Game Day QF1 Crows vs Pies 2025-09-04 - This time it's personal!

[chazwazza]

I’m imagining long kicks down the wings with Fog, Curtin, Tex and Riley dominating marking contests and kicking the ball quickly lace out deep inside 50.

 

[Cromulent]

This is my time ever attending a Crows final and definitely the most nervous I've been for a game, despite being fairly confident . Hopefully this rain stops, I don't think I'll be able to handle a low scoring slug it out kind of game.

 

[StickerMan]

How good is it to be back involved in Finals footy!?

Was watching the footy shows on last night and seeing us involved just hits different.

Been a long time between drinks. Let's make it count!

 

[rocket18]

This is my time ever attending a Crows final and definitely the most nervous I've been for a game, despite being fairly confident . Hopefully this rain stops, I don't think I'll be able to handle a low scoring slug it out kind of game.

First post, are you reproducing??

 

[Betts are off]

1 big thing that will go a long way to winning tonight is to even up Clearances. Last time we managed to beat them with a -14 clearances despite winning hitouts by +24.

Sooooooo ROB, no pressure, but remember we are the team with the colourful tops on. Hit it to the pretty colours, not Daicos, Long and Pendlebury every time

 

[Cromulent]

First post, are you reproducing??

If we win the GF I'll be reproducing in my pants

 

[crows dude]

Is anyone in Adelaide?

I am

In my office building.

Cant concentrate on my work .

 

[Thrillthorpe7]

Will be perfect conditions for the big boys up front to clunk a few big marks and dominate in the air, that's the biggest difference to 3 weeks ago. Collingwood's been lucky in both of their matchups against us this year in that it's been wet conditions, which they aint getting tonight! Far easier to cover for Howe when the conditions are slippery.

We've got this, Tex will make sure of that in his 300th.

 

[kirky]

Very nervous at the moment (which traditionally has been a good sign).

Lets just blow them away.

They generally don’t finish games well. Lets not worry about their last game against Melbourne - losing 5 of the last 7 means a lot more. They won’t get 71 inside 50’s again and we won’t get 37 either.

 

[Pilchard_Adams]

I feel the crows play a style that is very dynamic. If we win the clearances, great. If we dont, we set up very efficiently to take the ball off the opposition at the next contest. I dont remember a team winning so many games while losing clearances and inside 50s as this current side.

Midfield needs to be on, i can handle losing the clearances and inside 50s by a respectable margin, but not getting belted like last time. Our forward line and defenders are quality and can make up the midfield issues with their efficiency

Last game, our adjustments at quarter time managed to slow down their inside 50s, they dominated us first quarter.

Goal accuracy will be a huge factor.

 

[rocket18]

If we win the GF I'll be reproducing in my pants

You won't be the only one, there's another poster with the same name as yours.

 

[pjcrows]

Currently pretty wet. Hopefully it clears for later, which is the forecast. We need a dry deck.

 

[Thrillthorpe7]

1 big thing that will go a long way to winning tonight is to even up Clearances. Last time we managed to beat them with a -14 clearances despite winning hitouts by +24.

Sooooooo ROB, no pressure, but remember we are the team with the colourful tops on. Hit it to the pretty colours, not Daicos, Long and Pendlebury every time

Evening up clearances would be good, but we don't need to win them. We are the best at forcing teams into a quick turnover post clearance through our pressure and then setup from there.

 

[Thrillthorpe7]

Currently pretty wet. Hopefully it clears for later, which is the forecast. We need a dry deck.

It aint that wet (wasn't even half a mm registered) and sun is already out

 

[Hell Boy6669]

Currently pretty wet. Hopefully it clears for later, which is the forecast. We need a dry deck.

Confident it’ll clear, BOM suggesting a sunny afternoon

 

[Not Darryl Moss]

Despite the last 6 games margin being within 10 points and our overall record against Collingwood being the worst, in terms of wins and losses, in the league, I feel like we'll blow them away tonight. They'll hang on and win the 2nd half, because that is how they're programmed, but I can't see them getting within 4 goals. Howe is a loss they can't cover for IMO. McStay is their most dangerous marking option up forward and he's dropped. Hill the extra dynamic depth up forward they'll miss. They'll be more dangerous later in September if we meet them again, but tonight the win is there for the taking. Go Crows!

