Game Day Round 1 vs. Sydney, MCG, 7:40pm Fri 15/03

[Scodog10]

On Mitchell he was average, no doubt about that, but I doubt his subbing off was solely based around performance. I'd imagine it was likely around the fact it was a 6 day break interstate, and he's one of our senior players. The fossils can take longer to build into a season so I wouldn't be jumping on the "play the youth" bandwagon.

The play the youth thing IMO should only be for any team the minute they can't mathematically make finals. Even then I'm very strong on selection integrity, as is Fly.

I’m thinking performance probably wasn’t much of a factor and that it was a little of Mitchell being underdone and a lot of wanting to get more run into the mix. With our start to the season though older guys needing to manage and build into the season is my big concern. The next two are crucial for our top 4 chances now and we’ve got a fit hungry young mid waiting in the wings who we need to find a spot for. I agree on a youth push though the addition of Dean and Macrae is plenty depending on AJ’s performance this week.

 

[sr36]

On Mitchell he was average, no doubt about that, but I doubt his subbing off was solely based around performance. I'd imagine it was likely around the fact it was a 6 day break interstate, and he's one of our senior players. The fossils can take longer to build into a season so I wouldn't be jumping on the "play the youth" bandwagon.

I don't think we'd have played a mid in round 1 with a pre-plan of subbing him out due to player management. I think it was simply a tactical sub. We were behind and switched to all out attack. A plodder off. Move Crisps dash into the guts and replace him in defence with a dasher. We wanted some explosive chains through the corridor.

 

[Cousin of Daicos]

Looks like we are going to have some teething problems this year as they tinker with the gameplan.

From the GWS game, it seems. the coaches want to have more pressure in the front half. (ironically that meant we didnt play off the back foot like we did last year and found it harder to score as a result. Meanwhile, GWS played like we did last year with scoring chains from defence. )

I think we still looked good in patches. I think it may take a few months at least until we start hitting our stride and getting the formula right. But I have faith in our coaches and I'm glad they are a proactive bunch who aren't afraid to try new things and keep evolving.

I think what was more frustrating was that had we just kicked straighter we probably aren’t even having the conversation.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

Maybe he just isn't ready yet. It could even be that he's not that good. The GWS midfield killed us and if Fin played they would have killed us even more. I think it says a lot that we decided to go with 2 experienced players knowing that they won't be playing a chunk of the game. I'd be picking JFN over Fin everyday

That’s definitely one possible answer, unlikely as it is that the Collingwood coaching staff think Fin is a dud…

 

[Run n Spread]

That’s definitely one possible answer, unlikely as it is that the Collingwood coaching staff think Fin is a dud…

So why extend him?
Hard to argue with results but McRae (coach) seems to value stability and set structure. Can be hard for the fringe players to get a look in unless for injuries and even than they are playing bit part roles.
On this week's game should handle Sydney on the g who were ok against the dees but nothing jaw dropping. Go 3-2 ath the bye and can build in. Thou draw isn't easy after that

 

[manicpie]

That’s definitely one possible answer, unlikely as it is that the Collingwood coaching staff think Fin is a dud…

I have no idea what the coaching staff think of him and I didn't say he was a dud. Fin has plenty to work on still and obviously they don't think he's ready. They just added an year to his contract, so I doubt they think he's a dud

 

[memoryofmchale]

Surely you don’t expect a ruck combo of Cameron and Frampton to deal with Grundy?

Cox and Cameron must play.

Frampton won't be playing as a second ruck. He hasn't completed a full pre-season in the role, he hasn't played in the role recently. He's the back-up. Grundy would turn Frampton into a black and white cone. He's experienced with that from his time with Melbourne ... on Thursday night.

If he dominated Max Gawn, you wait until he matches up on Frampton.

 

[memoryofmchale]

That’s definitely one possible answer, unlikely as it is that the Collingwood coaching staff think Fin is a dud…

There's not a single staff member at Collingwood who thinks Fin is a dud. If we thought he was, we would have asked him to find an alternative employer for 2025.

