2007 Second Semi final
Collingwood 1.5.11 4.8.32 7.11.53 13.15.93
West Coast 0.4.4 5.5.35 8.9.57 10.14.74
VENUE: Subiaco Oval
DATE: Friday 14 September
CROWD: 43,627
UMPIRES: McBurney, Ryan, McInerney
PREMATCH
Defying bottom four predictions, the Collingwood unit of 2007 was a hard nut to crack. Injuries to the few acknowledged stars in Buckley, Clement, Fraser and Didak played havoc with their seasons, but recent canny recruiting saw nine rookies debut, whilst youngsters Travis Cloke, Thomas and Pendlebury began seriously influencing games.
Mirroring 2006, a strong first half of the year was wasted by inexplicably dropping games against lowly ranked teams. Though Collingwood never lost successive games, nor could they muster a decent winning streak. Better Magpie performances came with the odds stacked against them (winning three out of four interstate games), or when challenged by injuries. Again forced down the sudden death route, an emphatic Elimination final win against 2006 Grand finalist Sydney showed a vast improvement on the previous year’s limp exit.
West Coast’s loss to Port Adelaide in the Qualifying final set up a Subiaco showdown between the reigning Premier (sans Judd, Kerr and Cousins, all injured) and a Collingwood side whose improved form coincided with the belated return of Buckley, after 20 weeks of hamstring injuries. Whilst history was against the ‘Pies (having not won in Perth since 1992), drug allegations surrounding several players, most notably Ben Cousins, became an escalating distraction for the Eagles. Starting the season in a defiant blaze of glory, West Coast slumped badly before rallying to make the top four.
The Eagles injury concerns also extended to returning key utility Ashley Hansen, and Beau Waters who withdrew from the selected side. Although West Coast’s three topline onballers were out, Priddis, Braun, Fletcher and Embley formed an exceedingly talented back-up crew.
For the Magpies, Fraser’s late withdrawal with an on-going back injury afforded Carlton cast-off Chris Bryan a chance. With Buckley one loss away from probable retirement, the opportunity to bid the champion a home farewell hung in the balance.
THE GAME
An extremely tight and hard fought first quarter saw Collingwood in battle mode, exemplified by Buckley accidentally colliding with, and concussing teammate Goldsack. Fine spotting by Rusling to Cloke and then Buckley to Bryan did not produce the desired result on the scoreboard. West Coast’s decision to risk Ashley Hansen backfired; his season over after re-straining his hamstring just 14 minutes into the match. It wasn’t until deep into the quarter that the first goal was scored through Medhurst, thanks to an inexplicable chip across goal by Dean Cox. A record Subiaco Oval crowd witnessed a first – the Eagles had never been held goalless there in the first quarter.
Cox, Embley and Fletcher all kicked goals in the second quarter and the Eagles threatened to establish a sizeable buffer. Thomas was dashing and found Swan who pegged one back from a tough angle Didak swooped on a loose ball and a characteristic left foot missile also bisected the uprights. Clement uncharacteristically fluffed a clearing attempt which resulted in a late one to Wirrpanda. Inside a minute remaining, a burst of speed afforded Davis space to king long to Rocca, who outmuscled Glass before accidentally toe-poking the ball through from near the goal line. With 15 hitouts and 15 disposals, Cox was a decisive influence on the game. The gap was just three points at the break; the Magpies navigating an ordinary quarter with minimal damage.
Once again, the Eagles made the early running in the third term with a trio of majors via Lynch, a dominant Priddis and Wirrpanda. West Coast’s backmen clearly had the better of the ‘Pies tall forwards – Glass blanketing Rocca, Chick rendering the emerging Rusling ineffectual, and Hunter breaking even with Cloke. Facing a 23 point deficit, Didak lifted his performance another notch and was supported by Medhurst (who launched himself for a spectacular high mark). Collingwood’s strong tackling was the best part of its game, Maxwell and Thomas the best examples. Strangely, Glass and Cox were benched for a rest – a pivotal error of judgement. Cloke converted well from a mark on a tight angle and was closely followed by Rocca who easily out bustled new opponent Hunter within point blank range. The Magpies weren’t done yet – as the siren beckoned, a composed Cloke found Rocca on the lead, his 40 metre conversion bringing the visitors within a kick at the final break.
