Has Collingwood been worked out?

Remove this Banner Ad

PieLebo87

PieLebo87

Hall of Famer
Veteran A Star Wars Fan 10k Posts Cake Connoisseur
Sep 14, 2005
18,419
18,675
The general consensus is clubs have figured out Collingwood’s game style, playing fire with fire. Don’t take foot off pedal and keep attacking.

Is this just a blip in the road, or have Collingwood been figured out? This spells the end of this current kamikaze style attack that has bamboozled sides the last 18 months.

As a Pies fan, watching the last 2 weeks, feels as though there is no Plan B for Fly and the coaching team, so September will be a huge challenge and things aren’t looking crash hot.
 
There's definitely a blueprint. Premiership-worthy sides know how to adjust the scope. however. Collingwood's system seems somewhat inflexible at this stage, though better to stumble the first week of August than Sept.
 

Log in to remove this ad.

where's BigVic he is usually overly confident about the team (despite having not won anything for well over a decade).

Be an almighty egg on the face if they fail to get it done. Bit of pressure on the Pies. Historically, they are not a team which handles expectations well at all.
 
PieLebo87 said:
The general consensus is clubs have figured out Collingwood’s game style, playing fire with fire. Don’t take foot off pedal and keep attacking.

Is this just a blip in the road, or have Collingwood been figured out? This spells the end of this current kamikaze style attack that has bamboozled sides the last 18 months.

As a Pies fan, watching the last 2 weeks, feels as though there is no Plan B for Fly and the coaching team, so September will be a huge challenge and things aren’t looking crash hot.
Click to expand...


I think they will still win, particularly if we get a dry September, but has many pundits have been saying, their style of play (a bit like Bazball) certainly gives the other team a look in. As an opposition coach you'd feel like you are always are shot.
 
Plus injuries.
I was surprised at the number of defensive fluffs made by Moore and co, and the disinterest of some usually hardworkers like Myazcheck.

Fly's body language has been anxious as well, gone is the devil may care attitude.

This is the real test coming up. Anyone can tease handa. Finals is where it matters. Getting worked out before a flag would be disappointing.

The last thing to do is panic. A fall off in form was predicted by many (uhumm) and can still be turned to advantage. Refocus, reinvigorate, after the wake up call. Start thinking like the hunter again, rather than the hunted. Will take a deft management approach. They have the weapons to do it.
 
Any team that getting smashed in the centre 18-3 is going to look they have been worked out. Against Carlton they were smashed at clearances and contested ball.

Just like nearly every team if you smash them at the contest they can be found out. Will wait to see when they are somewhat competitive in there though before saying they have been worked out.
 
catscollector said:
where's BigVic he is usually overly confident about the team (despite having not won anything for well over a decade).

Be an almighty egg on the face if they fail to get it done. Bit of pressure on the Pies. Historically, they are not a team which handles expectations well at all.
Click to expand...
Will it?

It'll just be business as usual at Collingwood. For anyone who's not a geriatric this is all they've ever known. The balloon always pops eventually.

Much like some older Cats supporters, smart Pies supporters know not to get ahead of themselves.

It's only the younger crowd (or full blown nuffies) who are moronic enough to think the flag is a foregone conclusion.
 
AndyLucimitis said:
I think they will still win, particularly if we get a dry September, but has many pundits have been saying, their style of play (a bit like Bazball) certainly gives the other team a look in. As an opposition coach you'd feel like you are always are shot.
Click to expand...
Goes both ways though. You're always going to feel like you're a chance, but so will the Pies.

From a pure enjoyment POV it's a damn good way to play footy.
 
I reckon everyone pretty much had it worked out already. But there's a difference between knowing what's going on, and actually being able to do anything about it.

If you like a flutter, now is the time to put the pay packet on the Pies imo. Just a little lull in proceedings, while locked into top spot with nowhere to go up or down, before they sharpen up for the real stuff.
 
Last edited:

(Log in to remove this ad.)

Not so much worked out, we just lack urgency and want.
One eye already on finals, it’s human nature.
I think they will bring it come finals.

Though ATM my current rankings would be
Melbourne
Carlton
Collingwood
Brisbane
Port
Doggies

Then the rest
 
Perhaps - I think it's a combination of factors.

The biggest factor for me is that the Pies are off the boil right now. They know a first place finish is almost guaranteed at this point. Their players are tired. The club also understand that they will be measured on what they do in September and not winning in the final rounds of the home and away season. Naturally they will be preserving themselves for a deep September run.

To a degree, I believe that teams have worked them out, but I still think their style will stand up come finals time. The Collingwood gameplan has never been a secret, it's just that the Pies have executed it so well in clutch situations which has built confidence in themselves and fear in the rest of the competition. This has meant that until recently, opposition teams have not been brave enough to do what is required to win the game and instead they opted to protect their slender leads.

Another point to consider is that this Collingwood side have kicked low percentage goals in clutch situations at an unprecedented level of success. I haven't seen any data to support this, but I imagine that there would be very few teams in VFL/AFL history with their level of accuracy in late game situations when scores are tight. This was always statistically likely to regress to a mean level of performance at some point. It is unlucky that this has coincided with them being slightly out of form.

I still expect them to be there on preliminary final weekend. From there, anything is possible.
 
Last edited:
Possibly worked out but I have never been convinced by our form. We have won many games in which we were not the best side on the day in general play, only on the scoreboard.

