Yes! After we was robbed last week by the drug-fuelled Weasels (soaring high on Godwin-knows-what) and their comrades the white rabbits (adjudicating under the influence of mInD-aLtErInG substances), the Mighty Magpies have returned to the winner’s list and defeated the toys from Tigerland.
Poor Richmond. Tom Hafey:
“I can remember Richmond people would always say, ‘I don’t care where we finish on the ladder as long as we beat Collingwood’,” Hafey says.
“I even had people on the board saying that to me when I was coach. I can remember people saying ‘as long as we beat those mongrels that’s all we care about’.
“That’s how they viewed it at the club. And particularly the dEmEnTeD supporters. They just hated Collingwood with a passion.”
Losers.
After a mediocre first half, Collingwood came good in the second, drawing even with the rabble known as Richmond by three-quarter time, and then proceeding to kick away in the final quarter to eventually win by 25 points — a 47 point turnaround. In other good news, three players made exciting debuts for the Pies: West Australians Shannon Cox, Brad Dick and Alan Toovey.
The comeback victory, in front of a crowd of 70,569, was all the more meritorious for the Magpies given they achieved it with a side light on experience.
Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse said the first-game players all “held up very well” and was also happy to single out Rocca for praise, saying even though he was quiet in the first half, he had attacked the football hard.
“When you lose your captains, he’s a very important player for us and he deserves the accolades that have been given to him,” he said.
Veteran defender James Clement was withdrawn from the side just 20 minutes before the opening bounce, after vomiting during the warm-up, to join injured skipper Nathan Buckley, Ben Johnson and Alan Didak on the sidelines…
Clement’s absence was sorely felt as Richmond burst out of the blocks, booting four goals in a seven-minute burst to establish a 19-point lead 12 minutes into the match, with Jay Schulz kicking two goals and Matthew Richardson and Kayne Pettifer one each.
Even that margin did not fully reflect the dominance they were enjoying in attack, with Richardson missing two fairly simple shots after marking early in the game. ~ AAP, ‘Rocca turns it on as Magpies storm home’, The Age, April 13, 2007
How we laughed.
Collingwood 17.13 (115) def. Richmond 13.12 (90)
They played a fairly good game though it was disappointing that they lost the second round. I’m not too sure that they are up to form really at this stage. Another lovely trophy would be nice.