mattys123
Hall of Famer
- Mar 24, 2008
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2010 AFL Grand Final
COLLINGWOOD vs STKILDA
Saturday, September 25th, 2010
Melbourne Cricket Ground
2.30PM
TV/RADIO
http://bit.ly/9WmD6o
WEATHER
FORECAST; http://www.bom.gov.au/vic/forecasts/melbourne.shtml
RADAR; http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDR022.loop.shtml#skip
TEAMS
PREVIEW (Dave86)
http://bit.ly/9hiInX
MATCHDAY EVENTS
The “main” matchday event for Collingwood is to be held at the “Sydney Myer Music Bowl”, just a few kilometres from the MCG, in the Botanical Gardens. Link here;
http://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/road the the granny/tabid/16672/default.aspx
There has also been a concerted push for a “Bigfooty gathering”, which has you can find out all about here;
http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/showthread.php?t=760046
MY THOUGHTS
So here we are, after 25 weeks of AFL football, and we have made it, to the ultimate day of them all, the AFL Grand Final for the first time in 7 years. It is well know we haven't won a flag since the great days of 1990, but this has to be our greatest chance since that great October day.
The game itself is pretty predictable as far as both sides approach or gameplan goes, the pies will try and win the contested situations, or at least break even in them, but the ace up the sleeve is the intense forward pressure that no one has been able to break through when the pies pressure is “on”. StKilda know they can't beat Collingwood in a shootout, so they will try and slow the play down, creating lots of stoppages with long kicks to the boundaries when required, and trying to maintain the pace of the game to their “liking”. You don't go 12 months, and 25 games and then change everything over night, both sides will produce basically what they have all year, with a few minor “tweaks” to suit the opposition, the ground and the weather.
As far as the matchups go, I see some very “juicy” ones for the pies.
I believe Zac Dawson will line up on Travis Cloke to start the game, with Dawson taking whichever one of Cloke or Dawes that drops back inside 50. Collingwood has tinkered with a rotation policy between Dawes and Cloke in regards to location, and it has worked a charm, as shown perfectly last week. I believe Dawson can be exploited, but you have to get on a lead to do so.
The one matchup I really love is Ben Johnson on Stephen Milne, it just screams “win” for the Collingwood Football Club. BJ has had Milne's number on just about every occasion they have gone head to head, in fact the only time Milne has ever worried us is when Johnson wasn't in the side. Interesting note that at training today Maxwell went out of his way to pull Johnson out of the main group and into the defensive group, meaning BJ is at least starting on Milne.
Obviously one of the big questions is who gets Nick Riewoldt, although Judging by today at the GF parade, maybe the Collingwood chant might get him. I want us to start Ben Reid on Riewoldt, Reid is coming of clear decisions over Cameron Mooney and Jarrad Grant, and has earnt the right to take on the champ. Prestigiacomo can start on Koschitzke, and take over from Reid on several occasions, just to give the young gun a rest.
Our forward line is where this game will be won or lost though, and believe it or not, the 2 most important players in the are in my opinion are Chris Dawes and Brent MaCaffer. Both place an amazing amount of both inferred and actual pressure on the opposition backs, and this is the area where we will dominate the game.
The obvious “danger” players for Stkilda are Riewoldt, Goddard, Montagna and Hayes, and if we can even restrict these players, it will go a long way towards creating history for the black and white.
As for the game itself, and how it will unfold, I can see Stkilda really trying to shut down the game early, and it may work for a small period of time, but eventually the flood gates will open, and the pies will get on a roll. I see this game being won in two ten minute bursts by the Collingwood team, which will give them a handy 5-6 goal lead going into the last change.
I am hoping all 3 of Kosi, Gram and Dal Santo play, as we have seen throughout the finals series, that playing injured players backfires every single time.
MY TIP
So to the tip, and after that amazing first quarter against Geelong last week, I really can't see StKilda holding us out for a whole game. They will try and keep the scores low, even under the 70 point each mark, but as stated above, one or two sustained bursts from the pies will be the difference here. But as many have stated this week, there are no prizes or need for percentage this week, so as long as we win, all of us here will be happy. I think we will actually win this game in the second and third quarters, where the game will open up just a little, before being closed down once again the last quarter.
PIES BY 22
Norm Smith Medalist; Scott Pendlebury
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE
I was going to go with Ben Reid again, but I've already covered his matchup above, so I've gone with a request to the Collingwood supporters, both at the ground and at the Music Bowl.
As soon as the national anthem is finished, start the Collingwood long slow chant, and don't stop until the ball is bounced.
I see this as both an intimidatory tactic against the Saints, and also a motivational technique for the Pies. All the players have stated they loved the chant during the prelim, and we must start it early this week.
Something like this would suffice;
[YOUTUBE]ogPt5POUTPA[/YOUTUBE]
MILESTONE
Congratulations to Dane Swan for 150 brilliant games for the Collingwood Football Club.
Just a note, if Dane gets 27 disposals tomorrow, he will become the first player ever in an AFL/VFL season to get 800 total possessions in one season.
ENJOY THE DAY
AND MAY WE BRING HOME OUR 15TH PREMIERSHIP.
