The new “ominous” Pies tag team is going to light up the competition; the Tigers pair gives a preview of what’s to come — 3-2-1

Some scarily straight kicking from Craig McRae’s side on Wednesday night was well set up by dynamic brotherly duo Nick and Josh Daicos, but a trio of off-season recruits showed why their new side are serious September contenders. Dan Houston (22 disposals, one goal), Tim Membrey (four goals) and Harry Perryman (18 disposals, 10 tackles, one goal) were all influential in the Magpies’ thumping win that will give players, coaches and fans alike some welcome confidence ahead of their Opening Round clash with GWS next Saturday. Seven behinds in the first quarter meant the Tigers were much further away from their opponents going into the opening break, a stark contrast to Collingwood six goals straight. Nick Daicos unsurprisingly dominated early for his 13 disposals at quarter time, while Membrey was the first Pie to kick multiple goals for the night. The former Saint, alongside Brody Mihocek and Bobby Hill, kick four goals, while Dan McStay and Jamie Elliott each finished with two. Jacob Bauer was the sole Tiger to finish with multiple goals, as Rhyan Mansell, Jack Ross, Kamdyn McIntosh and Jacob Hopper each left IKON Park with one. Through the midfield, it was Jayden Short (25 disposals, 749 metres gained) and Hopper (31 disposals, eight clearances) who were best afield for the Tigers, while two-time premiership player McIntosh had 30 touches and seven inside 50s to go with his goal. Remarkably, the Magpies at one point early in the last quarter had kicked 20 goals for just one behind, which was ironically rushed and not off the boot of a black-and-white player. The Tigers were without regulars Tom Lynch (concussion), Dion Prestia (Achilles), Hugo Ralphsmith (hamstring) for the pre-season hit out, as well as first-year draftees Sam Lalor (jaw/concussion), Josh Smillie (hamstring) and Jonty Faull (back). Pies veterans Tom Mitchell and Mason Cox will be two of several hopeful of entering the best 23 next week against GWS, with star defender Brayden Maynard and Jordan de Goey also not playing tonight. THE 3-2-1… (With Jack Jovanovski) 3. PIES’ BACK-HALF TAG TEAM ‘LOOKING OMINOUS’ Most of the fuss has justifiably been about Dan Houston, but Josh Daicos is also shaping as a Collingwood weapon rebounding from the half-backline. Houston and Daicos, as well as Isaac Quaynor, linked up on numerous occasions exiting the defensive 50 as Collingwood pieced together attacking chains with ease. Tim Membrey snapped a goal in the first quarter, before streaming into an open goal for his second major. Dan Houston also snagged a long-range goal. “He’s so aggressive (off half-back),” Fox Footy’s Garry Lyon said of Houston. “I’m sure they want to get him up around that footy so he can get involved. “(But) maybe they’re still trying to find the balance about how attacking he can be.” Just a couple of minutes later, Houston saluted from long range. “I think he’s got a licence,” Lyon added. “He’s an elite player whose ball use lends itself to the way Collingwood (were) devastating in their premiership year.” Along with his goal, Houston recorded 15 disposals, four marks, 323 metres gained, three score involvements and three inside-50s in the first half alone. “Two years ago (in their 2023 flag season), their movement from the back half was devastating. Last year they got held up, but these last two goals are sending a bit of a shiver through,” Lyon said. “It’s (Nick) Daicos in the middle doing what he does, but it’s Josh Daicos coming off the back of the square, (and) it’s Houston, it’s Quaynor. “This is back-half footy here, and it’s so hard to stop with a head of steam, especially when (the Pies) are getting first possession in the middle. “And then they’ll go. Josh Daicos is not going to worry about whether the ball gets flipped over. And now Houston’s going to get that licence, so if you can’t win it at the source or at least hold it up, (that’s) what’s going to happen to you against this Collingwood side.” In the first half, Daicos had 13 disposals, four marks, four score involvements and a long-range goal of his own. “It’s been Josh Daicos off half-back that’s been so impressive in conjunction with (Isaac) Quaynor and Dan Houston, who’s looking pretty ominous,” Lyon said at half-time. Geelong great Tom Hawkins added: “You can physically and visibly see the forwards’ eyes light up when these guys have got the ball on the outside … they’re just looking so dangerous with the way that they change their angles.”The older Daicos finished with 27 touches, seven marks and a goal to more than double his half-time disposal count, while Houston’s 21 possessions, seven marks and 421 metres gained hurt Richmond throughout the night. It was 11 goals on the trot for the incredibly accurate Pies across the second and third quarters, managing 15 goals from 29 inside 50s to that point in the match. “All their recruits have settled in beautifully, they’ve got no problem at all. Perryman, Houston and Membrey — they’ve found plenty of the footy and look like they’ve been there for a long time,” Lyon said in the third quarter. Nick Daicos, Steele Sidebottom and Harry Perryman were the midfielders deployed at the opening centre bounce, with veteran Scott Pendlebury also rotating through the midfield in the early going. Ed Allan, Ned Long, Wil Parker and Billy Frampton were injected into the game in the second half after sitting out the first. It was a near-full-strength Pies side at Ikon Park, but the big names missing through injury or management on Wednesday evening were Jordan De Goey, Tom Mitchell, Brayden Maynard and Mason Cox. 2. ‘MAKING A NAME FOR HIMSELF’: TIGERS ATTACKING PAIR IMPRESS There isn’t currently a lot of forward-line firepower at Punt Road outside of spearhead Tom Lynch, but a pair of mid-sized attackers put their best feet forward in what proved a dour tune-up against the Magpies. High-leaper Jacob Bauer is shaping as a solid second aerial option, while pressure machine Rhyan Mansell continues to develop his forward craft as part of a young Richmond attacking unit. Bauer marked strongly and goaled in the first quarter, before adding his second after getting on the end of a counter-attacking Steely Green assist in the second quarter. “He’s certainly making a name for himself quickly (is) Jacob Bauer,” commentator Anthony Hudson said after the young forward’s second goal.