Winless Pies Fail To Flatter

The Sunday Age

Sunday March 2, 2008

Carley Jellett

COLLINGWOOD believes it was "better for the run" after yet another pre-season loss yesterday - this time to Port Adelaide at Princes Park - but assistant coach Brad Scott admitted he was disappointed with the players' skill levels just three weeks out from the start of a new season.

With both teams playing close to full sides, Port controlled the contest to run out 35-point winners, with Danyle Pearce's 33 possessions and Shaun Burgoyne's five goals outclassing the Magpies, who were surprisingly sloppy.

Despite its third straight loss, the club was not prepared to hit the panic button, with Scott saying it was more important to blood young players than win.

"(At) this time of the year, the result, there's nothing hanging on it so we just need to get some game time into players and (take) another step forward," Scott said. "I suppose if you use racing parlance, we were better for the run."

The Magpies started well, kicking the first goal of the match through Anthony Rocca, who finished with three and was on and off the ground.

The rest of the first quarter, however, went all Port Adelaide's way. The Power piled on four straight goals as Collingwood squandered its opportunities with three points and two shots that sailed out of bounds.

The Magpies' use of the ball around the ground was an issue all day, with even senior players struggling to hit their targets, which, according to Scott, was the difference between the sides.

"That was one disappointing aspect. It was probably the main difference between the two sides, that they were able to use the ball a lot better and a lot cleaner than us. And forwards probably suffered from pretty poor delivery. So that is something that we just have to keep working on," he said.

It was not all bad news for the Pies, however.

They did control portions of the match - particularly in the second and third quarters - and Dale Thomas provided a few highlights for the die-hard fans, including yet another goal-of-the-year-that-isn't contender. The fans were brought to their feet just before half-time when the flashy youngster scissor-kicked an untouched ball from a ball-up in the goal square and it sailed over his head for a goal.

The margin at three-quarter-time was just two goals and Collingwood had a chance to level in the final quarter after Thomas marked in range. He played on quickly in the direction of teammate Chris Egan in the goal square but Egan was unable to control the ball and it trickled through for a behind.

Port Adelaide dominated from then on, taking several uncontested marks in its forward line and kicking five goals, including three to Shaun Burgoyne.

"He is an outstanding player," coach Mark Williams said of Burgoyne.

"But different people will bob up. That is the quality of our side - you can spend all of your time worrying about one of them and someone else will come through."

Williams was happy to register his first pre-season victory but he said coming through the game injury-free was the most pleasing aspect.

Scott agreed: "The positives were simply that we just got through another pre-season game without any injuries. This pre-season is really just building week-to-week to round one. Nothing more."

The Magpies were without Scott Burns, Tarkyn Lockyer, Nick Maxwell and Ben Johnson yesterday, while the Power were missing vice-captain Michael Wilson. But both sides indicated they would play close to their best possible line-ups next weekend for the final pre-season match.

"We won't be resting anyone," Williams said. "They will be certainly playing as good as they can to get themselves an opportunity to play (in round one)."

Scott said Collingwood players who had participated in the whole pre-season schedule - including trips to Dubai and Albany - were possibilities to be rested.

"We would like to have close to our best side. There will be a couple of guys who will have done the whole preparation so we might look at resting them, but we will get pretty close to our best available squad."

DETAILS

PORT ADELAIDE

4.1 8.6 10.8 15.11 (101)

COLLINGWOOD

1.3 6.4 8.8 9.12 (66)

GOALS - Port Adelaide: S Burgoyne 5, Ebert 2, Motlop 2, Gray 2, Tredrea, Rodan, Westhoff, Salter.

Collingwood: Rocca 3, Thomas 2, Medhurst, Wood, Cloke, Swan.

BEST - Port Adelaide: S Burgoyne, Pearce, C Cornes, K Cornes, Ebert, Motlop. Collingwood: Egan, Cloke, O'Brien, Thomas, Swan, Davis.

UMPIRES

Schmitt, Ellis, Statham, Bowen.

CROWD

About 2500 at Princes Park.

© 2008 The Sunday Age

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