Review QF = Geelong 78-72 Collingwood

[peter9789]

Unfortunately if we don’t win it this year then we won’t for a long time. Our next rung of players in the VFL is not up to it. We basically have no mids coming through. Fin is ok but we don’t need ok we need stars. We are going to lose a number of older players in the next year or so and I just don’t see the kids being any good. Nick is a star, light framed small body who will do well. AJ is a good hybrid forward. Apart from that……. So the loss was very disappointing we’ve been very lucky this season

Unfortunately I have to agree, and I’m a glass half full kinda person.

We’ve been amazing this season - but if half those close wins go against us we probably don’t event make the 8 - which makes last night’s performance even more meritorious.

Our list has glaring deficiencies but we have developed a game plan to paper over those - well coached. Our mid field lack the talent and depth of say the swans, and we lack talent up forward - if Cameron plays for Collingwood we win easy last night.

This list will not get us much further - given Pendles, Sidey, and Howe entering their last season next year.

Desperately need more A grade talent on the list


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[Chrispiesssss]

People have already commented the lack of game time for Cox. It was actually the lowest of the year. I can’t comprehend why we would do that.

Cox had 2 score involvements, 23 hit outs & 2 marks (both contested) in 45% TOG while Cameron also had 2 SI’s, 25 hit outs & 3 marks (1 contested) in 83% TOG.

What I found particularly weird was when we didn’t play Jaicos in the Center bounces. He’s been decent in there over the last month or so.

 

[Capital Magpie]

Unfortunately if we don’t win it this year then we won’t for a long time. Our next rung of players in the VFL is not up to it. We basically have no mids coming through. Fin is ok but we don’t need ok we need stars. We are going to lose a number of older players in the next year or so and I just don’t see the kids being any good. Nick is a star, light framed small body who will do well. AJ is a good hybrid forward. Apart from that……. So the loss was very disappointing we’ve been very lucky this season

Great, just what this board needs - another sad sack glass half full pessimist. Spare me! You don't rate our young talent coming through? No lover for Ollie Henry, Josh Carmichael (with a full pre-season to improve his tank). I could go on, but my words are likely falling on deaf ears.

 

[hellfire]

What I found particularly weird was when we didn’t play Jaicos in the Center bounces. He’s been decent in there over the last month or so.

I think it was purely a result of Adams and De Goey both playing for the first time in many weeks.

 

[Mollythedolly]

We have different perceptions. I was extremely confident they were going to be paid - and they were - so I'm pretty confident with my perception.

Interesting that your confident in your perceptions yet you’re surprised that the umps didn’t pay what you thought was the most obvious instance. Irony much. I’ll leave it there as we’ll never find an accord.

 

[loki04]

If we do beat Freo, wouldn't the game be at MCG given we finished higher?

Swans were 3rd (we were 4th) and won their qualifying final and will be their home game.

 

[Mollythedolly]

The deliberate (well deliberate not paid) I'm confused about was one that was in our favour.

Sidebottom was just outside 50 at the punt rd end on the MCC side of the ground and was in a position to intercept the kick. The closest Geelong player was a good 5m away from him and he elected to punch the ball, which went straight out of bounds, instead of taking an uncontested mark.

Surely they have to pay that if a ball slammed on the side of the boot under pressure can 'intentionally' find it's way to the boundary.

Pressure is as much perceived as actual. Sidey was well within his rights to spoil that footy over the line.

 

[Mollythedolly]

You'll leave our discussion there? Can it be called a discussion when your post is the first exchange we've had on the particular matter?

Righto, gotcha, etc.

Was actually the 2nd or 3rd on the subject (umpiring decisions) but it’s rude of me to expect you to keep up.

 

[loki04]

I think considering how much we bombed it up forward with no targets it was a bad move not having Cox up forward more

His best footy comes in the ruck, which I thought he was doing well in the first half.

I also was surprised when they elected for Cameron over him.

 

[loki04]

Pressure is as much perceived as actual. Sidey was well within his rights to spoil that footy over the line.

I think if you can double fist it you can mark it. So was the poor option he chose but over all he was one of our best so can't be too critical of him.

 

[sr36]

Interesting that your confident in your perceptions yet you’re surprised that the umps didn’t pay what you thought was the most obvious instance. Irony much. I’ll leave it there as we’ll never find an accord.

You're putting words into my mouth. I didn't say I was surprised. I said I was "pissed off" My perception is that Umps haven't fully clued in to forwards playing it to the boundary line to gain a forward stoppage and field position when there's nothing else on, so they're less inclined to pay them in forward 50. So whilst I was annoyed that they didn't pay that one against Cameron, I wasn't surprised. Exiting defence that would have been a free against Cameron every single time, so the umpire interpretation changing depending on ground position irks me.

 

[Bianconeri]

We lost the game in the second quarter where we let Geelong score 4 goals in a row. WHE set shot at the end mitigated that a bit but you can’t play such a poor quarter of footy against one of the best teams in the comp and expect a win.

We continually tried to take options in the corridor that weren’t there and kept opening up our defence by turning it over.

 

[JB1975]

Was actually the 2nd or 3rd on the subject (umpiring decisions) but it’s rude of me to expect you to keep up.

The sooks about umpiring were indeed many.

Thanks for your kind and polite understanding.

 

[Gimmeafree]

Firstly, the umpires. Farcical corruption-bordering display against the Pies. you guys were sensational and 100% deserved to win. I hope other neutrals can finally acknowledge how good you guys are and stop talking about luck.

fwiw, I think you’ll smash the Dockers and look forward to welcoming you guys to the prelim where we’ll see 2 deserving sides going at it again - where really anything can happen.

