AFL 2025: Collingwood toying with Dan McStay as defender and could deploy him as early as this week
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Herald Sun
6 hours ago
- Herald Sun
Pies coach McRae defends Moore, confirms major team changes
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News. Collingwood coach Craig McRae has flagged major changes to the club's defence against a tall Hawks forward line on Thursday but defended captain Darcy Moore's recent performances. McRae concedes his team has real concerns after being bashed up in close against the Lions and shredded by six-goal hero Logan Morris. Moore again had his colours lowered by a young key tall after Patrick Voss kicked six goals against the Pies two weeks ago, many of them on the Pies captain. Billy Frampton impressed in the VFL on Saturday in his second game back after recovering from a calf injury and seems likely to replace Charlie Dean. And Jeremy Howe should take on Hawthorn, set to join full training on Tuesday after a groin issue and then sickness last week that saw his return to the senior side delayed. But the Pies have only a single full training session on Tuesday and plenty of concerns to rectify. Former Adelaide captain Rory Sloane said on Sunday the Collingwood midfield was 'bullied' by Brisbane, as veterans Steele Sidebottom and Scott Pendlebury failed to shine. Essendon champion Matthew Lloyd also told Nine he was 'concerned about Darcy Moore' given he failed to tighten up when a rival forward had the ascendancy. Coach Craig McRae said he was an eternal optimist but after three losses in four games he conceded some of the defensive issues were real. 'We would be pretty close to being the best defence in the competition still, but we have got work to do,' he said. 'That (opposition goal power) is real, and Howey hasn't played those two weeks so are we too heavily reliant on Howey? Billy Frampton got through in the VFL today and I was really pleased with his game. There are some concerns. Deal in facts. Absolutely.' He said he believed Howe was ready to return: 'I hope so, based on the last comment but he's positioned himself to be available. He has to get through training.' He made clear no one was hanging the defence out to dry given the lack of competitiveness in the midfield. 'We rely heavily on system in our defence so to put the finger on an individual, that's not what we do. We all own that.' Hawthorn did play four talls against Adelaide but for modest returns, with Calsher Dear eventually subbed off so Sam Mitchell also has a decision to make about the structure of his side. Collingwood plays a Hawthorn side with two extra days break and then an Adelaide side that has won 10 off 11 games at Adelaide Oval the next Saturday night so the run home is imposing. Collingwood has a 10-win streak at Adelaide and has also conquered Brisbane at the Gabba this year but would clearly prefer an MCG qualifying final. Jordan De Goey and Bobby Hill thankfully pulled up well and should take on Hawthorn, but Sloane said the midfield had to lift. 'They bullied Collingwood's midfield last night. The contested numbers were off the chart. They ended up plus 19,' he said 'They were cleaner than Collingwood, they made the ball look dry and they broke through Collingwood's pressure.' Early Tackle: Houston, Pies have a big problem
Courier-Mail
8 hours ago
- Courier-Mail
Emerging forward joins Buddy Franklin in epic 19yr first as Lions outclass Collingwood
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News. A potent Brisbane outfit has shot the lights out against Collingwood in an MCG epic on Saturday night, defeating the 2023 premiers by 27 points. The Lions led at every interval in the Round 21 blockbuster, returning serve on the Magpies' second-term surge to win 14.8 (92) over the home side's 10.5 (65). FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. Second-year emerging star Logan Morris bagged a career-high six goals in the clash, with three in each half pulverising the Collingwood defence all night long to suddenly resurrect their hopes of a double chance this upcoming finals series. Morris' career-best is the first time that any Lions player has kicked half a dozen goals in a game at the 'G since Jonathan Brown all the way back in Round 19, 2007. Additionally, he's the youngest player since Lance Franklin in 2006 to kick six at the 'Sporting Colosseum'. The Pies threatened a final-term comeback through super sub Bobby Hill in his return to AFL football, but it was star Zac Bailey who sealed the game's fate with just over three-and a-half-minutes to play. Collingwood had no response to Logan Morris. For Collingwood, Nick Daicos was monumental in the first half with 17 disposals, four inside 50s, two goal assists and a major before the main break, but slowed down as the Lions took control once more. Inclusions Jordan de Goey (tactically subbed in third quarter) and Bobby Hill (starting substitute) importantly looked to get through the match unscathed. Brisbane key defender Ryan Lester was unfortunately not as lucky, and was subbed out with concussion before quarter time. '(That was) definitely one of the better wins I've been involved with since I've been at the club,' Lions premiership coach Chris Fagan told Fox Footy's Super Saturday Live post-game. 