mattys123
Hall of Famer
- Mar 24, 2008
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- 20,284
- AFL Club
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Collingwood vs Geelong Matchday Discussion.
Ok, so I've gone a bit early (3 1/4 hours)
, but hey this game is too big to wait for.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
COLLINGWOOD vs GEELONG
FIRST PRELIMINARY FINAL
FRIDAY, 17TH SEPTEMBER
MCG, 7.45PM
vs
TV/RADIO
http://bit.ly/ce2hvc
WEATHER
RADAR;
http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDR022.loop.shtml#skip
FORECAST;
http://www.bom.gov.au/vic/forecasts/melbourne.shtml
TRANSPORT
http://www.metrotrains.com.au/Timetables-Planning/Overview.html
TEAMS
-------------------------------------------------------------------
MATCH PREVIEW - Dave86
http://bit.ly/c06Tk7
-------------------------------------------------------------------
MY THOUGHTS
And here we all are, the biggest game (yet) of 2010 for any club, on the biggest stage, in front of possibly the biggest crowd, and it all comes down to 2 teams.
Collingwood, the team that has dominated the season, finishing clearly on top and rampaging it's way through the second half of the season, only losing a dead rubber game to the Hawks in round 22. The pies “main weapon” is their forward press, which has been taken to a level never before seen in our game. It relies on first getting the ball inside attacking 50 at all costs, and then ensuring it can not escape without one hell of a dog fight. It has been the “thing” that has set the pies apart all season.
Geelong, the champs, who have won 2 out of the last 3 flags, and haven't missed a grand final since 2006. They are the mark at which all teams were measured for 3 and ½ seasons, yet recently, they have come back to the pack a bit. Their record against the top 4 sides, especially against Collingwood and StKilda has been surprisingly bad this season, with only the one win out of 4 meetings, and that was way back in round 9. The cats play “risky” football, they endeavour to take the game on at all costs, and handball and run the football inside their forward 50, where their small and medium forwards are the most deadly in the game.
So to Friday Night, and it's almost impossible to predict exactly what will happen, but what the heck, I'll have a go. It will be on “for young and old” from the opening bounce, in fact, expect fireworks in the form of pushing and shoving as soon as opponents meet. This game will be a war in football standards, it will be tough, hard, in tight football for large parts of the game, but once it opens up, it will be the most attractive form of our great game you will see all year.
The Cats will try and jump the pies early, but both teams start well, in fact they are tied for first quarters won, although Geelong have had the extra game to achieve the tie. Geelong will rely on winning the ball at clearances for the majority of their scores, and this is where the “big 3” come into the game, Ablett, Bartel and Selwood. These 3 players in my opinion, control Geelong's destiny, and maybe Collingwood's also, in their very hands and feet. If all 3 are able to have top games, the pies will find it hard to win, as it will mean the Cats have had first hands on the ball, and that is what wins finals, after all is said and done. Collingwood will use the likes of Wellingham, MaCaffer, Johnson, Swan and Didak to go one on one with these dynamo mids, and how successful they are may just decide the game.
Outside of the midfeld, it is the small and medium forwards who will do most of the scoring, or at least most of the creation of scoring once the ball is inside 50. Geelong have a plethora of small and medium forwards, but what they lack outside of Ablett, seems to be pure goalscoring midfielders, and this is where Collingwood has an edge. Swan, Pendlebury, Didak, Beams, Sidebottom and Wellingham are all goalscoring midfielders, who may be the “key” to whether the pies can win this game. Both sides tall forwards will be restricted in this game, with only Travis Cloke having the match winning ability amongst the big fellas, as Chris Dawes will have his hands full with Scarlett.
The defenses are fairly even, although they do not play similarly at all. Geelong rely on a one on one defensive style, and then release in numbers once one of them have the ball, while Collingwood's defenders push high up the ground, assisting with the forward press, and while they can be caught out at times over the back, it is a style they will not change too much coming into this match. Maxwell will be tagged, but this may release Shaw or O'Brien, and if anything, they are actually more damaging, although probably lacking Maxwell's 3rd man assist ability. The absence of both Mackie and Prestigiacomo throw a completely new dynamic into the matchup, with Geelong going for a taller backline, with maybe a little less run minus Mackie, while the Pies are probably going “less defensive” with Nathan Brown but he will provide more drive and attack then Presti ever would.
The rucks are interesting indeed for this game, with Ottens and Jolly probably doing as much as 80% of their teams ruckwork, with backup from Leigh Brown and Tom Hawkins respectively. Collingwood have the edge here, only because Jolly is in his prime, as Ottens has dropped form a little bit so far this season. Also, Brown is a far more damaging and intimidating player then Hawkins, and this gives the edge to the pies in the “part time” ruck area.
