LIVE VFL BLOG: Northern Blues v Collingwood
Posted by Brent DiamondApr 14. 2012 2:00 pm
AFTER the blockbuster clash between Carlton and Collingwood on Friday night in the AFL, tune into our live blog the following day between the VFL affiliates going head to head – Northern Blues and Collingwood – from Preston City Oval at 2pm.
Join our VFL expert Brent Diamond and the team for a deep look into the game, the match-ups, the best players, all here and live on Football Nation.
4:34pm – Boland was clearly best on ground for the Pies. Others in the best were Nathan Brown and Ricky Ferraro. McLean, Thornton and Bransgrove were the best for the Blues
4:33pm – Full time - Collingwood 15.8 (98) to 13.13 (91) – Pies by seven points at Preston City Oval
4:32pm – The Blues are back within seven points here. They believe they’re achance. Siren has to go any minute now though. We’re at the 30 minute mark.
4:31pm – Johnson running well. Tested out the hammy.
4:30pm – Pies lead by 13-points in the late stages of this one. They look home and hosed from here.
4:28pm – Breathe easy Pie fans – Johnson is all good…back on the ground…he was limping off but he’s back…
4:26pm – Another injury blow to the Pies – Ben Johnson has come off the ground with what appears to be a hamstring injury. We will check out the details after the match.
4:25pm – The Pies are out to a 14 point lead now, 15.8 (98) to the Blues, 12.12 (84)
4:24pm – Pies are on top of this one though. They have toughed it out well. The Northern Blues have played a couple of close ones and look like they are going to lose another here.
4:23pm – McLean has been brilliant for the Blues; another centre clearance
4:22pm – Matthew Boland kicks his sixth goal and it’s out to an eight points lead to the Pies …
4:18pm – Simon Buckley delivers it to Robbie Cathcart who takes a courageous mark but misses to the right…scores level
4:16pm – Kane Lambert runs into the open goal but sprays the shot….a behind…scores level
4:15pm – Andrew Collins kicks his second of the game…an important one for the Blues…
4:14pm – Ricky Ferraro goes for goal and kicks another…the Pies are out to a mini break of seven points. This game has taken another massive turn.
4:13pm – Collingwood has been criticised for its last quarter performances both in the VFL and AFL to date…making an early statement
4:10pm – Didak slots a goal from 40m on the run to put the Pies in front by a point early in the final term…he’s showing some form
4:08pm – Score check – Blues 11.11 (77) to Pies 11.5 (71)
4:07pm – Nathan Buckley in the huddle with Pies at three quarter time giving them a good rev…interesting that he takes more of a hands on role even at VFL level
4:06pm – Pies start off brilliantly with another goal to Mooney assisted by Ugle…
4:05pm – Final quarter begins…
4:01pm – Around the grounds, Williamstown lead by 24-points at three quarter time against North Ballarat and Geelong defeated Frankston by 32-points at Simonds Stadium…currently it’s a 12-point lead to the Blues against the Pies.
3:56pm – Three Quarter Time – Blues 11.11 (77) to Pies 10.6 (65) Blues lead by 12 points
3:55pm – Andrew Collins kicks another for the Blues…it’s a handy 10 point lead for the Blues and it’s just ticked over 30 mins into the third term
3:54pm – David Ellard kicks a long goal from outside 50m – The Blues are back in front by four points. Classic contest here at Preston City Oval…
3:53pm – McLean goes for goal…but misses. Pies by three points…
3:50pm – Boland kicks his fifth goal. Brilliant individual performance. He’s only 21 years of age. He’s clearly on the AFL radar after this performance.
3:47pm – Brilliant tackle by Corey Gault – kicks a goal for the Pies and it’s back to just three points. Blues lead by three points as we near three quarter time.
3:45pm – Goal to the Blues and it’s a nine point lead to them…very interesting game so far
3:43pm – Goal to the Pies and it’s back to a four-point ball game.
3:41pm – Tyson Thomas shows plenty of dash bouncing his way into goal and kicks another – Blues out to a handy nine point lead
3:40pm – Score check: Blues 7.9 (51) to Pies 7.6 (48)
3:39pm – Didak goes for a run and snaps a behind. He’s looking flashy but not really going in for the hard balls
3:37pm – Blues on top this quarter. Matt Watson is playing well in defence.
3:35pm – Another goal to the Blues puts them back in front by four points. This is a topsy-turvy clash at Preston. Superb weather.
3:31pm – Brent Bransgrove gets a free kick in front of goal. He’s a tough young player…just scrapes it in for a behind. He’s a co-captain at the Blues this year. It’s three points the difference.
3:30pm – Brock McLean is on 20 touches and is now kicked a goal – margin is back to four points. It’s a thriller here at Preston City Oval.
3:27pm – Simon Buckley kicks for goal but misses, the Pies lead by 10 points. McLean has 18 touches to half time, superb effort in midfield. Is he a chance to get back into the Blues senior team?
3:26pm – Matthew Boland – a former Sandringham player – has kicked four goals up to half time, Caolon Mooney has kicked two for the Pies. They have been the ones to watch so far.
