Collingwood has waltzed away to an easy victory against a fumbly Adelaide outfit by 42 points at the MCG on a sunny Saturday afternoon.
Boosted by their spirited upset win over St Kilda last week, Collingwood brought the same intent against the Crows to be far too strong in patches and better overall.
The 100-58 victory is also the second time in two weeks Collingwood has broken the 100 points barrier,a feat they only achieved once last year.
Former Adelaide coach and Pies assistant Brenton Sanderson was impressed by what he saw from the men in black and white, highlighting the players’ desire to play for Craig McRae.
“The Pies were fantastic again today… for three quarters they were the dominant side today, they’re just so much fun to watch,” he told AFL Nation.
“It looks like their players are really enjoying playing a bit more direct a bit more run and gun type ball movement off half back and they’re just so much fun to watch.
“It was a really good team effort.”
However, he lamented the Crows gamestyle. Matthew Nicks' men dominated possession, especially early on, but were dreadful in their ball moevement for the majority of the clash.
“Unfortunately for the Crows, their game style is going to have to be questioned this week,” Sanderson added.
“Question marks will be asked about their style, particularly in that first quarter when Collingwood piled on five goals and the Crows only kicked one.
“They had so much of the ball, Adelaide, they went sideways and slow too often and they haven’t quite got the ball users in their best 22 at the moment to sustain that type of ball movement.
“Overall, I just don’t think that game style is going to be sustainable for 22 weeks of an AFL season.”
Wayne Milera was surprisnly left out of the Crows squad after returning from injury last week, and his precise ball movement was sorely missed on Saturday.
The Magpies had the final bit of polish that Adelaide lacked all afternoon, stars in Jack Crisp, Jordan De Goey and Scott Pendlebury looking composed all day.
While those three were impressive, what will impress McRae was the even spread of contribution from his playing group.
A false fire alarm early in the second quarter rang out across the MCG and deterred the Pies for the majority of the quarter.
However, two late goals led into a seven-goal third term as Collingwood turned the screws and put the game beyond doubt.
The Pies lost the clearance and possession count, and therefore the win will come all the sweeter to McRae in the knowledge his game plan can stack up when key stats don’t go his way.
Adelaide midfielder Ben Keays was the most dominant player on the ground and backed up his strong Round 1 game with another 37 touch performance.
It was Adelaide’s kicking across the ground and at goal that let them down, while McRae’s soldiers were regularly able to slingshot and punish them on the turnover.
Rory Sloane went down with a groin injury in the fourth quarter in a worrying sign for the 32-year-old and Crows fans alike, while Nathan Kreuger suffered a shoulder injury for Collingwood.
The club debutant had impressed in the forward line leading up to the fourth-quarter injury, Gerard Whateley saying his “heart bleeds for Nathan Kreuger”, such was the disappointment in the atmosphere.
FULL SCORE
Colllingwood: 5.3, 7.5, 14.7, 15.10. (100)
Adelaide: 1.5, 3.6, 7.6, 8.10. (58)
GOALS
Collingwood: Henry 2, Kreuger 2, McCreery 2, De Goey, Elliot, Ginnivan, Grundy, Lipinski, Mihocek, Hoskin-Elliot, Cameron, Sidebottom
Adelaide: Dawson, Gollant, Hinge, Pedlar, Rachele, Rowe, Sholl, Smith
BEST
Collingwood: Crisp, De Goey, Pendlebury, J. Daicos, Howe
Adelaide: Keays, Dawson, Smith, Crouch, Doedee
INJURIES
Collingwood: Kreguer (Shoulder)
Adelaide: Sloane (Groin)