Game Day Collingwood v Brisbane, Gabba, 6 April, 7.45pm

[RobsJourney]

And I love how Richmond supporters like to say McCrae is coaching the 'Richmond way'..Tigers haven't had the same success since McCrae left. I think it was the 'McCrae way'.

Well, for a period of our successful period, he was only the VFL coach, he wasn't an AFL assistant coach in 2017 IIRC, so in theory he had zero input on the AFL side and was just operating on orders. With that said, he was really successful in the VFL coaching, so who knows if it was him, or just having a gun AFL gameplan filtering into the VFL team too, a combination of both, or what...

My theory has always been that it started with Caracella, evident in how the Bombers have tried to play since he went there. He was the one credited with our midfield style in 2017, which was the pressure with high numbers to the area, then forward run in waves. Essendon lacks overall quality (they don't have the Rance/Dusty/Riewoldt/Cotchin combo we were lucky to have at the time), but it was clear they were emulating that from the start of 2020 (Caracella joined them end of 2019, poached whilst in contract), and it was paying dividends in 2021 right up until rain + Cody Weightman ducking in that EF. I still think they're better than what they put out last year and they've rarely had more than their best 16 or 17 players fit at any one time in the past few seasons.

I digress though, but who really knows. It's certainly possible. Whatever or whoever it was, the style you currently play is certainly similar to or adapted from Richmond of the 2017-2020 seasons, and that's taking nothing away from current Collingwood to admit that.

We took our 2017 style from the 2016 Bulldogs - Luke Beveridge (half-jokingly) said it himself on the Front Bar in I think 2018 or 2019 - he said "Yeah and you copied us, and you're still copying us!"

Anyway, enjoy it

EDIT: Found it, they were talking about fairytale premierships, an unexpected team winning it rather than one of the established teams (Hawks and Cats at the time). It was actually Mick Molloy who said we're still copying it watch for around 50 seconds from 14:40

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[Fat Jesus]

Fly confirming Steene not playing.

"I just want to make it really clear: we are rapt with how he's going; he has come in and really shown what he is capable of; we've got a player for the future, no doubt in that," McRae said.

"As I said on Friday night: I want to set them up to succeed, so we need to make sure it's the right time. I'm not saying it's not futuristic – it might be in a couple of weeks – but it won’t be this week."

 

[Pistol Night]

Fly confirming Steene not playing.

"I just want to make it really clear: we are rapt with how he's going; he has come in and really shown what he is capable of; we've got a player for the future, no doubt in that," McRae said.

"As I said on Friday night: I want to set them up to succeed, so we need to make sure it's the right time. I'm not saying it's not futuristic – it might be in a couple of weeks – but it won’t be this week."

Even when he's telling a player hes not getting a game he gives them a cuddle and boosts their confidence. Genius

 

[timokane]

FB: Noble Frampton Murphy
CB: Maynard Moore Quaynor
C: Pendles Adams J Daicos
CF: McCreery Michochek N Daicos
FF: Elliott McStay Hill
R: Wilson JDG Mitchell
INT: Johnson (as back up ruck along with forward) Crisp Side Ginny
Med sub: McInnes
Out Cameron
In Wilson and Ginny

Pies by 21 points

 

[jmac70]

Fly confirming Steene not playing.

"I just want to make it really clear: we are rapt with how he's going; he has come in and really shown what he is capable of; we've got a player for the future, no doubt in that," McRae said.

"As I said on Friday night: I want to set them up to succeed, so we need to make sure it's the right time. I'm not saying it's not futuristic – it might be in a couple of weeks – but it won’t be this week."

He’s a wise man for a fly.

 

[sr36]

Even when he's telling a player hes not getting a game he gives them a cuddle and boosts their confidence. Genius

It reminded me of the constructive feedback we give out in the game day thread.

 

[manicpie]

Another game we can bank. Having no ruck will not make the slightest bit of difference. Frampton will play the whole game in defence and McStay will ruck most of the game. Reef or Wilson will come in and help keep our forward line unpredictable and electric. Our midfield is too adaptable for a Brissy midfield that's fairly predictable. I think we win easy on thursday and then absolutely obliterate St.Kilda. Just give us the flag now and be done with it

 

[Pie eyed]

He’s a wise man for a fly.

