As it happened: Rampaging Pies put early heat on Hinkley’s final season in charge; Dogs hold off gallant Roos

It will be years before the winner of the Dan Houston trade can be properly judged, but Collingwood’s prized recruit has made an instant impact for his new club.

To say Houston was the difference between the two sides in a 91-point game would be overstating it. No player, no matter how good they are, can have that effect.

But off a sample size off one it’s already apparent “Fly’s Pies” will be a markedly better side with Houston in it, and Port Adelaide will have a devil of a time replacing him.

After a nightmare opening round, Collingwood rebounded in emphatic fashion, giving a partisan crowd of 63,282 the perfect Saturday night out.

As a contest, this game was over by half-time, even though the margin was an assailable 34 points, but the fruits of their labours were enjoyed in a lop-sided second half in which they outscored a pathetic Port by 12 goals to two.

The Pies who showed up at the MCG were like chalk and cheese to the outfit that spectacularly ran out of puff six days ago in western Sydney.

Coach Craig McRae was emphatic during the week the Pies did not have a fitness issue, and with temperatures hovering in the high 20s for much of the game he was proven right.

The Pies, with their oldest and one of their slowest in Scott Pendlebury starting in the vest, played with great energy and vigour. Ex-Saint Tim Membrey was a bonus up forward with four goals to mark his value for Collingwood.

Aside from the scoreboard, the stats that illustrated this the most was their tackling, which they led 68-43 despite having more of the ball - a damning stat which highlighted how pathetic Port were.

Defenders thrive when there is the type of pressure on the ball.

Houston was a major beneficiary of the Pies’ turbocharged intensity in his debut in Collingwood’s black and white, part of a miserly defence that defused the Power’s largely limp forays inside 50.

For much of the night, he was the Pies’ leading possession-getter, finishing with 27 disposals, though he was overtaken late due in large part to the scarcity of play in their backline.

Collingwood 21.10 (136) d Port Adelaide 6.9 (45)

That brings an action-packed day of football to a close.

The grand finalists – the Brisbane Lions and Sydney – fought out a thriller, the Dockers were poor against Geelong, Port Adelaide surrendered against Collingwood, and the depleted Bulldogs held off a determined North Melbourne side.

We hope you enjoyed the day as much as we did. Good night.

It will be years before the winner of the Dan Houston trade can be properly judged, but Collingwood’s prized recruit has made an instant impact for his new club.

To say Houston was the difference between the two sides in a 91-point game would be overstating it. No player, no matter how good they are, can have that effect.

But off a sample size off one it’s already apparent “Fly’s Pies” will be a markedly better side with Houston in it, and Port Adelaide will have a devil of a time replacing him.

After a nightmare opening round, Collingwood rebounded in emphatic fashion, giving a partisan crowd of 63,282 the perfect Saturday night out.

As a contest, this game was over by half-time, even though the margin was an assailable 34 points, but the fruits of their labours were enjoyed in a lop-sided second half in which they outscored a pathetic Port by 12 goals to two.

The Pies who showed up at the MCG were like chalk and cheese to the outfit that spectacularly ran out of puff six days ago in western Sydney.

Coach Craig McRae was emphatic during the week the Pies did not have a fitness issue, and with temperatures hovering in the high 20s for much of the game he was proven right.

The Pies, with their oldest and one of their slowest in Scott Pendlebury starting in the vest, played with great energy and vigour. Ex-Saint Tim Membrey was a bonus up forward with four goals to mark his value for Collingwood.

Aside from the scoreboard, the stats that illustrated this the most was their tackling, which they led 68-43 despite having more of the ball - a damning stat which highlighted how pathetic Port were.

Defenders thrive when there is the type of pressure on the ball.

Houston was a major beneficiary of the Pies’ turbocharged intensity in his debut in Collingwood’s black and white, part of a miserly defence that defused the Power’s largely limp forays inside 50.

For much of the night, he was the Pies’ leading possession-getter, finishing with 27 disposals, though he was overtaken late due in large part to the scarcity of play in their backline.

Collingwood 21.10 (136) d Port Adelaide 6.9 (45)

Collingwood have smashed a hapless Port Adelaide side at the MCG by 91 points.