Big marks, running bounces and bold sledges: Mason Cox just went all 2018 prelim mode

It’s September and Mason Cox has his swagger back. And there’s few more remarkable sights in footy.

Almost two years exactly to the day since the American Pie famously owned the Tigers and the MCG turf, Cox boldly activated ‘preliminary final mode’ to inspire Collingwood to a crucial victory against the Gold Coast Suns and subsequently confirmed the club’s 2020 finals spot.

Triple premiership Lion Alastair Lynch declared it was the best game he’d seen Cox play as he clunked seven marks, of which four were contested, while five of his eight disposals led to Magpies scores.

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Cox’s colossal game was punctuated by two crucial goals. One came from a towering mark, the other from a ridiculously audacious running goal.

As the Suns were challenging late in the third quarter, Nick Holman had a golden chance to put his side within a kick of the Pies heading into the final change. Instead, he had his own Nick Riewoldt moment, playing on and being brought down in the goalsquare by Magpie Jack Crisp to be caught holding the ball.

The Pies moved the ball down the other end of the ground, with Travis Varcoe sending the ball inside 50. And Cox, just like he did in that 2018 prelim final, stood tall, pulling off a one-handed contested mark then slotting a set-shot goal from a tight angle.

And just after the ball sailed through the big sticks, Cox walked up to direct opponent Caleb Graham, pointed to the footy that had just gone through for a goal and gave some words of wisdom for the Suns while smiling.

Asked on Fox Footy if he was a fan of Cox rubbing post-goal salt into Graham’s wounds, Hawks champion Jordan Lewis said: “No, is the short answer.

“But you don’t know what’s happened during the game. There may have been some back and forth all night.”

Jason Dunstall added: “He told him all about it. But they can see the funny side.”

But that was just the beginning of Cox’s confidence.

With the Pies in front by just three points halfway through the fourth term, Cox took another contested mark against Graham just outside the 50m arc.

Remarkably, the 211cm American opted not to stop and assess his forward 50 options, playing on, taking a running bounce – no typo – and nailing a classy goal to bring Pies fans at the Gabba to their feet.

Teammate Jordan De Goey cheekily told Fox Footy post-game: “I don’t know if he should do that again, but maybe that’s a once-off.

As senior foxfooty.com.au reporter Tom Morris highlighted, it was just the fourth running bounce of Cox’s career. One of the other three famously came against Geelong at the MCG in 2016 — a remarkable play that prompted memories of ex-Blue Justin Madden’s solo effort against Adelaide in 1993.

“That’s just pure highlight reel stuff,” Dunstall said.

“Have a look ag the expression on his face. He’s up and about.

“He’s contested, he’s competed, he’s taken marks, he’s had a bounce, turned, kicked it on the run – and that is just what the doctor ordered for the Pies.”

Lewis added: “everything he’s touching, every contest that he’s going to, he’s having a real influence.”

While Cox has been a much maligned player after showing patchy form over the past two seasons, it was the third consecutive game where the Magpie had kicked at least two goals.

Dunstall said the footy world had just witnessed Cox “play himself into the finals mix”.

“He’s going to be on the finals stage,” Dunstall said.

“A couple of years ago he tore one apart. Can he do it again? Can they get his confidence up?

“It makes such a difference to this team if they’ve got a functioning forward line.”

Speaking after the game on Fox Footy’s On The Couch, Brownlow Medallist Gerard Healy was full of praise for Cox but said he could go to another level.

“I just like him because you can see what goes on between the ears,” Healy said. “I think he’s a really intelligent player.

“I don’t think Collingwood has played him as well as they could have, but he gives them an anchor, he gives them a point of reference to hit the ball into.

“With De Goey there, it probably enhances his performance a little bit. There’s a bit more chemistry there.

“But to the knockers’ credit, there’s a lot more he can do to make himself a better player – and that is to work harder when he hasn’t got the nut.”