'I loved the way we attacked the game tonight, we played bold footy ... every time that they came at us, we were able to respond and stay steady.' Logan Morris was the front man, and Henry Smith was his unlikely companion, combining for nine goals. Morris kicked two goals in the opening quarter and could have had a third; threatening in the early stages. Then it was Smith's turn to assert himself as a key-position target ahead of the ball, booting his first and second career goals in the space of just over three minutes. Hugh McCluggage was the one for Brisbane orchestrating the side's threatening forward chains, recording three score involvements with nine disposals and two clearances in the first term. 'McCluggage has been outstanding in this first quarter. He's had a year and a half. I tell you what, if he's not All-Australian this year, you would be horribly surprised,' Lyon said on quarter-time. The Lions capitalised with three goals from turnover to Collingwood's none in the opening 30 minutes — but their defence suffered a key blow. Reliable stopper Ryan Lester was subbed out of the game early in the second quarter with concussion, as Bruce Reville entered the action earlier than anticipated. 'It was late in the third quarter, he went up into a marking contest and he just copped a little bit of a stray elbow from (Dan) McStay,' Geelong great Cameron Mooney reported from the boundary line. 'It really looks like there wasn't much in it, but it was enough obviously for the Brisbane Lions to make sure that he wasn't going to come back on.' Meanwhile, incredibly, Smith kicked his third goal of the night — again a dead-straight set shot — halfway through the second term, presenting as an unlikely sparkplug for the raring Lions. 'This is an amazing win,' Dunstall said of Smith's eye-opening return in just his fifth career AFL game and first of this season. But the Lions then had to withstand the Pies' pressure, which went up a notch from halfway through the second quarter, as the visitors' ball movement game stalled at the hands of the league's stingiest defence. 'Coming out of the back half now, the pressure is great (from Collingwood), I understand that. But they've got to find a way to use the ball short, break it up, and try and get some run back through the corridor. Banging it long to Cameron, Moore, whoever else, isn't working,' Lyon said. It was a five-goal-to-two second stanza from the Pies, who narrowed Brisbane's lead to one single point at the main change. Triple Richmond premiership star Jack Riewoldt sang the praises of Brisbane's emerging duo. 'They've been held together by a couple of young key forwards; Logan Morris and Henry Smith have both kicked three to throw the Collingwood backline a few curveballs,' he said. Morris booted his fourth and fifth goals of the evening early in the third, both with snaps. For the third time this season, Morris had five majors to his name. It was a four-goal-to-one premiership quarter by the Lions, who took a handy 19-point lead into the final change. 'A lot of talk has been about 'do the Lions miss Joe Daniher?' Well, young Logan Morris said 'hold my drinks, everybody, I've just snagged five at three-quarter-time',' Mooney said at three-quarter-time. 'One or two more, and this man might drag his team over the line.' It'd been an 18-year wait for another Brisbane Lions player to kick six goals on the MCG since 2007 when Brown did it — but cometh the moment, cometh the Morris. The 38-gamer snapped home his sixth, on his left foot, at the 13-minute mark to extend the Lions' buffer to a game-high 27-point lead. Lachie Neale and McCluggage wound up combining for a whopping 70 disposals, 19 clearances and 12 score involvements. Originally published as Emerging forward joins Buddy Franklin in epic 19yr first as Lions outclass Collingwood
News.com.au
10 hours ago
- News.com.au
Emerging forward joins Buddy Franklin in epic 19yr first as Lions outclass Collingwood
A potent Brisbane outfit has shot the lights out against Collingwood in an MCG epic on Saturday night, defeating the 2023 premiers by 27 points. The Lions led at every interval in the Round 21 blockbuster, returning serve on the Magpies' second-term surge to win 14.8 (92) over the home side's 10.5 (65). FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. Second-year emerging star Logan Morris bagged a career-high six goals in the clash, with three in each half pulverising the Collingwood defence all night long to suddenly resurrect their hopes of a double chance this upcoming finals series. Morris' career-best is the first time that any Lions player has kicked half a dozen goals in a game at the 'G since Jonathan Brown all the way back in Round 19, 2007. Additionally, he's the youngest player since Lance Franklin in 2006 to kick six at the 