1. A few Moore injuries hit the Magpies
Just two hours after Jamie Elliott lasted 15 minutes in his VFL return after a hamstring injury, Darcy Moore succumbed to what appeared to be the same fate. In just his second game back from a round two hamstring injury, Moore failed to return to the ground after coming off in the second term. Tom Phillips (concussion) joined Moore watching the second half from the sidelines. Moore, who had an interrupted pre-season due to Achilles soreness, is one of five players to have suffered hamstring injuries this year alongside Elliott, Josh Smith, Taylor Adams and Jordan De Goey.
2. New-look Cat attack
Patrick Dangerfield played predominantly as a forward as the Cats looked to offset the loss of Tom Hawkins (suspension) and Daniel Menzel (groin). Dangerfield pushed deep and was opposed to Jeremy Howe, giving the Cats' forward line two Brownlow medallists for much of the afternoon as Gary Ablett played a high half-forward role. Playing his second game for the Cats, Stewart Crameri provided an option across-half forward and finished with 11 disposals, while Esava Ratugolea's presence grew throughout. It was the first time the Cats had entered a match without Hawkins or Menzel since round three, 2015.
3. Bucks fires up his troops
Whatever Nathan Buckley said at half-time, he needs to bottle it for the rest of the season. As the Pies recorded their lowest half-time score against Geelong in 106 years, the 19-point half-time lead could've been more, such was Geelong's dominance. The Pies came out a different-looking side in the third term, amassing 34 tackles in 31 minutes of play after laying 26 in the first-half. Winning the third-quarter inside 50 count 17-10, the three-quarter time margin could have been closer than 17 points had they have taken their chances in front of goal.
4. Veterans return
Three star veterans returned from injuries, all impacting the match at different stages. Gary Ablett (hamstring), played his first match since round three and picked up 32 touches, including 10 in the final term. He copped an innocuous head knock from Daniel Wells late in the third term before brushing himself off. Held back prior to Sunday with an Achilles injury, Wells returned and threatened to keep Collingwood alive in the last quarter, starting at full-forward. Opposed to Jake Kolodjashnij, he worked the Cats defender under the ball deep in attack before scuffing a snap which would've brought the Pies within 12 points. The 33-year-old finished with 13 touches. Meanwhile, Harry Taylor took a back seat as Tom Stewart patrolled the Geelong defence, Taylor solid in his first game since round one after plantar fasciitis.
5. Big Sav stands up
In his seventh game AFL game, Esava Ratugolea responded to Chris Scott's call for him to be the No.1 target by taking the opportunity with both hands. He finished with 1.2 and three contested marks from 15 disposals in his most imposing performance to date. "We have been looking for a second target down there for a long time if you don't include Menzel in that category," Scott said post-match. "It was not him playing second fiddle today with Hawkins (out) today, it was a requirement for the team he stood up. Some of those big contested marks, he's a formidable proposition for the opposition."
