The Boys are Back in Town

 

 

Adelaide v Collingwood

1st Qualifying Final

Thursday, 4 September 2025, 7.10pm local time

Adelaide Oval

 

THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN

 

On The Road Again

 

And so it was that Collingwood and Adelaide met for the third time this year, once again at night and at the same venue as the slogfest that was 19 days ago. The Pies have limped into the Finals under a form cloud, winning only two of their past seven games – against lowly Richmond and Melbourne – and were lucky to finish fourth, courtesy of an emotional Port Adelaide victory in Round 24. Conversely, the Crows were riding a nine-game winning streak, and entered this Qualifying Final having finished on top of the ladder, brimming with confidence and with the support of a ferociously parochial crowd.

 

At the selection table, Collingwood still appeared to be searching for the right balance, having dropped McStay and losing Howe once again – this time to a groin injury sustained in the last game of the season against Melbourne. Though Mitchell and Hoskin-Elliott were available, they were not selected which did not bode well for them unless circumstances drastically changed. Hill, still dealing with personal challenges, continued to remain unavailable and now appears unlikely to feature in any part of this Finals series. The Pies decided to pin their hopes on proven big game performer Mason Cox and the eight-gamer, Will Parker, brought in to fulfil a defensive role. The Crows meanwhile, were virtually at full strength, except for Rankine (suspension) and Rachele (injured).

 

In hostile territory and with Taylor Walker playing his 300th game, the odds were stacked against the Pies. Nevertheless, with blind optimism, I decided to purchase a $105 ticket (plus booking fee) to the game and endure the solo drive to Adelaide (flights were exorbitantly expensive), hoping that my 100% winning record of watching the Pies in Adelaide remained intact – I’d seen 6 wins in 6 visits – and that somehow, the Maggies would evoke the spirit of the 2002 Qualifying Final against the Power.

 

At exactly 7 am, I turned the ignition on and off I went. After hacking my way through Bell St, I eventually ended up on the ring road and then the Western Highway, joining the convoy of cars, buses, motorbikes and caravans on the pilgrimage to the City of Churches. By 2.45pm local time, I’d arrived at my destination – a motel on the outskirts of town generously described on its website as a three star establishment. The less said the better. At 5 pm, I hopped back in the car and drove into town deliberately parking about 3.5kms from the ground so as to force myself to walk there to get some exercise. Eventually, I found myself in the river of humanity swarming over the pedestrian bridge spanning the Torrens River and funnelling the patrons to this famous cricket ground. Having purchased some nourishments and refreshments, I planted myself in Row R of Section 133, 18 rows from the fence, in the midst of a heaving throng of black and white – at last I felt like home.

 

So here I was, on the road again, as the ball was bounced in front of 52,187 fans at fever pitch. They say the Finals usher in a new season, so was recent form to be ignored or was it going to be more of the same?

 

Q1 – I Gotta Feeling

Frampton lines up on Thilthorpe and Moore on Walker. As expected, the ball is hot early and the Crows fans seem to be booing any Collingwood player who gets near the Sherrin. Elliott draws first blood following a clever mark at the back of the pack. A booming torpedo from Laird and Frampton saves a goal by scrambling back and forcing a touched behind. The crowd is absolutely boiling with noise. Pies appear to be having the better of the early exchanges and then enters Sir Nicholas Daicos who slots a brilliant goal from the outside of his right boot. Walker marks and goals to get the party started for the Crows. Soon after Moore, who’s playing well, inexplicably fumbles the ball while in the act of kicking. The Crows swoop and Dawson snags a long dribbler. Crows in front. Pies repel a series of Adelaide thrusts and then Frampton lays a crunching tackle on Keays – the Pies have brought the heat! Q takes an intercept mark just outside attacking 50 and draws the boos of a rabid Crows fanbase – appalling behaviour. His kick, though accurate, falls just short and is rushed through. Long is getting a lot of the ball and he looks more like the player of his early season form. Pendles lets fly from a pack but misses. Mihocek get a free in a marking contest but his set shot sprays to the right from 25m out. A golden opportunity goes begging.

 

Quaynor, the Daicos boys, Frampton, Maynard, Moore and Long the best for the Pies in a frantic first quarter. Worrell, Soligo and Laird for the Crows. Walker looking the most likely forward for them but Thilthorpe is also a clear and present danger. Fogarty is nowhere to be seen while the Pies need more from De Goey and Sidebottom.

