Analysis Changes for Q. B'day (6 ins, including Brown, Langdon & Fas, squad in OP)

[The Plowking]

To the Pies supporters saying this is Melbournes Grand final is cringe worthy.... they've attracted 85000 to their clash against richmond this year, so to the posters saying this will be there largest crowd are only off by 20k...

Not to mention Melbourne has the highest ratio of supporters to members in the AFL which after years of disappointment is quite impressive. I think us pie supporters will find we are quite the bandwagoners, been a fair drop off in attendances the past few years so giving them stick seems slightly idiotic.

of which 60000 would have been tigers supporters.....

And membership numbers....pft.

Anyway. It certainly IS Melbournes annual grandfinal when they languish at the bottom. Now though, not at all.
Finals are the benchmark and this is just another 4 points albeit a good one to bank some coin for them.

 

[The Plowking]

Yes - Dunn won 26% of his senior games at Melbourne FC. What is his Collingwood FC winning record? 70%?

And yet the Melbourne Dreamon fans are upset? Cry me a river.

Lel. Cool sample comparison

 

[BPikkers]

Terrible comparison.

Jamie Elliott is elite, and hadn't played senior football for 18 months, we knew he'd warm into it.

Ben Crocker isn't warming into anything. Except an eventual return to the VFL IMO.

Unfortunately I agree and don't rate Crocker as a long term player. He seems to be a little slow. One thing I will say is that he at least provides something a little different on the forward line and seems to find space.

 

[Chrispiesssss]

Unfortunately I agree and don't rate Crocker as a long term player. He seems to be a little slow. One thing I will say is that he at least provides something a little different on the forward line and seems to find space.

Crocker will turn out like Breust. I see very similar traits.

 

[El cane]

Unfortunately I agree and don't rate Crocker as a long term player. He seems to be a little slow. One thing I will say is that he at least provides something a little different on the forward line and seems to find space.

Crocker reminds me of a young Nick Maxwell, not quite as tall I think but similar attributes. He does seem a little slow for the forward line at AFL level, think he might ultimately develop as a half back / back pocket but now we seemingly have so many of them all of a sudden.
Thought Crisp has been improved running off half back the last few weeks too

 

[DaVe86]

He had a poor game against Freo, but all other games I've seen Crocker play have been really impressive. I'm willing to give him a few more games.

One thing Buckley has done better this year is give guys a decent crack at it at senior level before dropping them. In years gone by, he would pick them, then drop them the week after. This year, he is giving people decent opportunity, and I think it has paid off.

I think we forget Crocker's form late last year which was really promising. He had just about cemented his spot. I think he'll improve this week.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

Crocker is causing some seriously polarising opinions

 

[mattys123]

Crocker's best asset is his leading and subsquent marking on a lead, yet I reckon he was only targeted on leads 2-3 times against the Dockers. A lot of it comes with experience, both from the player and playing with his team mates, but without being at the game it's hard to tell why he wasn't invovled more (TV coverage really shows so little of what happens off the ball).

Crock kicked 3 goals twice at senior level last season (10 games, 10 goals in total in 2017) so he showed he can impact a game at this level.

He has been struggling physically though in the VFL, there hasn't been a game he's played where his legs haven't been heavily strapped, slowing him down quite obviously.

Seems very unlikely he gets dropped for this game, so another senior run under his belt, at his young age can only do him the world of good. Then he gets the club double bye (VFL and AFL) to rest and get ready for our run home.

Would he be getting a game if we had every one fit and available for selection? NO.

Should he get a game this week based on form (vfl form) and team needs? YES.

 

[jonbe54]

To the Pies supporters saying this is Melbournes Grand final is cringe worthy.... they've attracted 85000 to their clash against richmond this year, so to the posters saying this will be there largest crowd are only off by 20k...

Not to mention Melbourne has the highest ratio of supporters to members in the AFL which after years of disappointment is quite impressive. I think us pie supporters will find we are quite the bandwagoners, been a fair drop off in attendances the past few years so giving them stick seems slightly idiotic.

