Collingwood romp to AFL premiership win

This time there was no St Kilda comeback, as Collingwood crowned a dominant season
with a crushing 16.12 (108) to 7.10 (52) victory in the AFL grand final replay at
the MCG.
It delivered the Magpies their 15th premiership, now trailing only Essendon and
Carlton, on 16.
It was their first since 1990, making 57-year-old coach Mick Malthouse the oldest
man to guide a side to a flag, in his penultimate year at the helm.
For former Saints skipper Luke Ball, one of the Magpies' best playing on Lenny
Hayes, it was the ultimate vindication for his off-season switch to Collingwood.
The Magpies won in front of 93,853, fewer than the 100,016 a week earlier, but at
least as noisy.
As with last Saturday's drawn grand final, when Collingwood scored 9.14 (68) to St
Kilda's 10.8 (68), the Magpies dominated early.
The Saints started extremely defensively, stacking their backline, making it hard
for Collingwood to find attacking targets.
But it meant the Magpies controlled the rest of the ground and their constant
bombardment of the Saints' defence gradually wore through.
They missed an early chance, Travis Cloke denied a shot from the goal square by an
off-the-ball free kick.
But Collingwood still led 3.2 to 0.2 at the first change, the Saints fluffing their
one good goal-scoring chance for the term when Nick Riewoldt was brilliantly chased
down and smothered by a diving Heath Shaw.
The Saints went on the attack after quarter-time, moving defender Sam Gilbert forward.
It almost paid off, but whereas Collingwood wasted chances to bury St Kilda last
weekend, this time it was St Kilda.
Gilbert missed three gettable shots in the first 11 minutes of the second quarter,
when his side was still goal-less.
Brendon Goddard posted his side's first major from a free kick 15 minutes into the
second term, to close the gap to 13 points.
But Collingwood ruckman Darren Jolly sparked a crucial burst late in the half,
setting up a goal to Brent Macaffer, then goaling from a diving mark himself, before
taking a pack mark in defence to ensure a 27-point halftime lead.
That was only three points more than at the same stage last Saturday, but this time
Collingwood put their foot down.
Midfielder Dane Swan shrugged off a quiet first half, moving onto Goddard, who was
close to best afield in the first half and probably the Magpies' biggest danger.
Swan quietened Goddard and won a heap of the ball himself, as Collingwood kicked
three goals in 10 minutes - the third of those to Swan - to leap 46 points clear.
With the Saints still having just one goal on the board, that was unbridgeable and a
brilliant Alan Didak smother and started the Magpies' fans' celebrations.
Scott Pendlebury, who took home the Norm Smith medal, Steele Sidebottom, Dale Thomas
and Heath Shaw were excellent for the winners, along with Ball and Jolly, while
Nathan Brown kept Riewoldt goal-less.
Jolly became the sole multiple premiership player on the Magpies' list, having won a
flag with Sydney in 2005.
For St Kilda, it was more heartbreak, with still just one flag, in 1966, to show for
eight grand finals, including last year's 12-point loss to Geelong and last
Saturday's draw.
The Magpies will fancy their chances of more success, with not a single member of
Saturday's 22 aged in their 30s, while 15 were aged 25 or younger.