World Footy News

Mason Cox was presented with his first Collingwood AFL jumper pre match today by Darcy Moore. It was a big jumper with the number 46 for the 211cm giant. The first presented to an American.

 

Cox warmed up out on the field prematch. At the city end. A few short leads, mark, turn around and take a set shot. The kicks were straight, spinning nicely. A sign of things to come, perhaps. Down to the middle and some ruck work in the centre circle. Anthony Rocca holding the bag, no opposition but some nice palm downs to the Collingwood midfielders, all good but how will he go against oppositionω

 

Back to the rooms.

 

Everything is in place, Essendon out on the ground. Umpires out. The banner out. Australian and New Zealand flags in position. Collingwood continue warming up at the Punt Rd end. Cox again working set shots around the arc, but the kicks from about 30m out. 

 

Coach Nathan Buckley walks across to Cox. Pats him on the back. Has a chat, gestures towards the goal square. His arms then swing out, something about how they want the ball to move, or perhaps how Essendon will rebound the ballω Who knowsω When I asked Buckley in the press conference he just said he told him to “make sure you enjoy it…Mase like most Americans they don’t mind the big stage, he was looking forward to in and it was good for him to have his family across.”

 

At any rate a few final pats on the bum for the (international) rookie and off they went to line up for the ANZAC commemoration ceremonies. Cox stood out in the middle of the line, literally head and shoulders about most of his Collingwood team mates as the ceremony and anthems were played (neither anthem being the Star Spangled Banner).

 

As promised when the team was named on Thursday, Cox lined up at full forward. Technically he replaced Jesse White. But the focus from the footy media was on Travis Cloke who was confirmed to have been dropped to the VFL side on Saturday from the initial 25 man squad. Cloke the dominant full forward in 2011,2012 and 2013 has been sadly out of form and finally the selection axe had come for him.

 

But could Cox produce something better. Well he soon showed he could produce something. Essendon’s Hartley matched up on Cox, in the square at the city end of the MCG. A big man at 199cm but still giving away some height to Cox. After the usual tight skirmish following the first bounce Collingwood worked the ball from their backline down to Darcy Moore. His short pass into the leading Cox was taken and the big American went back for the set shot. 25 metres out he calmly walked in and his drop punt went straight through the middle. 

 

An amazing moment, and followed up by Cox being swamped by Collingwood team mates elated that the big Texan, who gave up everything at home to come on this journey had clearly worked hard for this moment and they just wanted to share with him just how special it was.

 

Collingwood were looking good in the clearances and almost immediately the ball was back in the middle it was cleared and sent in towards Cox again, this time a high ball that the Essendon defenders were able to spoil.  

 

Sidebottom kicked his first of three for the quarter and the Pies made all the running. 

 

Another chance for Cox who manages to be on his own in the forward pocket, but they can’t get the ball to him cleanly and the ball goes over the line and out of bounds.

 

Shortly after the ball again came deep into Collingwood’s forward line, the ball squeezed out to Cox in the pocket and while off balance he tried a little checkside kick that wasn’t far off the mark but went for a behind.

 

His next opportunity comes when a quick handball is fired to him on the 50m arc, but he is facing away from goal, he gives off to the running Grundy, but Grundy’s kick to the square is not a good one.

 

As would be the pattern for the day, after a full forward stint it was time to go to the bench about halfway through the quarter.

 

Moore and Oxley add more goals for Collingwood.

 

Cox has come back into the game. Now in the ruck. His wins his first tap down to De Goey in the middle. The next centre bounce he also wins to Pendlebury after Langford finally kicks the first for Essendon.  

 

Sidebottom kicks two more goals. Collingwood out to a 34 point lead. Cox move back to full forward and then sees out the quarter on the bench. Meanwhile two more goals for Collingwood through Fasolo and Howe give them a 45 point lead at quarter time.

 

In the second quarter Cox back at full forward provides a good lead, the ball spills and Sidebottom kicks his fourth, and looks the goods to win the Anzac medal for best on ground already.

 

After another rest on the bench, Cox is thrown into the ruck again. He wins his first tap straight to PendleburyBlair adds another for Colingwood. 

 

A great kick from Irishman Conor McKenna hits Brown in pocket and he kicks the Bombers second goal.

 

But Collingwood keep piling on the goals through Blair and Howe.

