Pies Grind Out a Beauty Against the Power
There are footy games that make you age ten years in two hours, and then there are games like this one — a proper arm-wrestle at the MCG that had me pacing the lounge room like a caged animal right until the final siren. Collingwood and Port Adelaide served up a contest that’ll keep the highlights reels busy for a week, and the Pies came out the right side of it.
The MCG Was Rocking From the Jump
Seventy-odd thousand packed into the ‘G on a cold Melbourne night, and they were not disappointed. From the first bounce it was on. Port Adelaide didn’t come down from Alberton to roll over — they came to play finals footy in the middle of winter, and the Pies had to match them every step of the way.
\p>The Power’s forward line caused early headaches. Their talls were mobile, their smalls were sharp, and for the first quarter it genuinely felt like the home side were playing catch-up to a visiting team with a clear game plan. Credit to Ken Hinkley’s group — they came organised.
But Collingwood? Collingwood are built for this. Carn the Pies.
The Midfield Battle Was the Game Within the Game
If you love watching contested footy — and if you’re a Pies fan you’d better — then the midfield battle in this one was a flat-out beauty. Collingwood’s brigade dominated the clearances for big chunks of the game, and that’s where the contest was definately won.
The inside-50 numbers told the story. Every time the Pies got the ball moving off half-back and into their forward arc, the crowd lifted. There’s something about this team generating fast ball movement from defence that just gets the pulse going.
Port Adelaide fought back through the middle, mind you. Their midfield is no slouch, and for a stretch in the third term they got on top. But Collingwood responded the way good sides do — not by panicking, but by knuckling down and winning the next contest.
The Key Forwards Stood Tall
A footy game at the MCG in 2026 is a different beast to what it was even five years ago, but some things never change: your key forwards have to perform when it matters. And tonight, Collingwood’s tall timber showed up.
The marking contest inside 50 was physical, it was fierce, and more than once it had me off my feet in the living room. When a big Pie grabbed one and slotted it truly, teh roar from the crowd was exactly the kind of sound you pay good money to hear in person.
Port’s defenders tried everything. They’re no mugs back there, and they made life hard. But Collingwood’s forwards kept presenting, kept leading, and kept putting pressure on a Port Adelaide backline that had been excellent in recent weeks.
Yes, I’ve Got Notes on the Umpires
Look, I wouldn’t be Daz McAllister if I didn’t mention it. There were a handful of decisions in the third quarter that had me raising both eyebrows and at least one strong opinion at the television. Whether the umpires got them right, that’s a debate for another day — but plenty of Pies fans in that crowd would have had a view, I reckon.
I’m not here to sledge the men and women in the orange — they’ve got a hard job and I respect the role. But some of those holding-the-ball calls in the contest just had a certain… pattern to them, if you know what I mean. As always, it feels like the Pies are held to a standard and a half out there.
Still. The boys won. So I’ll park it for now.
Port Adelaide Won’t Use This as an Excuse
Here’s the thing about Port Adelaide that I’ll give them credit for, even as a man who despises the prison bar jumper with every fibre of his being: they’re a proud club and they won’t sook about a loss at the MCG. They’ll go back to SA, watch the tape, and come out swinging.
The Power are a genuine finals contender in 2026. Their season is far from done, and Hinkley has them structured well. There were passages tonight where you could see exactly what they were trying to do, and it was smart footy.
But smart footy and actually beating Collingwood at the ‘G are two very different things. The Pies made it uncomfortable from start to finish, and in the end, the scoreboard didn’t lie.
What This Win Means for the Pies’ September Hopes
Round 15 and the ladder is getting serious. Every four points from here on feels like it should of come with a warning label — handle with care, these things matter in September.
Collingwood’s percentage, their percentage of wins against top-eight sides, their ability to perform in front of a big MCG crowd — all of it is being audited right now by the footy world. And tonight was a tick in every box.
The Pies aren’t a side that’s just making up the numbers in 2026. This is a group with genuine September ambitions, and performances like tonight confirm what the believers — and yes, I count myself firmly among them — have been saying all year. They can play, they can fight, and when the contest is on the line, they’ve got the grit to see it through.
- Midfield dominance: Collingwood won the contested footy battle in crucial stretches
- Forward pressure: The Pies’ key forwards made Port Adelaide’s defenders work all night
- Home ground advantage: The MCG was loud and the Pies fed off the energy
- Defensive structure: Port Adelaide’s forward entries were contested and largely kept to low-percentage looks
Final Word From the Couch
I’ve been watching Collingwood since before some of the blokes on that ground were born, and nights like tonight are why you stick around through the lean years. This is what we’re here for. A big game, a packed MCG, a contested match against a quality opponent, and four premiership points heading back to Collingwood’s column.
There’s a long way to go in 2026. There are tough opponents ahead, there are away trips, there are games where the Pies will have to dig deeper than they did tonight. But after a result like this, you go to bed with a smile on your face and a bit of a swagger in your step.
Port Adelaide will be back. They always are. But tonight belonged to the black and white.
Carn the Pies.
