Match

Melbourne vs Collingwood

Commentary / 09 Jun 2025

Pre Game

00:00
The Demons are ranked eighth for score per inside 50, but are 17th for goal per inside 50 this season. Their shot at goal accuracy of 41 per cent is the third-lowest by any team in a season.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
01:08
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Kysaiah Pickett)
03:07
SCORE BEHIND - Magpies (Bobby Hill)
03:43
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Tom Sparrow)
04:22
In what seemed like a pre-game plan, Melbourne goes long up the corridor from a kick-in for its first goal of the match. It was the Demons seventh goal of the season from a kick-in, the equal-sixth most of any side.
10:23
It is a high pressure start form both sides. Melbourne has a pressure rating of 208 while Collingwood's is at a massive 235.
15:31
Collingwood is getting more of the ball on the outside, leading uncontested possessions by 16 and uncontested marks by nine.
17:59
SCORE GOAL - Magpies (Daniel McStay)
19:01
Steven May has started strongly for Melbourne with five disposals, all coming via intercept possessions.
19:17
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Trent Rivers)
22:28
Jack Crisp has had a big first term for the Magpies with nine disposals and four contested possessions. He has also been involved in both Collingwood's scores and a feature of his early work has been his ability to break tackles, something he has done twice already.
24:37
SCORE GOAL - Magpies (Jamie Elliott)
24:48
Jamie Elliott kicks his first goal of the match. The Magpie forward has been in a rich vein of form, kicking five or more goals in four of the last six games - the first player to achieve this feat since Josh Kennedy in 2017.
26:33
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Koltyn Tholstrup)
30:17
SCORE BEHIND - Magpies (Bobby Hill)
31:54
Both defences are on top at quarter time of this game. Collingwood narrowly leads Melbourne 19 to 18 in intercept possessions. The Magpies have kicked 2.1.13 from these intercepts, while Melbourne has generated its score from stoppage and form kick-in.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
01:21
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Kysaiah Pickett)
02:29
SCORE GOAL - Magpies (Beau McCreery)
03:06
Melbourne kicks its first goal form an intercept possession through Kosi Pickett and Collingwood responds with its first goal from a stoppage to Beau McCreery. McCreery was ably set up by Scott Pendlebury. The Magpie veteran leads all comers with 11 disposals.
05:03
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Harrison Petty)
09:54
Melbourne have been strong around the contest, leading contested possession by five for the quarter and nine for the match. Clayton Oliver has led the charge for the Demons with 12 disposals, seven coming via a contested possession.
11:59
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Jake Melksham)
13:56
Melbourne lead the inside 50s ten to three this quarter and have enjoyed 80 percent time in forward half. As they have done all season, the Collingwood defence has stood up well, only conceding 1.2.8 from this territorial disadvantage.
17:39
SCORE GOAL - Magpies (Steele Sidebottom)
19:15
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Christian Petracca)
24:10
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Koltyn Tholstrup)
25:40
Melbourne lead the inside 50s 18 to eight this term, but Collingwood leads the term 3.0.18 to 1.4.10 on the back of its ruthless efficiency. This season, Collingwood has been able to generate a score from 50 per cent of its inside 50s, ranked No.1 in the AFL.
27:39
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Kysaiah Pickett)
27:58
Kosi Pickett keeps Melbourne with both his, and Melbourne's, second goal of the term. The Demons lead clearances by one and have outscored Collingwood by seven points from this score source.
30:27
Josh Daicos has done as he has pleased in the first half. The Magpie gun has 23 disposals, six marks, five score involvements and 400 metres gained.
30:53
SCORE GOAL - Magpies (Tim Membrey)
30:55
Collingwood have punished Melbourne off turnover, scoring 5.1.31 to 1.4.10 from intercepts. While the Magpies only lead forward half intercepts 13 to 12, they have outscored Melbourne 3.1.19 to 1.2.8 from this score source.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