3:25pm – Third quarter begins…
3:20pm – Brock McLean leads the stats with 18 touches with the Blues, Kris Pendlebury with 14 touches. Didak seven touches to half time.
3:04pm – It’s half time – Collingwood leads 7.2 (44) to the Northern Blues 5.4 (34) – at Preston City Oval
3:02pm – Matthew Boland is making a statement. He kicks another and the Pies take a handy 10-point lead. This is the first time they’ve led in the match so far.
3:00pm – The Pies kicks another. And the Pies hit the lead by four points!
2:58pm – Caolan Mooney kicks a goal for the Pies and it’s back to just two points the difference.
2:56pm – Back on to the game and it’s still a seven point lead for the Blues. Collingwood has scored just two behinds this quarter
2:54pm – You’ve got to love the Hamish and Andy show…Megan Gale is now dating another Carlton footballer – Shaun Hampson – luckily he’s not in sight at the minute.
2:53pm – Now Andy Lee joins the crew up here. Isn’t it interesting, he was the ex-boyfriend of Megan Gale. Looks like he’s good mates with Lachie Henderson. A bit of goss there.
2:52pm – Thornton is the only multiple goalscorer on the ground with two goals. He kicked his second, the only goal so far of the second term.
2:50pm – Very quiet start to the second term. Plenty of rebound from defence from both teams. Blues lead by seven points, 5.3 (33) to 4.2 (26) almost half way through the second term.
2:48pm – Jeff Garlett picks up a chair and sits next to Chris Yarran and Lachie Henderson – wasn’t Garlett brilliant overhead last night against the Pies. It’s premium viewing up here in the social rooms
2:47pm – Goal to the Blues extends the margin out to seven points early in the second term
2:45pm – Warnock, Marcon, Thorton and McLean with the Blues goals so far
2:41pm – Sitting just behind two ex-Pies – Gavin Brown and Paul Williams – who are now on the assistant coaching panel at the Blues…they’re a happy team at Carlton at the moment. John Barker is also watching the match. Lachie Henderson and a few of last night’s heros are also sitting alongside them.
2:40pm – Brock McLean is a class act at this level. Blues still lead by two points
2:38pm – We’d like to thank Northern Blues general manager Garry O’Sullivan for providing FN with the best seats in the house today. He is a proven all-rounder doing the ground announcing during the match.
2:37pm – Anthony Rocca is an assistant coach at the Pies and he is in the box with Tarkyn Lockyer today
2:36pm – Second quarter begins…
2:35pm – As reported earlier, it was confirmed that Collingwood’s Luke Ball has injured his ACL with scans confirming the news this morning. He will be out for the rest of the season. That further compounds the news of last night’s 10 goal flogging to the hands of Carlton. Can they dig deep in today’s VFL hit-out?
2:33pm – Interesting game so far. The Blues dominated the first half of that quarter but then the Pies returned the favour; a quarter of two halves. Good to see Didak finding some early touch and Nathan Brown providing a strong presence down back.
2:30pm – Quarter time: Northern Blues 4.3 (27) lead Collingwood 4.0 (24)
2:29pm – Didak with five touches coming from half back and half forward in the first term. The Pies trail by three points at quarter time
2:28pm – Score check – Blues 4.3 (27) to Pies 4.0 (24) late in the first term
2:26pm – The Pies have come back here – built up from brilliant defensive work. Tom Sundberg is starring in the midfield. It’s back to a two-point ball game after the Blues led by as much as 20 points earlier.
2:24pm – Collingwood veteran Alan Didak got three possessions in a row there. Some good early touches. He’s on return from injury. The Pies will be hoping he gets through after some more injury woes last night.
2:23pm – The Pies kick another – margin is reduced to eight points.
2:20pm – At least the Pies are steadying. Good mark in defence from Nathan Brown. He was good on return from injury last week. A great success story.
2:16pm – Matt Boland kicks his second for the Pies and they peg the margin back to 20 points. The Pies are linking up well in the middle with Ben Johnson and Tom Sundberg.
2:15pm – Thornton kicks the goal and the Blues answer immediately – score check – Blues 4.2 (26) to Collingwood 1.0 (6)
2:13pm – The Pies get their first goal of the game to bring the margin back to 14-points. Now Bret Thornton is lining up for goal for the Blues….
2:10pm – Matt Watson has been impressive in defence for the Blues so far; a couple of good strong marks
2:09pm – Tyson Thomas goes long towards goal from a free kick, but misses to the left hand side. It’s all the Blues at the moment as they take a 20 point lead
2:08pm – You can ask any questions you like in our comments box below during the game and we will answer them straight away
2:06pm – A big long kick for goal from Kane Lambert appeared to go through for a behind but Robbie Warnock has been given the free kick right in front of goal from a push. He kicks the goal and the Blues lead 3.1 (19) to Collingwood 0.0 (0)
2:03pm – The Blues have got off to a mighty start here – they’re out to a 2.1 (13) to 0.0 (0) lead early in the first term courtesy of a brilliant Brock McLean goal on the run.
2:00pm – Welcome to our live blog from Preston City Oval – jam packed crowd. Very hard to get a park here as expected.
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