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While all eyes were on St Kilda\u2019s new recruits, it was Collingwood\u2019s 400-gamer Scott Pendlebury who proved the difference between the two sides in his limited minutes \u2013 setting up four goals.<\/p>\n
Tempers threatened to boil over multiple times in a physical third term as St Kilda\u2019s $2million man Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (19 disposals and one goal) was kept quiet by a hard second-half Harry Perryman tag.<\/p>\n
And when big man Rowan Marshall was ruled out late in the third term after copping a nasty knee to the back of the head from teammate Cooper Sharman, the Saints ran out of legs in a tough final term.<\/p>\n
The moment Cooper Sharman flew, kneeing teammate Rowan Marshall in the head.Source: News Corp Australia<\/p>\n
\u201cThey panicked at times, missed targets and they shot themselves in the foot time and time again,\u201d Jason Dunstall said of St Kilda.<\/p>\n
Magpies coach Craig McRae was so jubilant post-match, he went to sign autographs for kids in the stands as his team celebrated.<\/p>\n
Speaking post-match, Perryman revealed he only found out about his tough task taking on Wanganeen-Milera on Friday.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey didn\u2019t give me much notice to be honest \u2013 they told me maybe on Friday I\u2019d get the job,\u201d he shared on Fox Footy.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t mind doing that role. It\u2019s a good opportunity for me to get in the midfield and run around and just do what\u2019s best for the team.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe loves getting you on the outside. I knew if I could keep him in the contest, push him in the contest and beat him on the outside\u2026 I knew he\u2019d play a few tricks go forward, go back. I can just follow him around.<\/p>\n
\u201cBit of lip ever hurt anyone so it was good fun!\u201d<\/p>\n
THE 3-2-1… (with Will Faulkner at the MCG)<\/p>\n
3. DAICOS REIGNS SUPREME IN BATTLE OF 23-YEAR-OLD SUPERSTARS<\/p>\n
It\u2019s the next generation battle that\u2019s so good it defines the present.<\/p>\n
A 82,528-person crowd at the MCG on Sunday night was treated to an Opening Round spectacle between St Kilda and Collingwood, with Magpies superstar Nick Daicos locking horns with the Saints\u2019 $2 million man Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera.<\/p>\n
The pair, who each can lay a claim at being the AFL\u2019s best player in 2026, spearheaded the midfield line-up of their respective clubs with plenty of impact. Ultimately though, it was Daicos who had the last laugh.<\/p>\n
Unlike previous encounters against the Saints, Collingwood\u2019s \u2018Little Master\u2019 ran around almost entirely without a hard tag from Marcus Windhager; who has stepped into a more traditional on-ball role this season.<\/p>\n
And while Hugo Garcia was given the tough task at times after half time, Daicos finished the match with 41 disposals, 11 score involvements, 844 metres gained, and one goal assist.<\/p>\n
Daicos shows class with 11 1st qtr dis. | 01:22<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s just got a huge work rate \u2014 and a hunger \u2014 to win the football, and have the football in his hands,\u201d Collingwood legend Nathan Buckley told Fox Footy at half time.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think Windhager was nominally assigned to him, and then a little bit of Phillipou that second quarter. But, it looks like the Saints are letting him go in the back third, or maybe even the back half (of the ground).<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s just so dangerous with ball-in-hand. When you put Daicos, (Scott) Pendlebury and (Jordan) de Goey (in the midfield), that\u2019s where good things are going to happen.\u201d<\/p>\n
The stand-in Collingwood captain was aptly supported by Jordan de Goey (three goals) and Dan Houston (28 disposals) throughout the contest, with the latter particularly damaging coming off half-back.<\/p>\n
In the red, white and black, Wanganeen-Milera saw less of the ball than his superstar counterpart, with coach Ross Lyon perhaps at times conflicted with where to deploy his three-dimensional weapon.<\/p>\n
The club\u2019s 2025 Best & Fairest winner spent passages of play in the first half up forward, which while effective when in the Sherrin\u2019s vicinity, also saw his starved of opportunity.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s difficult. He has spent chunks of time forward when the ball hasn\u2019t got down to him, and we have seen slightly lower numbers,\u201d Hawthorn legend Jason Dunstall said at the main break.<\/p>\n
\u201c(Cooper) Sharman\u2019s looked dangerous, but this guy one-out in the goal square \u2014 you know you\u2019re going to get results. It\u2019s just a matter of: \u2018Are they getting enough damage out of the other midfielders to have the luxury of playing him down there?\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cI still want to see him spending his time on-ball, because he\u2019s so creative around the ground with his use of the footy. But, they also want to see him inside 50, because he\u2019s going to kick a goal if he gets a shot.\u201d<\/p>\n
St Kilda fans were given a mouth-watering preview of Wanganeen-Milera\u2019s shift up forward in their pre-season hit out against Essendon, where he slotted four goals from his 28 disposals.<\/p>\n
Cameron takes 2 crucial defensive marks | 00:48<\/p>\n
The South Australian finished his night with 19 disposals, 374 metres gained and a goal.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s been excellent, and it\u2019s not been with massive numbers as we\u2019ve seen with other players on the field,\u201d Buckley said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was a tackle about 10 metres from the goal that he kicked out of centre bounce that signalled his physical commitment, as much as the skill he displayed in that first half.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wanganeen-Milera\u2019s influence was notably quelled in the second half, with Pies midfielder Harry Perryman enforcing a hard tag on the superstar.<\/p>\n
