collingwood players pushed through a seesawing contest but fell to the GIANTS by 16 points at the KGM Centre on Friday afternoon ET, with strong winds and late momentum swings deciding the result. Young draftees and recent recruits underlined their readiness with prominent individual displays while the team surrendered a lead late in the final term. The loss leaves the VFL side with clear positives to assess as staff evaluate AFL-readiness.
Collingwood Players standouts
Ed Allan was the clear midfield engine, finishing with a team-high 29 disposals, eight inside 50s and seven tackles. Angus Anderson, the club’s 2025 draftee and pick 57, opened Collingwood’s 2026 VFL account with a classy running goal and finished with 20 disposals and six score involvements. Harvey Harrison marked an emotional return by slotting his first VFL goal in 728 days after returning from an ACL injury.
Defensive work was led by Jakob Ryan and Sam Swadling, each finishing with 25 disposals (12 contested); Ryan added 11 intercept possessions and six marks while Swadling produced six intercept possessions. Charlie West kicked two goals and took five marks. Noah Howes also finished with two majors, and second-year Will Hayes and co-captain Brady Grey contributed important goals during the match.
New recruits made their presence felt: Oskar Faulkhead completed his Collingwood debut with 21 disposals, six intercept possessions and six score involvements, while Jack Buller finished with 18 disposals and seven clearances. Brynn Teakle, the former North Melbourne tall and VFL recruit, offered strong intercept numbers in defence.
Match flow and key moments
Strong Melbourne winds shaped a pendulum game at the KGM Centre. Collingwood opened brightly: a succession of goals from Charlie West, Zac McCarthy, Lachie Sullivan, Jack Buller and Noah Howes built a 32-point buffer at the first break. The second quarter saw momentum shift the other way as the GIANTS kicked four consecutive goals to close the margin.
Collingwood went into the third term with a narrow lead, then extended it to 22 when the breeze returned in their favour; second-year player Will Hayes broke away from midfield for a running major and Brady Grey added another. The late game swung decisively: the GIANTS exploited the wind in the final term, booting four quick goals in six minutes to take the lead for the first time since the opening stages. Howes added a late goal, but the Pies could not reclaim the advantage and went down by 16 points.
Reactions and what’s next
VFL Senior Coach Matthew Lokan discussed the AFL-readiness of two young players following the 16-point loss. Collingwood defender Reef McInnes returned to VFL action after an ACL setback, and the performances of youngsters drew attention for selection discussions. Edward Allan’s outing has already been singled out for highlight treatment after his dominant midfield display.
Staff will now weigh on-field production against match management in wind-affected conditions and continue fitness and readiness checks for players returning from long-term injury. As the coaching group sorts through assessments and potential AFL opportunities, collingwood players will be monitored closely for form and availability in the coming selection windows.
