Saints\u2019 big statement without $2m superstar as Tigers\u2019 injury crisis worsens<\/a><\/p>\nMELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – MAY 09: Scott Pendlebury is set to break the games record.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
You can\u2019t knock what they did on Friday night. <\/p>\n
It\u2019d also be remiss not to mention that Oscar Steene\u2019s knee injury was a turning point against Sydney that badly hurt a Collingwood side already missing Darcy Cameron.<\/p>\n
Hall of Famer and four-time premiership coach Leigh Matthews emphasised that the management of players has become an important tool with more of a long-term lens that Chris Scott\u2019s Cats have been trailblazers in. <\/p>\n
And Matthews would\u2019ve had a bigger issue with the Pendlebury plan if the Sydney game were the only game he was managed in.<\/p>\n
But the coaching great did suggest the Pies have prioritised \u201cromance\u201d over winning games. <\/p>\n
\u201cI must admit, I\u2019m still a bit uncomfortable with the concept of … OK, he\u2019s going to play the record-breaking game, it\u2019s a big event. So yep, we\u2019re going to make sure it\u2019s at the MCG,\u201d Matthews said on 3AW radio. <\/p>\n
\u201cAt the expense of potentially getting the four points, your finals chances might be won or lost by a win or a loss. <\/p>\n
\u201cSo it does seem a little bit over the top to me at the moment in terms of the romance overwhelming the practical aspect of trying to win as many games to play finals.\u201d<\/p>\n
There are two parts to it, really. <\/p>\n
There\u2019s the football discussion around whether Collingwood needs to keep playing Pendlebury every week, in what could be his last season, to stay in the finals race.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s also a clear need for the Pies to keep evolving their list and find out what they have underneath their veteran core in a year they\u2019re a clear rung below the true contenders. Maybe even a rung below the next lot. <\/p>\n
But also the commercial element that can\u2019t be ignored by ensuring the game is played in front of 90,000-plus Collingwood fans at the MCG. <\/p>\n
In what\u2019s set to be a special moment for Pendlebury, the black and white faithful and entire code alike. <\/p>\n
Pies urged not to rush stars back | 01:05<\/p>\n
Along with a commemorative jumper and other tributes for the milestone, the Pendlebury party stands to make up to $500,0000 in a one-of-a-kind opportunity.<\/p>\n
Perhaps there could\u2019ve been some internal conflict around that whole football vs. commercial balancing act, even if most would acknowledge the former should always rise above anything. <\/p>\n
Eagles premiership coach Adam Simpson \u201cwouldn’t have\u201d rested Pendlebury against Sydney, but he\u2019s \u201cfully embracing the fact that they have done it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Simpson said Collingwood\u2019s dominant Anzac Day win over the 17th-placed Bombers \u201cwas the opportunity to have a rest,\u201d on a day Pendlebury racked up a career-best 43 disposals to claim a record fourth Anzac Day Medal. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt goes all the way back to Anzac Day. If you really wanted to maximise winning every week, he doesn\u2019t play Anzac Day,\u201d Simpson said on SEN radio. <\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the game for me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Former Port Adelaide boss Ken Hinkley agreed that Pendlebury should play the record game at the MCG, but suggested the planning around it could come back to hurt McRae\u2019s side. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe shouldn\u2019t be talking too much around it. But when a season gets really tight right at the end of the year, where they finish and where they don\u2019t finish. Gee, you had a choice, and you did choose the right option, I believe,\u201d Hinkley said on SEN. <\/p>\n
\u201cTo have his record-breaking game at the MCG in front of 100,000 people, which it should be. But planning for a season is pretty hard.\u201d<\/p>\n
Worst possible news for Steene | 00:26<\/p>\n
\u2018FOUND A DIFFERENT WAY\u2019: SCARY SWANS DETAIL\u2026 AND FAMILIAR CHALLENGE THAT LOOMS<\/p>\n
League-leading Sydney claimed its ninth win of the season in a different fashion than we\u2019re used to, and it\u2019s becoming clear that Dean Cox\u2019s men are facing a familiar challenge. <\/p>\n
The Swans\u2019 scintillating high-handball corridor game has been all the rage this season, and the longer they\u2019ve been able to have success doing it, the more teams desperately try to quell it. <\/p>\n
And on Friday night, Collingwood did everything it could to prevent Sydney from using the corridor – which, for two and a half quarters, worked a treat for the Pies. <\/p>\n
