Hawthorn champion Dermott Brereton was watching last night’s Preliminary Final with fellow star forwards in Jonathan Brown, Jason Dunstall and Nick Riewoldt and describes what it was like seeing Mason Cox tear the game apart.
Cox had an incredible night, taking eight contested marks – the most by any player in a game this season – and kicked three goals in Collingwood’s upset win over Richmond.
“I was doing the Fox coverage last night, and to sit with Jonathan Brown and Jason Dunstall and we were watching Cox and we would take our eyes off the play after his third contested mark, fourth, fifth, sixth … and, just, our mouths were dropping, and we were looking at each other,” Brereton told SEN’s Crunch Time.
“By the second half whenever he went near it, I’ve never seen a group of former champions like Brown and Nick Riewoldt and Dunstall giggle at somebodies display on the ground.”
Former Port Adelaide midfielder Kane Cornes said Cox’s efforts up the ground was just as important as his work inside 50.
“I thought his work off the ball to actually stop, push and then lead up at the ball was elite last night,” Cornes said.
“And it wasn’t the big marks in the goal square, it was a couple of big marks he took long down the line that completely messed with Richmond’s structure.
“Usually, they win that ball back when it goes down the line, they get repeat inside 50s and the pressure builds, but Cox marks the ball up the ground, releases the pressure valve and all of a sudden Collingwood has the ball in their forward half and Richmond are all at sea.”
The Pies will now await the winner of today’s Preliminary Final between West Coast and Melbourne.