AdminMatch Report
Powerful Pies return to winners list against gallant Tigers
Collingwood halts a streak of two losses in chilly, wet MCG conditions.
By Josh Gabelich via afl.com. au
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WITH remnants of the rugby union match still evident on the MCG from the encounter between the Wallabies and the British and Irish Lions, Nick Daicos appeared to be competently playing an alternative sport compared to his peers on Sunday, guiding Collingwood to a one-game lead at the pinnacle of the ladder.
The two-time All-Australian exhibited exceptional skill in the damp conditions and outperformed Richmond to not only put an end to a two-game losing streak but also to snap the Tigers’ winning run of two games with a 36-point victory.
MATCH CENTRE: RICHMOND v COLLINGWOOD
Daicos managed to score in each of the first three quarters and concluded the match with 42 disposals, 14 score involvements, eight inside 50s, and 884 metres gained.
After achieving a career-best 43 disposals last Sunday against Fremantle, solidifying his lead in the AFL Coaches Association Champion Player of the Year Award, the votes for the 22-year-old are set to increase.
Daicos garnered three Brownlow votes in 17 of his initial 65 regular-season matches, accumulating 38 votes last September – the second-highest tally ever, following the 2024 winner, Patrick Cripps – but is on track for three additional votes on Sunday, continuing a season that has surged since King’s Birthday.
Richmond was without Tim Taranto during warm-up after the Jack Dyer Medallist failed a last-minute fitness check due to calf tightness, yet the Tigers did not lose many admirers for the majority of Sunday’s contest against the top team.
Collingwood maintained the lead at every interval and ultimately secured a comfortable victory, but it was the third quarter where the Magpies netted five consecutive goals in 20 minutes to decisively conclude the Tigers’ valiant effort before nearly 60,000 spectators on a dark, chilly winter afternoon.
Collingwood veteran Tom Mitchell was prominent on the field while seeking a consistent role in Craig McRae’s top 23, wrapping up the game with 29 disposals and six tackles, while Josh Daicos achieved 30 disposals and gained 697 metres to sustain his impressive form.
Following victories over Essendon and West Coast, Richmond carried that early momentum. Rookie forward Tom Sims scored right at the quarter’s end, cutting the lead to eight points at the initial break.
Shortly thereafter in the second quarter, first-round selection Taj Hotton made a significant contested mark in the goalsquare, reducing the deficit to just a single point.
The Tigers capitalized on their opportunities inside 50 during the first half, though they were unable to contain Nick Daicos.
Just as Collingwood required a pivotal moment, the reigning Copeland Trophy victor delivered a remarkable running goal in the second quarter, launching a long-range shot in from just past the 50m mark after evading a diving Tom Brown.
Nick Vlaustin was a defensive stalwart in the first half, accumulating 12 intercepts from 16 disposals to secure Richmond’s backline. Steely Green added the first goal of the second half – his second – from 40m out, directly on the boundary line, to keep the Tigers’ hopes alive.
When Noah Balta netted two goals within the opening four minutes of the third quarter, Richmond sensed an opportunity. During this stretch, Collingwood failed to gain possession.
That marked the closest they would come.
Tim Membrey calmed the situation with a goal from 45 meters away, followed by Nick Daicos reasserting his influence on the match. In a brief span of ten minutes, the Brownlow Medal candidate sliced through Richmond’s defense, setting up Will Hoskin-Elliott for a crucial goal that provided the Magpies with some room to maneuver. Moments later, Daicos scored his third from a tight angle with his left foot.
Collingwood now stands two games clear in the top four, just as August approaches, leading to another finals series under McRae.
RICHMOND 2.1 4.4 7.5 8.9 (57)
COLLINGWOOD 3.3 7.6 12.10 13.15 (93)
GOALS
Richmond: Hotton 2, Green 2, Trezise, Sims, Balta, Faull
Collingwood: N. Daicos 3, Mihocek 2, Membrey 2, Hoskin-Elliott 2, Schultz, McStay, Elliott, Houston
INJURIES
Richmond: Nil
Collingwood: Sullivan (knee)
SUBSTITUTES
Richmond: Jasper Alger replaced Luke Trainor (tactical) in the fourth quarter
Collingwood: Oleg Markov replaced Lachie Sullivan (knee) in the second quarter
LATE CHANGE:
Richmond: Tim Taranto (calf) replaced by Jasper Alger
Collingwood: Scott Pendlebury (injured) replaced by Oleg Markov
Crowd: 59,454 at the MCG
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