Collingwood looked slick in their first official hit out of the 2024 season, defeating Richmond by 30 points in their AAMI Community Series clash at Ikon Park on Tuesday night.
After starting slowly, the Magpies worked into the game and controlled proceedings for the final three quarters, kicking eight goals to just three across that period.
The final score read 10.16 (76) to 5.16 (46) with most of the club’s best 23 playing with just Scott Pendlebury and Jeremy Howe rested.
THE KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THE COLLINGWOOD V RICHMOND COMMUNITY SERIES CLASH
SEN’s Garry Lyon, who called the game for Fox Footy, observed the moment that things began to change for the Magpies led by superstars Jordan De Goey and Nick Daicos.
“It's great when you're at the ground for a practice match because you can go down the ground and you get to talk to all the different people,” Lyon said on SEN Breakfast.
“This is not groundbreaking and it won't be the first time you hear this, but as soon as Daicos and De Goey got going, they just took over the game, the whole thing changed.
“They just dictated where the ball goes, where they run and the creativeness that comes out of them and you could just see the Collingwood brains trust just start nodding their head going, ‘That's what it looks like’.”
Lyon thinks that Collingwood’s defence looked rusty early as Richmond had eight of the first nine shots on goal, but once the Magpies locked into their structure they improved immediately.
He believes breaking through that zone will be their opposition’s biggest challenge in 2024.
“Whether it was for rust or first time out, they were caught out a lot early when Richmond did get through,” Lyon said.
“I think that's a challenge for all teams this year. Can you get through Collingwood?
“I think most teams are going to be aggressive in the way they defend and it's just a matter of whether or not you can get through and Richmond did early, they just charged through them. Darcy Moore was caught out of position and so they made that adjustment as the game wore on.
“But they tightened up and then you come to admire what they do. They support each other in the back half, they’re so well drilled.”
With Dan McStay injured and now Nathan Kreuger going down with a hamstring concern, Collingwood had a look at both Ash Johnson and Reef McInnes as Brody Mihocek’s key forward partner.
While neither of the duo dominated, Johnson played more of the game and failed to have much of an impact. As for McInnes, he looked energetic after being injected into the game in the third term and quickly had three shots on goal.
Lyon thinks that Johnson needs to become more unpredictable in his patterns but he didn’t think McInnes definitely did enough to leapfrog his teammate.
“I don't know if he (Johnson) is lazy but … it's a game within a game as a key forward,” Lyon said.
“You've got to be able to be that target and present and do all the things that Mihocek was doing. But it's also you're playing against your opponent and you've got to make him think about stuff other than just focusing on what's happening up there.
“Josh Gibcus … he never really had to worry about what Ash Johnson was doing. Johnson went to every predictable spot, stood there sometimes … and then the contest would play out. That's when you run back to the goal, that's when you make Gibcus turn around (but he didn’t).
“He and McInnes were on display. That's why we focused on it a lot last night that … because McStay’s not there … it was a little bit of a rehearsal if you like.
“Johnson had first crack at it … I think Johnson's got great ability, but he didn't do much.
“McInnes came on just after half time and he had three shots at goal pretty early. It looked like he worked a bit harder, but I don't think either of them locked down their spot.”
Lyon also liked what he saw from recruit Lachie Schultz who he thinks is an immediate upgrade on Jack Ginnivan who was let go via trade.
“He (Schultz) was lost in the wash early, he was trying to work out where the ball was going,” Lyon said.
“But after half-time (he was great), he does all his best work by getting up high, he'll pressure, chase out and then get involved on the way back.
“His kicking inside 50 was great … he's a worker. He works so hard.
“Ginnivan might get there, but I don't think Ginnivan works as hard as what Lachie Schultz did.
“The other thing is you've got Bobby Hill who's the reigning Norm Smith medallist and now, who do you go to? Who is your most dangerous opponent? This is what opposition clubs are going to have to work out.
“They’ve added there, I think Schultz is an upgrade on Ginnivan.”
Collingwood now gear up for their Opening Round clash against GWS at GIANTS Stadium on Saturday, March 9.