 

Crows 2.1.13 Pies 2.3.15

 

Q2 – I Won’t Back Down

De Goey finds space and shoots a pass to Elliott in the left pocket who goes back and calmly bangs it through from 50. Good start. Crows get a lucky free off the heel of Maynard but Fogarty chooses to play on rather than go back and doesn’t make the distance. He’s out of form. O’Brien misses everything from a mark. Pies withstanding repeat entries – bending but not wielding but finally they turn the ball over after overusing the footy on the outer wing, Walker gets free, marks and goals. Mihocek is losing one-on-ones and doesn’t appear to be quite right, seems to be having an issue with his right foot.

 

Following an uncontested passage of play, Pedlar slots one and the Crows hit the lead for the first time tonight. This is compounded when Cox gives away a 50m penalty from the ensuing ruck contest and Thilthorpe put them 10 points up. That’s three in a row and things are suddenly looking grim for the Maggies.

 

Membrey crucially intercepts an inward pass from Thilthorpe and finds Sidebottom who just fails to make the distance from outside 50. He has another chance 30 seconds later and this time makes no mistake after some clever link up play from Lipinski and Schultz. Very important goal. Pies start to reclaim territory and regain control around the ground. De Goey becoming increasingly influential. Elliott lets fly with a speculative left foot snap but misses. A bit of up and down stuff from both teams follows until Moore effects a vital spoil which releases Maynard who boots a 60m torpedo that sails over the back of the Adelaide defence allowing Elliott to tap the ball through to Mihocek but the Crows scramble back desperately to prevent a score.

 

Crisp has a set shot from 50 but fails to make the distance. Not long afterwards, the Crows turn the ball over in their forward line and Quaynor, playing a slashing game, surges forward and releases Schultz who, in a carbon copy play from before, rips another 60m torpedo over the Adelaide defence. This time it bounces into the path of Cameron who boots it through on the run in mid-air! Wow! Everyone erupts around me! The Pies have regained the lead and, like a funeral incantation, the hauntingly beautiful COLLLLIINNGGWWOOOOD dirge resonates around the ground. It’s a privilege to be here! I’m told 20% of the crowd comprises Collingwood supporters and I can see why!

 

The Pies end the quarter with two more points, both from Mihocek – one a dribbler which hits the post and the other a miss to the left from a set shot. He just seems to be having one of those ‘not quite’ games. The feathers fly after the siren as tempers fray, leaving the game delicately poised for what should be a cracking second half.

 

Quaynor, De Goey, Jaicos and Moore were the best for the Pies while the Crows are relying on the drive from Worrell and Dawson.

 

Crows 5.1.31 Pies 5.7.37

 

Q3 – The Boys Light Up

Upon the resumption of play, the Pies took over. The first 15 minutes of this quarter will comfortably stand alongside the first half of the 2010 Preliminary Final and the last 5 minutes of the 2023 Grand Final as moments which will live forever in my football watching memory. A tidal wave of attack that was as breathtaking in its intensity as it was clinical in its execution completely stunned the Crows. It was some of the most irresistible, exhilarating football I had ever witnessed in nearly 1000 games of watching my beloved Pies live, and it was an absolute privilege to see it, to feel it, to experience it.

 

Goal number 1 – a left foot floater from Sidebottom out of a ruck contest which sails through from 40m out! (1 min 40 secs in). The Pies are on!
Goal number 2 – following a relentless series of bone crunching tackles, De Goey receives a handball from Long and boots one on his left from 35m out! The Black and White in Bays 131 to Bay 139 explode in unison and the noise is palpable! (3 mins 46 secs in).
Goal number 3 – Long is awarded a free kick after the centre bounce, boots it forward, the ball spills to Sidebottom who bangs it through – the third left foot goal for the quarter! There’s pandemonium in the stands! I’m high fiving complete strangers! Hugging old ladies! Little girls! Grizzly blokes! Whoever is around me, I don’t know, I don’t care! It’s intoxicating! The Crows haven’t even kicked the ball this quarter! (5 mins 44 secs in). The boys can smell blood!
Goal number 4 – After a few minutes of play where both Keays and Walker miss and Naicos misses a gettable set shot, Quaynor – seemingly oblivious to the chorus of boos whenever he touches the ball – squirts a pass across to McCreery who bolts like an unbridled colt and pumps it up forward. Adelaide clear the ball desperately only for Frampton to effect a monster spoil! The ball pings around the outer wing, Schultz lays a smashing tackle on Laird, the ball spills to Naicos and he coolly spots Elliott who duly converts his third from 40m out. (14 mins 22 secs in). The rot is well and truly on.
Goal number 5 – The Pies clear the ball from the centre bounce via a tap from Naicos to McCreery. He kicks it for Lipinski to run onto the ball whose intended pass to Elliott just misses but Billy magically dinks a little mid-air kick back into the path of Lipinski who then manages to bounce it through! OH! MY! GOD! The Pies are 35 points up! It’s scintillating! It’s irrepressible! It’s unbelievable! I’m delirious, I think I’m having a stroke! I can’t tell you how incredible this feeling is. I’m nearly 62 years old but I haven’t cheered, chanted and sung like this at a game since I was a teenager! I’m sure that being in a final away from home against all the odds elicits a raw, primeval desire to be as loud and as proud as you can and that’s exactly what I, and many others, are doing. (15 mins 45 secs in).

