This was published 1 year ago
Thanks for following us today, as the Magpies reinforced why they are a legitimate premiership contender – despite still battling a swag of injuries. As for the Demons, there is much work to be done during the bye before they face North Melbourne.
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Until we chat again, take care.
Our man on the spot, Michael Gleeson, has just left the Craig McRae press conference and has fired this update to readers:
“Craig McRae said Daicos had corked shin, not calf. Said he’ll play next week.”
Age chief football writer Jake Niall delivers his insight into the day’s events.
Any team that can survive a hideous injury toll and emerge from that troubled stretch with a draw against Fremantle in Perth, a competitive loss to the Bulldogs and then an impressive victory over a fragile but largely uninjured Melbourne must be viewed as a clear and present danger to Sydney, Carlton and the rest.
It’s over to you, my friends, to judge who wins mark of the day. There were two stand-outs. Tell us what you think in the poll below.
Check out what today’s attendance of 84,659 means ...
Christian Petracca was taken to hospital for scans on suspected broken ribs in a marking contest with Darcy Moore. And Nick Daicos was subbed out of the game with a leg injury. Petracca went to the rooms for treatment at quarter-time. He returned and tried to play on in the second term before succumbing to injury. He was subbed off before half-time. The Demons have a bye after this game. They need to regroup as they were thoroughly outplayed again. The looked too slow and, damningly in a game when they were beaten on the scoreboard, they were out out-tackled by 21.
The young Magpie limped to the boundary with a few minutes remaining in the third quarter and was assessed by doctors. He injured his leg in a marking contest when he collided with his shadow for the day, Alex Neal-Bullen. He returned again to the three-quarter-time huddle and resumed in the final quarter, but he was subbed out soon after Harvey Harrison had goaled and the victory was assured. The club said Daicos had a corked calf from the collision, but coach Craig McRae later revised that to a corked shin. He had largely been subdued by Neal-Bullen for the day, finishing with a lower-than-normal 15 touches. He did still manage a set-shot goal from 50 metres.
The Magpies are the real deal – once again – this season, a 38-point win over the Demons confirming their back-to-back premiership hopes are alive. For the Demons, they have lost four of their past five games, and with only six goals on the board today, Simon Goodwin and his team have major worries. And, just to think, the Magpies have several premierships stars to return after the bye, including Jordan De Goey and Scott Pendlebury.
Jack Crisp was named best afield today, and is awarded the Neale Daniher Trophy.
And here’s Jeremy Howe and another of his customary high-flying marks. There’s still plenty of pop left in these legs.
Nick Daicos is full of smiles on the bench despite having a bag of ice on his right ankle.