Round 12

Monday, June 11, 3.20pm

Melbourne v Collingwood, MCG

First quarter: Collingwood 5.5 (35) to Melbourne 2.0 (12)

Collingwood dominated on the scoreboard in the first term, landing 10 scoring shots to two.

The Pies had more than double the inside 50s, with 17 to seven by the first change.

The Magpies booted five of the opening six goals to lead by 27 points at the 23-minute mark.

But when Tom McDonald landed Melbourne’s second goal in time-on – Mitch Hannan registered the first at the three-minute mark – the deficit was cut to 23 points at the first change.

It was the second time in successive rounds that the Demons had dropped their first quarter.

Second quarter: Collingwood 9.9 (63) to Melbourne 7.2 (44)

Melbourne hit back early in the second term, when it booted four of the first five goals.

James Harmes got the ball rolling, before Hannan landed his second.

Scott Pendlebury answered with Collingwood’s first for the term, before Bayley Fritsch and Alex Neal-Bullen closed the gap to six points.  

But the Magpies answered with three of the next four goals – Max Gawn was Melbourne’s goalkicker during this period – as they took a 19-point advantage into half-time.

Clayton Oliver had 18 touches by the main break, while Magpie Jordan de Goey had 21 by half-time.


Max Gawn celebrates a second quarter goal

Third quarter: Collingwood 15.11 (101) to Melbourne 11.5 (71)

Collingwood got the early jump in the second half, when it secured three of the opening four goals to lead by five goals.

But the Demons fought back with three of the next four majors to get back within three goals.

T.McDonald was outstanding with three for the quarter, while Jack Viney kicked his first.

However, the Magpies continued to have the answers and when Mason Cox booted his fourth and Brody Michocek kicked truly after the three quarter-time siren, the Pies were back out to a 30-point lead.

Will Hoskin-Elliott, Jaidyn Stephenson and Josh Thomas all notched up their third goal each for the Pies during the term.

Final quarter: Collingwood 20.13 (133) d Melbourne 14.7 (91)

Any thought of a Melbourne comeback was quickly thwarted in the final term, when the Magpies kicked the opening two goals to lead by 41 points.

T.McDonald landed Melbourne’s first – and his fifth – at the 12-minute mark, but the red and blue still trailed by 35 points. And when Adam Treloar got on the board and Hoskin-Elliott gained his fourth, Collingwood was up by 48 points.

In time-on, T.McDonald again bobbed up, kicking his sixth – a career-best effort. He was clearly Melbourne’s best on a disappointing day.

Stephenson booted one more for the Pies to finish with four, while Oliver claimed the last goal of the match, reducing the final margin to 42 points. 

Jordan Lewis finished with a game-high 33 disposals, while Oliver had 31. For the Magpies, Treloar and Steele Sidebottom had 32 each. Cox received the Neale Daniher Trophy for best-on-ground.