McStay has been a dud for so long that Cox should give them somewahat of a boost, but I wonder whether McCreary and DeGoey can last the whole game. Trust our settled team to get the job done.

 

[Thrillthorpe7]

McStay has been a dud for so long that Cox should give them somewahat of a boost, but I wonder whether McCreary and DeGoey can last the whole game. Trust our settled team to get the job done.

Cox hasn't exactly shown better form at AFL level than McStay for a very long time, just an odd selection for a final. Especially since it appears Collingwood aren't offering Cox a new contract (I think)?

 

[WetCrow1991]

We need make the Collingwood degenerates pay for their crimes against football.

 

[Cleric]

Anyone else getting bouts of nausea?

 

[Crow till I die]

As long as we can stop them chipping it through our zones, we will be fine. It was the pattern last time where they jumped us early doing exactly that, we adjusted and then stood up defensively to limit them to 3 goals after 1/4 time. Make them have to go long and we back in our interceptors who have been dominant al year. I think that's the reason Cox is in as they know what we will try to do to them and need an outlet for the dump kick down the line.

 

[Thylacinus]

haha, My wife who is portuguese had an argument with someone in the US who swore black and blue that Portugal was in Africa one time. Called my wife a liar and everything.

Ha, there is a satirical joke that asks: 'Why does the US start wars all over the globe'? So that its (insular) citizens can find out where other countries are!

 

[119others]

Just hoping we kick straight to start the game.

I do feel karma is going to hit Collingwood tonight and they know it.
They have lost 5 of their last 7, they aint that good

The Crows crowd will be extra loud, lets get our finals campaign underway

stats can always be misleading. 2-5 looks bad, and their form has been mediocre agreed, but heaps of close games in there inc losses within a goal for Pies inc Suns, Freo and us. In all honesty if we lose inside 50s by over 30 (probably 10-15 even) we likely lose.

so many variables:

• home crowd fired up but also the biggest (loudest) ever opposition supporter presence will feel different
• our form has tapered, not unlike Pies, but we have won 4-5 close ones in the last 2 months (Dees, Hawks, Eagles, Pies etc). Having Burgess gives me as much confidence as possible about our preparedness tonight
• injuries. overall we are relatively better off and Max in is big for us. I also have always rated Peds and hoping for some impact. But no Rash and Ranks tonight - probably the first time all year both our elite small forwards arent playing. Howe and Hill out for them clearly big also.

Umpires - the Vic media was very focussed on our good run vs Pies in a couple of shows I saw (inc 360) even after the final minor round game vs Kangas. You can imagine we aint going to get such a favourable run tonight. At least neutral I would hope and am wary of Keane giving away holding frees on the big dickhead from Texas
- finals experience, or lack thereof

Its around the ball where they have so much elite talent and experienced talent - Daicos, Pendles, De Goey, Sidebottom - that is my main concern. All elite on their day. We have one elite mid only. Thats a major differential.

I do just wonder if Crows have seen other teams dismantle Pies lack of pace thru midfield and run the ball much more, linking handballs etc - which saw Hawks SMASH them late in the year. But would we change game plan drastically for a final - probably not

Tight game coming up. Hoping for the best but not overly confident based on 3 weeks ago.

 

[119others]

This is my time ever attending a Crows final and definitely the most nervous I've been for a game, despite being fairly confident . Hopefully this rain stops, I don't think I'll be able to handle a low scoring slug it out kind of game.

are you the younger brother of Cromulant

 

[119others]

Very nervous at the moment (which traditionally has been a good sign).

Lets just blow them away.

They generally don’t finish games well. Lets not worry about their last game against Melbourne - losing 5 of the last 7 means a lot more. They won’t get 71 inside 50’s again and we won’t get 37 either.

another stat I heard yesterday was Pies were the BEST team in the competition after a bye in recent years

 

[Peter Doherty]

Win, lose or draw, it's been quite a ride this year and the real fun part is just starting.

I think we win pretty comfortably. Our forwards will be the difference.

Forget the Rankine/Houston stuff, I still want revenge for Cloke/Edwards.