 

At the next boundary throw in he wins the tap and then follows up to get the ball off the deck and dish out a handball. After another brief rest on the bench he is at full forward again. 

 

Gwilt from Essendon is now manning up Cox, a bit of a mismatch. Cox contests up on the wing, one handed throwing his body in he almost crashes through the defenders. Shortly after he marks at half back. He kicks long to the forward flank but the ball is marked by Essendon.

Moore kicks from 50 and goals as Cox does his best to assist with a shepherd of the ball on the line.

 

In the forward 50 this time, Cox wins ruck tap, the ball ends up forward to Fasolo in the pocket from a quick kick and he goals from set shot. Collingwood take a 76 point lead into half time. Looking unbeatable.

 

Cox again starts the quarter at full forward. The Bombers start with quick goal to Fantasia. Daniher kicks a behind and Essendon are starting to show some fight.

 

Collingwood move the ball quickly into the forward line again, Cox wins marking contest against Baguley, then quickly handballs over top to Howe and onto Fasolo who goals. Smith follows up with another for the Pies.

 

Daniher roves the pack and snaps one for the Bombers.

 

Levi Greenwood reported for striking.

 

Grimley goals for Bombers from 50 out and Stokes goal for Essendon also.

 

Cox has another spell on the bench before returning to the ruck.

 

Fasolo’s long set shot for goal is good.

 

Cox is looking a little weary. But pushing back in defence and then up to the wing as a marking option. He get’s a rest now back at full forward.

 

Following a behind Cox contests but cant mark the long kick in. Ball spills forward and comes out to De Goey who goals for Collingwood.

Cox marks this time on the forward flank, goes back and delivers to Grundy in the pocket, he misses the set shot.

 

Cox provides the lead up target but spills the mark, roves himself and taps on to Greenwood but he can’t convert. But shortly after Greenwood has it again and kicks the goal from pocket.

 

Cox again has a spell on the bench before the final quarter push.

 

The final score for the quarter is a goal to Essendon after score review with the scores at 3.4 time Collingwood 19.8 to Essendon 7.4.

 

Great running goal from Fantasia again for Essendon to start the fourth quarter. Cox again at full forward for Collingwood, Hartley manning up on him as he has done for most of the game when Cox is forward. James Kelly adds another for the Bombers following a score review in his favour.

 

Quiet up forward and Cox goes into ruck about halfway through the last. He has one very good hit out to Smith

 

Goals for Collingwood to Blair and Taylor Adams are split by a brilliant snap from Zach Merrett of Essendon.

 

Another good tapout in the middle from Cox but taken away by Langord for the Bombers.

 

Levi Greenwood kicks one more for Collingwood before Cooney and Stokes add some late pride for Essendon actually outscoring the Magpies by 7 points in the second half. 

 

Cox has one last roll of the dice at the end of the match at full forward to try to bookend his day with goals, but the ball does not come forward again.

 

The siren sounds. Collingwood win by 69 points. Steele Sidebottom wins the Anzac Day medal.

 

Mason Cox is interviewed by every media outlet going around, and his family too. Nathan Buckley says “you would think so” when asked if he has done enough to retain his spot next week. But also says that it could be alongside Travis Cloke, if not next week then definitely a possibility this season.

 

COLLINGWOOD    8.4   14.6 19.8 22.10 (142)                 

ESSENDON            1.1   2.2    7.4    11.7 (73)          

 

GOALS

Collingwood: Sidebottom 4, Fasolo 4, Blair 3, Howe 2, Moore 2, Greenwood 2, Cox, Oxley, Smith, De Goey, Adams

Essendon: Grimley 2, Fantasia 2, Langford, Brown, Daniher, Stokes, Kelly, Cooney, Merrett

 

BEST

Collingwood: Sidebottom, Pendlebury, Treloar, Fasolo, Reid, Adams

Essendon: Kelly, Fantasia, Hartley, Zaharakis, Goddard

 

INJURIES

Collingwood: Varcoe (hamstring)

Essendon:

 

Reports: Nil

 

Umpires: O'Gorman, Schmitt, Jeffery

 

Official crowd: 85,082 at the MCG

 

Anzac Day Medal voting

Steele Sidebottom - 9

Scott Pendlebury - 6

Taylor Adams - 1

Jordan de Goey - 1

Adam Treloar - 1