Pretty fly for a wise guy.

 

[TheGreatGrundy]

One thing we have to factor in is keeping our running power up. Even Brisbane were knackered at the end of their one game at the Gabba this year, and allowed Melbourne right back in after the blackout.

I don’t think we can afford to bring Steene in this week if he’s not going to offer much around the ground. I think we manufacture some ruck competition to make it hard for McInerney to smash it 25-30m away from Titch, Adams and De Goey, but keep it as mobile as possible. I could even justify bringing in Ginnivan for Cameron instead of Reef on that basis, although Reef would still be my preferred option if McStay is going to be used up elsewhere.

Obvious I thought from Fly's presser that Steene will not be playing this week.

 

[JoinDate]

Finally in Melbourne this weekend and we're playing at the Gabba.

 

[cityslick1]

Hubris? You might need a dictionary

nope. Excessive tricks on the back of 100 replays of pendles no look HB to Nick showed an over confidence in this tactic to work all the time, so noticed quite a few players aiming to get in on the act. Wouldve preferred to see a return to basics in the wet

 

[brockbruiser]

Reef to come in and McStay / Johnson ruck combo seems most likely

 

[3rdMan]

Playing Brisbane at the Gabba makes McStay even more likely as first ruck. Knows the ground, knows the opposition and should be ready for an expanded role.

This year we have two strong contesting, tackling tall forwards in Mihocek and McStay. I like that mix, but it's not a disaster to have to go with one and AJ instead. We're going to be a bit more mobile and flexible without playing the two rucks as well.

 

[SwanBet]

Feeling like it will be Johnson/McStay predominantly in the ruck.

IN: Ginnivan, McInnes
OUT: Cameron (inj), Hoskin-Elliott (to the sub)

B: B.Maynard, B.Frampton, N.Murphy
HB: N.Daicos, D.Moore, I.Quaynor
C: S.Sidebottom, J.Crisp, J.Daicos
HF: B.Hill, B.Mihochek, T.Adams
F: J.Elliott, D.McStay, B.McCreery
R: A.Johnson, J.DeGoey, T.Mitchell
I: J.Noble, S.Pendlebury, R.McInnes, J.Ginivan
Sub: W.Hoskin-Elliott

 

[magpies42]

Frampton being the solution to our ruck situation is my least preferred option and for good reason IMO.

Firstly your defensive line more than any other relies on a group mentality, players trusting and covering for each other with the continuity of having the same group of players week after week being a good recipe for success if injury and individual form smiles upon you.

Secondly Frampton is new to the club, is still relatively new to the position of key defender despite his years in the system, was effective in his role against Lynch last week so should have gained confidence and personally I'd be loathe to disrupt his development in a position he was specifically traded for. He's also 200cm and alongside Moore this now gives us the ability to negate sides with a couple of giant key talls and Brisbane is one of those.

The debate about bringing in Steene because we are bound to lose the hit out count anyway is a discussion worth having and yes would limit the amount of time McStay spends outside our forward line. I'd still argue however that the hit out stat is only one measurement of how effective your ruck is and personally I increasingly find myself caring more about what a ruck option provides outside the initial ruck contest.

While I like Steene as a prospect and he seems to be a young player who isn't physically timid when faced with adult ruck opponents he's still just a kid with 2 VFL games to his name. In comparison McStay is a seasoned veteran, shorter but physically stronger and one would hope could impact more ground level and marking contests while also being involved in more scoring chains due to greater ground coverage.

Of course with McStay sharing ruck duties it will take him away from his ideal position but the fact we have a McStay to utilize this season and can still maintain two marking targets in Mihocek and Johnson is something to be thankful for.

Personally I think the real decision is whether you think a combination of Steene and McStay offers more than McStay coupled with the addition of McInnes (my preference to replace Cameron) to our forward group. I lean towards the latter myself because McInnes has displayed a happy knack of hitting the scoreboard this season, I'd like to see what he could do being granted a full game while I also think he could compliment the marking talls above and use his speed to be a leading target capable also at ground level.

