Preview Approaching Collingwood

[Fasta_123]

Should be a good game. Looking forward to shaw returning. I think he'll explode during finals. Owes it to te club and he looks as fit as ever at training. Reckon he's raring to go!
Would be a good replacement for Davis if he doesn't get up. Thomas is a big out, but with wellingham returning I think he'll cover him quite nicely.
On the cox v jolly history I'm pretty sure teyve both had good games against each other so u could basically call that a 50/50. (which I would then call that a win to Collingwood just because cox can be so so damaging when on song)
Pretty sure wood has ha the wood over cox the last few times they've met. Actually I think he played one of his best tucking games against cox a while back. I might be mistaken
Ball vs priddis will be Ana amazing battle.
Shuey v sidebottom will be good. Sidebottom is a proven finals performer when shuey just looks like he's waiting for a big game.
Kerr vs swan I doubt will happen. I think you'll have a hard time containing swan as most teams do. This could be your down fall as if swan starts gettin the ball, he brings a lot of othe players into it.
All and all should be a cracker game, would be obviously much closer if at pattersons, however I'm tipping Collingwood by anywhere between 5-10 goals after a gallant 3 Qtr battle pies to slip away in the last

If Collingwood don't win the flag this year I'm hoping it's you guys as I couldn't live with another 3 years of hawthorn supporters living off their past on bog footy and geelong have had their time in the sun. As for Carlton I'm pretty sure all of the top 4 have their measure

 

[West123]

http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_match_statistics?mid=5218

Stats from last time.

Nic Nat needs to find away to impose himself. No goals & 2 marks won't get it done.

Lecca will be the X-Factor. Has to get up on Harry O.

 

[West123]

Also who was sub? Ebert or Masten? Both are in much better form than early season.

 

[Toshowyouwhy]

If we could somehow win this, it would surely rank even above the 06 Prelim as one of the greatest wins in our history. I know it's an incredible long shot, but my moo has gone from certain, soulcrushing loss to potential miracle. This team has surprised me so many times this season, who's to say they can't do it again?

 

[The Falcon Strike]

http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_match_statistics?mid=5218

Stats from last time.

Nic Nat needs to find away to impose himself. No goals & 2 marks won't get it done.

Lecca will be the X-Factor. Has to get up on Harry O.

I would like to see him more up in the midfield against Collingwood.

With JK, Lynch, Darling, Ebert as the marking players. The issue we had last time was getting quality ball to our forwards - we'd just bomb and they'd be 2 on 1 all the time.

 

[Patron]

I definitely think lecras should play in the midfield a lot this game. Obrien has had the wood over him and we could use the extra classy midfielder. If thomas was playing i woulda put him and lecca head to head.
I think he should start each quarter in the midfield and maybe rest the last 5 minutes of each quarter up forward and try and snag a goal.
Lecras vs wellingham
Kerr vs Swan
Priddis vs ball
Shuey vs sidebottom
Scooter vs pendlebury

 

[Toshowyouwhy]

Agreed, we need to make O'Brien actually defend. As a runner, he will destory us, and that's what happened to LeCras. If he was forced to take a marking tall, we'd be in much better shape.

 

[Suma Magic]

I don't mind if we lose.

But I'll be pissed if we don't do our best to give them merry hell.

 

[stinger05]

I definitely think lecras should play in the midfield a lot this game. Obrien has had the wood over him and we could use the extra classy midfielder. If thomas was playing i woulda put him and lecca head to head.
I think he should start each quarter in the midfield and maybe rest the last 5 minutes of each quarter up forward and try and snag a goal.
Lecras vs wellingham
Kerr vs Swan
Priddis vs ball
Shuey vs sidebottom
Scooter vs pendlebury

I love those head to heads and if woosh can manifacture them it will go a long long way to helping us win.

Agree with Lecca having to play mainly midfield for that to happen we need our midfielders to run hard forward to get to the fall of the ball and to help us out on the scoreboard.

My head is telling me "Look here buddy this team has gone for 16th to the top 4 with an easy draw and its full of kids, coming up against the reigning champs who have stars all over the park. Pies by 65 points".

My heart is telling me "Naita down to the Shuewooo. LECCCCAAAA goal! game over eagles by 16 points".

 

[Adam Selwood]

The only way we'll come close to winning this game is if we make Collingwood's defenders accountable. Ben Reid and O'Brien in particular. I have no idea how to best go about this but if we allow them to zone off to run and create off half-back...we're f****d

Reid is probably the most important player to stop for us to win. He was absolutely monstrous against Freo last week - marked or spoiled everything that came near him. Can you forward tag a key position back? I'd almost be tempted to

The thing with our MCG meeting earlier in the season was that the Inside 50s were almost identical (52-50) but our route to goal was always the same - bomb it in and hope that we take a big pack mark. That doesn't work against a good side, especially one like Collingwood that is equipped with lots of good tall defenders. If we can find different avenues to goal and get it moving quickly from the backline - we are in with a faint shot.

