No player did more to promote this game than Mason Cox. Even in the final minutes before the curtain was raised, the American-born ruckman was at his trash talking best, hijacking Greater Western Sydney’s pregame ruck drill.
But when the ball was bounced, he posed as much threat as the farm animals in the petting zoo the Giants jokingly named after him for labelling their home a “showground for livestock”.
Mason Cox had a quiet night.Credit: Getty Images
The sheep Collingwood were warned to watch out for by the Giants cheer squad posed no problems, but it was the Orange Tsunami from which the reigning premiers could not escape – despite having months to prepare.
Magpies fans who have watched Take The Steps, the documentary into their club’s premiership, will have added appreciation for just how difficult it is for them to win. After this game, their title defence has become just that bit harder, and we’re not even in round one yet.
Jesse Hogan starred with four goals.Credit: Getty
No team is charging harder than the Giants, the side they pipped by a point in last year’s preliminary final and who gave them an opening-round clip around the ears.
“We thought we had improved physically, the reality is everyone else is improving,” McRae said.
The Pies’ inability to defend the Giants’ surges was a major concern for McRae, who watched his men repeatedly swept away and his backs regularly caught out of position.
They were at their most dangerous in the opening forays of the match when they had the Giants hemmed deep but once their initial defensive layer was pierced holes appeared everywhere for the men in orange.
The ease with which the Giants moved the ball was uncharacteristic of the Pies under McRae. The Giants’ score of 114 is the third highest they have conceded in the Fly era.
The Pies’ defensive stocks were stretched without Nathan Murphy and Jeremy Howe, both of whom were sorely missed. Howe should return this week but Murphy, whose future is uncertain, may be the harder man to replace.
Scott Pendlebury, an astute a judge as any, described him as “our best system defender”. Guess where McRae thought his team broke down?
“System-wise we were off from where we want to be, defensively in particular,” McRae said. “We need to get better, don’t we?”
Without his long-time lieutenants, backline general Darcy Moore was unable to exert any influence, limited to just nine possessions and four marks.
Though first-gamer Charlie Dean held his own, the Giants found 11 goals through unlikely game-breaker Callum Brown (five), Jesse Hogan (four) and Aaron Cadman (two). Toby Greene had a quiet night though provided the game’s highlight with a brilliant banana goal on the run from the boundary line.
The clearance battle in the midfield was squared but once the Sherrin was in motion the Pies’ on-ball brigade, with Nick and Josh Daicos excepted, were left flat-footed, sliced apart by the crafty hands of Tom Green, the skill of Josh Kelly and the quick feet of Stephen Coniglio. Callan Ward, subbed out with a shoulder injury, was not missed.
This was a night where passengers could not be carried, and the Pies had too many, the most notable being Cox, who played the role of class clown in the back row of the bus to the letter.
With only five possessions – the first of which came in the second half – he may as well have been up in the stands of the rebranded ENGIE Stadium alongside his summer sparring partner, the Giants chief David Matthews. AFL marketers won’t mind him talking the talk, but Pies fans would have liked him to walk the walk too.
He was not on his own. On this performance, Ash Johnson, who has had a big summer, has a long way to go if he is to be key forward Dan McStay’s replacement, as his captain Moore touted he can be.
Tom Mitchell snapped a goal but was otherwise rarely sighted before being subbed off deep into the third term. If the speed of the game increases in 2024, he needs all his considerable football smarts to avoid being left behind.
Jordan De Goey, Pendlebury, Jack Crisp and Steele Sidebottom had middling nights.
Lachie Schultz’s first game for his new club was serviceable, but could have been better if he had taken his chances in front of goal instead of kicking three behinds.
Premierships are not won or lost in March, let alone on the Labour Day long weekend, but the unfurling of the Pies’ flag this Friday night against Sydney is suddenly a more sobering occasion than it seemed a few days ago.
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