That includes both Adelaide games , the Essendon game and Port a few weeks back ect, ect. As another poster pointed out, our accuracy has been well above the norm and that can't last forever.

Very few games have we blown away the opposition as a PREMIERSHIP SIDE should.

The major factor I believe is that the side contains too many journeymen footballers. Mihocek, Mcstay, Lipinsky Cox, Cameron, Adams and Johnson are perfect examples. Good, honest players but not ones you can depend upon in the finals.

The coaches have done a fabulous job so far, but in finals, as Leigh Mathews says, it is 80% about your cattle.

The only way I can see to turn around what is in reality a sinking ship is to move Darcy Moore and Jeremy Howe forward and attempt to become more of a forward half team. And turn Tay Adams into a shut down tagger. On Dangerfiled this week, Lachie Neale the next.... That hopefully ensures he will never have to kick inside 50 again.

Why Darcy Moore was turned into a defender is beyond me. He is great as an interceptor and providing drive from the back but in the true defender's role he is poor. He gets far too many goals kicked on him. You might as well use Frampton in that role. The goals against will not be too different.

AS it is the current forward line with only 1 good forward in Elliot is not going to cut it in September.

This is why Collingwood don't win Premierships. Their inability to recruit the absolute A graders needed to salute in September.

May, Lever, Lynch and Jeremy Cameron all changed clubs in the last 5 odd years. All being the types of players that Collingwood desperately needed to fill holes in what was/is a reasonable list. Until Collingwood can start attracting those types of players instead of loading up on the McStays, Framptons ect there will not be premiership.

Picking a premier is not easy, but it should be either Melbourne or Brisbane. I think Carlton have a good shot but the extra final they may have to play could count against them. Still, shutting down Charlie Curnow on the MCG will be a nightmare for the poor soul who is given the job.
 
PieLebo87 said:
The general consensus is clubs have figured out Collingwood’s game style, playing fire with fire. Don’t take foot off pedal and keep attacking.

Is this just a blip in the road, or have Collingwood been figured out? This spells the end of this current kamikaze style attack that has bamboozled sides the last 18 months.

As a Pies fan, watching the last 2 weeks, feels as though there is no Plan B for Fly and the coaching team, so September will be a huge challenge and things aren’t looking crash hot.
Click to expand...
The thing is nobody outside of Carlton seems that convincing and it's a big ask for them to charge to a flag in their first finals series in a decade.

Collingwood will still have finals at the G and with two of the top 4 being interstate teams, that makes genuine home finals likely. That's a formula that worked well for Hawthorn and Richmond from 2013 onwards.

N.Daicos out is big but could be back for the big finals and besides that there still aren't many long-term injury concerns.

Two games is a blip - yes a worrying blip but there has been little on the line.

A win to steady the ship this week would remove doubts. Three more underwhelming weeks and then yes there would be a red flag raised.
 
Pies have finished top 8 times since I've been alive, including this year, assuming I survive till GF day, touch wood, check the missus' cooking ingredients, buy gun, lock door. With 1 time turning that top spot into a flag. Odds don't look flash, but past performance especially over 60 years may not be a good predicter of the future. Unless there is something in the alkaseltsa down at Smith Street that makes top spot break em out in a rash.

There is not much to panic about for Pies. They shouldn't lose top spot, unless they want to, and should be able to use recent losses as a fire restarter. Not to mention the prospect of playing at the MCG most weeks. Also not to mention the defender who was to be out for 3 is now available, and Nick will be back for finals. And their form has had them fiddling with players positions a bit, so they may yet still have extra wrinkles come finals.

Having said that, I sense a bit of anxiety and uncertainty. Fly is more animated and edgy than normal. He's still an inexperienced snr coach, all these experiences will be first time at the drivein in the back of the sandman. He can be forgiven some fumbling. Speaking of fumbles, the backline has become error ridden. Oppo going short to leads and running the ball through i50 like blues and dees like to do will trouble them. And star players being terrorised and ruffed up by the young Hawks was shocking to watch. Espesh as there wasn't much reaction. I wasn't expecting qtr time 1990 GF, but I was expecting a little bit of venom. They have been unenergetic, that's a worry because energy has been their 1 wood.

Anyway, it's all in Pies control, their fate is in their own hands. Breaking the top spot voodoo is up to them. Sans a Phil Carman event. We wouldn't want to see that happen.
 

Remove this Banner Ad

Has Collingwood been worked out?

Similar threads

G
Has collingwood been worked out?
4 5 6 7 8
Replies
198
Views
9K
Xtreme
Xtreme
PerthBoy86
What's the latest in the season a premier has been out of the top 8?
Replies
6
Views
531
Hawksboy72
Hawksboy72
Cleric
Analysis Has there been a rise in the go home factor recently?
Replies
3
Views
323
Billy ray
Billy ray
Bunk Moreland
Roast Has Opening Round been totally botched?
19 20 21 22 23
Replies
562
Views
20K
btdg
B
Cleric
How did the draft work in the 1980s?
Replies
6
Views
333
Billy ray
Billy ray
Cleric
Opinion Which players would have been the best if not for injury?
3 4 5 6 7
Replies
156
Views
6K
Guardian Hawk
G
____
Time to admit the floating fixture doesn't work
Replies
15
Views
691
Howard Littlejohn
Howard Littlejohn

Remove this Banner Ad

Back
Top