Collingwood are into the preliminary last after surviving a last quarter onslaught to assert an exciting 9.6 (60) to 7.11 (53) win over Melbourne.
In entrance of greater than 92,000 followers on a Thursday night time, the MCG was completely pumping because the Demons minimize a 25-point deficit at three-quarter time to only seven with three minutes remaining.
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But whereas it’s often the Pies coming dwelling robust, it was the aspect’s defence that stopped the red-hot Demons who regarded the almost certainly to romp dwelling to assert the win as Collingwood couldn’t get it out of their very own finish.
Offensively, the Pies scored simply two behinds down the stretch, whereas Melbourne had all of the ball.
But it was sufficient to hold on to the win for the Magpies, who now lock in an MCG preliminary last in a fortnight’s time.
For the Demons, it’s a troublesome street forward who will play the winner of Carlton and Sydney, for the possibility to play the winner of Brisbane and Port Adelaide if they’re to make the grand last.
It was a wild match within the first finals conflict between the membership’s since 1989.
The fuse was ignited from the outset when Collingwood booted the primary two objectives by Bobby Hill, however when the Demons went to kick their first aim, a brutal second left the AFL divided as Melbourne Angus Brayshaw was left knocked out after a smother went flawed. He was stretchered off the sphere.
The normal consensus was instantly that Maynard was simply making an attempt to brace himself when he made contact after leaping to make a smother whereas Brayshaw nonetheless had the ball in his palms, however will probably be as much as the Match Review Officer with a choice that would effectively finish Maynard’s season.
As for Maynard’s views on the hit, he mentioned it was an unlucky incident.
“I don’t want to say too much, but it’s a footy act,” he mentioned on Channel 7.
“I came forward, I jumped to smother the ball and unfortunately I just got him on the way down. So I don’t know.
“We’ll have to wait and see what happens. But it’s all love. I absolutely love that guy to bits. So yeah, it’s shattering what happened.”
The AFL commentators have been divided over the incident and whether or not Maynard had a case to reply.
Geelong famous person Patrick Dangerfield mentioned there was nothing Maynard may have carried out.
“Maynard plays on the edge but in my view, there’s nothing in this because there’s a duty of care to yourself to protect yourself as you come to land,” he mentioned on Channel 7. “There’s nothing in this for me.
“Unfortunately in this game, there’s contact that occurs. He can’t protect himself in that position either (Maynard).
“He’s at the mercy of the oncoming player.”
Matthew Richardson added: “He’s jumped in the air to smother, he then cannot avoid contact. What else can he do?”
On Fox Footy at quarter-time, two-time premiership winner David King mentioned: “I’m not sure what more Maynard could do. He’s going at the ball, he’s trying to smother and then he just braces for contact. He doesn’t try and use the elbow at all, he doesn’t use the forearm. I just think this is a football action and unfortunately he’s caught him in the wrong spot and he’s out for the day.”
Jason Dunstall added that it was a “genuine attempted smother”.
“Once he’s in the air, he can’t disappear, he can’t change his positioning and it doesn’t look a massive hit per se but unfortunately, it looks like it’s going to result in Brayshaw not taking any further part — we hope he’s okay.
“But can you punish a player jumping up in the air trying to spoil?”
Two-time All-Australian Leigh Montagna agreed and mentioned: “I don’t think you can. I don’t think Maynard is going to have anything to worry about.”
Thankfully, halfway by the second quarter, Brayshaw was reportedly up and speaking to employees which is nice news after he regarding scenes.
Brayshaw has had a protracted historical past with concussion, having suffered 4 in 12 months again in 2019, admitted he even thought of strolling away from the sport.
It’s why he now wears a helmet in video games.
Former Port Adelaide 300-gamer Kane Cornes tweeted: “Nothing else Maynard could have done there. Thoughts with Brayshaw – but a non-story in terms of a suspension.”
But CODE Sports’ Lachlan McKirdy believes there could also be a cost to reply.
“I get it’s a footy incident, but it’s still forceful contact from Maynard’s shoulder to Brayshaw’s head,” he tweeted.
On SEN, Gerard Whateley mentioned it may go both manner.
“There are two extremes here,” he mentioned on AFL Nation.
“It’s either classified as accidental. Or Maynard’s finals could be over.
“There’s extreme drama. It’s very rare you see a player knocked out cold.”
Over to you MRO.
At halftime, the Herald Sun’s Jon Ralph mentioned will probably be both nothing or season over for Maynard.
He mentioned it was a “line ball” incident because it could possibly be seen that Maynard’s shoulder made contact with Brayshaw’s head, but additionally that the rotation of the shoulder was as a result of Maynard was defending himself.
But if it’s dominated as careless conduct, extreme impression and excessive contact, the three-match ban would imply Maynard’s season is over.