Leigh Matthews believes the title of AFL\u2019s best remains with Daicos.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the public eye it was Daicos vs Wanganeen-Milera \u2013 (Daicos) may have had no idea of that build up or just maybe he said \u2018I\u2019ll show them who\u2019s the best player at this point in time\u2019,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
2. SAINTS\u2019 STAR RECRUIT PASSES \u2018MICROSCOPE\u2019 SCRUTINY ON CLUB DEBUT<\/p>\n
Headlining Ross Lyon\u2019s four off-season recruits at Moorabbin heading into 2026 was former Carlton ruck Tom De Koning, and in his first showing as a Saint, he didn\u2019t disappoint.<\/p>\n
Despite the tight two-goal-loss, the 26-year-old started the new campaign in stellar form against star counterpart Darcy Cameron, finishing with 20 disposals at 90 per cent efficiency, and 16 hitouts to go with it.<\/p>\n
While the individual statistics of each main ruck were similar, De Koning evidently gave the Saints a refreshing level of athleticism through the middle of the ground, enabling fellow big man Rowan Marshall to play more in the forward half in the absence of injured key forward Max King.<\/p>\n
Tempers boiled over repeatedly in the third term.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you get to a new club, you want to perform straight away \u2014 you want to have an impact,\u201d three-time premiership player Cameron Mooney said at quarter time.<\/p>\n
\u201cHis impact in the first quarter was absolutely fantastic. He had six possessions, which is not bad for a ruckman, but it was just the way he competed in the air, on the ground, he defended.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the kind of thing you want to see from your ruckman, coming back and taking those big intercept marks \u2026 and then going forward when he needs to.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dunstall added across the first two breaks: \u201cThe microscope\u2019s on you when you take a big deal like that, and change clubs.<\/p>\n
\u201cHis first quarter was an absolute beauty, he\u2019s started well.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe can almost be like a big ruck rover \u2026 they\u2019d be happy with what they\u2019re getting out of him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fellow recruit Sam Flanders had plenty of the ball through the middle and back half of the ground to finish with 28 disposals, while Jack Silvagni and Liam Ryan also provided spark at times.<\/p>\n
The latter\u2019s main highlight came at the start of the final quarter, where he launched a monster set shot from beyond the 50-metre arc to bring St Kilda back within two goals of the Magpies.<\/p>\n
1. \u2018LIKE A CONDUCTOR\u2019: PIES\u2019 INGENIOUS EARLY MOVE PAYS MAJOR DIVIDENDS<\/p>\n
The abolishment of the AFL\u2019s substitute rule in 2026 has given coaches that little bit more creative licence on game day, and Collingwood\u2019s Craig McRae nailed it first take.<\/p>\n
In a move similar to that of Dean Cox with Sydney\u2019s Tom Papley on Thursday night, McRae told Fox Footy pre-game that he intended to ease 426-game club legend Scott Pendlebury into the Opening Round finale.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe might hold him back (and) just let him play late in the first quarter,\u201d the 2023 premiership coach said.<\/p>\n
\u201c(With) everyone else getting a bit tired, his smarts to just come on and just control the game a little bit. We\u2019ll see how that progresses.\u201d<\/p>\n
Progress well it did. <\/p>\n
Jordan De Goey (left) and Scott Pendlebury proved age is no barrier at the Pies.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
Despite only spending 32 per cent of time on ground in the opening term, Pendlebury managed to deliver three consecutive goal assists and play a major hand in giving his side an 11-point lead at the first break.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s funny how \u2018Fly\u2019 spoke about bringing Pendlebury on late in the quarter, because he\u2019s so experienced and will just get control of the game,\u201d Cameron Mooney said after Pendlebury\u2019s second consecutive goal assist.<\/p>\n
Jason Dunstall added: \u201cHe was true to his word, Collingwood coach Craig McRae. He told us pre-game he might wait until the 20-minute mark to bring Pendlebury on. When a little bit of the heat goes out and things slow down, he reads the play so well.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe can make things happen \u2014 he\u2019s like a conductor out there.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverything Pendlebury touches at the moment turns into a goal.\u201d<\/p>\n
AFL Hall of Fame Legend Leigh Matthews was full of praise for the tactical move from McRae, anticipating it as one that rival coaches will adopt themselves in the near future.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s very innovative, and I think we\u2019ll see a lot of that experiment over time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Speaking after the match, McRae hinted the limited Pendlebury minutes could be here to stay during the early rounds.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was amazing wasn\u2019t he?\u201d he told Fox Footy.<\/p>\n
\u201cHis cleanness when everyone else was a bit tired. It was a plan \u2013 you never know it\u2019s going to work. He was pivotal wasn\u2019t he?<\/p>\n
\u201cI think this time of the year, we certainly have hotter temperatures and the game is very transitional … Maybe in the early rounds we might consider that (keeping Pendlebury\u2019s time on ground limited).\u201d<\/p>\n