An “on the up” St Kilda outfit has consigned Collingwood to the dreaded 0-3 start to the season it was desperately trying to avoid, with an AFL icon declaring the Magpies “weren’t prepared” to physically commit.
The Pies attempted a late comeback after trailing by 20 points at the final change, but it was too little too late for the reeling reigning premiers.
A miraculous and slightly controversial Jack Higgins major from the boundary line put the final St Kilda nail in the coffin of a 15-point victory at the MCG on Thursday
Collingwood’s premiership candidacy — after an eyebrow-raising pair of losses to start the year — is now well and truly in question.
The last team to start 0-3 and win the premiership was North Melbourne in 1975, while the last to start 0-3 and earn a grand final berth was also North Melbourne, just a year later in ‘76.
History is working against the black and white powerhouse.
In a candid assessment of the Pies’ performance, Hawthorn legend Jason Dunstall criticised Collingwood’s physical approach to the contest.
“Collingwood, to be brutally honest, weren’t prepared to put their bodies on the line like St Kilda were.” he told Fox Footy post-game.
Dunstall also made sure to laud the Saints for their commanding effort against a formidable opponent.
“This is a significant moment for the St Kilda Football Club, to win a game like this against a high-quality opponent,” he said.
“They’re on the up … All 23 contributed very well tonight; you’d go a long way to find a bad player for the Saints.”
Dual premiership Kangaroo David King added: “I don’t know when their next opportunity (to win a premiership) is, I don’t know whether it’s this year or next year but it ain’t too far away.”
JACK HIGGINS FROM THE BOUNDARY LINE 😱
📺 Watch #AFLSaintsPies LIVE on ch. 504 or stream on Kayo: https://t.co/bt2XRyVum8
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🔢 MATCH CENTRE: https://t.co/yDTMAXqCjt pic.twitter.com/D2bvPO49QH— Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) March 21, 2024
St Kilda great Leigh Montagna pointed to Collingwood’s older players as one of the root causes of the side’s early-season issues.
“To be fair, some of the veteran senior players just aren’t quite the same,” Montagna told Fox Footy post-game.
“Some of their veterans — who have been so good for them for so long — they just haven’t come to the party to start the season.
“They don’t look invested, that’s obvious … They don’t look anywhere near as tough as what we saw last year.”
JACK HIGGINS FROM THE BOUNDARY LINE 😱
📺 Watch #AFLSaintsPies LIVE on ch. 504 or stream on Kayo: https://t.co/bt2XRyVum8
✍️ BLOG: https://t.co/2r2ffYpEfJ
🔢 MATCH CENTRE: https://t.co/yDTMAXqCjt pic.twitter.com/D2bvPO49QH— Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) March 21, 2024
King criticised Collingwood’s defensive approach, as well as the side’s level of commitment.
“I don’t know if they’re as invested in this method of defence, or this pattern of play anymore,” King said. “They’re looking for easy kicks … they look jittery.”
“It’s a really disrespectful way of playing, it really is. When it fails, it looks really poor — I don’t know whether they paid the price on offence or defence.”
After tonight’s result, Collingwood joins 2023 Geelong as the only reigning premier to be 0-3 in the AFL era.
Like Dunstall, Port Adelaide champion Kane Cornes on SEN radio on Friday morning said he believes the Magpies were “timid”.
“The word ‘soft’ is synonymous with AFL football. I would never say that an AFL player is soft that crosses the white line – but they were timid,” he told SEN Breakfast.
“That is about as big a criticism as you can get as a team. You can go back and you can watch a significant number of efforts where Collingwood players were jumpy and timid.
“They didn’t really want to have contact last night … they didn’t want to feel the heat.
“They coughed up fundamentals and we’re talking fundamentals in the contest where they’ve been so strong. You won’t win finals if you’re not strong in the contest and they couldn’t handle the heat from the Saints.
“It’s not soft, but there’s not the ability to sacrifice your body for the betterment of the team.”
Cornes called out a host of Magpies stars for not committing themselves hard enough at the contest — including 50-game sensation Nick Daicos.
“Nick Daicos was timid last night. I know that’s a criticism he probably hasn’t copped much through 50 games and it’s really tough to single him out, because he’s been as consistent as anyone,” he said.
“But he was timid in the contest. He missed tackles, he fumbled and he was jumpy. Jordan De Goey is jumpy. Steele Sidebottom goes back with one hand instead of putting his full body there and costs them a goal.
“Darcy Moore is just missing a spoil because I don’t think he genuinely wants to put it all on the line.”
The dual All-Australian also held concerns that the end of Scott Pendlebury’s glittering career may soon be coming, identifying declining signs in the 36-year old’s game.
“At some point Pendlebury is going to be finished. He looks finished to me,” Cornes added.
“I think the first sign your time is coming to an end is if you go to ground a lot, if you’re not prepared to take contact and you look for cheap free kicks.
“I’m seeing that with Scott at the moment.”
Still searching for their first triumph of the new season, the Pies will travel to play Brisbane next Thursday night in the rematch of last year’s thrilling decider.
