Blog log from R1 of 2023: Geelong vs Collingwood

Quaynor receives in the back pocket and tries to kick across the back line but the Cats swarmed forward after the opening bounce and it’s Tuohy who picks him off for the first goal (Q1 0:56)
Elliott leaps in front of Tuohy to mark a long ball to the pocket 25m out but misses near side right. (Q1 3:05)
Moore spoil;s Cameron’s contest at the top of the square but straight down to Tuohy who snaps his second goal from 15m! (Q1 4:07)
Adams plays on to advantage after a ruck free at the next bounce for the short pass to Mitchell 40m out in front. The set shot is straight enough. (Q1 5:45)
Mihocek marks a De Goey pass 40m out on the flank and opens his account for the season with a nice set shot. (Q1 7:50)
Mihocek snaps very high and just wide from deep in the pocket. This game is quick as lightning. (Q1 16:26)
Smith speeds up the outer wing and spots up Stengle 40m out on the flank. He converts with no problem, this is a high quality contest. (Q1 17:34)
Cameron snaps a big goal from a stoppage in the pocket in typical style. (Q1 21:55)
Stengle roves Hawkins at a stoppage 40m out on the flank and gives to a flat-footed Dangerfield who is able to get the snap off a step… quality finish! (Q1 24:36)
After Sidebottom catches him high outside CHF, Miers passes to Hawkins leading to 40m on the flank. The Cats have been dead-eyed dicks so far… this one also good! (Q1 26:06)
Cox taps behind him at a throw in 25m out, Adams anticipates and snaps truly off the left. (Q1 28:17)
Cox marks in a big contest with Ratugolea in a six-man pack 25m out on a slight angle. The lanky Yank chips through the goal. (Q1 30:52)
Nick Daicos mops up a loose ball at half forward and goes quick and long to the square where Ratugolea is one out with McStay and gives away a holding free and easy goal. (Q1 32:36)
Ratugolea gives away another free for high contact off the ball on the wing, Pies sweep forward, Adams feeds Pendlebury who snaps off the left from 35m for the goal. (Q2 1:48)
Stengle passes to Jeremy Cameron 45m out on the flank on a fast break around members wing. Jezza hits the near goalpost. (Q2 5:56)
Maynard is pinged for deliberate OOTF 40m out, Hawkins takes the free and screws it in off the right. (Q2 7:36)
Henry catches Sidebottom HTB on the wing and the Cats swarm, Miers gives to Holmes after marking 45m out on the flank, Holmes continues the quality Cat finishing! (Q2 9:28)
Blicavs gives away a high contact free after rucking against Darcy Cameron 25m out on a slight angle, Cameron misses. (Q2 13:25)
The Pie fans boo as Henry gets a touch near the behind post but his inside handball works through to Stengle who checksides the goal from 10m. (Q2 14:41)
Jeremy Cameron has Henry out the back to mark untouched 30m out on a slight angle. The Maggie fans hoot and holler as he strides in, he shuts them up with a big kick. (Q2 17:18)
Cox marks a long ball to the pocket 25m out and tries a screwing set shot… it’s good for his second! (Q2 20:42)
Moore goes under a long ball to the pocket that falls for Henry, he thinks he’s clear and saunters towards the open goal… Moore roars in and claims him HTB, crowd roars! (Q2 23:21)
Rohan takes a big pack mark 20m out in the pocket for his first goal. (Q2 24:09)
Pendlebury feds Adams for a snap off a step from 20m on a slight angle but it’s wide off the left boot. (Q2 26:42)
De Goey passes to McCreery 45m out on a slight angle, he converts. (Q2 28:17)
The Magpies run the ball out of the centre, on the end of the chain is Hill whose snap from 35m falls on the line, did Blicavs get a hand on it? No, it’s a goal. (Q2 29:56)
Elliott beats Bews to a loose ball on the HFF, turns onto his right and shoots wide from 45m. (Q2 32:23)
