COLLINGWOOD enjoyed its first win in 331 days on Saturday with an incredible eight-point triumph over GWS Giants at Victoria Park. Despite three first-quarter goals from Tarni Evans, the Pies regroup to kick three of the last four majors – including two in the final term – to overcome the orange tsunami, 4.9 (33) to 4.1 (25).

While neither side is tipped to be around at the pointy end of the season with plenty of young prospects coming through, the Magpies experienced some joy in what had been a tough last 12 months. Following a loss to Carlton in Round 1, Collingwood took a little while to get going but when they did, they were cleaner with the ball (55 turnovers to 68) and took a whopping 54 marks to 35, 11 of which were inside 50 and nine being contested.

“I think it’s more excitement for what’s to come now,” Collingwood coach Sam Wright said of the breakthrough win. A relief as well I think but it gets our season rolling now so super happy.”

While the Magpies dominated the hitouts (32-18), the Giants got on top of the clearances (26-18). However out of the middle the Magpies racked up five centre clearances to two, won both the contested and uncontested possessions, and laid more tackles. Wright said the game was more on the Giants’ terms early before te momentum shifted.

“They are always dangerous with the way that they move their hands,” he said. “They probably got us in the contest the way they were able to come through the front of the contest early in the game. That paired with some undisciplinary acts, it just burst the pressure bubble that we had them in to a certain extent.

“But I was really proud of the girls with the way they fought back and fought through system. The way that we managed to lock the ball in the forward half for the next three quarters. You look at the accuracy, but we can go to work on that. I think what’s harder to get in place is a system that works and that shone through today.”

Wright said the message at the final break huddle when the Magpies were down by five points was simple.

“You’ve got yourself into a position where you’ve set yourself up to win a game, not just through moments, but also executing what your system looks like and connecting together,” he said. “Then it was up to them to actually execute the big moments. System’s one thing, but when individuals stand up like they did in that last quarter, that was huge.

“Muireann Atkinson with that big tackle in the goalsquare. I thought Lucy Cronin was excellent all day. We threw Ash (Ash Centra) back up into the midfield, we felt like she had a real impact in there with her impact and ability to get the ball forward. System got us to three quarter time and moments brought it home for us.”

Collingwood does not have long to bask in its glory with an enormous clash against the red-hot Dees at Victoria Park next Sunday. Melbourne enters that clash off two big wins – over the Western Bulldogs and St Kilda – to sit top of the table.

“It’s going to be a massive, massive game for us next week,” Wright said. “Really want the crowd to turn up, it’s going to be a huge game for us, huge game for them, so make sure you get down and watch that first and foremost.

“I think Melbourne are a quality side, we really struggled against them last year, their contest work and their work ahead of the ball is excellent. We just want to keep focusing on us thought. We’ve seen progression again today but if you sit still on your progression it doesn’t matter what you do, so for us it will be the focus around the ball, the focus around our ball movement and making sure that it comes through in a base of defence.”