If Essendon produced a knife, Collingwood produced a gun.

If the Bombers produced a cannon, Collingwood produced a bomb.

If the Bombers put someone in hospital, Collingwood put someone in the morgue.

No matter how much pressure the Bombers put on Collingwood, how many times they tackled, or chased, or how many times they thought they had momentum, and victory at their fingertips, they always came up a fraction short.

Collingwood won the NAB Cup without three of its six premiership defenders, against a dominant presence in Michael Hurley and against an enormous emotional effort by the Bombers at the start of the final quarter.

The Bombers were very good. The Magpies were sensational.

The final score was 1.15.8 (108) to 0.13.8 86.

It was blitz football from the start, and if it is an indication of the evolution of the game - or the development of opposition teams against Collingwood's press - then this season will be the most frenetic we have seen.

Time and again last night it was attack and counter-attack from defence. Sometimes avenues had to be navigated through a manic midfield area, but these two teams did not die wondering.

What loomed as a comfortable victory for Collingwood was turned on its ear in the third quarter.

The Magpies were penalised twice in three minutes by the interchange umpire.

The first it's believed because Jarryd Blair didn't don the red jacket quickly enough after being subbed and the second, for having 19 players on the ground after Dayne Beams, who replaced Blair, ran on to the field.

Twenty seconds later, Scott Pendlebury ran off.

From the 12th minute to the 26th, the Bombers kicked five goals to one, to get within 10 points.

But, again, Collingwood's resilience, it's refusal to surrender, came to the fore.

They kicked the last two goals of the quarter, via Luke Ball from 40m and Travis Cloke on the siren, to douse Essendon's fire.

To much deserved praise, the Bombers came again in the final quarter, kicking the first three goals inside 10 minutes, two coming from Hurley who made a mess of Harry O'Brien firstly and then Chris Tarrant.

It meant Essendon trailed by just three points. In the third quarter, they trailed by 35.

Again, Collingwood responded.

Indeed, resilience might not be a strong enough to word to describe Collingwood.

Without the Magpies' premiership big blokes, Heath Shaw (25 touches) and the reborn Leon Davis (22) were vying for best afield with their dash from the back half, while Simon Buckley will come into contention for Round 1 against Port Adelaide.

Early, the Bombers didn't cope with Collingwood's intensity and ability to close down the game.

Turnover goals came because the Bombers had to hurriedly get foot to ball, or just kick it as long as they could.

If anything, quick kicks out of congestion will become the norm, because if players hold on to the ball, they will be gang tackled.

The Bombers, too, had trouble keeping it in their forward line, and you had to wonder why James Hird allowed Davis so much freedom.

Leon is in sparkling form.

Dale Thomas is a star. His 55m goal in the last quarter was outstanding. His tackle on Brent Stanton in the second quarter was equally as impressive.

It is indicative of Collingwood's all-over-the-ground pressure.

Shaw, Thomas, Davis and Andrew Krakouer's three goals and ability to rove packs and contests were standouts for the Pies.

For Essendon, Hurley was scarily potent. He nailed O'Brien in three contests in three minutes in the second quarter and was a headache for Tarrant. He's going to have a big impact this year.

Actually, and probably more accurate, is that Essendon needs Hurley to have a big impact.

The Bombers are even across the ground. They run, they support, they tackle and harass and they almost beat the Pies, who had 17 or so premiership players in their side.

The Premiers..Just another day at the office.

Another cup for Luke

The dynamic duo

Over rated

Dawesome

The Superstar

Brilliance.

IT'S only February but already Collingwood's depth is looking ominous.

Reigning premiers Collingwood showed no ill-effects of a long summer, defeating both Richmond and Carlton to advance to the second round of the NAB Cup.

The win over Carlton wasn't effortless but it showed the Magpies have even more options - from senior listed players to rookies.

Chris Tarrant fitted well in defence and was used forward in the second half. Rookies Jye Bolton and Scott Reed were impressive.

Bolton in particular took some nice marks in attack.

Jarryd Blair, wearing no.11, relished some freedom in the midfield and pushed forward at times with success.

The Blues got off to an ideal start through Andrew Walker who also kicked a classy goal to start the second half.

Chris Yarran on Andrew Krakouer was a match up highlight, with Krakouer's genius right foot snap goal earning him the points.

Kirk Ugle was also putting forward his case to oust Leon Davis with a nice snap of his own from the boundary.

Carlton rested some senior players for game three and brought in one, Michael Jamison, who played forward and didn't seem to mind the change from defence.

Midfielder Jaryd Cachia, who tackled hard in the first game, put in another eye-catching effort.

The only hiccup was an ankle injury to Setanta O'hAilpin who was substituted.

Carlton now faces a wait to see if it earns a lucky loser spot to progress through to the second round.


SCOREBOARD

COLLINGWOOD 0.3.2 0.5.3 (33)
CARLTON 0.1.4 0.3.8 (26)

Nine pointers: Collingwood: Nil. Carlton: Nil.
Goals: Collingwood: Krakouer, Dawes, Blair, Ugle, Sidebottom. Carlton: Walker 2, Betts.
Best: Collingwood: Blair, Pendlebury, Sidebottom, Shaw, Bolton, Brown. Carlton: Walker, Ellard, Jamison, Lucas.