01:45
SCORE GOAL - Magpies (Brody Mihocek)
06:04
Jeremy Howe has been a brick wall for Collingwood this afternoon. Howe has 16 disposals with 10 coming via intercepts.
07:44
Melbourne's kicking has let them down today. The Demons are going at just 52 per cent by foot, compared to Collingwood's 70 per cent. This has allowed the Magpies to control the ball for larger periods, with Collingwood taking 30 more uncontested marks for the match.
08:37
SCORE GOAL - Magpies (Ned Long)
10:01
Christian Petracca has been industrious this afternoon for the Demons with 17 disposals, 11 contested possessions and four score involvements, to be Melbourne's highest rated player on the ground.
10:26
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jake Melksham)
12:31
Melbourne has taken just two marks inside 50 for the match. Conversely, Collingwood has taken seven intercept marks inside its defensive 50. Darcy Cameron has supported his defence well with a game-high four intercept marks.
13:10
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Rushed)
14:40
SCORE BEHIND - Magpies (Ned Long)
15:50
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Jake Melksham)
19:00
Melbourne lead contested possession by 16 and inside 50s by 12 for the match. The Demons have won five of seven gams this season when they have won both the contested possession and inside 50 counts.
22:47
SCORE GOAL - Magpies (Bobby Hill)
22:56
Collingwood's efficiency up forward continues to give them breathing room. The Magpies have kicked nine goals from 30 entries, a strike rate of 30 per cent, where as Melbourne have six goals from 41 entries, a strike rate of 15 per cent.
26:07
Magpies Interchange - Darcy Cameron off due to the blood rule.
28:27
Collingwood has not generated a score from either its forward 50 or defensive 50 today, with all of its 9.3.57 being launched from between the arcs. Melbourne have scored 35 of its 50 points from the midfield zone.
28:47
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Harrison Petty)
30:42
Melbourne leads the tackle count by five at three quarter time. Coming into the game, Collingwood had a league-leading tackle differential of plus-179 this season, the second best differential ever recorded up to Round 12 by any side.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
03:32
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Bayley Fritsch)
06:10
SCORE GOAL - Magpies (Nick Daicos)
06:32
Melbourne kicks the opening goal of the quarter to trim the margin, but as they have done for most of the afternoon, Collingwood strikes back through Nick Daicos. The Collingwood champ has been well held by Ed Langdon, totalling 16 disposals and seven clearances for the match.
07:50
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Bayley Fritsch)
08:32
Melbourne answers again with a forward 50 stoppage goal, its second of the match. The Demons lead clearances by five and have outscored the Magpies by seven points from this source. They have also outscored Collingwood 3.1.19 to nil from forward 50 chains.
11:21
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Bayley Fritsch)
12:27
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Kysaiah Pickett)
12:42
Melbourne have found some forward 50 efficiency in the final quarter with 3.1.19 from six entries to take the lead. Bayley Fritsch has found himself in space to be involved in all four Melbourne scores, kicking 2.1.13 himself and assisting Kosi Pickett for Melbourne's most recent goal.
14:13
SCORE BEHIND - Magpies (Rushed)
16:19
SCORE GOAL - Magpies (Daniel McStay)
18:30
SCORE BEHIND - Magpies (Rushed)
19:48
While Collingwood only rank 13th in the AFL for contested possession differential, it is -25 in this area tonight, which would be its worst differential in this area for the season.
20:44
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Max Gawn)
24:15
SCORE BEHIND - Magpies (Nick Daicos)
26:26
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Rushed)
30:43
Collingwood holds on for a narrow victory despite Melbourne doing a lot right. The Demons win the contested possession count by 28, clearances by 10 and inside 50s by nine, but were let down by their ball use, Melbourne kicking at an efficiency of 58 per cent, compared to Collingwood's 73 per cent.
31:31
Jeremy Howe turned the clock back for Collingwood, with 26 disposals, 12 contested possessions, 14 intercepts and 580 metres gained.