How to fix the broken Pies...

May 15, 2019
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The Maggies are currently broken.

Our lack of depth in the forward line and midfield has been exposed. Also we have a bunch of players that keep getting games who are really under-performing.
But one area we actually have an abundance of good players is in the backline. In fact with Scharenberg back, Howe due back soon, Quaynor given his chance etc, we actually have a surplus of good backs. I think we can fix the team by re-purposing some of this talent to other positions.

A thought experiment:

Howe can play forward. He played as a forward for Melbourne before coming to Collingwood.
Aish is a strong mark, he previously played as a mid for Brisbane, maybe he'd go ok on a forward Flank pushing into the midfield, or starting in the midfield?
Quaynor is fast and likes to run and has a good long kick... play him on a wing?
Goldsack has been a reliable defender for years. Bring him back.
In addition we have Noble to debut. So he can play wing or forward flank?
We still have Langdon to come back too, but he might be a while.

To my eyes players like Thomas, Cox, Brown, Daicos, Varco are all either under-performing or not AFL standard. So they can go out to make way.
 
May 12, 2014
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There is no miracle happening here. Football clubs talk the talk 'doesn't matter who's playing, one soldier out another comes in, gets their opportunity. Play their role and believe in the game plan.' The reality is some players play their role a lot better than others.

CFC current available list has been stripped of the talent that makes it a top four side.
Stephenson
Beams
Adams
Howe
Langdon
Reid
Wells
Elliott (has only just returned from Injury)
Murphy

No easy fix.
 

Peter Sidorkiewicz

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Oct 2, 2004
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1. Sidebottom up forward, Aish and/or WHE to wing. Quaynor takes Aish's small defender role.
2. Don't be afraid to swing Moore forward after half time if we are struggling to take a forward mark or kick a goal.
3. When Langdon is back, play Jeremy Howe as a 3rd marking tall. Michocek back to VFL.
4. More midfield rotations. Josh Thomas is capable of taking a centre bounce or two. Has Buckley completely forgotten he used to be an onballer?
5. If Cox needs a spell in VFL due to form, consider recalling Goldsack to play full back and Roughhead to play up forward and take the 2nd ruck role. I think this is probably something we should try anyway because Grundy needs a chop out. You can see how visibly tired he is in final quarters.
 
Jul 3, 2001
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Howe and Langdon would allow our midfield more freedom to be positive and not sag back so much.

Adams will add something extra to the midfield.

Problem is we are miles off. Not tweaks
 

Adz

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Aug 17, 2003
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704214
 

Markfs

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I dont like players being characterised as backline.... especially all this high or low or medium high half back or whatever. For godsake it's football. Aish is a good example. I think he has improved his confidence and might be used in other areas. Jack Crisp has been close to the midfield a lot recently... although I think he is characterised as high half-back. He certainly could go back to tagging in the midfield. I wouldnt fiddle around with Qaynor for another year, as he's only a youngster... leave him at half back. The main point is to get players in who are playing well.... which is tested at the moment because of a lack of options due mainly to injuries.
 

Soups

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Jul 16, 2006
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Simple, play direct football. Don’t over posses the ball. Move it quickly through the middle instead of going out wide every time.
Clear it out of the back line.
Been hard to do when we are our own worst enemy on the deck. We have fumbled too much with our ground balls and they have lead to panic handballs, which then lead to a dump kick out.
 

Awesome. The architect of the Sydney gameplan AKA "lobotomized football" or how to win 4 points by choking a game. We should also go for Ross Lyon.

Playing defensive football suits our list, what could possibly go wrong?
 
We should also go for Ross Lyon.
Well Ross Lyon's Freo team played a more exciting brand of football than us when they beat us at the G. Then again any other coach in the league couldn't do worse than the current genius in charge.
 
Well Ross Lyon's Freo team played a more exciting brand of football than us when they beat us at the G. Then again any other coach in the league couldn't do worse than the current genius in charge.

Neither side played an exciting brand of football that day, the G was a very quiet place to be. :) It would be more accurate to say that Freo were less schit than us. :)

As much as I agree that we need to change things up in terms of game-plan, it's unfair to blame the head coach or any of his assistants for the disposal errors and the silly decisions executed by the players during the game.
 

Frank Gallagher

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Aug 26, 2016
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The current available players we have are capable of doing the job, just have too many out of form, think we need more than the ole 'drop Varcoe/Greenwood.

Elliott and Sier had absolute mares, Daicos didn't register a stat after HT (injured?) Cox did next to nothing and Thomas was useless, think we can forgive the first 3 and maybe Cox has another game in the bank but Thomas needs to go.
 
Feb 21, 2016
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Quaynor should stay at half back. We need his run and disposal there.

Aish could go to a wing and replace Mayne.

Goldsack back, Moore forward, Cox out.

Howe stays back.
Aish natural position is wing imo, albeit not a quick version more a link type.
Mayne hff, negating the oppositions key back. Just not creative enough for wing.
Wonder what Mihocek be like in the middle at centre bounces? He's a natural crumbed rather than key tall.
Agree about repurposing one of our key backs as a key forward, but wouldn't drop Cox. He needs a foil.
 

bunter

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Apr 20, 2016
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Have watched a couple of other games today, we are miles off being a cohesive unit at the moment.
My query is why we have obviously changed our style to try and emulate WCE hold and control, if you want to beat them I would have thought a different style would be the way to go? Maybe the style that served us well last year with a few tweaks? Not sure what’s going on to be honest.
Hinkley dropped some big names at PA and got a good response, also watching their young guys carve it up is food for thought.
 

Adz

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Aug 17, 2003
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Have watched a couple of other games today, we are miles off being a cohesive unit at the moment.
My query is why we have obviously changed our style to try and emulate WCE hold and control, if you want to beat them I would have thought a different style would be the way to go? Maybe the style that served us well last year with a few tweaks? Not sure what’s going on to be honest.
Hinkley dropped some big names at PA and got a good response, also watching their young guys carve it up is food for thought.
We tried our style against WC 5 times for 0 wins. We needed to change.
 

bunter

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We tried our style against WC 5 times for 0 wins. We needed to change.
Agree but not copy a side that does it so well, need to play our style and play to our strengths. I think we are on the same page here
 

PiesUserName

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Apr 11, 2015
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Our midfield is getting killed, and just not up to it. There is some class there, but right now they need some grunt.
Only Sier is the guy who can provide it, but he isn't enough with Adam's out.
I'd like the idea of Crisp or Maynard to spend some more time in the middle.
 
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