Australian Football

Match Report

Collingwood has defeated Melbourne by 25 points in the traditional Queens Birthday clash between the Magpies and the Demons at the MCG on Monday. In a highly entertaining encounter both sides had turns at dominating, with Collingwood recording two runs of five consecutive goals and Melbourne registering a string of six majors in a row at one stage. In the end, the Magpies got over the line on the back of a seven-goal haul from key forward Travis Cloke, who kicked four in the first quarter.

Cloke got the Pies off to a perfect start, with a goal at the two-minute mark, and when Jarryd Blair added another three minutes later, it looked like Collingwood was in for a big afternoon. But the Demons settled after that and two goals to Jeremy Howe saw scores level at the 12-minute mark. The Magpies then went on the rampage, kicking the next five majors, three of those going to Cloke to make it four for the quarter for him. A late goal to Jesse Hogan saw Melbourne cut the margin back to four goals at the first change. 

Consecutive goals were the order of the second and Melbourne took the first turn as the Demons followed Hogan's goal with another five in a row - two to Nathan Jones, two to Jeff Garlett and one to Angus Brayshaw - to suddenly lead by five points at the 11-minute mark. Tim Broomhead goaled to put Collingwood back in front before the Demons regained the lead with a goal to Bernie Vince after 16 minutes. The Magpies then closed out the term with three goals via Jamie Elliott (two) and Alex Fasolo to lead by 14 points at the long break. 

Majors to Blair and Cloke in the first 10 minutes of the third term made it a second run of five for Collingwood before the tide turned once more. Trailing by an even four goals, the Demons kicked majors through Jack Fitzpatrick, Jack Watts, How and Vince in an eight-minute period and scores were suddenly level as the term entered time on. Blair and Cloke then goaled again for the Magpies, who took a 12-point lead into three-quarter time.

The goals dried up in the last quarter as Collingwood gradually got on top. Howe missed a gettable shot for the Demons at the 10-minute mark and goals to Elliott and Cloke - the only two of the final term - took the Pies out to a 27-point lead, a couple of late Melbourne behinds reducing the final difference to 25 points in Collingwood's favour. 

Cloke was a match-winner for the Pies with his seven goal and eight marks, while Adam Oxley (14 marks, 30 possessions) also played a fine match. For Melbourne, Nathan Jones (34 touches and seven tackles) and Vince (34 possessions, two goals) were standouts. 

Next up for Collingwood is an MCG home game against the Giants. A loss to GWS would see the Pies lose their place in the top four to the Giants. Melbourne will take on St Kilda at Docklands next Sunday, a venue at which the Demons have lost their last 20 matches in a row. 

GOALS
Melbourne: Howe 3; N Jones, Garlett, Vince 2; Hogan, Brayshaw, Fitzpatrick, Watts,
Collingwood: Cloke 7; Elliott, Blair 3; Swan, Seedsman, Broomhead, Fasolo,

BEST - THE AGE
Melbourne: N Jones, Brayshaw, Vince, Viney, Howe
Collingwood: Cloke, Oxley, Pendlebury, Swan, Elliott, Blair, Williams

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Melbourne: N Jones, Vince, Viney, Brayshaw, Cross, Jetta
Collingwood: Cloke, Oxley, Pendlebury, Grundy, Williams, Langdon

INJURIES 
Melbourne: Viney (corked calf), vandenBerg (hamstring)
Collingwood: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Melbourne: Matt Jones replaced Aaron vandenBerg (hamstring) at half-time
Collingwood: Ben Kennedy replaced Paul Seedsman in the third quarter

UMPIRES: Stevic, Kamolins, Pannell

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Seven Network

COMMENTATORS: Bruce McAvaney, Hamish McLachlan, Tim Watson, Nick Maxwell, Andrew Welsh