No problems for Houston as Magpies destroy Power
All-Australian defender Dan Houston has returned to haunt his former side as Collingwood emphatically opened their account for the AFL season with a 91-point thrashing of Port Adelaide.
After being run ragged by GWS in the opening round, the rampant Magpies were full of energy in a 21.10 (136) to 6.9 (45) win over the Power at the MCG on Saturday night.
It was the Pies' biggest winning margin of premiership coach Craig McRae's five-season tenure and Port's heaviest defeat in 275 games under Ken Hinkley.
All eyes were on Houston, who forced a trade out of Port Adelaide last October and made his belated Collingwood debut after completing a lengthy suspension.
The 27-year-old half-back was up to the task as one of the Magpies' best afield with 27 disposals, 10 intercept possessions and six score involvements.
Steele Sidebottom (31 disposals), Patrick Lipinski (24) and Jack Crisp (26) were also influential in a dominant team display, while Tim Membrey (four), Brody Mihocek and Dan McStay (three each) were the best of the goal-kickers.
Nick Daicos gradually wore down Willem Drew's tag to finish with 26 disposals and a goal.
Flat six days earlier against the Giants, Collingwood dialled up their tackle pressure and dominated contested possession and clearances when it mattered early in the match.
The Pies also enjoyed a landslide 65-47 advantage in inside-50s.
Port captain Connor Rozee (35 disposals) and Ollie Wines (34 touches, 10 clearances) never stopped working but were part of a midfield unit that was comprehensively beaten.
Collingwood managed just six goals for the entire game against GWS but piled on that many in the first quarter against Port.
Former Gold Coast utility Jack Lukosius's first kick as Power player was a goal - the first of the game - but Membrey kicked the next three in a hot start for the home side.
Jack Lukosius is on the scoreboard in his new colours 👊#AFLPiesPower pic.twitter.com/j9ifWQZxh0
— AFL (@AFL) March 15, 2025
Lachie Sullivan was helped off after a bone-crunching bump from Darcy Byrne-Jones and Houston had a rare bad moment when he was caught holding the ball right in front of his defensive goal, leading to a Jordon Sweet major.
But the Pies led by 21 points at the first break, having dominated clearances (16-7) and inside-50s (21-9) to that point.
Port veteran Travis Boak booted the first goal of the second term just 38 seconds after the restart, but the visitors didn't kick another major for almost an hour.
Collingwood piled on 10 consecutive goals in that time to break the game wide open and went into party mode after the main break.
Even defender Brayden Maynard got in on the scoring act, kicking two goals in as many minutes during the third term.
Houston bombed a long goal from a Lachie Schultz hand-off early in the final term but it was disallowed because the umpire was still setting the mark, much to the disappointment of Pies fans in the crowd.
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