Collingwood’s Struggles Continue as Injuries and Poor Performance Hinder Their Game
Collingwood fans are reeling after a heavy defeat to the Brisbane Lions, with injuries piling up and performance levels dropping. The 17.17 (119) to 10.5 (65) loss was a stark reminder of the challenges the team is facing this season. Despite some missed opportunities in the middle quarters, the Lions dominated the game, showcasing their strength and composure.
The incident involving former Carlton player Dan Gorringe has added fuel to the fire. Known for his work as a podcaster, Gorringe took it upon himself to provoke Collingwood president Eddie McGuire, using his own son against him. On his podcast, Dan Does Footy, Gorringe donned a Collingwood jersey and pretended to be a fan, even bringing in Xander, Eddie’s son, to call his father following the loss.
During the episode, Xander made a comment that seemed to hit a nerve. “Hey, I’m just here on the Dan Does Footy podcast and I’m sitting with your good mate who’s cooked the Pies,” he said. Eddie responded with surprise, asking, “What’s this? Is Dan Gorringe there?”
Gorringe then stepped in, offering a tongue-in-cheek commiseration to McGuire. “I just want to say Ed, as I’ve been a Pies fan now for three days, I know that we stick together,” he said. “Side by side, we stick together.”
Eddie, however, did not take the bait lightly. He fired back with a sharp response, calling Gorringe the “greatest jinx of all time.” “Can you never, ever, ever wear our jumper again and bring the infiltration of Carlton anywhere near beloved club?” he asked.
He continued, “You’ve been there three days, we’ve lost Pendlebury, we’ve lost Moore, we lost Daicos, and we lost to the Brisbane Lions by the best part of 10 goals just by you looking towards our magnificent place down there at Olympic Park. I cannot believe it. It was like somebody had vandalised our sacred cloth. You, sitting there. I couldn’t believe it.”
Eddie then turned his attention to his son, Xander, with a warning: “Xander, I told you, don’t get in bed with dogs, you’ll get up with fleas.”
Looking Ahead: Injuries and Fixtures
With the loss, Collingwood will now have to count the cost of their recent struggles. Nick Daicos, a key player, is set to be assessed ahead of their next match against third-placed Fremantle. Coach Craig McRae is hoping a three-day break will help Daicos recover from a corked calf.
McRae also shared positive news about Scott Pendlebury, who has been battling a ‘grumbly’ Achilles. “He said ‘I feel good’… If his word’s anything he’d be hard to leave out,” McRae said.
Despite the setbacks, McRae refused to blame the injuries for the loss. “Honestly, I felt like we got outplayed for most of the night,” he said. “There’s a lot of stuff right in front of us we can fix really quickly and we need to get to work on that. The aerials, normally one of our great strengths… we got exposed. And they were just swarming to the next contest. You win the ball you’re out, you’re gone. You don’t? Good luck.”
As the team prepares for their next challenge, the focus will be on fixing their weaknesses and regaining their form. With the upcoming clash against Fremantle, Collingwood will need to regroup and find their rhythm once more.
