Undermanned Pies head west and snatch a game they had no right to win

This was a game Collingwood had no right to win.

Fremantle were surging. Already missing four of their best players and coming off a five-day break, the Pies had Nick Daicos battling injury then lost Lachie Schultz to a head knock moments after activating the sub.

But no side is better at finding ways to win than Fly’s Pies, who are celebrating another famous win on the road after holding off the Dockers to win by 14 points – 15.7 (97) to 12.11 (83).

Missing Scott Pendlebury, Brayden Maynard, Jordan De Goey and Brody Mihocek, the Pies found other heroes.

They do not win without Jamie Elliott, who made a feast out of meagre rations to boot a career-best six goals, or Jack Crisp, the ironman who recovered from the heartbreak of last week with 29 disposals and two goals, including a priceless goal in the last term to halt the Dockers’ run.

They can also thank Bobby Hill, who, like Elliott, made plenty from limited opportunities to kick three vital goals.

The win has come at a cost. Daicos was clearly hampered by an injury to his left hip in the first quarter but played a key role in the last quarter with seven possessions.

Schultz went head first in laying a tackle on Jordan Clark and was immediately in a bad way as play continued around him.

For Freo, this was an improved performance after last week’s debacle against St Kilda, but the defeat adds to the pressure on coach Justin Longmuir, whose team is now 4-5 after starting the season with many tipping them to make the eight.

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Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir says morale is fine but his players have to mature and make better decisions when running into the forward line.

The Dockers had 63 inside-50s against Collingwood but only finished with six marks inside-50 and 12 goals.

Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images

“I’m disappointed we didn’t get the job done on the scoreboard but we did get a lot right,” Longmuir said.

“Morale is fine, even last week, everyone was disappointed but they approached the review in the right way. We try to get away from reviewing the scoreboard and review the method and trademarks and that kind of thing.”

When it comes to the forward line, Longmuir knows what needs fixing.

“Maybe look low. There were a few in the last quarter where we are running through the corridor and it looks enticing to kick long to a one-on-one but there are options 20 metres away. A short kick and then we can look to connect,” Longmuir said.

“At worst, we have to give our tall forwards more of a chance than their defender. We were a bit haphazard with the way we kicked the ball to the forwards. So the maturity that they showed in taking that extra step and looking to, at worst, getting it to their talls’ advantage – we need to look for consistency in that area.

“There was a bit to work on, 63 inside-50s and I think we took six marks.”

Magpies coach Craig McRae admits Lachie Schultz wouldn’t have known what he was doing when the concussed Magpie tried to stand up and keep playing.

It was difficult viewing when Schultz tried to stand up despite medical staff trying to keep him still; he crashed to the ground before he could take a step.

McRae was disturbed to see Schultz go down but knew he wasn’t in control of himself.

“Look, my love and care for Lachie is paramount and his wellbeing is paramount and we want to protect our players. You don’t like to see your players lying on the ground,” McRae said.

“You wish you could take that away. The game, unfortunately, at times, brings that into our game. I hope he is OK. I haven’t had a chance to speak to him. I am looking forward to getting out of here to make sure he is.

“I played the game a long time ago and I have had a few concussions. You are not conscious. You get knocked down, get up again. That is what my dad used to say – get knocked down, get up.

“We have the ultimate care for our players. This is the part of the game we would love to not have. A lot of players in the past have had to live this and we are making changes to make our plays safer and the environment safer for our players.”

Magpies coach Craig McRae has praised the efficiency of his forwards and the star power of Jamie Elliott after they beat Fremantle tonight, despite having just 34 inside-50s.

Elliott kicked an equal career-best six goals.

Jamie Elliott of the Magpies is tackled by Alex Pearce of the Dockers.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images

“We had to win a different way, at the three-quarter-time huddle, it was just ‘c’mon, we have to fight to the last seconds, this is what we do’ and then you get the brilliance of Jamie Elliott to step up in the final quarter when we need him,” McRae said.

