Belief.
It’s a funny thing, isn’t it?
Port Adelaide had belief to start this game. They had the belief that their midfield was too quick for the opposition. Belief that their defence was too big and strong for the Collingwood forwards. And belief that their forward set up would be enough to stretch the Magpies’ defence.
And they were right to have that belief, as they raced out to a five-goal lead.
They looked like world beaters; as though the hyperbole surrounding this team was all true, and that we were witnessing a premiership contender strutting their stuff at the venue the Grand Final will be played.
And you know what?
We were.
Sadly, for Port Adelaide, they were not that team.
It was up to Collingwood to start chipping away at that belief. Contest after contest, they planted the seeds of doubt. They made Port second guess. They had them questioning their place.
What we witnessed after the quarter time break was a team realising who they were, and reminding their opponents that though they may be a contender, they were fighting the champs at the MCG. It was Collingwood shutting down the run of the Port midfield. It was Collingwood tightening up in defence. And it was Collingwood that started to make the most of their forays forward, capitalising on the top-heavy Power defence to run them off their legs and slam on quick goals.
We saw two teams tested in this competition, and only one emerged with a pass mark.
The belief was shattered. The doubt settled in. And the Pies feasted on the chaos they caused.
Let’s jump into The Mongrel’s Good, Bad, and Ugly.
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