This game will be close for a long way, and Geelong will play in “spurts”, trying to break open the pies zones and forward pressure, to get behind the press and score fairly easily.
I believe 3 stats categories will ultimately decide this game, and they are tackles, contested possessions and inside 50's. Collingwood dominated all 3 stats last time, and if they do so again, it may not be as close as most expect, but I can see Geelong improving in several of those categories, therefore making more of a game of it this time.
MCG, on a Friday night, in front of 90,000 + people, live on TV, and a spot in the 2010 AFL Grand Final on the line, it simply doesn't get any better then this.
As one scribe entitled it, it's “dynasty versus destiny”, with Geelong trying to truly become a dynasty, while the pies firmly believe it is their destiny to be the champs of 2010.
MY TIP
It's so hard to pick a margin in this game, as there are so many factors, players, coaching moves etc to consider, but the one thing that stands out for me is the week off for the pies. I believe it will be tight for 2 ½ quarters, before the Collingwood army gets loud, and the team breaks away from the champs, using their superior fitness and running ability to stretch the margin out late and seal a first grand final spot in 7 years for the biggest football club in the land.
PIES BY 17
----------------------------------------------------------------------
WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE
TACKLING
In the last game, Collingwood surprisingly only won the tackle count by 5, but the standouts were Luke Ball (14) and Leigh Brown (12).
I want to see us tackle the crap out of Geelong, to use my own term. I want to see us attack them like they have never been attacked before, and when we get them, do not let go, even if it results in a few early frees against.
The most physical side will win this game, and we have to show our physicality from the start, because it is the one area Geelong have always believed they have “over us”.
Tackle hard from minute one till the final siren, and we will be rewarded with a spot in the Grand Final.
I love the Leigh Brown picture below.
MILESTONES
Congratulations Scott Pendlebury on 100 sensational games.
Congratulations Sharrod Wellingham on 50 breathtaking games.
Both players are an integral part of our midfield, Pendles provides the skill, evasiveness and clean disposal that simply makes us a better team, while Sharrod is our midfield spark, who usually ignites the team early. It's great two such milestones come up on preliminary final night.
FINAL WORD
For those who are attending, I hope you can find some use out of the guide at the top, and for those that aren't attending, I suggest you find a bar, club or crowded area where the game is being shown, as this game just needs an atmosphere to be fully enjoyed. I haven't been this confident of a preliminary final win since 2003, and I firmly believe this time next week we will be discussing grand final selection for the Pies.
GO PIES.
Ok, so I've gone a bit early (3 1/4 hours)
, but hey this game is too big to wait for.---------------------------------------------------------------------
COLLINGWOOD vs GEELONG
FIRST PRELIMINARY FINAL
FRIDAY, 17TH SEPTEMBER
MCG, 7.45PM
TV/RADIO
http://bit.ly/ce2hvc
WEATHER
RADAR;
http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDR022.loop.shtml#skip
FORECAST;
http://www.bom.gov.au/vic/forecasts/melbourne.shtml
TRANSPORT
http://www.metrotrains.com.au/Timetables-Planning/Overview.html
TEAMS
-------------------------------------------------------------------
MATCH PREVIEW - Dave86
http://bit.ly/c06Tk7
-------------------------------------------------------------------
MY THOUGHTS
And here we all are, the biggest game (yet) of 2010 for any club, on the biggest stage, in front of possibly the biggest crowd, and it all comes down to 2 teams.
Collingwood, the team that has dominated the season, finishing clearly on top and rampaging it's way through the second half of the season, only losing a dead rubber game to the Hawks in round 22. The pies “main weapon” is their forward press, which has been taken to a level never before seen in our game. It relies on first getting the ball inside attacking 50 at all costs, and then ensuring it can not escape without one hell of a dog fight. It has been the “thing” that has set the pies apart all season.
Geelong, the champs, who have won 2 out of the last 3 flags, and haven't missed a grand final since 2006. They are the mark at which all teams were measured for 3 and ½ seasons, yet recently, they have come back to the pack a bit. Their record against the top 4 sides, especially against Collingwood and StKilda has been surprisingly bad this season, with only the one win out of 4 meetings, and that was way back in round 9. The cats play “risky” football, they endeavour to take the game on at all costs, and handball and run the football inside their forward 50, where their small and medium forwards are the most deadly in the game.
So to Friday Night, and it's almost impossible to predict exactly what will happen, but what the heck, I'll have a go. It will be on “for young and old” from the opening bounce, in fact, expect fireworks in the form of pushing and shoving as soon as opponents meet. This game will be a war in football standards, it will be tough, hard, in tight football for large parts of the game, but once it opens up, it will be the most attractive form of our great game you will see all year.
