Autopsy AFL 2023 Round 20 - Collingwood v Carlton Fri July 28th 7:50pm EST (MCG)

[Laowei street]

The morning after.

It was a very good game. Thought that Pies were blunted by the small and medium sized Carlton players who kept running defensively and targeting the handball receiver as well as the ball carrier. They didn't stop doing this for most of the game.

Despite being blunted, Collingwood still managed plenty of goal scoring opps. And missed lots of shots they were getting previously. Swings and rounabouts.

Their twin towers Cox and McLuggage seemed to work a bit, Cox being the decoy and McSuitcase slipping into the space. Mayerczech was extremely quiet. Howell going forward was just the type of thing you want to see from your coaches, throwing the pieces around a bit. But still, the Pies forward half doesn't look super reliable yet.

Curnow V Moore was a great battle, Carey V Jackoffvich, and Van der Haar V Knights esquish, with a whole lot of modern day team blocking, and interferece thrown in.

But Curnow wouldn't have kicked his bag if the Carlton smalls hadn't set the Pies defense into kerfuffle by sharing it around and avoiding intercept marking. Pies backs got into a panic and started to give frees away.

So, while Weinering and Kermow will get accolades, I think it was a victory for the mid sized and small blues brigade that pressured and moved the ball aggressicely. Even when things tightened up q4 blues kept taking the riskier inside channel option.

A good victory for Coach Voxx and more IP to derail the Pies is out in public domain now. Not that that will be enough, Pies may well relish losing and cone back the vetter.

Pies were knackered mentally IMO and seems Port were too...still had more scoring shots so not a debacle, but beaten by a hungry well drilled blues side. Was over by half time, but no panic.