Walyalup Plays Strong First Half
It was a massively important game for both teams at Optus Stadium yesterday as the pair of clubs are right beside each other on the ladder.
Just three minutes in, the Dockers took the lead off the boot of Josh Treacy, who sent the ball flying through from a set-shot.
After a Tom Emmett behind stretched the lead to 7-0, Collingwood answered with Harvey Harrison who finished off a confident looking attack from the Magpies.
Jeremy Sharp responded quickly for the Dockers, who eventually worked the lead to 13 midway through the opening quarter.
They were unable to hold on as Collingwood put together an incredible final five minutes. Both Josh Daicos and Harvey Harrison put through goals and with a behind mixed in the middle, the Magpies led 22-21 at the quarter’s end.
The second quarter was a much slower burn than the hectic opening frame. The first 15 minutes saw just three behinds scored, all by Collingwood.
Play then opened up with Walyalup raising their level. In the span of five minutes, they scored three unanswered goals and a behind to lead by 15.
Collingwood put through two behinds in the final five minutes to cut the lead to 13 heading into the dressing room for halftime.
Match Comes Down to the Wire after Controversial Call
Collingwood head coach Craig McRae must have given some speech at halftime as coming out for the second half, the Magpies looked like a completely different side.
After an early Walyalup behind, Collingwood took charge of the match. Storming the ball defensively and countering with speed and anticipation, they scored three goals unanswered. It was first Brady Mihocek going back-to-back, followed by Harrison putting through his third of the night off a broken play to give the Magpies a four-point lead.
Play then once again settled for 15 minutes as the two sides traded a number of behinds. Then came another Collingwood offensive to end the quarter.
It was Patrick Lipinsky and Joe Richards this time, both with their first goals of the match as their Magpies side manufactured a 29-point swing in the quarter, going from down 13 at halftime, to up 16 heading into the fourth.
Collingwood opened the fourth quarter with a 9-0 run, to stretch the lead to 25. The Dockers got one goal back, but it was equaled by Bobby Hill with just over ten minutes remaining.
Then came the surge from the Dockers. It was started by Bailey Banfield, who sent through his third of the match.
A controversial umpiring decision then saw Sean Darcy gifted a goal as Lachie Sullivan was penalised for not returning the ball to the umpire after a ball-up was called just 15 metres out.
Hayden Young then got in on the action, putting through a goal and cutting the Collingwood lead to seven.
Dockers skipper Alex Pearce made a great sliding mark 40 metres out with under two minutes to play and kicked truly to cut the lead to one.
He stated after the match that he was nervous going back for the kick but thought to himself ‘Cam would kick this’. A touching tribute to his former friend and teammate Cam McCarthy who passed away earlier this month.
The Dockers even had a chance to win it late but could only manage a behind, as the match ended with the two sides locked at 75.
Walyalup and Collingwood ended up both securing two points in Perth yesterday in a crazy change of events. After leading by as many as 25 late in the fourth quarter, Collingwood fell apart and let through four straight goals and a behind as the match ended in a draw.
