Collingwood wasn’t supposed to win tonight. This was supposed to be the recruit-laden Saints’ chance to make a statement against an ageing and under strength Magpies squad.
It was supposed to be $2 million man Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera’s chance to prove former Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley right that he was indeed better than Collingwood superstar Nick Daicos.
But this was not a night for change, with the dad’s army Pies outlasting St Kilda’s ferocious comeback attempt to start the season with a 12-point win without captain Darcy Moore and fellow injured star defender Jeremy Howe.
Daicos produced another best-on-ground performance complete with 41 disposals and 11 score involvements to immediately prove why he is again the Brownlow Medal favourite after finishing runner-up the past two years.
As for Wanganeen-Milera, he had his moments, but spent the night moving into different areas of the ground in a desperate attempt to shake Harry Perryman’s tag. His 19 disposals and a goal were not a patch on Daicos’ sublime performance, where he repeatedly escaped trouble and used the ball with outrageous accuracy under immense pressure.
Jordan De Goey played the ultimate role player game with 19 of his own touches but crucially three key goals, while fellow big name Jamie Elliott delivered the steadier to secure victory for the black and white.
Elliott juggled a mark and slotted the Pies’ only goal in the final quarter after St Kilda dominated territory for most of the quarter but frittered away opportunities.
Saints recruit Liam Ryan drilled a superb finish to open the last term, but his skied set-shot miss late in the game proved a major wasted chance for Ross Lyon’s men.
FT: Collingwood 11.12 (78) def St Kilda 9.12 (66)