 

[memoryofmchale]

Maybe he just isn't ready yet. It could even be that he's not that good. The GWS midfield killed us and if Fin played they would have killed us even more. I think it says a lot that we decided to go with 2 experienced players knowing that they won't be playing a chunk of the game. I'd be picking JFN over Fin everyday

No, he's ready. More ready than AJ. Noble plays a different role to Fin, hence why he has earned selection over him. I would not be picking Noble over Fin every day of the week.

 

[Jen2310]

Fraser hinted to me last night fin will play this week.
They rate him highly he said. Even if it’s a hard team to crack into.


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[manicpie]

Frampton won't be playing as a second ruck. He hasn't completed a full pre-season in the role, he hasn't played in the role recently. He's the back-up. Grundy would turn Frampton into a black and white cone. He's experienced with that from his time with Melbourne ... on Thursday night.

If he dominated Max Gawn, you wait until he matches up on Frampton.

In the last 3 years, Grundy has been able to put in a big game after he's come under fire from the media and the footy world in general. His follow up games have been Grundy just being average again. It was his fist game for Sydney and against the club that thought he was dud. He might still have a bit of fire in the belly this week but I think he's the least of our problems against sydney. Honesty, some of his disposals against melbourne were really, really bad. We'll go with Cox and Cameron and that will be enough

 

[manicpie]

No, he's ready. More ready than AJ. Noble plays a different role to Fin, hence why he has earned selection over him. I would not be picking Noble over Fin every day of the week.

They will probably pick JFN again over Fin this week. We haven't really gone for like for like replacements in the last 2 years. The only time we do it is when we lose a tall. It has nothing to do with what position they play.

 

[memoryofmchale]

Fraser hinted to me last night fin will play this week.
They rate him highly he said. Even if it’s a hard team to crack into.


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Fly mentioned it last week, too. Wouldn't surprise me if we had a rotations of veterans resting. One a week, Fin fills in. Starts to work out well so they maintain their bodies and we can develop youth.

 

[The Phantom]

FFS - it’s the second round of the year and we’re talking about resting players?

Can we please have an embargo on talking about resting players until at least round 7?

Good grief, Charlie Brown.

 

[sr36]

No, he's ready. More ready than AJ. Noble plays a different role to Fin, hence why he has earned selection over him. I would not be picking Noble over Fin every day of the week.

Despite all the talk around it, I still think they'd often pick a 22 and then add the sub for tactical or flexibility reasons. Noble as sub gives us more tactical flexibility, because it enables us to do what we did against GWS and shift Crisp into the guts for additional line breaking potential - whilst keeping dash from behind the ball. It enables us to be more attacking if we're behind and need goals. GWS were too good for it to work - but that will still be our MO when we need goals. Macrae as a sub doesn't give us flexibility or the ability to change our dynamic in that way.

 

[LuckyLee]

Dean will get another week and should have an easier time against Swans.

OUT: Johnson, Markov
IN: McInnes, Macrae

Jamie Elliott needs to lift. I can’t remember last time he delivered a significant performance but he seems to escape scrutiny thanks to past heroics. He was far worse than Schultz against GWS.


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[sideswipe]

Dean will get another week and should have an easier time against Swans.

OUT: Johnson, Markov
IN: McInnes, Macrae

Jamie Elliott needs to lift. I can’t remember last time he delivered a significant performance but he seems to escape scrutiny thanks to past heroics. He was far worse than Schultz against GWS.


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This has been pointed out before but bears mentioning again. Read this slowly. Elliott is coming off the most productive season of his CAREER.

 

[LuckyLee]

I was at the GWS game and one thing that stood out and frustrated the hell out of me was our stagnant key forwards. None of them lead strongly or repeatedly to the ball carriers. They were flat-footed all night, which forced us to bomb it in mindlessly to the advantage of GWS’s excellent (and widely underrated) key defenders, or to chip it short and wide to a small forward or midfielder for a long, low-percentage shot at goal.