Hawkins beats Howe on the wing with some bullocking work then passes to Rohan 35m out in the corridor, who kicks goal two of the quarter. (Q2 33:17)
The Pies handball their way through half forward, McCreery snaps from 40m but McStay marks on the behind line then hits the post. (Q3 0:34)
A lull as Jeremy Howe is stretchered off. (Q3 6:57)
After play resumes, Smith has a free for deliberate OOB by Maynard 20m out, he curls that one in like shelling peas. (Q3 10:29)
Sidebottom passes from the wing to De Goey 40m out on a slight angle, Tuohy giving him too much space. JDG squeezes the set shot inside the left goalpost. (Q3 13:22)
Ratugolea gets back just in time to touch through a Mitchell kick to the square. (Q3 18:22)
Repeat inside 50s piling up for the Pies with loose men everywhere, Noble passes to Hill 30m out on a slight angle who pops it through. A kick in it now. (Q3 19:22)
Atkins gets a free on Maynard in the pocket plus a 50m penalty for some afters to ensure the goal. (Q3 21:22)
The Cats work the footy by hand through heavy traffic after a stoppage on the HFF, Bruhn kicks towards the square where Jeremy Cameron marks untouched and goals from 15m. (Q3 23:52)
Stanley bombs long from the HFF, Henry gets a very cheap free on the behind line, misses but the ump pays 50m for encroachment to ensure the goal. (Q3 27:02)
Stengle marks 50m out on a slight angle, his kick is short and doesn’t score. (Q3 28:38)
Maynard cuts off another Cat attack at half back and the Pies handball through midfield on a switch, Hill has Mihocek 20m out on a slight angle for a much-needed Magpie steadier. (Q3 30:07)
Jeremy Cameron passes to a very hard lead by Rohan 45m out on the flank, he goes to the lead of Hawkins on the boundary 30m out. Good spot for a screwing set shot… narrow. (Q3 32:07)
On a slow play, Moore takes a chance with a long kick to the hotspot, it comes off as Hill eventually marks and goals from the line. (Q3 33:58)
Pendlebury hits the diagonal rebound kick to the corridor and it comes off as McInnes marks the long ball by McCreery and goals from the square. Pies back within a kick again! (Q3 36:52)
Jeremy Cameron intercepts a dump kick by Moore and goes short to Close 35m out on the flank. 3QT siren sounds, Close hooks it left. (Q3 39:38)
Ratugolea drops a defensive mark at half back, Crisp passes to De Goey who kicks from 20m in front, it nearly shaves the inside of the goalpost but it’s called a goal on review. (Q4 1:40)
Scores level and the Magpies really should go on with it from here. Cats undermanned and unfit, their kicking is the only thing keeping them in it. (Q4 2:00)
Ratugolea spoils to the front of a pack at the top of the square, De Goey is there to rove and feed to Mitchell who wobbles through the go-ahead goal off the left from 20m. (Q4 7:00)
Mitchell’s tackle on Holmes causes a turnover inside 50, eventually the crumb from a Mihocek contest falls for McInnes who goals from 15m in front. (Q4 14:01)
Adams roves a stoppage at the hotspot and gives to Crisp who spins and misses off the right. (Q4 16:44)
Cats just can’t rebound, kick in by Smith is easily turned over and the Pies are everywhere on the ground, McInnes crumbs again and sends McCreery off into the open goal! (Q4 18:01)
Ratugolea is pinged for tripping McInnes deep in the pocket 15m out, who hits the near goalpost. (Q4 22:16)
Geelong look a beaten team, they are trying hard but their soldiers are out of ammo like Russians at Bakhmut. (Q4 25:17)
De Goey marks 45m out on a slight angle and sails through his third goal, the Magpie army is in raptures at this point. (Q4 27:31)
Hawkins marks 40m out on the flank, the Pie fans boo as the Tomahawk is interrupting their party. Then they cheer as he misses. (Q4 31:04)
Close misses a mid-range shot. (Q4 31:40)
Miers hooks a set shot from 40m in front. (Q4 32:46)