But even while the visitors were able to keep the Swans to under 100 points for the first time since Round 2 – their only loss of the season – Cox\u2019s chargers found ways around Collingwood\u2019s stingy defence as the match progressed. <\/p>\n
Instead of the free-flowing, aesthetic chains of Swans possessions we\u2019ve been accustomed to seeing, it was good old-fashioned surge footy on a \u2018win ugly\u2019 night. <\/p>\n
Sydney, which finished +25 for uncontested marks, took seven more marks overall than its season average, as it more frequently looked to pick holes in pockets of space rather than go balls-to-the-wall through the middle. <\/p>\n
\u201cIn the second half, they started to go more around Collingwood \u2026 they found a different way to win tonight,\u201d Geelong champion Tom Hawkins told Fox Footy\u2019s post-match coverage. <\/p>\n
Collingwood great and now-Cats assistant coach Nathan Buckley added: \u201cThe Swans\u2019 surge wasn\u2019t so much through run and carry and handball, it ended up being quick kicks along the ground, or a tackle and a knock-on. <\/p>\n
\u201cThey bought in, the Swans. They were challenged, they faced that, they came back a little at the end of the second, and then through the second half, just ground the Pies out.\u201d<\/p>\n
Post-game, Nick Blakey – one of the club\u2019s biggest run-and-gun proponents – didn\u2019t shy away from the fact that his Swans have to stay on their toes as rivals seek ways to quell them. <\/p>\n
\u201cI think teams are doing that (plugging the corridor in team defence) now,\u201d he told Cameron Mooney post-match. <\/p>\n
Cox hails Swans win over Pies | 10:04<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve started the season so well. Everyone says it (the middle of the ground) is our only avenue to score, but we find different ways. We train bloody hard at both aspects of our game. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt felt like we lost (the week prior against North Melbourne), to be honest, with the reviews that we had. We just weren\u2019t up to standard, and it didn\u2019t look like our type of game that we usually play in.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cox also acknowledged that \u201cyou\u2019re going to have to\u201d use Plans B and C at times. <\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the part about a whole footy season. It is a long year, it\u2019s a period where you\u2019ve got to address certain areas of your game, and you\u2019ve got to improve areas of your game,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
\u201cAnd we\u2019re by far not the finished product or the team that we want to be at the end of the year, and we\u2019ve got to keep working at that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Four-time premiership winner Jordan Lewis held a similar sentiment. <\/p>\n
\u201cI think you\u2019ve got to learn things along the way. The footy that they were playing, as great as it was, I don\u2019t think they would have been learning all that much,\u201d he said on Friday night. <\/p>\n
\u201cI think a game like (Friday night), you bank the four points, you learn a little about personnel \u2026 but also different ways to be able to try and score, when the pressure is high.\u201d<\/p>\n
It presents a familiar issue for the Sydney Swans, almost two years on from their disastrous end to an otherwise dominant 2024 season. <\/p>\n
John Longmire\u2019s Bloods were also 9-1 after 10 games that year, before losing five of their last nine games going into the finals. They would, of course, go on to lose the decider to Brisbane by 10 goals. <\/p>\n
Former Cats spearhead Hawkins knows all about the challenges and pressures of staying at the top for an entire season. <\/p>\n
\u201cI always used to find, mid-season, when you get to this point, you\u2019ve found what works for you,\u201d he said on Fox Footy. <\/p>\n
\u201cBreaking the season down into short allotments of time – it might be a two or three-week window where they play sides that they might focus on playing a certain way, given the opposition, which is always really important. <\/p>\n
\u201cBut they emotionally were really ecstatic with the win tonight, so, clearly, they\u2019re happy to be challenged in a different way, and we saw a really good response.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cam Mooney chats with DeMarcus Cousins | 02:06<\/p>\n
RIDICULOUS \u2018COMPLETE GAME\u2019 IN LATEST DRAFT FAIRYTALE CHAPTER\u2026 AND QUASHES EXPANSION DOUBTS<\/p>\n
If any aspiring AFL footballer needed a \u2018don\u2019t give up on your dreams\u2019 reminder this weekend, Shaun Mannagh delivered one.<\/p>\n
Again.<\/p>\n
And, as one of footy\u2019s great mature-age success stories, this might\u2019ve been his best chapter yet.<\/p>\n
Mannagh produced a career-best performance to inspire the red-hot Cats to a statement 41-point win over reigning premiers Brisbane at the Gabba on Thursday night.<\/p>\n
