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- collingwood
Logic tell me no. But since when has logic and Collingwood ever worked hand in hand?
After an atrocious fortnight of football, the Magpies have been delivered a huge reality check. The gameplan has unravelled. One reason for this has been an obvious lack of intensity, which is largely a cornerstone of our game. The second reason is that certain clubs have simply worked us out. Our gameplan may suit certain sides, but is highly vulnerable against others. Unfortunately, Hawthorn seem to be one of the sides that make us look vulnerable.
In round 7, Hawthorn dealt Collingwood a huge wake up call. After that loss, it sparked a 4 week winning streak including wins against St.Kilda and Geelong. Hopefully Essendon has dealt us the same wakeup call last week. However, I have my doubts.
So why does Hawthorn trouble the Magpies?
Their forward line would be a great place to start. In round 7, Franklin kicked 6.4, Roughead kicked 6.3 and Williams kicked 5. That’s 17 out of their 24 goals coming from 3 players. Hodge also chipped in with 2 before he pulled his hammy around half time. God knows what he would’ve done.
Unfortunately, Collingwood has no answer for a quick forward with strength. Fevola springs to mind. Even Lloyd was able to expose us last week when we refused to take Wakelin off him. There is no logical match for Franklin. Nathan Brown did admirably for a half last time they played, so will most likely get the job again. Although I think he is more suited to Roughead.
Moving to the midfield, they present an equal challenge. Not because I think their midfield is unbeatable, but because I think they worry our setup. In round 7, Mitchell had 39 disposals, Hodge 15 to half time, Crawford 25, Lewis 26 and Sewell 26. That is big numbers. If such a talented group is allowed that much of the ball with a strong forward line, you can pencil in the result already.
They have an expert clearance winner, and expert tagger, an incredibly precise user of the football and a tough nut. Depending on Crawford’s availability, they also have the hard runner. Also add in Chance Bateman who did not play in round 7 and we have huge problems as his pace really troubles us.
Onto the backline and equal problems arise. Firstly, they have run out of defence. If you look at the stats in round 7, Birchall had 24 disposals and 7 marks, Young took 10 marks, Guerra had 24 disposals and 10 marks and Campbell Brown had 16 disposals. Again, that is far too much ball for talented players with good disposal, and also indicates a lack of accountability and pressure from our forward line. Rocca has always worries the Hawks, but unfortunately he has missed the last few times we have played them. With him out again, their backline matches well with our tall forwards.
Gilham or Croad are good matches for Cloke, Brown is a good match for Medhurst, young Murphy did an admirable job on Steve Johnson in patches last week, whilst Guerra and Birchall will take one of our other smalls and work off him.
In my mind, it would be a very smart idea to try Dawes this week given the fact that the Hawks do not have a really big bodied defender. The worst case scenario would see Croad move back onto him, which gives Cloke more freedom. With John Anthony also in the side, we have a few different option to the side from round 7.
The next part of the Hawthorn side which requires attention is their ruck combination. On paper, it does not sound scary. But Taylor and Campbell have become a great combination. In particular, the Campbell/Mitchell combination ranks in the top 5 in the competition. In round 7, Taylor and Campbell combined for 42 hitouts (an even 21 each), whilst Wood and Fraser managed only 26, and each had less than 10 disposals.
Finally, their gameplan is a concern. Malthouse had no answers for their ‘cluster’ formation in the last meeting. Collingwood in general seems to struggle when teams get numbers behind the ball and rebound hard. Carlton, Kangaroos and Essendon have all exploited us with this style of game.
What’s more, the wider we play, the more difficult it will be to break the cluster because they have less field to cover. Their zone actually has the intention of forcing you wide into a corner. Unfortunately, we play right into their hands.
So what are the answers??? This all seems doom and gloom.
First and foremost, intensity is the key. If we come out flat again, then we will be out of the game by quarter time.
Watching the Geelong v Hawthorn game last week indicates to me that Hawthorn are equally going through a flat patch. They have lost 2 on the trot, and their form in general has been very scratchy over the past 2 months. This is actually a good time to play Hawthorn because they are not playing with real flare and are perhaps a bit down on confidence.
Despite a good showing last week against Geelong, I thought they made some really poor errors under pressure and were a little intimidated by the occasion. Collingwood on a Friday night is an equally daunting prospect. We love the big stage and are used to big crowds. Hawthorn were sloppy to say the least last week, especially in the 2nd half. I thought Geelong were equally as sloppy, which made for an exciting match. The first half in particular was full of mistakes…largely due to immense pressure. The quality of the 2nd half improved drastically, but Hawthorn had the chance to win and did not take it. They handed Geelong a number of goals from uncharacteristic mistakes.
This may have been a one off, but it shows that under high intensity, they are beatable. If our pressure returns to its best, then we can also force these mistakes. Although they have a fantastic core playing group, their depth in their top 22 is perhaps a little thin and consists of a number of outside left footers.
What we can do ?
I think we should be proactive. I’d love to see us try and play this one through the centre. Give our forwards a real chance.
