Collingwood Forever

AN EASY THING FOR COLLINGWOOD.

Collingwood played Melbourne at Victoria-park, the latter coming out in mourning for their late comrade D. Moriarty, whose lamentable death was a tragedy of last week. St. Kilda and other teams wore mourning for the same reason.

There is no excuse for wasting spice in the description of a one-sided game, for Collingwood had it won in the first quarter by kicking six goals to Melbourne’s one. Their merit was even more emphatically shown in the second quarter, when against the wind they scored exactly the same points as their opponents. Carlton and Fitzroy have been able this season by individual selection and close watching to break up that system which has accounted so much for Collingwood’s success.

For want of this close attention Melbourne failed to do it, and Collingwood’s cleverness in passing and playing for position was demonstrated all through. I fancy they took matters somewhat easily in the third quarter, saving themselves possibly for battles ahead, where every ounce will be put into the play.

Otherwise Collingwood, favoured by the wind, must have scored more heavily, and would certainly have done so had they really needed the points. Briefly, from start to finish they played the better and distinctly more clever football, and won easily. The fact  that they got as many goals as behinds shows there was nothing faulty in the forward lines, where Rowell and Leach each scored three goals, and Condon and Lockwood two each. Coutie and Strong also got a brace apiece for Melbourne.

Collingwood gave a trial to a junior named Addison from the Leopold, and he began with considerable promise in senior company. Collingwood’s half-back line was so good that the backs had very little to do, and, these apart. Monahan’s high-marking was, as one would expect, an importent element in the play. Pannam, in the absence of M’Cormack, took the centre, and was at his best there, while Rowell and A. Leachmore particularly were right above their average form. Otherwise to detail individual merit is but the repetition of an old story.

Melbourne have several young players with lots of style, dash, and all footballing requisites, whom I quite expect to develop into footballers of the very highest calibre., Mills and Strong are a notable pair, and on Saturday they had another in ex-captains  of Scotch and Wesley Colleges. L. Anderson played a first-rate game back, and M’Kellar, if less brilliant, was more constant and promises to shine in the near future as a follower. If they can keep their hold on such capable recruits, Melbourne will soon have a winning side together again.

1903 ‘FOOTBALL.’, The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 – 1957), 31 August, p. 9, viewed 3 August, 2015, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article9827502