The 28-year-old\u2019s memorable display included 30 disposals. Of those 30 touches, 14 led to Cats scores, including five goals for Mannagh himself and three direct goal assists.<\/p>\n
Mannagh joined Geelong legend Steve Johnson as the only Cats players since 1999 to have 30-plus disposals and five-plus goals in a game. Johnson famously did that in consecutive games against Melbourne and Gold Coast back in 2011.<\/p>\n
Mannagh also produced the second-highest rated half by a Cat ever \u2014 second only to Johnson.<\/p>\n
Not bad for a player who, prior to Thursday night, had never played at the Gabba before.<\/p>\n
Hawthorn legend Jason Dunstall described it as the \u201ccomplete game\u201d, while dual All-Australian Leigh Montagna labelled it \u201cone of the great performances of the season\u201d.<\/p>\n
Montagna also pointed out that the five-goal game came after Mannagh\u2019s early-season struggles, where he had six and eight disposals respectively in consecutive games against Hawthorn and West Coast. Now he\u2019s kicked 12 goals from his past three matches.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe had a two-week stretch where he couldn\u2019t draw a football \u2026 everyone thought: \u2018What has happened to Shaun Mannagh?\u2019 But the last four weeks he\u2019s been building,\u201d Montagna said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s such a high talent, high-impact player ever since he\u2019s stepped into Geelong as that mature-aged recruit.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cats coach Chris Scott also praised the performance of Mannagh, who\u2019s been \u201clooking like himself a little bit more\u201d in recent weeks.<\/p>\n
Scott also pointed out post-game that it felt like Mannagh, despite being 28, was \u201creally early in his (AFL) journey\u201d, adding: \u201cMaybe that late start helps a bit.\u201d<\/p>\n
And it was mightily late. <\/p>\n
Mannagh was initially draft eligible in 2015.<\/p>\n
He was then overlooked in eight consecutive drafts while plying his trade for clubs like Lavington, North Albury, Richmond (VFL) and, most notably, Werribee.<\/p>\n
Ultimately, Mannagh\u2019s 2023 campaign was too good to ignore as AFL clubs finally showed interest in him. He won the Norm Goss Medal for the best player in the VFL grand final \u2014 despite Werribee\u2019s loss to Gold Coast \u2014 after kicking six goals from 28 disposals. From his 21 games for the season, he kicked 40.32 and averaged 25 touches per outing.<\/p>\n
The Cats pounced at Pick 36 in that year\u2019s draft.<\/p>\n
Mannagh told Foxfooty.com.au after star teammate Tom Stewart\u2019s 200th game that as a fellow mature-ager entering the AFL, he \u201cdefinitely\u201d drew inspiration from the South Barwon product. <\/p>\n
\u201cI think he was the first person to contact me from the Cats, other than \u2018Scotty\u2019,\u201d Mannagh said. \u201cAs soon as I got drafted, he rang me that night saying \u2018congratulations, welcome to the club\u2019. <\/p>\n
\u201cObviously, our stories overlap a little bit in terms of being mature-agers, so I get around him as much as possible, and he does the same.\u201d<\/p>\n
A fortnight ago, in a heartwarming callback to his North Albury days and an indication of his long-winded journey to the big time, Mannagh celebrated his third goal against Collingwood by replicating former coach Jason Akermanis\u2019 famous 2005 goal celebration. <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m really close to \u2018Aker\u2019,\u201d Mannagh told Foxfooty.com.au. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s an old coach of mine when I was coming through at North Albury. I was there with him for four years – he took me under his wing and taught me a lot. <\/p>\n
\u201cI wouldn\u2019t be here today without him in my footy journey \u2026 it was nice to give that (celebration) to him.\u201d<\/p>\n
After 12 games in his first AFL season, Mannagh played 23 in 2025 and was the No.2-rated general forward in the competition.<\/p>\n
On Thursday night, he created Cats history. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a great story,\u201d Scott said. \u201cHe\u2019s committed for the longer term for us, which is fantastic.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was the same draft as Logan Morris \u2026 it\u2019s a miss for the competition that Logan Morris slipped that far. But at least we got Shauny Mannagh, as well as Connor O\u2019Sullivan and Mitch Edwards.\u201d<\/p>\n
As colleague Max Laughton pointed out on X, a player like Mannagh is \u201ca pretty good counter argument to anyone saying there\u2019s not enough talent for expansion (and especially if they\u2019re saying there\u2019s not enough talent for 18 teams)\u201d.<\/p>\n
Mannagh\u2019s performance against Brisbane comes a few weeks before the mid-season draft; likely to be dominated by mature-age state-league players. <\/p>\n
