Thoughts on Collingwood's win v Adelaide

[MarcusP2]

I don't think we were even pressing that much, Collingwood had more I50s for the game. However when we did get it in we were kicking goals, because of our direct entry gameplan.

In the last part of the game we couldn't get any I50s at all. Couldn't even get the ball.

 

[bobsyouruncle]

The conspiracy theory side of me think maybe Mick Malt is playing mind games. Telling his team to play poorly for 1/2 then see if they can come back blasting. Also giving other teams a false sense of security by thinking Collingwood can be beaten a certain way.

The less suspicious and more rational side of me thinks Adelaide put up a good fight and played the game on their terms for 1/2 the match thanks to some good coaching, then matched the Pies for 1/4 then the Crows players ran out of steam.

Would normally go with the rational side....but 11 goal in 18 mins is giving the conspiracy side of me a bit of ammo lol.

 

[jj1978]

I still find it amusing that certain Collingwood supporters think they are the only team striving till round 15 to pick up their pace. Seriously quite a few teams that are legitimate chances are aiming to peak by around that stage.

Geelong - Scott has mentioned a few times over the last few weeks that the Cats are building up and hope to be at their best later in the season.

Carlton - has been mentioned we were hitting prior to the Geelong game second phase of our workload and build up into the season.

Hawthorn and Freo I've heard also have a build up strategy in place.

So there are another 4 teams "building up" and hoping to reach peak later in the season and I would not be surprised if Essendon (Bomber Thompson influence), StKilda and Bulldogs have similar plans (albeit some of them were not planning on going so badly this year).

Good on Collingwood for their awesome last quarter, you got on a roll and won... but if you were playing a more mature experienced team with a 3-4 goal lead early in the 4th it might have been a little different.

 

[King Elvis]

Last quarter, we just couldn't get our hands on the footy.

Scotty Thommo is as impressive as his guns are big (and should be in AA contention), but when the Pies lifted a notch, he was the only one (in the middle) who could go with them. Wood and Jacobs were both getting the Pies first touch of the footy, and our guys weren't smart enough or good enough to lock guys like Thomas down.

I've never seen a team leave as much free space at the bottom of the ruck contest like the Crows did yesterday

When we did get the footy, we unfortunately have 3-4 players who constantly make dumb decisions and turn the footy over.

Still, some good signs for us in a year or two, and a lot of positives to build on.

But Collingwood are scarily good. Getting rid of Malthouse when he has them playing at this level is the ballsiest, riskiest move ever.

 

[the distributer]

I still find it amusing that certain Collingwood supporters think they are the only team striving till round 15 to pick up their pace. Seriously quite a few teams that are legitimate chances are aiming to peak by around that stage.

Geelong - Scott has mentioned a few times over the last few weeks that the Cats are building up and hope to be at their best later in the season.

Carlton - has been mentioned we were hitting prior to the Geelong game second phase of our workload and build up into the season.

Hawthorn and Freo I've heard also have a build up strategy in place.

So there are another 4 teams "building up" and hoping to reach peak later in the season and I would not be surprised if Essendon (Bomber Thompson influence), StKilda and Bulldogs have similar plans (albeit some of them were not planning on going so badly this year).

Good on Collingwood for their awesome last quarter, you got on a roll and won... but if you were playing a more mature experienced team with a 3-4 goal lead early in the 4th it might have been a little different.

We've been down on form for a while, We struggled to fend of Essendon (not a bad team but lets get serious, they shouldn't of been able to get within 10 goals of us if we were fair dinkum), we also struggled against you guys, again, not a bad team but hardly top shelf, we played shockingly bad against the cats, we still shouldve won the game but the cats were clearly the better team on the night, our scope for improvment is bigger than anyone elses, clearly.

 

[Pie eyed]

i think maxwell is a complete spud and a worse premiership captain than tom harley

Considering they are both Premiership Captains it's clear that the two word "plea" at the start of your rant is not true.

At least neither has been photographed showing the sort of "leadership" St Kilda's Captain exhibits.

 

[barmy44]

i think maxwell is a complete spud and a worse premiership captain than tom harley

you couldnt have it more wrong in regards to both of those players.

harley alone did amazing things for the club in more ways than just onfield in regards to his playing ability, which at his best, was very good.

cant really comment on maxwell as i dont see an awful lot of him, but strikes me as an excellent captain, with his teams complete confidence, who at his best plays his role very, very well.

couldnt really ask for more from either of them.

woeful post.

