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A few random observations after watching the replay:

• Bailey Dale's kicking was outstanding.  It is outstanding most weeks of course, but in a close game like that where you have to take risks to split the opposition lines he can deliver quickly with surgical accuracy.  Watching him should be a lesson to all juniors (and coaches of very young juniors).  Don't just slam it on the boot.  Learn how to kick like that, kids!
• Dale wasn't all that influential in the first half but was outstanding in the second half.  Not sure if McRae had somebody trying to shut him down after he was BoG last week but he really opened them up in the second half.
• Very impressed with Ed Richards' game.  Seldom fumbled or coughed it up.  High success rate in contested ball.
• For once Tim English had pretty good hitout stats but was pretty ineffectual around the ground. Dropped a few marks he would normally take.  Bevo has always stood by him for his around-the-ground contributions (and has been prepared to concede the hitouts).  I wonder how he viewed this performance?
• I'm hoping it's just a confidence thing with English and that he will start to click if he takes a few grabs, and kicks a few goals.  But it needs to happen soon.
• Sam Davidson put in some mighty efforts and was still going strong in that last quarter when those with fainter hearts might have faded.  That chase on Bobby Hill (one of the fastest blokes around), another chase on the wing, a great contested mark which resulted in the late Darcy goal, and some fearless work in close.  He's very athletic and is made of stern stuff.
• Another player with a lot of ticker is Bailey Williams.  Some great one-on-one efforts and plenty of composure when Collingwood were ramping up the pressure. His two efforts to spoil the mark and then touch the ball off the Collingwood boot were teamlifting.
• I really like Josh Dolan who looks like he could improve every week he plays.  However his production is still very low and I'm not sure we can afford the luxury of playing him in the seniors while he's finding his feet. It's been a gutsy selection call by Bevo but I think there are better options at the moment.
• Laitham Vandermeer has now put together two good games in a row and was improving at the back end of last season, so it's looking like last week wasn't just a flash in the pan.
• With VDM's good form the tag of being the #1 whipping boy seemed likely to shift to Harvey Gallagher but he played a pretty good game and cut out a lot of the errors that plagued him last week.  Maybe they told him he just needs to keep it simple until he gathers a bit more experience?
• Goalkickers. We wouldn't have got close without Darcy's contribution up forward.  With Naughton having an off day it made me think how useful it would be to have a third goal threat up forward (not just the occasional goal from the likes of West, VDM and McNeil).  Probably a medium sized mobile player who can kick the occasional bag of 4 or 5, like Tory Dickson, Johnno or Matty Robbins used to do.  And preferably offer a bit in defensive pressure as well. Cody Weightman is normally that bloke but we won't see him until much later in the year.  Maybe Jordan Croft, although he's ridiculously tall for that role.  His mobility and endurance make it a possibility though.  I reckon we are likely to find out how he'll go pretty soon.

Overall a very impressive performance considering how undermanned we were.  Collingwood's list is impressive but I just don't know how good they really are.  It's hard to get a good line on form at the moment.

The other question for me is whether Bevo had the boys especially fired up for the occasion ... and whether we can maintain that level of effort and intensity.  Or will we suffer a slump in intensity next week?