9.45pm — Melbourne come dwelling robust
The Pies are fourth quarter specialists however the Demons have ambushed them, scoring the primary two objectives of the time period to immediately minimize the lead.
It’s tense scenes on the MCG as the sport is now on a knife’s edge.
With about 10 minutes to go, it’s a 13-point ball sport and Melbourne are everywhere in the Pies.
9.31pm — Collingwood lead by 25
With 1 / 4 left, the Pies are wanting set to have a house preliminary last whereas Melbourne are going through a troublesome street to the Grand Final.
At three-quarter time, the Pies lead 9.4 (58) to 4.9 (33).
Leigh Montagna mentioned the Demons needed to present some dare with 1 / 4 to go, claiming the aspect had reverted to the way in which it performed final season, when the aspect completed second however was eradicated in straight units by Sydney and Brisbane.
8.32pm — Melbourne hit again
At halftime it’s a 17-point ball sport because the Pies have been saved quiet within the second quarter.
While it was a 20-point deficit at quarter time, the Demons kicked 1.4 as much as halftime to cut back the harm and make it a 3 kick sport on the break.
Leigh Montagna mentioned the Demons will take the 17-point deficit after being completely outplayed.
“It was all about the first term, they were completely overwhelmed Melbourne by Collingwood,” Montagna mentioned.
“They were tougher, they were harder, they were slicker with the footy, they dominated the first term. And they were lucky Melbourne not to be further behind.”
David King mentioned Max Gawn had stood up, but it surely was like “Max Vs Collingwood”.
“He needs those midfield troops that have been so good for so long to come with him,” he added.
“They haven’t got an answer up forward at the moment. And their ball movement has been so basic and boring, I’m sure (coach) Simon Goodwin will say ‘let’s free it up’.”
8pm — Melbourne star ‘in real trouble’
While the Brayshaw incident sucked all of the oxygen out of the room within the opening quarter, it seems Melbourne ahead Jacob van Rooyan’s finals marketing campaign could possibly be unsure after an elbow within the opening quarter.
Collingwood’s Dan McStay had almost overrun a ball when van Rooyan hit him.
And the scene wasn’t nice for van Rooyan, who appeared to get him proper on the chin, whereas McStay instantly left the sphere.
AFL nice Jason Dunstall mentioned he feels the teenager could possibly be in a spot of trouble.
“He is trying to be aggressive and I think he got it incredibly wrong,” Dunstall mentioned on Fox Footy.
David King added: “You just can’t do that. An elbow to the chin, it doesn’t get much more straightforward than that.”
7.31pm — Star knocked out in sickening scenes
Melbourne’s Angus Brayshaw has been knocked out within the opening minutes after a sickening accident in the course of the sphere.
After the Pies had scored two objectives by Bobby Hill earlier than the Demons had their first play up the sphere.
But as Brayshaw went to kick in direction of the 50, Brayden Maynard went to smother the ball earlier than falling on the Demons star.
“I think he’s had some damage here. He may have been knocked out, Brayshaw,” Brian Taylor mentioned in commentary.
“He hasn’t moved. That was a very, very heavy knock and it is going to start a bit of bish bash here.”
The stretcher was quickly known as to take Brayshaw from the sphere.
The commentators quickly got here to the conclusion that there was not a lot in that as Maynard had jumped effectively earlier than Brayshaw kicked it.
Geelong famous person Patrick Dangerfield mentioned there was nothing Maynard may have carried out.
“Maynard plays on the edge but in my view, there’s nothing in this because there’s a duty of care to yourself to protect yourself as you come to land,” he mentioned on Channel 7. “There’s nothing in this for me.
“Unfortunately in this game, there’s contact that occurs. He can’t protect himself in that position either (Maynard).
“He’s at the mercy of the oncoming player.”
Matthew Richardson added: “He’s jumped in the air to smother, he then cannot avoid contact. What else can he do?”
On Fox Footy at quarter-time, two-time premiership winner David King mentioned: “I’m not sure what more Maynard could do. He’s going at the ball, he’s trying to smother and then he just braces for contact. He doesn’t try and use the elbow at all, he doesn’t use the forearm. I just think this is a football action and unfortunately he’s caught him in the wrong spot and he’s out for the day.”
Jason Dunstall added that it was a “genuine attempted smother”.
“Once he’s in the air, he can’t disappear, he can’t change his positioning and it doesn’t look a massive hit per se but unfortunately, it looks like it’s going to result in Brayshaw not taking any further part — we hope he’s okay.
“But can you punish a player jumping up in the air trying to spoil?”
Two-time All-Australian Leigh Montagna agreed and mentioned: “I don’t think you can. I don’t think Maynard is going to have anything to worry about.”