Tasmania\u2019s Jaxon Artemis seems a near certainty to get selected, Geelong VFL duo Marcus Herbert and Kye Annand have interest from AFL clubs, Woodville West-Torrens\u2019 Ethan Grace and 206cm Carlton VFL ruck Flynn Riley have both emerged as candidates, and son-of-a-gun Zac Mainwaring is on the radar of multiple clubs.<\/p>\n
And who knows, there could be a few Mannagh-like rises from that group. <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been very lucky in my whole time, a lot of great coaches, a lot of great people around me \u2013 I think that\u2019s the main thing is just having good people around you that are locked in on your goal,\u201d Mannagh told ABC Sports on Thursday night.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve always wished and dreamed of playing AFL, and I never let that go. If you have like-minded people around you who can put you in that direction to go towards your goal, that certainly helps.\u201d<\/p>\n
Scott blows up deluxe at quarter time | 00:15<\/p>\n
HOW DOGS\u2019 STRENGTH BECAME GLARING WEAKNESS\u2026 AND STAR WHO \u2018HASN\u2019T BEEN THE SAME\u2019<\/p>\n
It\u2019d been one of the quieter storylines up until this weekend, but the vibes around the Western Bulldogs\u2019 season have dramatically plummeted. <\/p>\n
And midfield depth – once considered an enormous strength of Luke Beveridge\u2019s side – was exposed as a weakness in the Dogs\u2019 shock loss to Carlton on Saturday night; their fifth defeat in their past six games. <\/p>\n
Granted, the Bulldogs have been one of the sides decimated by injury this year – with ruckman Tim English\u2019s prolonged absence a particularly sore point – but the supporting cast for Marcus Bontempelli hasn\u2019t stood up in the engine room. <\/p>\n
\u201cWithout Bontempelli absolutely stamping a three-vote performance, who\u2019s next? What\u2019s underneath Marcus?\u201d two-time flag-winner David King asked post-match. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe had a quiet game – 24 disposals, three score involvements and a goal – and we were crying out (for someone else to step up). <\/p>\n
\u201cSanders was serviceable, (but) where\u2019s Freijah been this year? Where\u2019s Richards been this year?<\/p>\n
\u201cDoes Luke Beveridge have to create a role for these guys? \u2026 I think the question is more for the players, not necessarily the coach, and without a ruckman, it makes it really difficult.\u201d<\/p>\n
In-game, with the game in the balance, King remarked: \u201cThere\u2019s not a lot of vigour in what they are doing. Bontempelli is working hard. Outside of that \u2026 you have to question the effort and the work rate. I\u2019m looking at Ed Richards \u2026 He can\u2019t get his hands on the ball in contest.\u201d<\/p>\n
Richards has had an inauspicious start to the season after a terrific 2025 campaign, managing just one coach\u2019s vote in his past eight matches. <\/p>\n
Compared to last year, he\u2019s down on player rating, disposals, score involvements and inside-50s per game. <\/p>\n
Freijah has also fallen in player rating, while Tom Liberatore remains sidelined by concussion issues, and Adam Treloar is on the edge of the cliff at age 33. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s Bontempelli or bust,\u201d First Crack\u2019s Jay Clark said post-game. <\/p>\n
\u201cEd Richards was All-Australian last year; he has not had the same season.\u201d<\/p>\n
For the game, the Dogs finished -9 for clearances, -5 for centre clearances, and -17 for inside-50s. <\/p>\n
And while Sam Darcy, Tom Liberatore and James O\u2019Donnell are big names that continue to miss, it\u2019s English\u2019s magnet that may be most important of all for the wounded Dogs. <\/p>\n
\u201cTim English might be the second-most important man at the Western Bulldogs,\u201d Clark said. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe talk a lot about Bontempelli, (but) when he (English) doesn\u2019t play, the game swings \u2026 I think Bevo will be asking some pretty big questions this week.\u201d<\/p>\n
Triple Richmond premiership player Jack Riewoldt, meanwhile, was more concerned by the Dogs\u2019 reactiveness, which included repeated losses in the centre square. <\/p>\n
\u201cI think the worrying sign for me was that we didn\u2019t see a change of gear – we didn\u2019t see a move,\u201d he said on Fox Footy\u2019s Super Saturday Live. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe really didn\u2019t see anything proactive from Luke Beveridge to try and get the game on their terms, other than taking the odd risk through the middle of the ground. <\/p>\n
\u201cThey were completely shut out – the middle of the ground was a no-go zone for the Dogs – so I think they\u2019d review this and go \u2018we should have changed the way we were playing the game\u2019, because fundamentally, Carlton forced them wide.\u201d<\/p>\n