At the end of the day whatever way we go isn't going to be ideal.

Agree that team chemistry is particularly important down back, but it’s not like Frampton has been playing a decades worth of football with Moore and the defensive cohort. I think we can remove him to play ruck with little impact on team dynamics. Further more, it pays to integrate other players through there as well. Injuries and form will necessitate changes in personnel.

Frampton performed ‘well’ on Lynch on a night that suited the defender. He also gave away two consecutive goals due to errors, which isn’t cause for concern given his recent inclusion but it’s not like he’s setting the world on fire down there.

The same argument you make for Frampton could be applied to McStay…the forward line is humming let’s keep it that way, it hasn’t been this synchronised in a long time.

 

[domus]

I'm not very confident about this one. It is a given the Lions will be pulling on their big boy trousers again for their home game and if they want to be serious contenders, they cannot afford to lose another game so early in the year. I think it will be tight and willing, but their home ground advantage might get them over the line.

Daniher is copping it in the media so you can be sure he'll come out and play one of his rare hot games for the year.

But our boys are incredibly consistent in their mental application and rarely put in a flat, soft effort. The Lions will have to earn it.

 

[Fat Jesus]

Reef to come in and McStay / Johnson ruck combo seems most likely

Fly confirmed a McStay Johnson ruck combo.
Didn't let on who is coming in.
Confident it will be Reef.

 

[KillerMagpies]

The coach has ruled out Steene.
I would imagine that Frampton rucks. McStay and Johnson help. Ruscoe has to come in. No way WHE is dropped. We will need his 2 way running on the wing to sag back and defend (though, I’d love to see Allen debut).
I’d love to see Crisp run around like a Shaun Grigg-like ruckman. Basically accept the ruck loss and have an extra at the stoppage.

 

[KillerMagpies]

Fly confirmed a McStay Johnson ruck combo.
Didn't let on who is coming in.
Confident it will be Reef.

1) why we would McRae reveal his cards? I reckon there will be a twist.
2) I don’t trust Reef as a key forward target.
I prefer using Frampton (an ex ruck) and bringing in Ruscoe (our best VFL defender).

 

[ElliottsMaggies]

1) why we would McRae reveal his cards? I reckon there will be a twist.
2) I don’t trust Reef as a key forward target.
I prefer using Frampton (an ex ruck) and bringing in Ruscoe (our best VFL defender).

I doubt Lions would be doing anything too differently to counteract our ruck deficiency. It will be our midfielders who will need to adapt. Bucks summed it up tonight on 'On The Couch'..if you know you are not going to win the tap out you can prepare for that as much as if you were expecting to win it.

 

[Fruit]

One concern I have that hasn’t been mentioned is that with Cameron and Cox out, it’s likely that McStay spends a lot of time in the ruck and Mihocek bears the brunt of the work up forward. Don’t forget he has a badly broken finger. I’m really hoping he gets an opportunity to rest it sometime so it doesn’t become a bigger issue as the season progresses.

 

[Finnishpie]

1) why we would McRae reveal his cards? I reckon there will be a twist.
2) I don’t trust Reef as a key forward target.
I prefer using Frampton (an ex ruck) and bringing in Ruscoe (our best VFL defender).

Yep, he’s bringing back Callum Brown to add more headless chicken attack on the ball.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

I think we can cover defence without frampton better than forward line without mcstay

 

[domus]

One concern I have that hasn’t been mentioned is that with Cameron and Cox out, it’s likely that McStay spends a lot of time in the ruck and Mihocek bears the brunt of the work up forward. Don’t forget he has a badly broken finger. I’m really hoping he gets an opportunity to rest it sometime so it doesn’t become a bigger issue as the season progresses.

It wasn't badly broken and it did not hinder him last week.

 

[swoop42]

Daniher saves his best for the Pies and has kicked more goals against us than any other opposition he's faced.

He's kicked 26.19 from 12 games against us and limiting his influence will go a long way to winning the game.