The other worrying aspect is that we absolutely smashed a Jolly-less Collingwood in the hitouts, but the clearances were even at 38 apiece. Cox and Naita need to be on their game and we must take advantage of our expected ruck dominance. I would imagine Leigh Brown would ruck at some stage, so we need to capitalise when he does

I still fully expect us to be flogged, but if we can win the stoppages and be a lot smarter with our ball-use going Inside 50...well far stranger things have happened!

 

[sTeeL]

Cox relentlessly tapped it to opposition chests. Safe to say.he won't do that again

 

[bali-dog]

Malty mick is a master strategist...he takes that mantra of "shut down their strengths,and expose their weaknesses" to another level..and he's got loads of adaptability...and a very,very,well drilled team.

but the pressure is on them in this match..

interesting comments from Glass..

He said the 52-point loss to the Magpies in round 10 was a turning point in the Eagles' season. They have since lost just one game.

"I think we've improved since that game, so it'll be interesting to see by how much," Glass said

i dont expect us to get flogged-if the uninitiated arent overawed by the occasion..weve definitely improved since the last pies game,in intensity and grit-ability..we shouldnt get steamrolled like before..we should be able to absorb their attack more,and reply..(except for the finals/MCG factor-it all goes up another level)..could be a close game..should be a cracker of a game!?
are we giant killers? ((;

 

[scruffydog]

Didak is going to admit ties with the underworld and go to rehab for addiction

Swan is going to overdose

Dale Thomas is going to quit

Pendulz is going to get into a punch on with Heath Shaw and the whole club is going to implode.

If not, we're going to lose.

I lol'd. There's still time for these things to happen!

Surely no team would ever rest players on the first game. Everyone within the footy club would have the belief that they can beat Collingwood, which is right, because they can. Any team can beat any other team. Upsets happen. All you need is an off day to Collingwood, a blinder for West Coast, or both of these happening at once, and you pull an upset.

Of course, I'm quite confident of the win, but let's not forget about the dreaded 'Colliwobbles'

 

[Tiff]

I lol'd. There's still time for these things to happen!

Surely no team would ever rest players on the first game. Everyone within the footy club would have the belief that they can beat Collingwood, which is right, because they can. Any team can beat any other team. Upsets happen. All you need is an off day to Collingwood, a blinder for West Coast, or both of these happening at once, and you pull an upset.

Of course, I'm quite confident of the win, but let's not forget about the dreaded 'Colliwobbles'

I'll be lol'ing at you when we flog you by 50 points in front of 20000000 collywobbles. Sorry I'm all worked up. Xoxo

 

[Evelyn208]

Maybe we should hire Kim Duthie to wreak some havoc?

 

[Tiff]

Maybe we should hire Kim Duthie to wreak some havoc?

I was trying to call her this afternoon but she was at wooshas place.

 

[Avalor]

We just have to do what the Cats are doing tonight!

 

[RyanDarth]

The pies are being smashed in the clearances tonight and their half back line is really struggling.

 

[Toshowyouwhy]

I don't know if the current game is a good thing or a bad thing....

 

[Magnum27]

I don't know if the current game is a good thing or a bad thing....

Bad, they will come out fired up next week to prove a point. Not what we needed, would have preffered them going in complacent.

 

[THE411]

Bad, they will come out fired up next week to prove a point. Not what we needed, would have preffered them going in complacent.

I doubt wanting to prove a point adds a whole lot of incentive to the existing carrot of a week off and prelim final tbh. I dont think there was ever a very big chance of Collingwood turning up to a final complacent.

 

[happy_eagle]

Tarrant and Johnson with small niggles

 

[RyanDarth]

Bad, they will come out fired up next week to prove a point. Not what we needed, would have preffered them going in complacent.

Not necessarily, if we can apply the same sort of pressure that the cats are applying right we are a very good chance.

Looks like Tarrant has injured his ankle. They were talking about him getting a jab and maybe coming back on. Shirley, they wouldn't risk it.

 

[anti_]

is this a good or bad thing?

surely anything out of the ordinary must be somewhat bad for them. although i don't think it'll affect them much.

tarrant may be out though...would be massive for lynch/JK/Darling. reid is a gun and obrien will take lecca. besides that though? i can't see any other player confidently lining up on JK or lynch.

 

[Eagle Empire]

This will shatter their confidence.