Are Collingwood good enough to sustain this run, take 3rd, beat Geelong and make the GF ?

[Sainters08]

I wasnt aware the winning margin was a factor in determining whether or not you won or lost a game. News alert - percentage doesnt matter in finals. If you've beaten a team in recent history, that suggests you can do it again.

Besides, its 2-2. We won 2 h-a last year, lost a final and lost our only h-a game against StKilda early this year.

Given our current form and full list we are as near to a 50/50 chance as imaginable against either Geelong or StKilda. Call it 40/60. But the gap is rapidly closing.

Dude, we are on a totally different level to what were in 2007/2008.

I can't say the same for Collingwood though.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

Dude, we are on a totally different level to what were in 2007/2008.

I can't say the same for Collingwood though.

We are third vs eighth last year at the end of home and away. You guys are first v fourth last year. We have few/no injuries, while you are starting to gather a few niggles.

We have also increased our level of performance, intensity and depth. We are definitely on a higher level than last season.

Appreciate StKilda are flying and will start hot favorites for the flag, but the difference is not that great. The slate gets wiped clean after Round 22 so it doesnt matter one bit how many games you won to make it into the top four.

 

[Big Carl]

I wasnt aware the winning margin was a factor in determining whether or not you won or lost a game. News alert - percentage doesnt matter in finals. If you've beaten a team in recent history, that suggests you can do it again.

Besides, its 2-2. We won 2 h-a last year, lost a final and lost our only h-a game against StKilda early this year.

Given our current form and full list we are as near to a 50/50 chance as imaginable against either Geelong or StKilda. Call it 40/60. But the gap is rapidly closing.

mmm gap is rapidly closing. In the last 4 rounds we beat hawks by 4 goals in Tassie with half a side, you lost to them in round 16 by 45 points
We beat Crows by 45 (keeping them to 48 points) you win by 21 admittedly in Adelaide.
How is the gap "rapidly" closing?

 

[AG]

How is the gap "rapidly" closing?

I thought he was taking the piss. How can anyone close on an undefeated side?

 

[Murraj1966]

mmm gap is rapidly closing. In the last 4 rounds we beat hawks by 4 goals in Tassie with half a side, you lost to them in round 16 by 45 points
We beat Crows by 45 (keeping them to 48 points) you win by 21 admittedly in Adelaide.
How is the gap "rapidly" closing?

Adding to that, we beat them in Adelaide by 32 in Round 2. People rate Collingwood a bit too highly cos they've jumped away from the pack a little bit, but then again the Dogs were ahead by a few games maybe a month and a half ago, and while admittedly Collingwood have an easier Draw it can all go to shit quickly. And while im not tooting my own teams horn, we haven't really looked like being Defeated except for the Brisbane and Geelong games, (maybe Carlton to avoid the shitstorm of "WE NEARLY BEAT YOU WERE AWESOME"). Just don't get ahead of yourselves when sitting in 3rd spot cos there are 2 better teams still, and also, 88 Points is not easily forgotten.

 

[carnasaint55]

The only reason the gap is seemingly closing to you is because there is nowhere higher for the saints to go... We are undefeated and you guys sucked at the beginning of the year. Now you are playing some good footy so the gap has seemingly closed but theres still nowhere for us to go higher.
Still think our defense will hold you guys to a very low score and our midfield is on top. Your defense is probably good enough to hold our forward line but our midfield should give Roo, Kosi, Milney and Schneider a lot of opportunity.
Carna Saints

PLUS, if anyone remembers, last year the saints had a VERY poor start to the year and powered home (form ladder showed them on top or second for the last 12 rounds, cant remember whether it was top or 2nd) and yet we got found out horribly by the top two. Collingwood might be similar, might not be. Just a thought.

 

[Bloben]

This year the Saints have been both awesome and awesomely consistent.

Geelong were on par for over the first half of the season however have tapered off of late. They could still get back to that form though.

Collingwood started off the year terribly. After round 8 we were 3 wins and 5 losses. We have since then won 10 from 11. We are a different team to the one that played without confidence and form from the start of the year. Our losses to the Saints and Cats were in this period.

St Kilda and Geelong are still favourites rightfully however if I was St Kilda I would expect a much tougher game this time around

 

[enosis7]

mmm gap is rapidly closing. In the last 4 rounds we beat hawks by 4 goals in Tassie with half a side, you lost to them in round 16 by 45 points
We beat Crows by 45 (keeping them to 48 points) you win by 21 admittedly in Adelaide.
How is the gap "rapidly" closing?