The Eagles quickly opened up a ten point break, the Magpies on a knife edge. A dropped chest mark by Wirrpanda allowed Medhurst to swoop in and drill a crucial goal. Didak then rose to the occasion with a classy baulk followed by a low trajectory ripper from outside 50 metres. Matt Rosa steered home a long goal following an atypical Buckley turnover to haul back the ascendancy for the Eagles. Medhurst, again with poise in the thick of the action, found Thomas who coolly converted 23 minutes in to put the Magpies back in front. Collingwood clung to a two point lead with three minutes remaining, as the parochial crowd urged the Eagles to find something more. In a desperate finish, Glass and Embley missed long range opportunities to push the Eagles over the line, but succeeded in trying up the scores. Much of the last minute consisted of an intensely mad scramble in Collingwood’s forward line, no one able to thrust the ball through the posts for the matchwinning score. As the siren sounded, players’ shoulders slumped at the prospect of another ten minutes of hell – except for Guy Richards who celebrated what he thought was a Magpie victory! The Magpies probably should have wrapped up the game – still the odds favoured the Carringbush given a full bench and a slight edge in fitness.
Into extra time, a tired Rosa pushed a shot wide of the target. Collingwood broke through for the first when Chris Bryan found space running towards goal. The intensity and prolific ball-getting capacities of Swan and O’Bree, aided by the class and assuredness of Buckley and Didak, slowly tipped the balance in Collingwood’s favour. Despite failing to reflect its momentum on the scoreboard, the Magpies were poised to outlast the gallant Eagles.
Staker’s miss from a tight angle reduced the difference to just five points early in the second half of extra time. The Woods’ young brigade continued to pressure a flagging West Coast – Thomas striding down the wing taking four bounces – a feat most Eagles could not contemplate. Good vision from Cloke set up Pendlebury who strolled into a deserted forward line for the sealer, with a minute on the clock. With just seconds remaining, the unrelenting Swan’s eighth disposal in extra time provided the icing on top with another lay down misere from the goal square, his fists raised in triumph.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Much of the media speculation after the game centered on John Worsfold’s peculiar decision to rest Glass for the final few minutes of the third quarter. Having totally blanketed the Magpies’ matchwinner Rocca, as a key backmen a breather seemed a dangerous luxury. The Eagles may have been a little complacent – at 23 points in front the game was almost theirs. Compounding the situation was Cox also being off the ground, allowing the Magpies the opportunity to repeatedly win the crucial centre breakaway. In the space of just three minutes the never-say-die ‘Pies banged on three goals to head into the three quarter time break with all the momentum.
AFTERMATCH
It was as monumental performance by the wounded reigning Premier, as it was by the emerging Magpies. Buckley savoured the victory, pumping his fists in jubilation. After an arduous journey, this was a sweet victory. It was just the third successful visit west in 15 contests, and the first win following nine straight losses.
Collingwood’s 93 tackles to West Coast’s 86 indicated the exhaustive nature of the game, hitherto 101 interchanges by the Magpies set a new AFL record. In several respects the seeds of an evolving game plan were on display. Swan accumulated 38 touches and O’Bree 29 for the Magpies.
Not since mid-2000 had the Eagles been without all of their superstar trio and Priddis did his best to fill the void in amassing 37 disposals. Despite Cox’s ruck dominance, the Pies smashed West Coast 53-34 at stoppages, 17-5 at centre clearances and 57-41 at inside 50’s.
Leaving no stone unturned, to aid the recovery process the Collingwood hierarchy invested $50,000 to hire a private jet to fly back to Melbourne at low altitude. After two big finals, including a particularly draining game on the expanses of Subiaco, the players welcomed the extra legroom.
THE HERO
Alan Didak (Collingwood)
From hero to villain, and then hero again. Like Ben Cousins, reigning Copeland Trophy winner Alan Didak’s 2007 script would be rejected by Hollywood on the grounds of implausibility. Overcoming a knee reconstruction in almost record time placed enormous strain, causing Didak to miss intermittent games and make do with a minimal fitness base. This was nothing compared to the night of the Queen’s Birthday game against Melbourne, where he was caught up with a bikie gang member who just days later committed broad daylight murder in Melbourne’s CBD. Didak was lucky to escape dismissal, and only did so having agreed to stringent conditions. For his part in the matter, Didak was the centre of widespread condemnation for his naivety, even wearing blame in some quarters for the tragedy that followed.