 

[loki04]

Yep. I personally think we lost a bit of the dare that has been getting us over the line. Got to make sure we continue to take it on.

Perhaps the cats were set up really well defensively, but I had a bad feeling when JDG made that beautiful play out of defence to hit someone in the centre square. It felt like we should have been off to the races with a shot on goal, but the next two possessions were a bit non-committal/safe.

Yeah there was a lot of chip and hold at HB then long down the line to a contest.
Also thought we didn't look inboard as much as we usually do prefering safe options on wing.

 

[Bianconeri]

Yep. I personally think we lost a bit of the dare that has been getting us over the line. Got to make sure we continue to take it on.

Perhaps the cats were set up really well defensively, but I had a bad feeling when JDG made that beautiful play out of defence to hit someone in the centre square. It felt like we should have been off to the races with a shot on goal, but the next two possessions were a bit non-committal/safe.

I don’t think we lost our dare Geelong just shut it down. In the second quarter we stubbornly tried to kick into corridor the whole quarter whilst Geelong forced the turned we and opened us up.

 

[gouki88]

If it was, that - along with the higher pressure obviously - would explain a few of the fairly regulation marks that were dropped at times

What was it like being at that game? That must have been incredible

I was right behind the Pies cheer squad, so it was very much friendly territory. The atmosphere was electric right up until that final goal. That was the fastest deflation of a group of people I'd ever witnessed.

All part of the theatre of the game though. 91k, and to me a pretty good balance of Pies fans & Cats fans.

 

[sr36]

I don’t think we lost our dare Geelong just shut it down. In the second quarter we stubbornly tried to kick into corridor the whole quarter whilst Geelong forced the turned we and opened us up.

I think it was our ball handling under pressure that cost us in that second quarter. I'm probably reading too much into that one play towards the end, but it stood out to me at the time. It felt like we tried to not stuff up a good position, rather than putting the foot down.

 

[thebaldfacts]

Proud of the boys. Went to the game and was worried about getting smashed, so pleasantly surprised that we took it right up to them.
Always concerned that the close loss was going to come in the GF, so good to see it is out of the way.
Must win next week though. Going out in straight sets would be disappointing given the year we have had.

 

[FromTheBoundaryLine]

Cox‘s time on ground or lack of it is a bit perplexing. I thought it was my imagination that I didn’t see him much after the first half. Hopefully no injury concerns there.
Umpiring. Not going to suggest that it cost us the game cause it’s generally 50/50 over the course of a match.
The thing that irks me is the change in interpretation that can vary almost from game to game. One game no prior opportunity, next game we’ll let you have all the time in the world. One game holding the ball paid as normal next game holding the ball decisions judged differently.
This makes it difficult for both teams frankly. No doubt the AFL will make it harder for umps next year with another interpretation introduced.

 

[domus]

Unfortunately I have to agree, and I’m a glass half full kinda person.

We’ve been amazing this season - but if half those close wins go against us we probably don’t event make the 8 - which makes last night’s performance even more meritorious.

Our list has glaring deficiencies but we have developed a game plan to paper over those - well coached. Our mid field lack the talent and depth of say the swans, and we lack talent up forward - if Cameron plays for Collingwood we win easy last night.

This list will not get us much further - given Pendles, Sidey, and Howe entering their last season next year.

Desperately need more A grade talent on the list


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Glaring deficiencies? So, we are level with two minutes remaining against a super side with no apparent deficiencies. We were the better side for most of the night in a red hot cauldron and now we are going to fall away because we were lucky to win so many close games. How does a team with glaring deficiencies match a top-class team and flag favourite for the duration of a final? That's a long time. We were the only team that looked like establishing a big lead. Teams with glaring deficiencies can sustain an adrenalin-based effort for a quarter but once the game settles they get blown away. That never happened to our boys. We were the ones who pushed our lead out to two goals early in the last and it was Geelong playing catch up most of the day.

I could just as easily say we will win more of those close games by more comfortable margins next year. Pendles and Sidey will both play on next year and we will pick up more depth over the summer and following summer if they retire. McInnes, McCreery, AJ, N Daicos. Krueger, Dean, JC and possibly Bobby Hill, McStay and Mitchell will give us depth.

I also have great faith in Graham Wright and Craig McCrae. They are not sitting on their hands. I think we will play finals again next year.

 

[HFF]

The Cox TOG is odd. He looked OK when on - stuck a few marks and had some good follow ups. Maybe it was something to do with the matchups, and Cameron doing his bit? But Geelong are a tall team, so? If it was to do with a different 'finals' strategy from the coaches, I'm not sure it worked.

What do you mean he was ok?
He took 2 marks for the game ..we got nothing out of him sadly all day

 

[KinderSmock]

Player stats. Thoughts at the game was why didn't Cox take more of the centre bounces and didn't understand why he spent so much time on the bench only to see that he spent 46% TOG. Their HO numbers are pretty much the same, didn't think it was one of Cameron's best games.
Moore was outstanding IMO as was Captain Courageous, may he continue for a few more years. Rarely beaten.

View attachment 1499132

Cox dominated in the ruck for his TOG.

 

[KinderSmock]

What do you mean he was ok?
He took 2 marks for the game ..we got nothing out of him sadly all day

Did you see his HO stats? 23 for half the time Cameron played.

 

[HFF]

Did you see his HO stats? 23 for half the time Cameron played.

Geelong have no real dominant ruck
Hitouts are useless when you take 2 marks
Grundy gets roped on this every time