Nice logic there.
We beat Carlton by 45 points (keeping them to 4 goals), you were lucky to win by 9 points.
We beat Sydney by 23 points, you were extremely lucky to beat Sydney by 1 point.
Therefore we're better?

 

[Cousin of Daicos]

I thought he was taking the piss. How can anyone close on an undefeated side?

While I dont' really believe we're on St.Kilda's Level...

Since Round 9, Collingwood has lot one game. St.Kilda has lost none. Id' say that's a small gap.

Again, I'm aware, we're not on their level, because the 8 rounds before that were horrific for us. But ON FORM, from Round 9 onwards, I'd say the gap has closed somewhat.

If you simply created a form ladder from Round 9 onwards, St.Kilda is only one game a a BIT of percentage ahead of Collingwood, who are then at least 2 games or more ahead of the rest.

 

[South of the Yarra]

Yes we are, yes we will, yes we will, yes we will and then we will win it. Easy as that.

 

[DaVe86]

There is no doubt in my mind that Collingwood has a sniff in 09.

But at this stage its the Saints, then a large gap to Geelong, with Collingwood trailing closely behind them.


The one thing Collingwood has in its favour is MCG exposure. You'd back St.Kilda over Collingwood every day of the week, but there will always be the question mark over St.Kilda and their lack of experience on the MCG in 2009. Their home games in finals are as good as away games considering the MCG is realistically foreign to them this year.


This is perhaps overstated because they have no real rookies in the side, so every player on the list has played plenty of games at the G. And for now its all speculation...the questions will be answered in September.



As far as Collingwood is concerned, I think at this stage a game against Geelong at the MCG in the qualifying final is a real opportunity. Geelong are out of form, Ottens will not be 100% match fit yet and we have a history of at worst worrying Geelong.


The forward line is still my concern, but I do get a lot of confidence out of the fact that we are kicking plenty of goals despite the fact that we don't have 1 dominant forward at the moment.

Medhurst and Anthony looked to be a lot sharper against Adelaide and Cloke is in good nick...just not kicking goals. So there is improvement up forward. Fraser and Rocca are potentially big weapons to return to the side as well.

 

[barrydiggs]

These are the facts:

St Kilda and Geelong have 16 players in their prime (players aged between 23yr and 27yr) among their top 22.. Collingwood have 6 with the bulk of talent 22yr and younger.. once Pendles Cloke Anthony O'Brien N Brown Thomas Clarke Dawes Dick Wellingham Beams Sidebottom McCarthy Macaffer Reid Wood Toovey Goldsack Barham Blight etc move into that 23yr - 27yr zone we will be a force.

Could we somehow win one ahead of time like Hawthorn did? I don't think so because this year there is 2 outstanding teams and it would be a very long shot that both of them would trip over the way Geelong did last year by kicking themselves out of the Grand Final.. our time will come but not this year.

 

[Gaz_Brownlow]

These are the facts:

St Kilda and Geelong have 16 players in their prime (players aged between 23yr and 27yr) among their top 22.. Collingwood have 6 with the bulk of talent 22yr and younger.. once Pendles Cloke Anthony O'Brien N Brown Thomas Clarke Dawes Dick Wellingham Beams Sidebottom McCarthy Macaffer Reid Wood Toovey Goldsack Barham Blight etc move into that 23yr - 27yr zone we will be a force.

Could we somehow win one ahead of time like Hawthorn did? I don't think so because this year there is 2 outstanding teams and it would be a very long shot that both of them would trip over the way Geelong did last year by kicking themselves out of the Grand Final.. our time will come but not this year.

Collingwood are going to be unlucky, because by the time they mature Adelaide and Brisbane will have surpassed their list. Adelaide and Brisbane have some serious arsenal at their disposal and will just keep getting better and better...You get the feeling Collingwood are already maxing out their potential (which is an absolute credit to them), BUT is very hard to see them winning a flag.

 

[Pie eyed]

Collingwood are going to be unlucky, because by the time they mature Adelaide and Brisbane will have surpassed their list. Adelaide and Brisbane have some serious arsenal at their disposal and will just keep getting better and better...You get the feeling Collingwood are already maxing out their potential (which is an absolute credit to them), BUT is very hard to see them winning a flag.