At the other end of the ground, Hogan, Cadman and Callum Brown were always on the move, leading and blocking for each other in the central corridor, which kept our defenders uncomfortable and resulted in many i50 marks and goals.

When it comes to forward line function and tactics, we were totally out-coached on the night.


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[LuckyLee]

This has been pointed out before but bears mentioning again. Read this slowly. Elliott is coming off the most productive season of his CAREER.

We all love Jamie but he kicked one goal across last year’s Finals series and none on Saturday night. Strong opposition sides in all of those games but that’s when we most need our senior players to deliver.


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[unplugged]

I was at the GWS game and one thing that stood out and frustrated the hell out of me was our stagnant key forwards. None of them lead strongly or repeatedly to the ball carriers. They were flat-footed all night, which forced us to bomb it in mindlessly to the advantage of GWS’s excellent (and widely underrated) key defenders, or to chip it short and wide to a small forward or midfielder for a long, low-percentage shot at goal.

At the other end of the ground, Hogan, Cadman and Callum Brown were always on the move, leading and blocking for each other in the central corridor, which kept our defenders uncomfortable and resulted in many i50 marks and goals.

When it comes to forward line function and tactics, we were totally out-coached on the night.


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From some of the footage I've seen since the game, a huge problem for us was limited pressure on the ball carrier in the midfield.

It means our forwards have to push up to force frontal pressure and they end up getting a player free over the back.

Hopefully they pack their running boots on Friday.

 

[sideswipe]

We all love Jamie but he kicked one goal across last year’s Finals series and none on Saturday night. Strong opposition sides in all of those games but that’s when we most need our senior players to deliver.


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You need to look a bit closer at what he does in games. For example, 5 inside 50s and 4 tackles on GF day. He added plenty that day.

 

[sideswipe]

From some of the footage I've seen since the game, a huge problem for us was limited pressure on the ball carrier in the midfield.

It means our forwards have to push up to force frontal pressure and they end up getting a player free over the back.

Hopefully they pack their running boots on Friday.

Reminds me of the old, "bring your runners" after a big loss.

 

[domus]

In the last 3 years, Grundy has been able to put in a big game after he's come under fire from the media and the footy world in general. His follow up games have been Grundy just being average again. It was his fist game for Sydney and against the club that thought he was dud. He might still have a bit of fire in the belly this week but I think he's the least of our problems against sydney. Honesty, some of his disposals against melbourne were really, really bad. We'll go with Cox and Cameron and that will be enough

Early on his disposal was shocking. He was doing what he used to do at Collingwood- handballing to players in poor positions, refusing to back pedal off the mark before kicking and choosing to kick off one step, usually resulting in a turnover. It was almost always due to a brain fade or laziness as he generally has good skills. But it was infuriating. He definitely improved as the game went on.

 

[Cousin of Daicos]

I'm more than happy to write off Round 0 if I see a stronger performance against the Swans

We lose in a similar fashion to the GWS game? Then I'll definitely be worried we're just playing the role of the 2023 Cats

 

[MoreMoore]

I was at the GWS game and one thing that stood out and frustrated the hell out of me was our stagnant key forwards. None of them lead strongly or repeatedly to the ball carriers. They were flat-footed all night, which forced us to bomb it in mindlessly to the advantage of GWS’s excellent (and widely underrated) key defenders, or to chip it short and wide to a small forward or midfielder for a long, low-percentage shot at goal.

At the other end of the ground, Hogan, Cadman and Callum Brown were always on the move, leading and blocking for each other in the central corridor, which kept our defenders uncomfortable and resulted in many i50 marks and goals.

When it comes to forward line function and tactics, we were totally out-coached on the night.


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I think it would be a great idea to have Howe replace AJ
Need someone to organize the forward line. None of them seem to know what they are doing.
Howe is a great leader and organizer
Frampton Dean and Moore can all play back and build some chemistry