Darcy Cameron executed the perfect tap, Nick Daicos executed the perfect kick and Mason Cox executed the perfect stuff up. Sometimes in life, and in football, you just know it isn’t going to be your day. And when the ball ballooned off big Mason’s belly button, a bad Collingwood moon was rising. A few minutes later, Scott Pendlebury was zipping up his tracksuit top, done for the day and the year. He’s their compass and their second coach but he also plays a critical defensive role at stoppages. Several times in the opening quarter, the Lions waltzed out the front of packs where Pendlebury would normally have been the doorman.
One thing Collingwood had in their favour was precedent. So you’re three goals down at quarter time, all at sea and without one of your best and most experienced players? Sound familiar? But unlike Geelong’s violent wrenching of the contest the night before, Collingwood’s was more of a stabilisation, a reset, a gradual ratcheting up of the pressure. As Brisbane conceded a 100-metre penalty, Ryan Lester was having his head stitched up, Ty Gallop was being tested for concussion and Collingwood had kicked six goals from 15 entries. Watching the Lions trudge to their rooms didn’t inspire confidence.