The Cats will try and jump the pies early, but both teams start well, in fact they are tied for first quarters won, although Geelong have had the extra game to achieve the tie. Geelong will rely on winning the ball at clearances for the majority of their scores, and this is where the “big 3” come into the game, Ablett, Bartel and Selwood. These 3 players in my opinion, control Geelong's destiny, and maybe Collingwood's also, in their very hands and feet. If all 3 are able to have top games, the pies will find it hard to win, as it will mean the Cats have had first hands on the ball, and that is what wins finals, after all is said and done. Collingwood will use the likes of Wellingham, MaCaffer, Johnson, Swan and Didak to go one on one with these dynamo mids, and how successful they are may just decide the game.
Outside of the midfeld, it is the small and medium forwards who will do most of the scoring, or at least most of the creation of scoring once the ball is inside 50. Geelong have a plethora of small and medium forwards, but what they lack outside of Ablett, seems to be pure goalscoring midfielders, and this is where Collingwood has an edge. Swan, Pendlebury, Didak, Beams, Sidebottom and Wellingham are all goalscoring midfielders, who may be the “key” to whether the pies can win this game. Both sides tall forwards will be restricted in this game, with only Travis Cloke having the match winning ability amongst the big fellas, as Chris Dawes will have his hands full with Scarlett.
The defenses are fairly even, although they do not play similarly at all. Geelong rely on a one on one defensive style, and then release in numbers once one of them have the ball, while Collingwood's defenders push high up the ground, assisting with the forward press, and while they can be caught out at times over the back, it is a style they will not change too much coming into this match. Maxwell will be tagged, but this may release Shaw or O'Brien, and if anything, they are actually more damaging, although probably lacking Maxwell's 3rd man assist ability. The absence of both Mackie and Prestigiacomo throw a completely new dynamic into the matchup, with Geelong going for a taller backline, with maybe a little less run minus Mackie, while the Pies are probably going “less defensive” with Nathan Brown but he will provide more drive and attack then Presti ever would.
The rucks are interesting indeed for this game, with Ottens and Jolly probably doing as much as 80% of their teams ruckwork, with backup from Leigh Brown and Tom Hawkins respectively. Collingwood have the edge here, only because Jolly is in his prime, as Ottens has dropped form a little bit so far this season. Also, Brown is a far more damaging and intimidating player then Hawkins, and this gives the edge to the pies in the “part time” ruck area.
This game will be close for a long way, and Geelong will play in “spurts”, trying to break open the pies zones and forward pressure, to get behind the press and score fairly easily.
I believe 3 stats categories will ultimately decide this game, and they are tackles, contested possessions and inside 50's. Collingwood dominated all 3 stats last time, and if they do so again, it may not be as close as most expect, but I can see Geelong improving in several of those categories, therefore making more of a game of it this time.
MCG, on a Friday night, in front of 90,000 + people, live on TV, and a spot in the 2010 AFL Grand Final on the line, it simply doesn't get any better then this.
As one scribe entitled it, it's “dynasty versus destiny”, with Geelong trying to truly become a dynasty, while the pies firmly believe it is their destiny to be the champs of 2010.
MY TIP
It's so hard to pick a margin in this game, as there are so many factors, players, coaching moves etc to consider, but the one thing that stands out for me is the week off for the pies. I believe it will be tight for 2 ½ quarters, before the Collingwood army gets loud, and the team breaks away from the champs, using their superior fitness and running ability to stretch the margin out late and seal a first grand final spot in 7 years for the biggest football club in the land.
PIES BY 17
----------------------------------------------------------------------
WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE
TACKLING
In the last game, Collingwood surprisingly only won the tackle count by 5, but the standouts were Luke Ball (14) and Leigh Brown (12).
I want to see us tackle the crap out of Geelong, to use my own term. I want to see us attack them like they have never been attacked before, and when we get them, do not let go, even if it results in a few early frees against.
The most physical side will win this game, and we have to show our physicality from the start, because it is the one area Geelong have always believed they have “over us”.
Tackle hard from minute one till the final siren, and we will be rewarded with a spot in the Grand Final.
I love the Leigh Brown picture below.
MILESTONES
Congratulations Scott Pendlebury on 100 sensational games.
Congratulations Sharrod Wellingham on 50 breathtaking games.
Both players are an integral part of our midfield, Pendles provides the skill, evasiveness and clean disposal that simply makes us a better team, while Sharrod is our midfield spark, who usually ignites the team early. It's great two such milestones come up on preliminary final night.
FINAL WORD
For those who are attending, I hope you can find some use out of the guide at the top, and for those that aren't attending, I suggest you find a bar, club or crowded area where the game is being shown, as this game just needs an atmosphere to be fully enjoyed. I haven't been this confident of a preliminary final win since 2003, and I firmly believe this time next week we will be discussing grand final selection for the Pies.
GO PIES.