Things get no easier for the Bulldogs in Round 11, coming up against red-hot Melbourne, before meetings with Collingwood, Hawthorn, Adelaide and St Kilda before their Round 14 bye. <\/p>\n
They sit just half a game inside the top 10 and could drop out as soon as next week with a loss to the Demons and a Collingwood win over West Coast. <\/p>\n
DANGEROUS DEES \u2018HONEYMOON\u2019 PERIOD TURNS \u2018HOTTEST TICKET IN TOWN\u2019<\/p>\n
Melbourne are now the \u201chottest ticket in town\u201d after their 7-3 start, with the side sitting on the cusp of top four \u2013 outside only by percentage.<\/p>\n
Fox Footy\u2019s experts believe the Dees are enjoying a \u201choneymoon\u201d period under new coach Steven King in 2026, but can it last all season?<\/p>\n
Dual premiership Roo David King believes so.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy cuz Steven!\u201d he joked.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s great to see them play with such freedom and give these guys new lease on life.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are paying him (Steven King) back in spades.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not just one man in the middle \u2013 they are spreading the load, they are sharing the love.<\/p>\n
\u201cTheir speed was evident. They put what looked like a slow Hawthorn to the sword.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are dangerous. They are in good form and good health.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho knows (how far they can go).<\/p>\n
\u201cI think they are really in a sweet spot right now.<\/p>\n
\u201cA honeymoon phase under a new coach. Can it go the whole year? Absolutely it can!<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019ve beaten some quality teams.\u201d<\/p>\n
Melbourne\u2019s conquests include reigning premiers Brisbane and now Hawthorn in recent weeks in a surprising start to life without traded star duo Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver.<\/p>\n
And skipper Max Gawn couldn\u2019t resist the little dig post match: \u201cMultiple people had us at 0-6!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey have learnt how to punish teams,\u201d King praised, as he likened the Dees quick turnaround to that of the Western Bulldogs when Luke Beveridge arrived as head coach.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt reminds me when Brendan McCartney gave up the reins to Luke Beveridge at the Dogs \u2013 he had a great contest game and a great defence game and then you add the spark.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s free-wheel, play with some flair.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve still got the residual from the previous coach \u2026 but you\u2019ve got some flair and you use ball movement as your next weapon. So you are capable in the other areas but not reliant.\u201d<\/p>\n
Finals now a reality for daring Dees? | 11:00<\/p>\n
Back when Beveridge arrived in 2015, many tipped the Dogs to struggle without skipper Ryan Griffen, Brownlow Medallist Adam Cooney and injured star Tom Liberatore \u2013 instead they managed a sixth place finish and finals action.<\/p>\n
It was the following year Beveridge led the Dogs to the 2016 flag.<\/p>\n
Triple premiership Tiger Jack Riewoldt described Melbourne as the current \u201cbest team to watch\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the eighth time they\u2019ve scored over 100 points this season,\u201d he said of the win over Hawthorn.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are consistently putting good scores on the scoreboard \u2013 the old adage the first to one hundred usually wins\u2026 Melbourne are the best at doing it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think (Jacob van Rooyen) was a bit of a whipping boy under Simon Goodwin and he seems to have grabbed his opportunity.<\/p>\n
\u201cDaniel Turner is turning into a very, very good centre half back \u2013 12 intercepts on Saturday.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey have got the nucleus in every aspect of the game, and of course Kossie Pickett who can win a game himself.\u201d<\/p>\n
Off the back of their form, Jay Clark believes Melbourne are emerging as a \u201ctop six contender\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt validates the massive changes this club made \u2013 bringing Steven King in, sacking Simon Goodwin and then a new CEO only a couple of weeks ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cClearly this football team is unimpeded.<\/p>\n
