outside of football, that took place, it was really well done by our playing group, and our leaders in particular, to be able to maintain focus on what needed to be done. To go out and start that well was excellent.

INJURIES
Brisbane: Nil
Collingwood: Maxwell (hamstring)

SUBSTITUTES
Brisbane: Sam Docherty on for Brent Moloney at half time Collingwood: Alan Didak on for Nick Maxwell during the third quarter

UMPIRES: Nicholls, Findlay and Mollison