Toast QF = Collingwood 60-53 Melbourne

[sam_e]

Should never have been that close, but credit to the umpires, they never gave up hope.

Never a truer word spoken!

 

[Ironmonger85]

Cox rucked well but only 67% TOG and he was exhausted in the last half.

 

[Chrispiesssss]

Van Rooyens is a thug plain and simple that is the 2nd time this season he has hit someone in the head, there was real intent to hurt McStay, also I would have liked some of Bruzzy,s team mates to back him up a bit more when Viney and others were going at him.

Agree. WHE only one stood up for Maynard.

 

[domus]

Got very lucky but good sides win games like this. Now time to book the umps in for the optometrists first thing tomorrow morning.

We led all night. We got out to a five goal lead a few times. They never headed us once. Their best players dominated. Ours didn't. Lucky? Because they were incompetent in front of goal? We missed three gimmes early which should have seen us five or six goals up at quarter time. Melbourne are a tough, relentless team and we beat them.

Go Pies!

 

[HyPIEcrite]

Lippa, as expected, didn't hold up. The writing was on the wall - he just never got going this year. He couldn't handle the pressure at all. Even his kicks which hit targets were shanks off the inside of the boot. And the fumbles, such a killer.

Sad for him, but he's the obvious out for Naicos, Ginnivan, or even Johnny Noble. We're actually lucky he played so poorly, as that sort of performance can't be ignored, even though he's a coach favourite.

I wish this was the case but I feel he’s a Fly favorite. His fumbles, lack of pace and shanks are painful. At least Mitchell and Adams have ticker.


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[domus]

Great win. Great defense.

Serious questions about Fly's game day coaching.

Kicking it straight down the line to Gawn every bloody time got them back into it

The negativity on this thread is insane. We were the underdogs. Their best players starred. And we won. Be happy. Our coach has got us to the minor premiership and we have been the best side all year. Be happy.

 

[eyeroller]

I have no idea what is going to happen with Maynard... but I can't believe there are people (mostly oppo) trying to suggest it was some deliberate thug act with intent behind it.

 

[domus]

Our defensive efforts were elite.

Without our back six stepping up, we don’t win this match.

Well, the defense is a part of our team and they did what they have done all year.. It's like saying if Bradman didn't score that triple century Australia might not have won. They have done the same most of the year and that is why we sat on top.

 

[SquirrelGrrripp]

They have an umpire’s board?

Yup.. Apparently you have to fail the football comprehension test and you’re allowed to post.


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[Bramax]

There were other options but the selectors opted for WHE in defence instead of JFN. They got it right. Our defence was mighty tonight so I’m just not seeing how Noble would have improved that. Happy for you to think otherwise.

We all love JFN. WHE still offered pace and run out of defence like Noble but much more in the air. I was really happy with WHE’s game.

 

[domus]

We had 37 inside 50s to their 69. Extraordinary.

Efficient, aren't we?

 

[PonsfordMagpie]

Well, the defense is a part of our team and they did what they have done all year.. It's like saying if Bradman didn't score that triple century Australia might not have won. They have done the same most of the year and that is why we sat on top.

We conceded over 100+ points three consecutive weeks in the latter stages of the Home and Away season.

Fly mentioned it as an area we needed to improve on just prior to the finals. We've done that with 31 points conceded against Essendon and 53 this evening.

 

[YouBeauty]

Lucky worksafe is investigating Goodwin.

 

[Mollythedolly]

You make good sense but I don't care! I want my JFN back in the team!

I’ll try harder to keep that sensible stuff to a minimum.

 

[Cousin of Daicos]

Should never have been that close, but credit to the umpires, they never gave up hope.

Yeah it was pretty disgusting from the word go

Outside the free to Bobby in the first quarter, they just refused to let us gain momentum or pull away

 

[windchimes]

We should be ecstatic with this.

We got the job done against this lot who've been pumped up to the high heavens for weeks on end. A great team performance and a memorable few individual ones (Was that Hyphen's magnum opus?)

Most of all, we've earned ourselves a home prelim and banished these hyped up goblins to a grueling finals series and a likely brutal away prelim.

I love this famous club

 

[live fast pieyoung]

As good as our back were, this is really within the range of possibility: we have had the best backline in the league all year (the last few weeks count for nothing), and melbournes forwards are completely inefficient by design. Melbourne give their forwards so little chance to have a decent run at the ball. Its easy to defend and well within our capacity.

On the other hand, the two players that had a huge impact for us were Cox and Mitchell. Neither won thier position, but absolutely limited the impact by a lot. This is the form that bodes best for our campaign.

Meanwhile, JDG and Billy will bounce back next game for sure.

 

[HyPIEcrite]

They have an umpire’s board?