Constantly facing the spectre of fear and public loathing, football was probably the only thing Didak had going for him. Nowhere near as prolific as his 2006 All Australian season, Didak’s wonderful skills remained intact. And then, unexpectedly, he accumulated a career high number of possessions (27) in this final. Didak’s work on the ball in the second half was as phenomenal as his two superb goals – typical raking kicks on the run from 50 metres and beyond. After a tumultuous few months, for Didak a cut throat final was just a game of football, after all.
POSTSCRIPT
It would be a chaotic end to the season; just days after the West Coast triumph, legendary ruckman Len Thompson died suddenly of a heart attack at just 60 years of age. He had watched the West Coast final with his great mate Des Tuddenham, and visited Lexus Centre the day before he died to organize his Preliminary final ticket.
If nothing else, the Magpies were full of belief. Parallels could be drawn with ‘Hafey’s heroes’ of 1980 – finishing sixth and having to overcome better equipped, more experienced opposition to be on the brink of a Grand final berth. Having lost just three games and with a remarkable nine All Australians at its disposal (the Magpies had zero in the initial squad of 40), a Geelong loss was nigh inconceivable.
In front of 98,002 fans, a courageous Collingwood was possibly seconds away from conjuring one of the greatest ever finals boilovers. At times the Cats were rattled, however the Woods could never apply enough scoreboard pressure to overcome a Geelong team that would subsequently break its 44 year drought by a record margin over a hapless Port Adelaide.
As proud Collingwood fans clapped off their heroes, eyes centered on Buckley for signs of a parting wave or tear. Clement led the team off acknowledging the crowd in what would be his surprise farewell. The five point loss was hard enough to take – for Buckley (who re-strained his hamstring in the dying minutes), the ironic twist was that he would not have taken his place in the Grand final anyway. After some procrastination, Bucks announced his retirement, along with Paul Licuria – their bodies no longer capable of withstanding the rigours of AFL football. To underline the changing of the guard, Travis Cloke took out the Copeland Trophy and Scott Pendlebury runner up in his sophomore year. As Buckley was to later relate, 2007 was one hell of a ride.
WHAT THEY SAID
“I just look at that group and think the sky’s the limit. I’m not saying for one moment that we’re just going to go out there and walk over Geelong, because that just won’t happen..(but) we will say right now that we want to get out there and win the game.”
Magpie coach Mick Malthouse knew he had a special group to mould.“We’ve been going pretty well, and then giving up leads, and then giving up games. But I certainly couldn’t have asked for them to try any harder…I’m very proud of the way they’ve gone about it.”
Beaten but far from disgraced, the Eagles’ coach John Worsfold lauds his players’ effort.“I was thinking more Austin Powers than what we got”.
Buckley’s mock disappointment in The Club’s 737 charter plane.“It was good, it was a great flight and we had all the ice things and the massage things we needed to get our bodies right.
Anthony Rocca’s expectations were a little lower than Bucks’.“It was a very tough call and very stressful before the game. Just before the anthem I had to make a call and…I had to play”.
Wirrpanda tweaked his calf walking up the players’ race but battled on gamely, kicking two goals.“She was very keen to see the ‘Pies have a win in Perth. She can’t know because I don’t know, although there’s many things she seems to know before I do.”
Tania Buckley’s unusual appearance on the ground at the end of the game pointed to her husband’s imminent retirement, though the Collingwood skipper would give nothing away.
COLLINGWOOD
B Goldsack Wakelin Clement
HB Maxwell O’Brien H Shaw
C Clarke Burns Thomas
HF Buckley Rocca T Cloke
F Didak Rusling Davis
FOLL Richards, Pendlebury, Swan
INT Lockyer, Bryan, Medhurst, O’Bree
COACH Malthouse
WEST COAST
B Nicoski Glass Chick
HB Hurn Hunter Stenglein
C Embley Fletcher Rosa
HF Staker Hansen LeCras
F Selwood Lynch Wirrpanda
FOLL Cox, Priddis, Braun
INT McNamara, B Jones, Seaby, R Jones
COACH Worsfold
BEST
COLLINGWOOD – Didak, Davis, Swan, Medhurst, Goldsack, Thomas, O’Bree, Cloke
WEST COAST – Glass, Priddis, Cox, LeCras, Hunter, Chick, Wirrpanda
GOALS
COLLINGWOOD – Rocca 3, Didak, Medhurst, Swan 2, Cloke, Thomas, Pendlebury, Bryan
WEST COAST – Wirrpanda, LeCras 2, Lynch, Cox, Embley, Fletcher, Priddis, Rosa
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