I think get some quick players across half back. Get young Wellingham more up the field because he links up well. Swap Lockyer into the forward line. He kicked 4 goals last time these sides met. He was our leading goal-kicker. Give him a forward tag on on Guerra to ensure he does not get 20+ loose disposals. Guerra was tried defensively on Steve Johnson last week and was mauled. The Hawks have tried to give him opponents on a number of occasions unsuccessfully. It goes to show that Lockyer could exploit him and also shut him down.
We need Rhyce Shaw to tag…I think Bateman is the best match for him. However, we also need his run off half back. I would use him in a loose tag. Ensure Bateman is well looked after whilst the Hawks are in possession, and tell Rhyce to work hard to win his own ball across half back. He along with Wellingham will ensure speed off half back.
The way to break the cluster is through handballs and playing through the centre. We tend to prefer kicking. But we have to take the game on. Although the cluster makes finding space difficult, it does mean that our players are loose. There is no man on man, and once you are through it, the forward line is open. Geelong had loose players sitting in the forward line last week.
I’d also love to see the return of Ryan Lonie. He has been in the best for the VFL side in the last 2 weeks since returning from injury. I think we need to try and buy some goals…and the 55 metre punt from outside 50 is a great way to get a cheap goal. I’d be giving him a free licence. Encourage him to take the game on. Play the way he did when he first came to Collingwood. Break the lines, run hard. He would be playing for his career. If he cannot break back into the side then he will most likely be delisted. What better way to put him to the test than against a top 3 side who have the wood over us.
Combat their talented players with our talented players. My preferred matchups are below.
Matchups
Midfield:
Burns v Lewis – Lewis thinks he is a tough nut. Let’s show him what a real tough nut looks like. Tackle him hard, niggle him. He will most likely become very frustrated.
O’bree v Mitchell – We must stop this guy winning the clearances. However, Cheesy has to also play him very tight. If I see Mitchell with over 35 possessions at the end of the match then I know that we have not payed him any respect. He is taggable to an extent. He is a champion and a leader. If we get first hands on the ball, then we will atleast have time to crowd Franklin and Roughead.
Thomas v Crawford – Let’s face it. We have no answer for Crawford. His fitness is an issue. I’d dare say his speed may be a little down given his chronic injury. Crawford will win plenty of the ball, especially since our main attention will go to Hodge and Mitchell. Thomas had a great first half last week and was one of the only one’s winning the ball. Leave him in the midfield, and put him on Crawf. Crawford will not look after him and will be beaten by him in the air. Thomas did a decent job on Bartel and has plenty to prove.
Sewell v Pendlebury/Swan – After watching Welsh destroy Pendlebury last week, I think Hawthorn will try a similar tactic. Sewell may go on Pendlebury and work off him. Otherwise he will go onto Swan. Either way, Sewell does still allow you plenty of the ball, but wins his share himself. If Scott gets the job, then he has to be far more accountable and show a bit more heart. I think Malthouse will be considering dropping him this week after a poor season really. Considering the heavy rotation of Pendlebury and Swan, I’d assume Sewell will find himself on each of these guys throughout the match.
R. Shaw v Bateman – Rhyce has the pace, Bateman lacks the accountability. Rhyce needs to win a heap of the ball across half back. If Bateman is winning the ball, then it has to be behind centre. Rhyce is the logical choice.
Heath Shaw v Hodge – This is the big one. Teams have worked out Heath Shaw. Are we going to persist with the same strategy. Hawthorn will simply put a small onto him and work him around. Hodge poses a huge dilemma. We either have the choice to bring in Cook or Stanley from the reserves to get this task, or throw the gauntlet down to Heater. Heath has shown no ability to win his own ball in the midfield. Atleast Hodge will show him the way. Also, Hodge loves pushing forward to snare a few goals. Heath is a good size matchup to counter this threat.
I understand MM’s stubbornness with Heath. He is a half back flanker and has to learn to deal with attention. But not many sides have such a heavy reliance on their half back flanker to be their best player. They use a number of players in the role. Those players also have a capacity to play on a small forward and work off them. Heath has been smashed by Grant and Monfries in consecutive weeks. Let’s try this matchup.
The only counter argument I have to this is that Shaw won 34 possessions in round 7 and was perhaps our best player. Hawthorn drop a lot of numbers back and don’t usually use forward tags. I doubt Hawthorn would leave Heath Shaw loose, but it would atleast force them to crowd their forward line with an extra player which also means one less player in the cluster. But I cannot see any other matchup for Hodge and I really want Heath to get the big challenge.
Defence:
Brown v Franklin – No other real matchup. The key will be to get players at his feet to ensure he does not win the ball at ground level. Brown may be able to match Franklin in the air, but he will not at ground level. I’d love to see Wellingham loose across half back to get into the game, so he could hover around Buddy and ensure he does not win the ball at ground level.
Wakelin v Roughead – This matchup did not work last time, but it is still the best and only match we have. Realistically, I’d love to see Brown get this job because I think it’s a better matchup for Brown, but then we are left with no one for Buddy, and Wakelin is left without a match.
