Good morning, one and all. And so we saddle up again, this time against the team that proved our better on three occasions in 2018, at home and far away, including on the one day that matters most. Yes, it’s time for the eagerly awaited Grand Final Rematch against the reigning premiers, West Coast. The…
Review: Collingwood Vs Richmond (Round 2, 2019)
It was a fortnight of contrasts as we kicked off our 2019 campaign, beginning with a disappointing narrow loss to Geelong before turning things around in exceptional fashion against fellow flag favourites Richmond a week later. The difference between both contests was immense, as we looked rusty and rather pedestrian against the Cats but then won instant redemption by conjuring an exciting yet clinical dismemberment of the Tigers.
Game Day: Collingwood vs Richmond (Round 2, 2019)
Good afternoon, everyone. That week after the event went quickly, didn’t it? All of a sudden, we’re onto Round 2, in the traditional family-friendly timeslot of Thursday Night Football. Our opponent is the Richmond Football Club, still very much smarting from our destruction of them in last year’s preliminary final. The teams… Collingwood B: Brayden…
Game Day: Collingwood vs Geelong (Round 1, 2019)
Good afternoon, one and all. Well, this is it. Another summer, another pre-season, in the books and out of the way. Now it’s time to settle in, saddle up and look sharp toward another long campaign. Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the 2019 AFL Premiership Season. The teams… Collingwood B: Brayden Maynard, Jordan Roughead, Jack…
Game Day: Collingwood vs Fremantle (JLT Series Game 1)
Good afternoon, fellow Magpies! Well, here we go again. After another long hot summer, we are finally within sight of football season. But before we embark on another premiership campaign, we have to tick the boxes of pre-season practice matches. For the first of our two JLT Community Series outings, we travel across the Nullarbor…
AFL Draft (National, Pre-Season and Rookie) 2018 – Discussion
Good afternoon, one and all. I’ve been mostly checked out of football for about a month now, so it’s sort of crept up on me that we have an AFL Draft going on tonight. What’s more, it’s the first AFL Draft to be conducted over the better part of two days, with the first round…
Making Sense of a Hexed Nest
When recently writing of the season that just was, I mused about the possibility of writing a piece exploring our history of Grand Final defeats. Admittedly, it was never a piece that I was in a rush to get to, especially not at a point when our most recent loss was so raw. However, being a little further removed from that most recent of wounds has perhaps allowed time to act as a salve of sorts, at least enough to dampen the sort of emotion that might plague such a discussion.
Ins and Outs: Post-Trade Wrap 2018
It has been a few weeks now since the trade period ended, meaning that yours truly has been customarily tardy — but better late than never, as they say. This year’s trade period shaped as an interesting one given the amount of movement amongst established players: GWS were faced with another salary dump fire sale; Gold Coast’s co-captain bookends decided to head south simultaneously; and of course, there was the eleventh hour confirmation of the desire of Dayne Beams to return to Collingwood.
A Humbled Pie, Revived Pride and Another Dose of Anguish
I confess that ahead of the Grand Final, a big part of me was hoping that when I did get around to writing an article about our season, it would be something bordering on epic, perhaps even akin to hagiography. As the season unfolded, I was increasingly taken by a heady emotional cocktail: a mixture of pride, humility and the surreal. That the Grand Final unfolded as it did has, not surprisingly, knocked some of the wind out of my sails and made for a heavy comedown.
Game Day: Collingwood vs West Coast (Grand Final, 2018)
As I type, the sun is soon to rise on the last Saturday of this September. And as unlikely as it seems, the Collingwood Football Club will be one of the two teams playing in the last game of football of the season to be held today. I can’t believe it. But it’s happening. And…