Collingwood are counting the cost of their win over West Coast in Scott Pendlebury's record-breaking game, with superstar Nick Daicos making a surprise appearance at scans on Sunday morning. The Magpies celebrated Pendlebury's 433rd game with a closer-than-expected 10-point win over the Eagles, but it came at a high price.
Injury Updates
Jamie Elliott went down late in the game with what could be a serious knee injury, while skipper Darcy Moore (hamstring) and young forward Will Hayes (shoulder) were also casualties. However, it was the sight of Daicos at Olympic Park's imaging facility that turned heads the most. The midfield maestro insisted it was only precautionary.
"I just had my foot stomped on, so just making sure there's nothing wrong with it," Daicos told 7NEWS. "But it feels good, so it's just precautionary."
Moore's Hamstring Concerns
The Magpies' hopes might not be so high for Moore, who has a long history of hamstring issues. "Bit sore this morning. Don't know the full picture though until we get a scan, so we'll see," Moore told 7NEWS. "It's definitely frustrating. You put a lot of work in, you probably put three times as much work in when you're injured than when you're healthy. So it's been a lot of work, but there's still a lot of season to go, so I'm still feeling positive."
Elliott's Knee Injury
Elliott jumped for a mark in the forward pocket and landed awkwardly on his left knee. He crumpled to the turf under pressure from Eagles defender Tylar Young in a marking contest in the dying stages and was taken off on a stretcher. Obvious fears for the ACL will remain unless the scan results rule them out, but Elliott said there are some good signs.
"It's a little bit tender now, the pain relief wore off pretty quickly last night," he said. "I think pain's a good thing, so we'll see. See what the scan says."
Hayes Dislocates Shoulder
Hayes said his injury was unfamiliar territory for him. "Not too bad, just a dislocated shoulder," he said. "I don't really know, I've never done one before, so I have no idea."
Coach and Player Reactions
Asked about Elliott after the game, Collingwood coach Craig McRae said the 33-year-old was "vulnerable" in the air and could sense the incident unfolding as pressure came from Young, who made contact with his body. McRae didn't want to comment on the contest, but his players took exception to Young's actions and remonstrated with the Eagle. Most players on the field were involved in a melee that unfolded as Elliott departed.
West Coast coach Andrew McQualter gave Elliott his best wishes and defended Young's role in the incident. "I looked at it again and I'm certain that Tylar Young did nothing wrong in that marking contest," McQualter said. "He was competing for the ball, he was in that marking contest, and unfortunately accidents happen in our game. I don't know what they were remonstrating for. It's disappointing that Jamie got injured, but there's nothing more to it."
The Match Recap
Elliott's injury came after Collingwood weathered West Coast's gutsy fightback to ensure a victory to celebrate Pendlebury passing Brent Harvey's all-time games record in his 433rd appearance. There were nine lead changes in a tight first half before the Magpies kicked 29 points clear in the third term, with Daicos and Elliott (three goals) central figures in what looked like a match-winning burst. But the plucky Eagles closed to within three points with more than seven minutes left to play, before clutch goals to Dan McStay and Daicos gave the Pies breathing space.
"The game was on a knife's edge into the last quarter, but it wasn't about style points or margins. It was just about honouring Pendles," McRae said.
Daicos was best afield with 34 disposals, seven clearances and three goals, including two brilliant snaps at the Punt Road end. His third major, when he danced around an opponent and kicked truly, all but sealed the result. Jack Crisp (28 touches) and Jordan De Goey (26) were also influential, while Pendlebury had 20 disposals and five clearances despite attention from Willem Duursma and Brady Hough.
Pies tall Darcy Cameron was involved in an absorbing ruck battle with Bailey Williams. West Coast (3-8) were well served by young gun Harley Reid, who made his presence felt with 20 disposals in his 50th game. Tom McCarthy (30 touches), Hamish Davis (23) and Milan Murdock (22) were all busy, and veteran Elliot Yeo kicked three goals, while Jobe Shanahan and Malakai Champion added two each.
"I'm proud of the way we played," McQualter said. "We were really competitive on a big stage and we gave ourselves a chance to win. We're disappointed we didn't win, because that's what our aim was ... but I thought we saw growth in our players and our team."
