‘Best I’ve seen him play’: Captain’s huge night; star BACK after cold run — Pies Player Ratings

Collingwood’s skipper had one of the best intercepting performances seen by a defender in a final in some time.

Meanwhile, centre-forward stars put their best feet forward as the Magpies stormed to a home preliminary final.

Foxfooty.com.au rates every Collingwood player out of 10 from the qualifying final vs. Adelaide.

Watch every match of the 2025 Toyota AFL Finals Series before the Grand Final, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.

1. Patrick Lipinski

The classy ball-user had 18 disposals and five score involvements and typically supplied his teammates with some quality entries. 6

2. Jordan De Goey

De Goey came into the match under a minor injury cloud after going down in an awkward tackle at training, but he had a consistent influence around stoppage and — in a huge moment in the context of the game — kicked a stellar left-footed banana in the third term to increase Collingwood’s then-lead to 18 points lead. He led the Pies for disposals (26) and clearances (6). 8

3. Isaac Quaynor

The reliable stopper had one of his best outings of the season, and he did so while being the subject of undue treatment from the hostile Adelaide crowd. Quaynor had four score involvements and four intercepts by half-time and finished with 16 disposals, five intercepts and five score involvements. In the past six weeks, Quaynor has risen 160 spots in Champion Data player rating to no.72 — and he continued that dazzling form on Thursday night. 9

4. Brayden Maynard

It wasn’t an incredibly auspicious evening for ‘Bruzzy’, but he did what he needed to and showed up in some key moments. But he didn’t have to be outstanding on a night when Darcy Moore and Billy Frampton controlled the airways. 7

5. Jamie Elliott

The evergreen goalsneak entered Thursday night in middling form after asserting himself early in the year as an All-Australian candidate — not managing to kick more than two goals in a game in the past six weeks — but he kicked the first goal of the night after outmarking opponent Hugh Bond. From the outset, he got involved up the ground, and early in the second term he had his second goal — a long bomb from a tough angle. He narrowly missed from the boundary shortly after, but Riewoldt noted he looked “so dangerous”. Elliott kicked his third in the third quarter, before booting his game-high fourth out of mid-air with just seconds remaining in the game. ‘Billy’ is back. 9

7. Josh Daicos

It was hinted pre-game that Adelaide’s Max Michalanney could play a ‘cooling’ role on Daicos, but his impact wasn’t to a glaring enough degree to warrant a hard tag — collecting 24 possessions but for just one score involvement. He was busy, though, and positive things tended to happen when he had the ball in his hands. 7

8. Lachie Schultz

‘Shooter’ wasn’t rewarded on the scoreboard — with some inaccuracy costing him — but was involved in five Collingwood scores and took six marks, providing his trademark forward-half pressure. 6

9. Dan Houston

The flanker had enough of the ball to have an impact, but he managed just 174 metres gained from his 16 disposals. 5

10. Scott Pendlebury

Pendlebury, in his Collingwood-record 32nd final, had a decent amount of footy and showed the same composure he has for 423 games. He had a few important possessions in the second half, particularly as the Pies withstood a second-half Adelaide charge. 7

12. Harry Perryman

Perryman played a solid, under-the-radar game in the back half, accruing six intercepts and five marks with his 14 disposals. 7

14. Darcy Cameron

Cameron was his typical intercepting self, thwarting a couple of on-line Crows attempts on the goal-line, and he even got on the end of a goal up the other end late in the second quarter. He totalled 15 disposals and four marks, but he was beaten in moments. 7

15. Wil Parker

The eight-gamer came in to replace the injured Jeremy Howe and had minimal impact. He was tactically subbed out of the game late in the final term. 5

17. Billy Frampton

Frampton, who started on Adelaide star Riley Thilthorpe, had a pretty damn good night alongside super skipper Darcy Moore, interrupting most long bombs that came his way. “He’s had a good night, has big Billy,” Fox Footy caller Mark Howard said in the fourth quarter. Frampton finished with 10 intercepts, behind only running mate Moore. 8

22. Steele Sidebottom

In the second term, with the Pies down nine points and momentum against them, Sidebottom saluted with a set shot. King said: “He never lets you down, Steele Sidebottom.” The wily veteran had four score involvements in the first half alone. Sidebottom added his second major of the evening early in the third term with a floater towards the sticks. Shortly after, he had his THIRD with a left-footed snap to increase the Pies’ lead to 24 points and send the travelling fans into delirium. He was second for score involvements among Magpies with six. 9

25. Jack Crisp

The veteran speedster was characteristically trustworthy with ball in hand, bobbing up frequently in the Pies’ chains of possession. “(He’s) had an outstanding night, looked so dynamic when running (with) the ball,” Riewoldt noted on Fox Footy. 7

28. Tim Membrey

It was a quiet night for the key forward, having drawn Crows intercepting ace Mark Keane. He went goalless with 10 touches, but he had a chance or two from his six marks. 5

30. Darcy Moore

Moore, best-on-ground on Thursday night, started on milestone man Taylor Walker but played a domineering role as the Pies’ spare. Walker took a big mark over Moore for a first-quarter goal, and he had a nightmare moment a few minutes later, fumbling the ball before he could get it to boot, and it directly resulted in a Jordan Dawson goal. But from that point onwards, he was virtually an impenetrable wall. Moore was an intercepting influence and a thorn in the Crows’ side, taking six intercept marks and notching 10 intercept possessions in the first half alone. “He’s playing a blinder, the captain,” King said. At half-time, King added: “I think it’s the best game I’ve seen him play.” Moore spent the last 10 minutes of the third term on the bench, and not coincidentally, they were the 10 minutes where the Crows looked likeliest of forging a comeback. He had seven intercept marks to three-quarter-time. He finished with nine intercept marks and a game-high 13 intercept possessions. “His positioning (has been) first class,” King assessed late in the game. 10

31. Beau McCreery

McCreery was impactful with his 14 touches, particularly while playing in the midfield. He had four score involvements and two clearances, repeatedly exhibiting his speed. 8

35. Nick Daicos

Nobody went to Daicos in the early going, and he had his say early in the piece with a beautiful goal using the outside of his right boot to curl it home. David King said in reaction: “That is unbelievable skill.” During the week, Daicos trained with some Achilles/ankle discomfort, but he looked unbothered on Adelaide Oval on Thursday. After notching 29 touches when the sides met in Round 23, Daicos finished with 24 possessions and made the most of them. “What he’s done with the football tonight has been extraordinary,” King said. Nick ended his night with a game-high eight score involvements. 9

41. Brody Mihocek

Like Tim Membrey, Mihocek went scoreless for his troubles, despite doing his job in bringing the footy to ground while the like of Jamie Elliott and Steele Sidebottom reaped the scoreboard reward. 5

44. Ned Long

The unheralded midfielder was industrious at stoppage, getting his hands dirty and asserting his physicality. Long finished with 23 disposals — a game-high 13 of which were contested. He was also involved in five Collingwood scores. 8

45. Roan Steele

The midseason draft pick wasn’t injected into the game until more than halfway through the fourth quarter. Steele has played just three career games but kept his spot after being recalled in Round 24. 5

46. Mason Cox

Nick Murray looked to go to Cox early. Jason Dunstall said pre-game of McRae’s call to recall Cox: “It’s a gamble, no doubt about that — it was an aggressive selection.” In the second quarter, Cox had a costly brain fade, giving away a free kick and then a 50-metre penalty which helped gift Riley Thilthorpe a goal. In totality, he was largely unimpactful, finishing with eight disposals, four marks and no goals. 5