 

[King Elvis]

I don't rate Maxwell as a player, but you can't knock what he's done as a Captain.

 

[the distributer]

I don't rate Maxwell as a player, but you can't knock what he's done as a Captain.

Are there many AA players you don't rate?

 

[TownleyTime]

Now that IS interesting. There are some on our board who have been complaining Freo hasn't played the press early this year. Last year we did it really well early and got the wins on the board but were shot ducks by about round 15. Will be very interesting to see how West Coast & Essendon go toward the end of the year.

That is why every side (I haven't really seen much of Freo this year) who is employing the press now in a disciplined manner is playing into the hands of Collingwood. Even with our advanced fitness through Arizona, Westpac Center & Buttifant, it took at least 18 months for us to be able sustain it for prolonged periods of time.

The noticable thing of yesterday were rotation numbers were ramped up in the last 1/4, last week, the only time rotation numbers for Collingwood were at 2010 levels was the 2nd quarter. Geelong didn't score a goal.

 

[Catsace]

Collingwood certainly have that ability to just crunch a side when they get on a roll. That win reminded me of what Geelong did in 2007-08 a bit when they just stepped up in the last quarter and exploded on the scoreboard. To be honest i though they would have started off like that against the Crows after the defeat last week, the Pies i am sure don't like defeats...Mick certainly doesn't.

With Geelong, i'm not sure that we really need to 'press' against most sides in the comp. Talent wise our natural game-plan would be good enough to defeat at least 10-11 other sides as it is, obviously this year Carlton, West Coast, Hawthorn and Essendon are significantly improved. Certainly against the Pies the Cats would need to be disciplined 100% and be on the game, since the Pies more naturally play their intense press, plus to be honest i feel the Pies players generally are faster than Geelong's. That's why the Pies' spread is so devastating as they have that dual ability to be simultaneously hard at the contest, yet be forward of the ball in waves much like the Dogs of 1997. Except rather than just Romero, Liberatore and Dimattina doing the grunt work, the Pies have a much deeper group of mids who can do that.

I do feel that Collingwood certainly are the side who if they run as quick as they can with the intensity they can, they will be the hardest to beat this year.

 

[satan1]

Watching this game and the Bulldogs contest I wondered if the Pies 'flick the switch' or whether they get on a roll when they smell blood. Geelong in their prime took great pride in overpowering teams when they where at their best, Collingwood at this stage of the year seem to be waiting for an opening.

Not sure what it is but they don't have the aura of invincibility that I thought they would this season, have been beaten for large parts of a handful of games now. They deserve to be premiership favourites but it will be interesting to see if they find that extra gear towards the end of the year.

 

[rose jam]

Not sure what it is but they don't have the aura of invincibility that I thought they would this season, have been beaten for large parts of a handful of games now. They deserve to be premiership favourites but it will be interesting to see if they find that extra gear towards the end of the year.

The mindset of the coaching staff is about injury management and player game time management because they know the Pies can make top 4 on one leg. This filters to the team who just go out and la-di-da until they think, "gees, we'd better put in an effort here", and whooshka ka-bimidy-bam it's showtime. And man, what a freaking show they put on.

 

[Number 10]

That win reminded me of what Geelong did in 2007-08 a bit when they just stepped up in the last quarter and exploded on the scoreboard.

Very, very similar (except Geelong would have put a bit more pressure on the scoreboard in the first half). I remember always worrying about when you guys would hit that gear when we played you. You never saw it coming and within 10 minutes they'd kick 6 - 8 goals and be ahead. Was shit for us, good for you though...

I thought, bar that 20 minutes, was woeful!

the main reason we were losing so bad, besides goal kicking, was our lack of tackling at centre bounces. We miss tackled and sometimes just didn't even bother to get the body in there to tackle and Adelaide burnt out with it.

I noticed Swan was a bit sore and Ball was down, but they all turned up the pressure in the last and we saw what happened.

Definately need to work harder defensively in the widdle if we are a chance this year.

 

[King Elvis]

Are there many AA players you don't rate?

Yea, a few.

Maxwell is a good player, but I don't think he deserved his AA; not that it matters.

You're a very even side with a couple of stars, and a couple of guys who are well on their way to being stars; I rate Maxwell, just not as one of the best 6 defenders in the comp.