Cringe away dmoore another set of statistics shows they haven't been in serious contention since before many on this board were born.

 

[jackcass]

He was awful. I'd give him another game because the clutch goal at the end may give him some confidence, but he was continually brushed aside without giving a yelp.

Yeah. Coming from a long way back having missed nearly all of the preseason. His form was building nicely at VFL level and it'll take yet another adjustment to get used to the pace of senior footy. I think he'll always be the type that'll fade in and out of games so the biggest challenge for him is to work out how he can still impact on the out times. Sticking tackles will help that.

 

[jackcass]

Unfortunately I agree and don't rate Crocker as a long term player. He seems to be a little slow. One thing I will say is that he at least provides something a little different on the forward line and seems to find space.

It wasn't about the players, it was a simple observation that even a very good footballer like Elliott can struggle on their return to senior footy. It really wasn't too complicated.

 

[jackcass]

Crocker is causing some seriously polarising opinions

Very few Collingwood players don't.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

Very few Collingwood players don't.

Crocker is scapegoat de jour

 

[sr36]

Yeah. Coming from a long way back having missed nearly all of the preseason. His form was building nicely at VFL level and it'll take yet another adjustment to get used to the pace of senior footy. I think he'll always be the type that'll fade in and out of games so the biggest challenge for him is to work out how he can still impact on the out times. Sticking tackles will help that.

Against Freo, he didn't look physically up to it yet. He looked to be too slow for the open field and lacking the strength for contests.

 

[mckenna6575]

Looks like Ins are Brown, Fas and Langdon

 

[Trav 20]

This is generally your one big crowd for the year. How is it not your current grand final?

Anzac eve is now a bigger game than QB.

We had 85.6K this year against the Tiges, just 2K below your Anzac day clash with Essendon. There won't be 70K on Monday. There was 60K last year.

This is just another 4 point game. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

[Kirby]

Against Freo, he didn't look physically up to it yet. He looked to be too slow for the open field and lacking the strength for contests.

Agree. I'm hoping that he'll improve a lot from the run. Some of it I think was due to the increased pace of the game and his probable exhaustion.

 

[Trav 20]

We gave Melbourne Lumumba and Dawes while they gave us Howe and Dunn. Anytime Melbourne

We didn't give you Dunn, we delisted him.

But yes, don't want any other Collingwood duds any time soon.

 

[Kirby]

Anzac eve is now a bigger game than QB.

We had 85.6K this year against the Tiges, just 2K below your Anzac day clash with Essendon. There won't be 70K on Monday. There was 60K last year.

This is just another 4 point game. Nothing more, nothing less.

You guys have just about achieved it all now. Well done!

 

[unplugged]

Anzac eve is now a bigger game than QB.

We had 85.6K this year against the Tiges, just 2K below your Anzac day clash with Essendon. There won't be 70K on Monday. There was 60K last year.

This is just another 4 point game. Nothing more, nothing less.

You don't have to tell me that.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

Looks like Ins are Brown, Fas and Langdon

If true, not surprised to hear Langdon get the nod ahead of Schade. The club loves him and he hit the ground running in the VFL . The forgotten man.

 

[Trav 20]

You don't have to tell me that.

I needed to correct you.

it's not our one big crowd as you assert.

 

[Apex36]

Cringe away dmoore another set of statistics shows they haven't been in serious contention since before many on this board were born.

You reckon most people on this thread are under 17?

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

We didn't give you Dunn, we delisted him.

Thats the ultimate in giving. You didnt get anything back. The fact you didnt at the time know who you were giving him to is irrelevant.

 

[CFC2010]

Anzac eve is now a bigger game than QB.

We had 85.6K this year against the Tiges, just 2K below your Anzac day clash with Essendon. There won't be 70K on Monday. There was 60K last year.

This is just another 4 point game. Nothing more, nothing less.

You might as well give us the game next year as OUR Home game then?