Preview Approaching Collingwood

[Suma Magic]

This has probably be written before in this thread, but the (hopeful) ins out and for us since last time:

Out:
Rosa
Sheppard
Two of: Masten, McGinnity, Ebert, Smith

In:
Mackenzie
Butler
Gaff
Waters

Butler, Waters and Mackenzie adds a heap to our defense. Especially Mackenzie, as last time Ash Smith had to play on their talls.

 

[Milenko]

I would not be averse to LeCras acting as a decoy forward with a few stints through the middle

As a very general forward structure...

Darling & Lynch playing high half forward lead-up
Kennedy & Naita/Cox playing deep forward
LeCras playing between them as a decoy to drag HOB away from contests
Nicoski/Hams crumbing
McGinnity playing tight defensively on Davis

 

[West123]

Crowley owned Heath Scotland but the Leon Davis owned Crowley. Not sure the defensive forward will work on Leon. I think whoever Leon goes to needs to keep him accountable by winning the footy.

 

[Milenko]

Crowley is old and slow though.

P-Mac is quick and has a great track record on Flash Davey. An excellent starting point.

 

[Suma Magic]

Has Davis' lack of size been exploited much this year?

All Eagles players would have a decent height advantage except for Hams and Masten who may not play, or play forward.

Perhaps Nicoski could be used to beat him in the air?

How will their defense line up?

Davis Tarrant O'Brien
Shaw Reid Maxwell/Toovey

Shaw should be just as much of a concern.

 

[HFF]

Just how is Davis' lack of height going to be exposed? It's not as if we are going to allow a 6'3 or 6'4 opponent to be played on him just like you guys aren't going to allow a small defender to play on one of our talls.

He always takes an opposition small and for his size, he is a very good mark overhead which is why he has been very good this year when having to defend in isolated situations one-on-one.

 

[Goldfish]

Just how is Davis' lack of height going to be exposed? It's not as if we are going to allow a 6'3 or 6'4 opponent to be played on him just like you guys aren't going to allow a small defender to play on one of our talls.

He always takes an opposition small and for his size, he is a very good mark overhead which is why he has been very good this year when having to defend in isolated situations one-on-one.

When you have a fwd line of Lynch, Kennedy, Darling, Nic Nat etc it can be easier for us to expose a player for height.

I agree that Collingwood would not have this problem against most sides, but if we could stretch Davis it might help our case in the first week of the finals.

 

[Suma Magic]

Just how is Davis' lack of height going to be exposed? It's not as if we are going to allow a 6'3 or 6'4 opponent to be played on him just like you guys aren't going to allow a small defender to play on one of our talls.

He always takes an opposition small and for his size, he is a very good mark overhead which is why he has been very good this year when having to defend in isolated situations one-on-one.

It was more of a question; I didn't know the answer. You're right he's great for his size. But if this is our forward 6 you'd think we'd have to at least try to exploit our height advantage:

NN Kennedy LeCras
Darling Lynch Nicoski

Nicoski around 187 I think and LeCras likely to get O'Brien.

 

[Makka]

Whatever happens i hope Woosha and co have something ingenious up their sleeves because just trying our best is unlikely to cut it. We need to try something different and hope it really pays off.

I'm sure plans are being made as we speak.

 

[The Falcon Strike]

Daisy offerred 2 weeks - likely to miss first final

 

[Byron_Clanger]

Daisy offerred 2 weeks - likely to miss first final

Awesome news, Kennedy cleared as expected

 

[ndot]

huge boast for us if daisy misses the first final.

he's one of the pies players that we would struggle to shut down IMO

 

[Toshowyouwhy]

Daisy out helps, but we'll still cop a hiding methinks.

 

[The Dodger]

So we may have in our favour;

Shaw coming back from suspension after not playing for 8 weeks
Maxwell coming back after injury after not playing for 3-4 weeks (?)
Thomas missing through suspension

Good knowing they are not getting the ideal prep for the game.

 

[Jimmy_the_Gent]

When we played Collingwood this year it was Thomas who really killed us. Did a few things that were just unstoppable - a banana goal and a pack mark over Naitanui deep inside 50. A little while after that game there was talk of him being the best player in the AFL but it died down, obviously.

Anyway, he's a big out.

 

[arfadunger]

If Thomas is out for the final, that's a huge plus for us. Having said that, I can't recall Collingwood ever humbly accepting a suspension to one of their real important players in the leadup to a big game. I'll be amazed if they don't challenge it, and will be 50/50 as to how it goes.

 

[Evelyn208]

They probably wont. If he contests and loses it becomes 3 matches.

 

[The Dodger]

If Thomas is out for the final, that's a huge plus for us. Having said that, I can't recall Collingwood ever humbly accepting a suspension to one of their real important players in the leadup to a big game. I'll be amazed if they don't challenge it, and will be 50/50 as to how it goes.

Was thinking the same thing. Get ready for Eddie to get out the lawyers and start saying he will take it to court.

 

[Flying_High_90]

If pies challenge and end up getting it cut down to a week or less, I'll be a little devo. As sad as it is to rate your finals chances on the suspension of an opposition player Daisy is a HUGE out. Last time he completely tore us up.

Flying out of Perth for Melbourne next Wed night... starting to get that 'how amazing would it be if we win' flicker of hope running through my head

 

[Marlin01]

Was thinking the same thing. Get ready for Eddie to get out the lawyers and start saying he will take it to court.

The AFL Tribunal have downgraded Thomas' charge to reprimand after Collingwood successfully argued Thomas jumped in the air to avoid squashing a Ladybird and that the subsequent contact to Ibbotson was unavoidable.

 

[Patron]

This is massively huge for us. Like massively improves our chances

 

[Double the Fist]

Daisy out helps, but we'll still cop a hiding methinks.

Agree 100%

 

[bairdy]

They probably wont. If he contests and loses it becomes 3 matches.

This. If they lose he wouldn't be eligible till the grand final (assuming they beat us and get the week off). There's too much at stake to challenge it I would think.

 

[BlueandGoldforever]

Huge bonus for us. We are having a good run with most things in the AFL at the moment. Let's hope it stays that way for the remainder of the 2011 season.

 

[spEKTre]

Daisy out helps, but we'll still cop a hiding methinks.

I think your on the money with that comment, I just cringe thinking about Collingwood stepping it up a few notches because its finals.

Should be a good lesson to our youngsters on what is required to play at the top level, it will show us whether players like Smith, Rosa, Masten, Ebert and McGinnity have what it takes to to take us to the top.