“He’s having a great year, he’s kicked five goals a few weeks ago and on Anzac Day. He’s now in the leadership group and we see a young man who is just as happy as I’ve ever seen him.

“When he got drafted, I was lucky enough to be his development coach and now he’s just really happy and that happiness is expressing itself in his footy. He’s just handled the big moments as he always has.”

Magpies coach Craig McRae agrees with his captain Darcy Moore that play should have been stopped to make sure concussed teammate Lachie Schultz could be removed from the ground.

But McRae, who was coaching from the bench at the time, also acknowledged it was a frantic situation for his club’s medical team with Schultz determined to stand up and keep playing despite his condition.

Heath Chapman of the Dockers and Lachie Schultz of the Magpies contest for the ball.Credit: Getty Images

“Fingers crossed Lachie is OK, he’s an important part of what we do and he had a great night tonight and I’m really pleased for him to come home, not so much home but back here, and perform so well for a team he played for,” McRae said post game.

“We were all worried about his welfare. We sent out a stretcher and the doctors were trying all they could to make sure Lachie was OK and he jumped to his feet because that is just the way he goes. He gets knocked down, he gets back up after every contest.

“So we did what we could, ideally, we should stop the game.”

Collingwood superstar Nick Daicos has denied he is injured, stating he was just sore tonight.

Daicos was shown getting treatment on his hip and lower back area in the first half and spent a good part of the second half in the forward line.

Nick Daicos of the Magpies looks to the umpire after marking the ball against Corey Wagner of the Dockers.Credit: Getty Images

He finished with 18 disposals and a goal.

“No, I am good,” Daicos told Seven post game.

“A little bit sore coming into the game. I’ve got great staff, no doubt. It is good to get moving and playing today.

“It is nice to go forward and we have so many players like Elliott when you go down there, you feel comfortable.

“It is a credit to the lads.”

Magpies forward Bobby Hill joked he didn’t even realise Daicos had pushed forward until well after it happened.

“We didn’t even know he has come down there,” Hill said on Fox Footy.

“I think he had a knock. I’m not too sure. We put him down there and he did his work. I think he owes me a couple for the ones I kicked to him.”

Collingwood skipper Darcy Moore has questioned why umpires didn’t stop play when teammate Lachie Schultz suffered a head knock in the middle of the ground in the final term.

Schultz took a front-on blow to the head as he tried to make a tackle and tried to stand before toppling to the turf.

He left the ground with medical staff and was shown on camera talking with teammates post game.

Lachie Schultz of the Magpies collapses in the hands of medical staff.Credit: Getty Images

The Magpies surged forward and had a shot at goal, but Moore asked post game why played wasn’t stopped until Schultz went off.

“It’s a special win,” Moore told Fox Footy.

“When you see an incident like the one with Lachie Schultz, just competing so hard. It’s rattling to see.

“It’s a reminder to everyone watching on about the risks the guys take and what they are prepared to do.

“We love him, he’s one of our favourite teammates and he does that stuff week in, week out.

“To have one of your heart and soul players have a concussion like that is pretty rattling so to be able to brush that off, in a sense, and get those four points on the road on a short turnaround, sums up our group at the moment.”

Collingwood captain Darcy Moore.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images

When asked if he thought play should have stopped, Moore said yes.

“We were pretty concerned at how disorientated he looked, players on both teams thought the game should have been stopped to let him off the ground,” Moore told Fox Footy.

“That was really our first concern, how nasty it looked. But for the guys to regroup and score a few goals when the game was on the line, was awesome.

“He was right in front of me so I could see how much he struggled walking. It was 20 seconds and [we were] taking a set shot anyway, it felt like it was right in that moment.

“Clearly, it happens when [the player] is near the play. Someone is in a state like that and we are still running around, chasing the footy? It didn’t feel right.”