Thankfully, halfway by the second quarter, Brayshaw was reportedly up and speaking to employees which is nice news after he regarding scenes.
Brayshaw has had a protracted historical past with concussion, having suffered 4 in 12 months again in 2019, admitted he even thought of strolling away from the sport.
It’s why he now wears a helmet in video games.
Former Port Adelaide 300-gamer Kane Cornes tweeted: “Nothing else Maynard could have done there. Thoughts with Brayshaw – but a non-story in terms of a suspension.”
But CODE Sports’ Lachlan McKirdy believes there could also be a cost to reply.
“I get it’s a footy incident, but it’s still forceful contact from Maynard’s shoulder to Brayshaw’s head,” he tweeted.
On SEN, Gerard Whateley mentioned it may go both manner.
“There are two extremes here,” he mentioned on AFL Nation.
“It’s either classified as accidental. Or Maynard’s finals could be over.
“There’s extreme drama. It’s very rare you see a player knocked out cold.”
Over to you MRO.
At halftime, the Herald Sun’s Jon Ralph mentioned will probably be both nothing or season over for Maynard.
He mentioned it was a “line ball” incident because it could possibly be seen that Maynard’s shoulder made contact with Brayshaw’s head, but additionally that the rotation of the shoulder was as a result of Maynard was defending himself.
But if it’s dominated as careless conduct, extreme impression and excessive contact, the three-match ban would imply Maynard’s season is over.
As Brayshaw was being taken off the sphere, Jack Viney got here to defend his teammate, getting up within the face of Maynard.
The commentators believed it was to get in Maynard’s head that there can be potential Tribunal ramifications to the hit.
At quarter-time, the Pies led 4.2 (26) to 1.0 (6).
7pm — Lightning considerations to play an element
The climate has chosen the worst potential time to become involved with the primary last set to be a moist and wild affair.
But there are considerations that there can be lightning round Melbourne.
If that is the case, the Herald Sun’s Jon Ralph confirmed that the AFL’s lightning rule would go into impact.
“If there is lightning within 10km of the MCG, then they will stop the game,” he mentioned.
“They will stop it for a minimum of 20 minutes. And then, when it is safe to do so, when the lightning and thunder has passed by the area, they will restart the game.
“There is certainly no time limit in regards to when that game would be restarted, we can go as late as we need.”
But the rain is actually coming down on the MCG.
However, there was lightning earlier within the day round 6pm, but it surely’s eased off and the primary bounce shouldn’t be delayed.
6.40pm — Selection bombshell ‘devastating as it gets’
There’s nonetheless loads of disbelief round concerning the Magpies’ name to drop defender John Noble in a shocking name for the all-important last.
The 26-year-old Noble had performed 83 consecutive video games for the membership however was informed he wouldn’t be chosen for the qualifying last on Wednesday.
There have been heartbreaking scenes together with his teammates getting round him in a huddle after the news.
“That’s as devastating as it gets,” Essendon legend Matthew Lloyd mentioned on Nine’s Footy Classified on Wednesday night time.
“I certainly didn’t see this coming. John Noble, who’s played every game since he debuted, 83 in a row.”
But whereas they have been brutal scenes, it additionally exhibits the power of the minor premiers, who welcome again Nathan Murphy, Darcy Moore and Beau McCreery for the conflict.
Speaking on Thursday, Magpies assistant Scott Selwood mentioned it was a heartbreaking name.
“It was extremely tough,” Selwood mentioned.
“He’s been such an integral part of not just what we’ve done over this year but the past three or four years. It’s really disappointing for him but the way he took it was extremely well, he’s a really good teammate yesterday and today and supported the guys.
“It was extremely marginal between him and Oleg (Markov) and we’re confident in both of them and Oleg got the nod just on recent form.”
6pm — Wild scenes hours earlier than AFL blockbuster
If you need to understand how massive this sport is in Melbourne, the road up exterior the MCG all through the afternoon says completely every thing you could know.
The match has been hotly anticipated with 95,000 followers anticipated to file into the bottom.
But the road up began early as members flocked to get their seats.
Note: the gates didn’t open for members till 4.30pm with the general public gates opening at 5.30pm.
Fox Footy’s Drew Jones mentioned there have been “thousands” lined up exterior the MCG at about 4pm.
While it’s not surprising as Victoria loves its footy, they’re unimaginable scenes exhibiting simply how sizzling a ticket the occasion is.
For the file, the Magpies come into the finals with its first minor premiership since 2011.
It’s an excellent omen for the aspect who completed minor premiers in 2010 as effectively, profitable the flag, earlier than ending runner’s up in 2011.
But after shedding three of their final 5 video games main into the finals, questions had began to be requested.
As for the Demons, seven wins from the final eight matches has Melbourne effectively primed for a tilt on the premiership.
Source: www.news.com.au