The mindset of the coaching staff is about injury management and player game time management because they know the Pies can make top 4 on one leg. This filters to the team who just go out and la-di-da until they think, "gees, we'd better put in an effort here", and whooshka ka-bimidy-bam it's showtime. And man, what a freaking show they put on.

I'm worried that this is right.

Collingwood just look so far in front of everybody at the moment - with their preparation as well as their performances.

And I know this is a dumb thing to say considering they lost last week, and we pushed them for 3.5 quarters yesterday, but still... I think Geelong/Hawks might challenge them, but I'm not confident that, when the Pies put the foot down, anyone can go with them.

 

[donbooger]

Collingwood are the bench mark and every team throws everything they have at them each week.

They are just taking it easy each week and doing enough to win, against adelaide they left it late and had to go to top gear for a bit to win and over did it.

Like Geelong has done every year you wont see Collingwoods best till the end, I dont think anyone except Geelong has a chance at beating them when the time comes and I would like to see some heavy wind and rain on that day for me to be confident we could as well.

 

[MarkT2]

Definately need to work harder defensively in the widdle if we are a chance this year.

You taking the piss?

 

[mattys123]

Like Geelong has done every year you wont see Collingwoods best till the end, I dont think anyone except Geelong has a chance at beating them when the time comes and I would like to see some heavy wind and rain on that day for me to be confident we could as well.

Thankfully the Grand Final is in October this year, increasing the chances of a good day weather wise.

There's almost no doubt the Cats are the best wet weather team in the comp, well at least out of the top 4-5 teams anyway.

I don't know if the Cats or Hawks could match us on a dry day, simply because we haven't seen that this year yet, I'd love for the round 15 game versus the Hawks to be a dry, sunny Sunday arvo at the MCG, it would be a great indication as to how good both teams actually are.

 

[Connoisseur]

Thankfully the Grand Final is in October this year, increasing the chances of a good day weather wise.

There's almost no doubt the Cats are the best wet weather team in the comp, well at least out of the top 4-5 teams anyway.

I don't know if the Cats or Hawks could match us on a dry day, simply because we haven't seen that this year yet, I'd love for the round 15 game versus the Hawks to be a dry, sunny Sunday arvo at the MCG, it would be a great indication as to how good both teams actually are.

October is usually (99%) the wettest month of the year.

I thought most Melburnians were aware of that.

 

[Chronz]

i think maxwell is a complete spud and a worse premiership captain than tom harley

Both premiership captains that beat a certain disgracefully cultured club for the big prize.

 

[Lockyer24]

We have mastered the art of the uncomfortable 8 goal win.

 

[Bassy]

About the "hitting the stride for round 15" all good coaches do that, and all coaches that have gone deep into the finals know how to do it well (sorry Carlton fans, Carlton just haven't been getting that part of the game right) but Mick is taking it to absurd levels. Purposely lowering rotations, switching up player positions (Maxwell in the forward line?!), not deploying the press as much and resting pretty much everyone is really aggressive. It's just strange and I wonder if it might backfire but I trust Mick.

On the weather thing as all Melbournian's know, you cannot predict the weather.

I still think the only team that could trouble the Pies in the finals is Geelong and while Carlton looked good, I just think Geelong know when to peak and have that finals experience. Last year Collingwood's gameplan and superior form just outclassed Geelong but they have tweaked their gameplan and some of their older players (and young like that Selwood) just look phenomenal.

 

[Smokeyr67]

The mindset of the coaching staff is about injury management and player game time management because they know the Pies can make top 4 on one leg. This filters to the team who just go out and la-di-da until they think, "gees, we'd better put in an effort here", and whooshka ka-bimidy-bam it's showtime. And man, what a freaking show they put on.

I love your use of technical terminology, makes me feel all warm and fuzzy

 

[Jedi01]

I still find it amusing that certain Collingwood supporters think they are the only team striving till round 15 to pick up their pace. Seriously quite a few teams that are legitimate chances are aiming to peak by around that stage.

The main point is that while other teams would def have this plan also, if Collingwood hit peak form around this time, its prob game over.

 

[Powerstufff]

.... if Collingwood hit peak form around this time, its prob game over.

A little humility please. If the ball had bounced slightly differently to Milne in the first GF last year you would not be experiencing your current feeling of invulnerability.