 

The Crows, who let’s not forget finished on top and are playing at home, respond as you would expect through two goals from Pedlar and one from Thilthorpe. In the midst of this, Lipinski misses a gilt edge chance on the run from 40m out, Mihocek hits the post with a left foot snap and Crisp shoots poorly from a set shot 40m out. But the quarter most definitely belonged to the Pies. Everyone lifted in that quarter – there were no passengers.

 

You can sense the buzz around the ground – will the Crows use the energy of the crowd to overpower Collingwood in the last quarter or will the Pies cling on for a famous victory?

 

Crows 8.4.52 Pies 10.11.71

 

Q4 – I’m So Excited

An arm wrestle ensues for much of the quarter as the tension grows with every passing minute. Broken plays, courageous smothers and goal saving tackles are the order of the day now. There’s little or no room to do anything constructive. The Crows are pressing but the Pies hold firm. Soligo snaps on his left out of a pack but misses. Adelaide manage to squander a certain goal near the goal square after Parker turns the ball over going for a risky kick in to the centre of the ground. Pedlar sprays a set shot left looking for his fourth goal. Naicos dances and weaves to buy time and finds Membrey for his first shot on goal – but misses. The Pies substitute Parker for Steele with 8 minutes left to play. It’s still only a 3 goal game with plenty of time but the Collingwood backline is holding up, resisting repeat entries from the Crows whose forward frays are becoming increasingly frantic and speculative as time ticks on.

 

Collingwood’s leaders rise: Pendlebury, Sidebottom and Moore take control. Eventually Naicos, with typical evasive brilliance, finds Schultz who, although missing everything from a set shot, burns more time off the clock. We’re not sitting down anymore, everyone’s up, standing with nervous energy. Naicos again burns off his opponent and finds Mihocek who misses yet again for the fifth time. With less than a minute left, the Pies take possession in their backline and it eventually lands with McCreery who surges along the members’ wing before planting the ball to the top of the square where Elliott spoils Keane and then, with the dexterity of a gymnast, soccers the ball through in mid-air for his fourth! ABSOLUTELY MAGNIFICENT! Jubilation breaks out in the stands! Everywhere I look there are unbridled scenes of delirium! We start singing, we’re chanting, we’re rejoicing, our arms are in the air, we soak in the euphoria, we do anything the hell we want! One tribe, one being, but just simply – ONE.

 

The siren sounds 23 seconds later. She’s all over red rover! Another famous Collingwood victory!

 

Crows 8.7.55 Pies 11.13.79

 

Post Mortem

It was a complete team performance, but special mentions must go to Darcy Moore not only for his 9 intercept marks but the way he attacked the ball and led the backline in a Royal Command Performance. Naicos was brilliantly creative and elusive all night, Isaac Quaynor was superb, never losing a contest and always clean with the ball, Ned Long was back to his ball winning, bullocking best, Billy Frampton and Mason Cox played their roles to perfection and Lachie Schultz was influential in so many plays. What a great way to celebrate Josh Daicos’ 150th game.

 

After clapping the boys off, I leave the stadium, spent, drained and emotionally exhausted. I make the triumphant walk back to the car avoiding a horde of very disconsolate Adelaide fans along the way. Fair to say, even though it had been a very long day, I still didn’t get much sleep. Nevertheless, it was a very pleasant drive home on Friday as I relived last night, over and over again. It’s now 7 visits, for 7 wins.

 

Within the space of five quarters of football the Pies have gone from being near the back of the plane to sitting in Seat 1A – perfectly primed for a tilt at an historic 17th flag. Indeed, in the inimitable words of Thin Lizzy – “The Boys Are Back In Town”!

 

Read more from the Floreat Pica Society members HERE.

 

 

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