Collingwood and Fremantle will face off at the MCG in a cutthroat semi-final showdown between two clubs that have enjoyed thrilling runs in 2022.
The Magpies’ (16-6 in home and away season, 104.3%) incredible surge into the top four has been arguably the story of the season, while they nearly took down the premiership favourite Cats in last weekend’s qualifying final.
Craig McRae’s side has one forced change, with Trent Bianco replacing injured co-vice captain Taylor Adams.
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Semi Final
Meanwhile the Dockers (15-6-1, 117%) will be full of confidence after completely turning the tables on the Western Bulldogs in last week’s elimination final from late in the second quarter, coming back from 41 points down in a stunning turnaround.
Last time these teams met at Optus Stadium in Round 10, Collingwood pulled off a big upset win by 36 points to kickstart the Pies’ 11-game winning streak.
This match gets underway at 7:25pm AEST from the MCG.
Watch it live on Fox Footy (channel 504) from 6:20pm AEST.
Follow Collingwood v Fremantle in our live blog below!
QUARTER-BY-QUARTER MATCH REPORT
Young Magpie Jack Ginnivan gave his side the perfect start in their semi final against Fremantle, kicking the opener from the goal square.
Ginnivan got to the back of the pack after a brilliant transition from defence and made the Dockers pay.
“Unlikely looking forward,” commentator Luke Darcy said.
“But he’s got the ability to find the footy. What a season he’s had.”
It was a “frenetic” opening minutes as David Mundy laid a brilliant chase down tackle but Rory Lobb couldn’t convert with his first set shot of the day.
Jack Crisp took the game on through the corridor, trying to burn Michael Frederick, but like Fremantle at one end, the Magpies couldn’t capitalise.
A brilliant Beau McCreery tackle saw Steele Sidebottom send the Pies inside 50, and Brody Mihocek delivered.
Docker Brennan Cox saved two goals in the space of a few minutes – first with a big tackle on the smaller McCreery and the second by denying Ash Johnson with a brilliant one-on-one effort.
But when he coughed up a free kick against Johnson, Jordan De Goey took the advantage to add the Pies’ third.
“That epitomises the aggressive ball use of Collingwood in the centre of the ground.”
Jamie Elliott added Collingwood’s fourth goal as Fremantle found themselves once again staring down a big quarter time deficit – like they did in the elimination final against the Dogs.
For the second successive week, Fremantle failed to find a goal in the opening term in worrying signs for coach Justin Longmuir.
But in Fremantle’s favour is the fact in the past three games, the teams to kick the opening three goals has gone on to lose.
It took less than a minute for Lachie Schultz to get the Dockers on the board in the second term, after catching John Noble holding the ball.
Griffin Logue couldn’t hang on in the square to add a second for Freo but there were finally some positive signs for the West Aussies.
But Elliott pushed the Pies’ lead back out to four goals when Heath Chapman turned the footy over trying to go corridor as Pat Lipinski cut it off.
Brandon Walker had two moments he’d like back – the first putting it out on the full under pressure from Ginnivan and the second conceding a goal to Jack Crisp.
But once again it was Schultz who provided the spark for Fremantle to keep them in the contest.
There was a massive cheer for Ginnivan when he was rewarded with a high tackle free kick as the Pies had 10 inside 50s to just one in a 10-minute patch.