Pies survive big scare

IT SMELT like a danger game for Collingwood and looked like one when they couldn’t kick in the first half but the Magpies avoided a disastrous loss to the winless Adelaide Crows to remain in touch with the top eight.

The banner behind the goals in the Crows’ cheer squad read ‘we believe in you’ and for the first half at least so did everyone else as they led by nine points.

But when Collingwood finally finished its work in front of goal in the third term they couldn’t be caught.

Most frustrating for Adelaide was Collingwood’s first three goals were all due to Crows mistakes.

Fischer McAsey and Brodie Smith missed kicks trying to switch play in defence allowing Josh Daicos and Jaidyn Stephenson to convert set shots and Lynden Dunn capped his return from a knee injury with a goal thanks to a 50m penalty in the middle of the ground.

While the eighth-placed Magpies won by 24 points without some of their biggest names, the loss extended Adelaide’s record losing streak to 11 games and Tom Doedee and Tom Lynch both finished the game early with hamstring injuries.

All eyes were on Tim Broomhead and Dunn who were playing their first games since 2018 for Collingwood after a horror run with injury, and it didn’t take long for them to find the action. Broomhead’s first touch was to rove a ball and kick inside 50m while Dunn’s big moment came 15 minutes into the second quarter when a 50m penalty brought him to within 20m of goal and he kicked the set shot.

The popular defender, who was coming back from a double knee reconstruction, was mobbed by his teammates, 773 days since his last AFL game Round 15, 2018.

Broomhead, meanwhile, put his set shot out on the full and finished the game with seven disposals.

The future of Adelaide’s forwardline was on show in a meaningful way. The Elliott Himmelberg/Tyson Stengle combination was dangerous while Shane McAdam showed why he’s considered a human highlight reel.