AFL Round 24: Melbourne vs Collingwood live updates — blog, scores and stats from the MCG

Melbourne star Kozzie Pickett could start next season on the sidelines after this incident with Darcy Moore.

Pickett didn’t cause any great damage to the Collingwood skipper, but certainly had the potential to.

‘Razor’ Ray Chamberlain was placed nearby and awarded Moore a free kick, but didn’t take Pickett’s number.

That’s an incident the MRO Michael Christian will definitely take a close look at tomorrow.

Collingwood well in control as the players come off the ground for the main break.

The Pies could’ve been a little further ahead if not for some set shot misses in that quarter, although Melbourne also missed some guilt-edged chances, namely one from Kozzie Pickett from virtually inside the square.

Josh Daicos leading all players at half-time with 20 disposals, while Nick Daicos is not far behind with 18 touches.

Christian Salem has been excellent for the Demons, and leads the way with 17 disposals.

Max Gawn with 12 disposals, 10 hitouts and five clearances at the half.

A bit of a headache for Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin here with a few minutes left in the second term.

Jake Bowey landed awkwardly in a marking contest and has come off the ground limping. It looks like he might’ve rolled his right ankle.

That comes after Bayley Fritsch came off the ground assisted by the club doctors earlier in the quarter and was taken straight into the rooms.

Melbourne’s little spurt of momentum doesn’t last long as Joe Richards becomes the latest Magpie to hit the scoreboard.

The Demons just can’t get their hands on the footy, with the Magpies leading the disposal count 151-91 at the moment.

Melbourne getting a little head of steam up here at the MCG!

A long kick inside 50 finds Jacob van Rooyen leading out from the square and he kicks his first of the night.

Two in a row for the Demons, and they’re staying juuuuust within striking distance here.

Kade Chandler finally kicks Melbourne’s second goal of the match, breaking a run of six straight for the Pies.

That goal comes barely seconds after Darcy Cameron kicked his second goal of the match through a snap from the boundary line.

One quarter in the books at the MCG and it has been ALL Collingwood.

The Daicos brothers running riot out there, it’s like a game of backyard footy for them growing up at the moment.

It’s seemed like the two brothers are just kicking the ball to each other half the time.

Nick has 13 disposals at quarter-time, while Josh has 12.

Collingwood has the top four ball-getters on the ground. It’s been a massacre.

It’s raining goals for Collingwood at the MCG!

Play stops after Collingwood is given a free kick inside 50, but the umpires call advantage with Steele Sidebottom in possession.

Sidebottom doesn’t initially hear the umpire’s call and then has to fling it onto his left boot seconds before he’s tackled and the ball floats through!

Everything going the Pies’ way right now.

Excellent start this from Collingwood and Bobby Hill drills his second goal of the night.

Lovely work from Mason Cox, who picked up a loose ball at half forward and dished it off to Scott Pendlebury almost in one motion.

Pendlebury finds Hill on the lead 40m out on a slight angle.

Collingwood is all over Melbourne at the moment.

Bobby Hill kicks Collingwood’s third goal of the night after another set shot, and there’s some danger signs for the Demons here.

The Pies have 12 inside 50s to Melbourne’s four with just over eight minutes left in the first term.

Collingwood already with six marks inside 50, they average 11.3 per game this season.

Darcy Cameron takes Collingwood’s fourth mark inside 50 and kicks truly from the set shot to give the Pies an early nine-point lead.

That’s Cameron’s first disposal of the night. He’s got seven hitouts already.

The Melbourne defence looking a little all at sea without Lever, their chief organiser, out there.

Ed Langdon with a bit of a brainfade on the mark 70m out from goal as he grabs onto Nick Daicos and gives away a 50m penalty.

Daicos slots the Pies’ first of the evening from close range.

The Pies star is already having a big impact, he’s had four disposals and 114m gained so far tonight.

Kozzie Pickett with the opening goal of the match and what a finish it is!

After withstanding some early heat from the Magpies, the Demons finally get the ball into their half of the ground as Pickett gets out the back of the defence.

He’s got the veteran Steele Sidebottom chasing him and Sidebottom is no chance as Pickett slots one on the run from 40m out.

We’re off and running at the MCG as Melbourne and Collingwood do battle.

The Demons players are wearing black armbands to honour the life of AFL journalist Sam Landsberger, who tragically died during the week at just 35.

Melbourne’s football boss Alan Richardson has spoken about the future of Christian Petracca prior to tonight’s game.

“He’d been really struggling mentally based on the trauma of the event and the way that he was processing that and dealing with that,” he told Channel Seven.

“It (Petracca’s chat to teammates this week) was just a great opportunity to give a bit of clarity to his teammates and they really appreciated it.

“He’ll be with us (next year). We’re looking forward to getting him back fit and firing and healthy, that’s our priority.”

Well, well, well, we’ve got a late twist in the tail!

Taj Woewodin has been ushered into Melbourne’s side for Jake Lever, who is set to miss through illness.

With fellow defensive star Steven May also missing, Lever’s absence means it is the first time the Dees line up without their two defensive pillars since Round 11 in 2019, ending a 124-game streak.

It’s been an AFL season for the ages, and the league has revealed that the all-time home and away season attendance record has been broken!

A pay dispute between Tasmania’s electrical workers union and TasNetworks has thrown tomorrow’s AFL clash between Hawthorn and North Melbourne in Launceston into chaos, with the league forced to reschedule the game.

The AFL has shifted the fixture from 4:40pm to 12:30pm tomorrow, in a bid to mitigate a potential loss of power at the venue — namely, the stadium lighting.

The Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union (CEPU) is holding out for a pay increase for TasNetworks staff, with tomorrow’s game caught in the crossfire amid a stall in negotiations.

Here are the updated start times for Saturday’s day matches (all times AEST).

• 12.30pm: Hawthorn vs North Melbourne, UTAS Stadium
• 1.45pm: Geelong vs West Coast, Kardinia Park
• 3.20pm: Richmond vs Gold Coast, MCG

Both Melbourne and Collingwood will line up as originally selected tonight at the MCG.