'Sporting Colosseum'. The Pies threatened a final-term comeback through super sub Bobby Hill in his return to AFL football, but it was star Zac Bailey who sealed the game's fate with just over three-and a-half-minutes to play. For Collingwood, Nick Daicos was monumental in the first half with 17 disposals, four inside 50s, two goal assists and a major before the main break, but slowed down as the Lions took control once more. Inclusions Jordan de Goey (tactically subbed in third quarter) and Bobby Hill (starting substitute) importantly looked to get through the match unscathed. Brisbane key defender Ryan Lester was unfortunately not as lucky, and was subbed out with concussion before quarter time. '(That was) definitely one of the better wins I've been involved with since I've been at the club,' Lions premiership coach Chris Fagan told Fox Footy's Super Saturday Live post-game. 'I loved the way we attacked the game tonight, we played bold footy ... every time that they came at us, we were able to respond and stay steady.' Logan Morris was the front man, and Henry Smith was his unlikely companion, combining for nine goals. Morris kicked two goals in the opening quarter and could have had a third; threatening in the early stages. Then it was Smith's turn to assert himself as a key-position target ahead of the ball, booting his first and second career goals in the space of just over three minutes. Hugh McCluggage was the one for Brisbane orchestrating the side's threatening forward chains, recording three score involvements with nine disposals and two clearances in the first term. 'McCluggage has been outstanding in this first quarter. He's had a year and a half. I tell you what, if he's not All-Australian this year, you would be horribly surprised,' Lyon said on quarter-time. The Lions capitalised with three goals from turnover to Collingwood's none in the opening 30 minutes — but their defence suffered a key blow. Reliable stopper Ryan Lester was subbed out of the game early in the second quarter with concussion, as Bruce Reville entered the action earlier than anticipated. 'It was late in the third quarter, he went up into a marking contest and he just copped a little bit of a stray elbow from (Dan) McStay,' Geelong great Cameron Mooney reported from the boundary line. 'It really looks like there wasn't much in it, but it was enough obviously for the Brisbane Lions to make sure that he wasn't going to come back on.' Meanwhile, incredibly, Smith kicked his third goal of the night — again a dead-straight set shot — halfway through the second term, presenting as an unlikely sparkplug for the raring Lions. Henry Smith gets his first goal in the AFL and is swamped by his teammates ðŸ'� ðŸ'° Watch #AFLPiesLions on Ch.504 or stream on Kayo: âœ�ï¸� BLOG ðŸ'¢ MATCH CENTRE — Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) August 2, 2025 'This is an amazing win,' Dunstall said of Smith's eye-opening return in just his fifth career AFL game and first of this season. But the Lions then had to withstand the Pies' pressure, which went up a notch from halfway through the second quarter, as the visitors' ball movement game stalled at the hands of the league's stingiest defence. 'Coming out of the back half now, the pressure is great (from Collingwood), I understand that. But they've got to find a way to use the ball short, break it up, and try and get some run back through the corridor. Banging it long to Cameron, Moore, whoever else, isn't working,' Lyon said. It was a five-goal-to-two second stanza from the Pies, who narrowed Brisbane's lead to one single point at the main change. Zac Bailey bends it through to seal a big victory for the Lions ðŸ'Š ðŸ'° Watch #AFLPiesLions on Ch.504 or stream on Kayo: âœ�ï¸� BLOG ðŸ'¢ MATCH CENTRE — Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) August 2, 2025 Triple Richmond premiership star Jack Riewoldt sang the praises of Brisbane's emerging duo. 'They've been held together by a couple of young key forwards; Logan Morris and Henry Smith have both kicked three to throw the Collingwood backline a few curveballs,' he said. Morris booted his fourth and fifth goals of the evening early in the third, both with snaps. For the third time this season, Morris had five majors to his name. It was a four-goal-to-one premiership quarter by the Lions, who took a handy 19-point lead into the final change. 'A lot of talk has been about 'do the Lions miss Joe Daniher?' Well, young Logan Morris said 'hold my drinks, everybody, I've just snagged five at three-quarter-time',' Mooney said at three-quarter-time. 'One or two more, and this man might drag his team over the line.' It'd been an 18-year wait for another Brisbane Lions player to kick six goals on the MCG since 2007 when Brown did it — but cometh the moment, cometh the Morris. The 38-gamer snapped home his sixth, on his left foot, at the 13-minute mark to extend the Lions' buffer to a game-high 27-point lead. Lachie Neale and McCluggage wound up combining for a whopping 70 disposals, 19 clearances and 12 score involvements.