Did you post this in 2004?

You have absolutely no idea of the age of Collingwood's list, how many games the players have played or which player we have on the verge of AFL.

Dumbest post in this thread.

Collingwood are at the about where Geelong was 3 years ago in terms of development.

 

[AG]

Haha, Collingwood are a year or two away from their prime. Presti and O'Bree are the only older players so they are well ahead of schedule imo. They are doing what Hawthorn did last year. Hawthorn showed this year that they were well ahead of schedule last year.

 

[smiddaz123]

You get the feeling Collingwood are already maxing out their potential

Not if you're sane....

 

[barrydiggs]

Collingwood are going to be unlucky, because by the time they mature Adelaide and Brisbane will have surpassed their list. Adelaide and Brisbane have some serious arsenal at their disposal and will just keep getting better and better...You get the feeling Collingwood are already maxing out their potential (which is an absolute credit to them), BUT is very hard to see them winning a flag.

Ok lets start with Adelaide.. they have 8 players 22yr and under who have played a dozen games or more.. not bad, not great.

Lets try Brisbane, they have 11 players 22yr and under with a dozen or more games.. a bit better.

And Collingwood? they have 22 players 22yr and under with AFL experience.. some of them already accomplished stars like O'Brien Cloke Pendlebury.. and others like Beams who has only played a handful of games but gets 30 disposals today

Next time do the math before making a fool of yourself

 

[Lebneni]

I mean, look at the age of our best players. While Swan, Didak and Neon Leon are in their mid 20's... the following players have also been critical in our success so far :


Beams 19
Dick 21
Wood 22
Toovey 22
Anthony 21
Shaw 23
Wellingham 21
O'Brien 22
Pendlebury 21
Thomas 22
Cloke 22

Thats insane. I keep forgetting just how young these blokes are.

 

[barrydiggs]

I mean, look at the age of our best players. While Swan, Didak and Neon Leon are in their mid 20's... the following players have also been critical in our success so far :


Beams 19 (rising star)
Dick 21 (rising star)
Wood 22 (rising star)
Toovey 22
Anthony 21
Shaw 23 (rising star)
Wellingham 21
O'Brien 22
Pendlebury 21 (rising star)
Thomas 22 (rising star)
Cloke 22 (rising star)

Thats insane. I keep forgetting just how young these blokes are.

Clarke 21 (rising star)
Goldsack 22 (rising star)
Sidebottom 18
Dawes 21
Barham 21 (rising star)
N Brown 20 (rising star)

Have also contributed this year

And McCarthy 19 is an absolute star in the making bar injuries

 

[Ed_Gein]

I think Collingwood are a serious chance to win the flag this year.

For some reason they have never looked like beating the Hawks in recent years who probably won't play a part. They have proven themselves against Geelong and can beat them (certainly based on Geelongs recent weeks)

Definately not to be dismissed. If i was a betting man, i'd be putting a few $$$ on them as a serious darkhorse.

 

[Waspy79]

No team has ever won 12 in a row and NOT made the GF. End of story

No team had lost a grand final by more than 100 points until 2007 too

If Collingwood can finish third and avoid the Saints then they are a very good chance to make the GF unfortunately.

 

[barrydiggs]

Anyone else have 10 rising star nominated players 22yrs and younger?

 

[Grumpy Bum]

In the first half of the season, it was reasonable to argue that Collingwood were a Full Forward and a ruck and better game plan away from being a serious contender.

I think now, we still are a better game plan away when we play certain sides, but Wood seems to be filling the Ruck role quite nicely and barring a real FF ( please not Rocca, he is not capable of being an effective player in this very young side anymore) we are are KICKING COACH away from being the real deal.

FFS Malthouse get a kicking coach down there who can show Cloke that its not OK to wave the ball all over the place when taking set shots. BT anyone?

 

[barrydiggs]

I don't think we need worry about Malthouse too much, the guy is performing miracles on a weekly basis.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

Haha, Collingwood are a year or two away from their prime. Presti and O'Bree are the only older players so they are well ahead of schedule imo..

Its true we can get better.

But Swan, Didak, Davis, Lockyer, L Brown, Presti, O'Bree, Fraser, Maxwell and Johnson are all extremely seasoned. Its totally ignorant to assume that we have a side full of skinny pimply 19 year olds

Cloke Pendlebury Thomas Shaw N Brown and O'Brien show experience beyond their years.