Umpires: Justin Schmitt, Matt Stevic, Shaun Gleeson.
Official Crowd: 40,300 at Etihad Stadium.


BORN-again Leon Davis might have saved his career.

The forward pocket - who, frustrated and out of form, was axed from the second Grand Final last year - is being transformed into a creative running defender and was among Collingwood's standout players at Etihad Stadium last night.

In a torrid match against a hard-bodied Sydney, the Magpies withstood the surging Swans in the second half to win by 14 points.

It means Collingwood will play either West Coast in Perth or Gold Coast in Melbourne next week.

Last night's match was typical pre-season contest featuring confusion over the rules, massive rotations and the cream rising to the top.

The result was arguably decided 13 minutes into the last quarter when Sydney's Heath Grundy walked the ball over the boundary line and umpire Ray Chamberlain ruled it deliberate out of bounds.

Dane Swan, who was likely best afield, kicked his fourth goal from the free kick - from the 50m boundary line.

If you were looking for changes in Collingwood's set-up, it was Davis who caught the eye.

Not unlike the role of former Adelaide player Andrew McLeod, who went back after a stellar career in the middle, Davis could easily slot into a defender's position.

Davis will never be McLeod, but McLeod-like would suffice. He took kick-outs and found teammates, used his foot skills to open the game and, given his head, bounded down the ground like a 20-year-old.

In the second quarter Davis took five bounces from the back pocket and then heaved the ball out of bounds on the full going inside 50m.

The issue is not that Davis lost possession. The fact is he takes on the game and changes it and that's what Collingwood is all about.

In third quarter, in a play over 30m, Davis laid two tackles which directly led to a Dayne Beams goal that put Collingwood back in front.

They say forward 50m tackles are vital, for they create goals, but the same can be said for defensive 50m tackles, for they save goals. Davis does both.

His versatility doesn't hurt the Pies, either.

Davis started the last quarter in his customary small forward role and was a constant pain for the Swans. Coach Mick Malthouse would have been delighted with his long-time favourite's form.

The Pies opened up a 29-point lead in the first quarter and surrendered their advantage just once - in the third term - because of Adam Goodes' brilliance and Josh Kennedy's resilience.

It has been said before, and will be said again, but seeing Kennedy in a Swans' jumper must annoy Hawks coaches and fans.

In a magnificent game, Kennedy won 22 contested possessions (30 overall) and had 11 clearances.


COLLINGWOOD advanced to the AFL pre-season cup final after emerging as 24-point winners over West Coast in a bruising battle at Subiaco.

The reigning premiers will take on Essendon on Friday night after the 1.9.17 (80) to 0.8.8 (56) win over the Eagles.

But there were shoulder injuries to highly-touted West Coast ruckman Nic Naitanui and his key defender teammate Mitch Brown plus Collingwood captain Nick Maxwell and young Pie Tom Hunter.

Naitanui was subbed off in the second quarter while Brown dislocated his shoulder in the third quarter in an innocuous looking spoiling attempt.

Maxwell's injury came courtesy of a hip and shoulder from West Coast veteran Andrew Embley and Hunter preceded them all in the first quarter.

Both Collingwood players went to hospital for scans.

The Eagles were just about at full strength apart from missing midfielder Daniel Kerr, but their skills once again resembled the wooden spoon team of last year.

Collingwood took full control without the services of Alan Didak, Heath Shaw, Leigh Brown, Tyson Goldsack, Brent Macaffer, Nathan Brown and Luke Ball from last year's premiership side.

Scott Pendlebury was superb for the Pies with 34 possessions and Chris Dawes and Travis Cloke kicked two goals each.

Dean Cox was again a standout in the ruck for the Eagles while Mark LeCras kicked three goals and Matt Priddis picked up 30 possessions.

West Coast started well with goals to Naitanui and LeCras, but a nine-point goal to Wellingham for Collingwood and then a goal on the siren to Cloke put the Magpies ahead by six points at quarter-time.

The Pies took full control from there, leading by as much as 20 before dropping back to 15-point margin by the main break.

Collingwood couldn't shake off the Eagles in the third quarter and LeCras' third goal to start the last gave the Eagles a sniff, but they again suffered from a poor turnover from Quinten Lynch across half back.

Cloke goaled as a result and the Magpies ran out 24-point winners.

Scoreboard:

COLLINGWOOD 1.1.5 1.4.10 1.6.12 1.9.17 (80)
WEST COAST 0.2.2 0.4.4 0.7.8 0.8.8 (56)

Nine-point goals: Collingwood: S Wellingham. West Coast: Nil.

Goals: T Cloke 2 C Dawes 2 J Bolton B Sinclair D Swan D Thomas A Toovey. West Coast: Goals: M LeCras 3 J Kennedy N Naitanui M Nicoski L Shuey A Smith.

Best: Collingwood: S Pendlebury S Wellingham B Johnson A Krakouer S Buckley D Thomas. West Coast: D Cox M Priddis M LeCras A Selwood L Shuey.

Injuries: Collingwood: T Hunter (shoulder) N Maxwell (shoulder). West Coast: M Rosa (hamstring) replaced in selected side by B Jones, N Naitanui (shoulder) M Brown (shoulder).