Resurgent Collingwood are one win away from a remarkable grand final berth after beating Fremantle by 20 points to charge into an AFL preliminary final.
Four unanswered first-quarter goals set the Magpies up for a 11.13 (79) to 9.5 (59) semi-final victory that booked a final-four date with Sydney at the SCG.
The victory, headlined by Jordan De Goey’s outstanding midfield display in front of 90,612 at the MCG, adds another layer to Collingwood’s unlikely rise from 17th to the top four under new coach Craig McRae.
De Goey (24 touches, six clearances and 12 score involvements) starred alongside Jack Crisp (two goals, 24 disposals and six clearances).
Jeremy Howe and Darcy Moore marshalled a well-drilled defence while Jack Ginnivan kicked three goals.
Following their dramatic elimination final comeback win over the Western Bulldogs, Fremantle had hoped to dish up a sterner first-quarter performance on Saturday night.
Instead, the Dockers again looked like deer caught in the finals headlights, with only Collingwood’s inaccuracy making for a flattering scoreboard.
Caleb Serong (34 disposals, 16 contested possessions) and Lachie Schultz (two goals) kept Fremantle in the game, while wingman Blake Acres, defender Luke Ryan and retiring veteran David Mundy were busy.
In the first minute, headline-grabbing Magpie Ginnivan instinctively stayed down as everyone else flew close to goal, coolly soccered home the opener, then pounded his chest and fist-pumped in delight.
Shortly after, Fremantle’s Rory Lobb took a powerful contested mark but dragged his set shot wide.
From there, Collingwood’s resolute press kept the toothless Dockers at bay while Brody Mihocek, De Goey and Jamie Elliott nudged the Magpies to a four-goal advantage at quarter-time.
Schultz nailed Fremantle’s first early in the second and added another later in the term.
But Collingwood were dominant, with their wasteful 2.6 for the quarter keeping the half-time margin at a flattering 27 points.
Schultz teed up Griffin Logue for the opening goal of the third term before Ginnivan ended the Magpies’ run of nine consecutive points with a clever goal in traffic to extend the lead to 31.
De Goey fended off Jordan Clark and teed up Mihocek for another before Michael Walters’ brilliant snap gave the Dockers a pulse at the final break.
But Mason Cox snuffed out any hope of a remarkable Dockers comeback when he nabbed his 100th AFL goal early in the final term.
Mundy, 37, kicked his 161st goal in his 376th and final game midway through the fourth quarter.
It started a run of three Dockers goals that did little but make for a flattering final margin.
Live updates
By Dean Bilton
That’s it for tonight!
Collingwood flexed some muscle tonight, and it feels right that they will be facing off in a preliminary final next week. They are far from done.
Fremantle, on the other hand, can look ahead to 2023. They’ve had a fine season, a real breakthrough year under Justin Longmuir, and they will be better for it next year. They won’t be going anywhere, the Dockers are just getting started.
That’s all from me though. Thanks for your company tonight, and I will see you right back here next week for preliminary final weekend.
By Dean Bilton
Mason Cox turns rover
It was at this exact moment that Fremantle realised it wasn’t going to be their night.
By Dean Bilton
A moment for David Mundy
All 90,000 people inside the MCG stand to applaud David Mundy off the field, as he completes his 376th and final AFL game.
A player respected across the board and absolutely beloved at Fremantle. A career to be proud of, and a man to admire.
By Dean Bilton
Key Event
FT: Pies win! Collingwood are through to preliminary final!
This incredible Collingwood story will feature at least one more chapter, and who’s to say there may not be even more to come after that? The Pies were comfortably the better side tonight, held back only by their own inaccuracy. But the margin wasn’t important tonight, it was all about the result.
And so Collingwood will play Sydney at the SCG next Saturday in a preliminary final. It doesn’t get a whole lot more tantalising than that.
By Dean Bilton
1′: Here comes the siren…
You’ll be able to hear the roar from wherever you are in Australia.
By Dean Bilton
2′: Lobb hooks through another behind
So we’re counting down to the siren now, as the Collingwood chant echoes around the ‘G.
By Dean Bilton
4′: Oh my goodness, goal of the night from Frederick
It’s not going to count for much, but that is OBSCENE from Freddy. He put the jets on about 60 metres from goal, ran to the junction of the 50 and the boundary line and somehow threaded a drop punt straight through the middle. That’s quite incredible.
By Dean Bilton
5′: Frederick gets the tap from Acres and goals
Clever little backhand from Blake Acres to the onrushing Michael Frederick, who finishes the job from the goalsquare. The margin probably flatters Freo, but they’ve chipped away right until the final siren here.
By Dean Bilton
7′: Hoskin-Elliott marks directly in front
Young just chucked it on his boot in defence, but WHE was in the right place at the right time. But his shot fades to the right of the goalpost, another behind.
By Dean Bilton
10′: David Mundy kicks a goal!
There’s a moment for you! Casual as you like on the run from 45, the trusty right foot of David Mundy doesn’t let the Dockers down. If that’s his last goal in AFL footy, it’s one to cherish.
By Dean Bilton
11′: Ginnivan makes no mistake! Pies are home!
That’s three goals for Ginnivan who has done his job and then some tonight.
By Dean Bilton
11′: Ginnivan sneaks through to mark!
I don’t think that kick was meant for Jack Ginnivan, but he just wanted it more and read it best. If he kicks this, the lid might come off the MCG…
By Dean Bilton
By Dean Bilton
14′: Walters kicks the goal for Freo
Some late scoring for Fremantle. Still only 32 points? It’s not impossible?
By Dean Bilton
14′: Serong finds Walters inside 50
Lovely centre clearance from Freo, Darcy finding Serong on the move. Walters lines up for second…
By Dean Bilton
15′: Crisp kicks another! Pies can party now!
Look out Sydney, Collingwood are coming your way.
By Dean Bilton
15′: Here’s Jack Crisp inside 50
Bit too easy for the Collingwood to go end to end. Crisp worked so hard to get on the end of that chain, but has he got the stamina to convert the shot?
By Dean Bilton
16′: Logue kicks the goal, Freo pull one back
Not a rousing celebration from Fremantle, who may now think the game is up.
By Dean Bilton
17′: Logue is found by Amiss
Lovely little kick from Jye Amiss, and now Logue can line them up from 35 metres out on a slight angle.
By Dean Bilton
18′: Jamie Elliott, what an effort
The man is a one-man forward press. Again he beats multiple opponents to create the turnover and force a stoppage inside 50. He is one hell of a footballer.
AAP