Bigfloggy.com


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[regpies]

McRae revealing that Cameron was ill and close to a late out for Noble.

Also accidentally revealed McStay wasn’t great after the hit. Then backtracked and said he passed the test so he was ok. Kind of sounded like he shouldn’t have been out there or very close to not passing the test.

 

[Ironmonger85]

Should never have been that close, but credit to the umpires, they never gave up hope.

My favourite was when Ginni got his head ripped off and they gave melb a free for HTB.

 

[brysie]

My thoughts from tonight:

• Huge first half from our boys. Unlucky that there wasn't a front-on contact free paid to McStay in the 2nd quarter which would've resulted in a shot on goal and a chance to stretch the gap against the run of play which might've been enough to almost put the game beyond reach even at that stage
• Umpires were diabolical - missed a lot both ways, although my non-Pies mate I was sitting next to said we were crucified
• Second half we weathered an onslaught from a hardened finals side with stars on every line - that is probably the biggest positive we can take away from tonight
• Notable mentions to Tom Mitchell for holding his own against a star-studded midfield, IQ for his ability to be in the right place at the right time, Bobby for his efficiency, WHE for the balance he brought to the side and standing up in big moments (same can be said for Dan McStay), Sidey for his elite decision-making and being an outlet from the back half, Howe for his discipline and disposal, Markov for his ability to do his job and generate drive. I also thought Lipinski did a very good job on Salem, even though his stats were a little on the low side
• Melbourne played a very taxing game catered towards their strengths - Gawn and Petracca were epic, especially Petracca in the final term. They also neutralised Darcy Moore
  30

  Darcy Moore

  Age

  28

  Ht

  203cm

  Wt

  100kg

  Pos.

  Def

  Career

  Season

  Last 5

  D

  11.1

  3star

  K

  7.0

  3star

  HB

  4.1

  3star

  M

  4.8

  5star

  T

  1.6

  4star

  MG

  169.1

  3star

  D

  13.9

  3star

  K

  7.3

  3star

  HB

  6.6

  4star

  M

  4.9

  5star

  T

  0.7

  1star

  MG

  182.0

  3star

  D

  6.8

  2star

  K

  4.2

  2star

  HB

  2.6

  3star

  M

  2.6

  3star

  T

  1.8

  4star

  MG

  87.4

  2star

  very well who, although not having a bad game, had some forgettable moments (kicking efficiency and spoiling a ball he should've marked in the square)
• Our decision-making can do with some adjustments - we wanted to control the game in the last quarter, but chose to kick down the line too early when we won the ball. Part of this was due to Melbourne's defensive structure, which was elite, but part of it in my opinion was due to players getting caught up in the moment. We knew that the lead was significant enough that the percentages meant we would likely run out winners, however we were too late to react and get back on the front foot
• I haven't been a fan of Noble and his omission was the right call. I can't fault his effort or enthusiasm, however Markov is a better athlete both in terms of size and speed and to me Noble is a very valuable depth player. It was a tough call but in my opinion the right call and demonstrates the depth we currently have
• A week's break, while frustrating in terms of continuity, will allow our players to reload. With any luck Sydney and Carlton belt the living piss out of each other tomorrow night, Ross finds a way to tax GWS and Port run Brisbane close or win to plant some seeds of doubt, followed by some nailbiting and exhaustive semi finals next week

 

[sr36]

Insert eye roll here.

Your view is so simplistic it's akin to sticking your fingers in your ears 'la la la la la la la' trying to drown out reality.

Our back 7 saved us, not to mention the dees exceptionally woeful kicking - that really saved our asses.

If you don't wanna acknowledge what can't be disputed then I don't know what to tell you.

Probably best you don't reply coz it's obvious you don't wanna to accept what was reality.

Good night and go Pies.

Nah. We outplayed them. Got a good lead. And then in the last quarter got numbers back tried for continual ball ups and boundary throw ins to make sure they didn't kick 5 goals

 

[Ironmonger85]

McRae revealing that Cameron was ill and close to a late out for Noble.

Cox had flu/covid during his week off too, hopefully the pies are done with flu's this year by the prelim at least Cox/Cameron should be right now until the GF.

 

[brysie]

My favourite was when Ginni got his head ripped off and they gave melb a free for HTB.

I thought that was the right call. Jack ducked his head and tried to do too much - once he was tackled, it was holding the ball.

Lots of other questionable calls tonight though, with many in Melbourne's favour.

 

[eyeroller]

The thing is that Melbourne were never going to just lay down and die in the last quarter- just like we wouldn't have if the roles were reversed. They had to come out in the last and give it everything to try to grab the win. Both teams knew losing this one leads to a potentially far more gruelling path to the GF.