\u201c(Geelong premiership coach) Mark Thompson used to talk a lot about attacking the game. Steven King\u2019s premiership coach attacks the game and that\u2019s what they are doing 20 years on.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are an electric football team right now.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat a transformation.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey used to be long down the line, contest and defence.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow Melbourne fans have got the hottest ticket in town \u2013 they are a joy to watch.\u201d<\/p>\n
King said the Dees were \u201cback in the race again\u201d thanks to the performances of some of the lesser knowns.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s getting the best out of players we weren\u2019t sure about,\u201d he praised.<\/p>\n
\u201cSparrow has gone next level, Jefferson was good \u2013 guys we maybe had a question mark on.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are back in the race again.\u201d<\/p>\n
Narrm dazzle against Hawthorn | 02:29<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"There\u2019s an argument being made that Collingwood has prioritised its Scott Pendlebury \u201cromance\u201d over winning games. Watch every…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":677439,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[560],"tags":[326499,1146,36664,326500,638,85102,64,63,689,55,639,684,3423,37351,161840,36891,28962,326498,326503,131666,28880,36100,288362,10143,28452,1818,12148,65586,326509,287344,39189,326521,326519,326506,10382,12735,326505,326511,326507,150057,72172,326523,26521,24311,10124,326514,214573,14387,78344,2485,11288,42137,326512,3231,1823,326501,12149,19125,30404,19080,7484,3512,287389,39203,36862,663,326497,326522,16677,18093,241342,26511,673,19122,81749,326502,677,27704,326515,6082,24302,8016,52764,701,326517,326508,273123,326510,326518,12105,326504,1820,19083,12166,185567,1124,85,1122,52591,218300,326516,670,7200,77367,9013,5338,326513,19118,19065,12113,326520,660,698,15630],"class_list":["post-677438","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-afl","tag-abc-sports-inc","tag-adam-simpson","tag-adam-treloar","tag-aesthetic-chains","tag-afl","tag-anzac-day","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-australia-and-new-zealand","tag-australian-football-league","tag-australianfootballleague","tag-ben-cotton","tag-ben-waterworth","tag-cameron-mooney","tag-career-best-performance","tag-cats-coach","tag-centre-clearances","tag-commemorative-jumper","tag-commercial-balancing","tag-complete-game","tag-concussion-issues","tag-consecutive-games","tag-counter-argument","tag-craig-mcrae","tag-darcy-cameron","tag-david-king","tag-dean-cox","tag-demarcus-cousins","tag-draft-fairytale-chapter","tag-eagles-premiership","tag-engine-room","tag-ethan-grace","tag-expansion-doubts","tag-familiar-challenge","tag-finals-chances","tag-finals-race","tag-five-plus-goals","tag-flynn-riley","tag-football-discussion","tag-footy-journey","tag-footy-season","tag-found-a-different-way","tag-four-time-premiership","tag-four-time-premiership-coach","tag-fremantle-dockers","tag-game-swings","tag-games-record","tag-goal-assists","tag-goal-celebration","tag-gold-coast","tag-grand-final","tag-hawthorn-legend","tag-high-handball-corridor-game","tag-jack-jovanovski","tag-jack-riewoldt","tag-jason-akermanis","tag-jason-dunstall","tag-jay-clark","tag-john-longmire","tag-jordan-lewis","tag-ken-hinkley","tag-knee-injury","tag-ladder-leader","tag-leigh-matthews","tag-logan-morris","tag-luke-beveridge","tag-mature-age-state-league-players","tag-mature-age-success-stories","tag-max-laughton","tag-midfield-depth","tag-mitch-edwards","tag-nathan-buckley","tag-new-south-wales","tag-nick-blakey","tag-north-albury","tag-now-cats-assistant-coach","tag-oceania","tag-oscar-steene","tag-party-stands","tag-port-adelaide","tag-post-match-coverage","tag-premiership-player","tag-premiership-winner","tag-queensland","tag-quieter-storylines","tag-record-game","tag-record-breaking-game","tag-rivals-seek-ways","tag-run-and-gun-proponents","tag-sam-darcy","tag-scary-swans-detail","tag-score-involvements","tag-scott-pendlebury","tag-season-average","tag-sore-point","tag-south-australia","tag-sports","tag-st-kilda","tag-steve-johnson","tag-stingy-defence","tag-success-doing","tag-sydney","tag-sydney-swans","tag-talking-pts","tag-team-defence","tag-the-gabba","tag-three-vote-performance","tag-tom-hawkins","tag-tom-liberatore","tag-tom-stewart","tag-veteran-core","tag-victoria","tag-western-bulldogs","tag-work-rate"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/677438","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=677438"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/677438\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/677439"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=677438"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=677438"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=677438"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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<\/p>\n