The first weekend with more than one Collingwood side on the park in 2026 ended with a one-all scoreline as the Pies took on the GWS GIANTS in both the AFL and VFL on Friday.
Proceedings started at the KGM Centre on Friday afternoon when the Magpies kicked off their season after observing the bye in Round 1.
A favourable breeze in the opening term saw new Senior Coach Matthew Lokan enjoy a nice start in his first match in charge, as the Pies opened up a 32-point lead to take into the first break.
The second quarter gave the GIANTS their own chance with the wind however, with the margin reduced to just six points by half time.
With a team featuring 17 AFL-listed players, the home side were moving the ball well and were full of youngsters donning the black and white for the first time.
2025 draftee Angus Anderson kicked the first goal of the match, while fellow rookie Zac McCarthy found the big sticks in the opening term.
Harvey Harrison, who was playing his first official game since rupturing his ACL in August of 2024, kicked the Pies’ only goal of the second term to maintain his side’s lead, while Reef McInnes was strong in defence on return from his own ACL rehabilitation period over the past 12 months.
The second half started with a flurry of behinds as the Pies struggled to re-extend their advantage, with majors to Will Hayes and Co-Captain Brady Grey taking the margin out to 22 points heading into the final term.
It wasn’t enough however, with the GIANTS controlling the entire fourth quarter on the back of the wind and kicking seven goals to one to run out 16-point victors.
While a disappointing result given the commanding position at the start of the game, there were many fine performers for the Pies, including fourth-year star Ed Allan who racked up 31 touches.
Draftee Sam Swadling found the ball 28 times in his Magpies debut, while defender Jakob Ryan (27 touches) and VFL-listed midfielder Oscar Faulkhead (25 touches) impressed.
A strong contingent of the Magpie Army braved the conditions at the Pies’ home base, before moving across town to Marvel Stadium to see the Club’s AFL side look to square the ledger against the GIANTS for the day.
Buoyed by the news of young ruck Oscar Steene’s debut and having waited 13 days between games, there was an air of excitement under the roof for the Round 3 clash.
The Pies got off to a hot start on the back of three first quarter goals from Tim Membrey to take a 14-point lead into quarter time.
An early Ned Long major in the second quarter kept things rolling for the Pies, however the GIANTS controlled the term thereafter to leave things evenly poised at the halfway mark.
GWS skipper Toby Greene goaled inside the first minute of the second half to cut the Pies’ lead to just three points, however that was the catalyst for the home side turning things back in their favour.
Nick Daicos started the Magpies’ domination with his first of two goals for the night, before the moment of the match came shortly after in the form of Steene’s towering mark and maiden goal.
The Pies were able to ride the momentum of their new cult hero’s stunning debut performance from there on in, piling on seven second half goals to three to run out 33-point winners.
Daicos collected 36 touches to go with his brace, while Membrey found the big sticks four times in his equal-best outing in black and white.
The win was soured by injuries to leaders Darcy Moore and Scott Pendlebury, with the skipper facing three to four weeks on the sidelines after sustaining a low-grade hamstring strain and an inflamed bursa behind his knee.
The AFL side now travels to Brisbane for the traditional Easter Thursday clash with the Lions at the Gabba, while the VFL team will also take on the Lions, however for them it will be the Coburg version, as they head to Barry Plant Park in Melbourne’s northern suburbs on Friday afternoon.