Harry v Williams – This is a good matchup I reckon. Harry was perhaps our best last week and was very impressive on Lucas. I pondered Harry on Franklin, but memories of Brendon Fevola come flooding back. Franklin would simply be too tall and strong. But I reckon Malthouse will be keeping this idea in the back of his mind considering the form O’Brien is in.
Ultimately, Williams is also in great form and we have no other matchup. Goldsack would be perhaps a good match, but I don’t think he should be brought back in.
Marty Clarke v Cyril Rioli – Just an exciting matchup on paper.
The wildcard in defence could be John Anthony. I have little doubt this guy is a defender. Despite his impressive form up forward, I feel he is not really offering a strong target. He is chipping in for a few goals, but is not really presenting as a lead up target and the team is not kicking to him long. I don’t know why because he has shown he can take a contested mark. But ultimately he goes missing for large chunks of the game up forward.
Therefore, I’d be bringing in Dawes as a forward and putting Anthony in defence. Otherwise, I have no hesitation play Cloke, Dawes and Anthony up forward. Anthony is a strong tackler and Dawes is a strong presence so we should still have enough forward pressure. Also, it might stretch the Hawks a little bit.
Then Nick Maxwell has to go back to been 3rd man up. He simply cannot play 1 on 1. I thought he was good against Essendon so will hold his place.
At the selection table:
I have no real idea who MM will elect to line up this week. However I do think changes are required.
The Josh Fraser dilemma remains. There is no real evidence that he is back into fantastic form at VFL level. There is also no real indication as to whether he can ruck at AFL level. Malthouse has said Fraser is a ruckman and will not return until he can compete in the bounces. I totally agree.
However, Bryan and Wood were terrible last week, and equally as bad the week before. Each have had a fantastic 2 month period where they have really staked their claim. But they both looked tired and disinterested last week. Scott Burns was actually forced to take a ruck dual against Hille. Hille simply plucked the ball out of the air and snapped a goal. He was able to pluck the ball out of the air a number of times because Bryan or Wood were trailing behind out of the contest.
I think it is Wood who could be dropped. He was horrible against Hawthorn in round 7. I also like Bryan’s footskills against Hawthorn. If we are struggling to break the cluster, then Bryan may simply be able to kick over it. Plus they lack a good size matchup if he elects to rest forward.
But this may be a waste of breath considering no one knows the state of Josh Fraser. I think it has become evident in the past fortnight that we need Josh if we want to push deep into September. As it stands, I’m not sure if we are even going to make the 8. A loss this week will most likely drop us outside. But my worry is that Campbell and Taylor are good tap ruckmen, and if Josh cant ruck, then Mitchell is going to have a field day in the clearances.
As I have mentioned, I’d also love to see Lonie and Dawes come in this week.
Ben Johnson would be the first I’d omit. Admittingly, we need his run and dash off half back against Hawthorn. But his form has been so bad that I don’t think he deserves his spot right now.
I’d have Fraser, Lonie in for Wood and Johnson. Then I think we should also find room for Dawes. Preferably I’d like the omission to be Maxwell simply because I was unable to find a matchup for him in the Hawks forward line, and I think Anthony can go back into defence if need be. With Dawes in the team, this is a good option.
I don’t think bringing in too many kids is the answer. If Dawes comes in, we also have Anthony, Wellingham and Brown as first year players at AFL level. Then Clarke is in his 2nd year, and Pendlebury and Thomas in their 3rd. That’s young enough against a top 4 side.
There may be some concern over Rhyce Shaw given his injury last week. If he does not pull up, I am keen on getting some gametime into young Isles. He is quick and in good nick at VFL level. This would probably be the only other change I would make if the need is there.
But I can strategise as much as I want. It ultimately comes to which Collingwood side runs onto the field on Friday night. If we get first hands on the ball, then our forward line is dangerous enough to put the score on the board. (If Travis Cloke pulls off a miracle and kicks straight)
If we stop the Hawks run out of defence then we can slow the game up and get numbers back.
Most of all, we have to take the game on. We were rank underdogs against the Western Bulldogs, but we played with flare and got on top before injuries set in.
We always play better when we are underdogs. It seems we have nothing to lose and we become the hunter. I think we enjoy being in this position.
Most of all, we have to put up a fight. We have to take something out of this game. Hawks will be at full strength so there will be no excuses on their part. The Western Bulldogs game springs to mind. We were backing up from a tough loss to Carlton, and no one gave us a hope. We didn’t win, but we showed spirit and won back some respect. In the following 2 rounds we beat Sydney and Adelaide who were 4th and 5th.
What’s more, if we win this game we have beaten 3 of the top 4, and had the other side on toast. If it wasn’t for injuries we’d have beaten the Doggies too. This still makes us a force to be reckoned with. But we have to show some heart this week. We have a decent run home, so again destiny is in our own hands.
MM loves these games. He is in his element in this situation. He knows how to plan the undoing of a strong team. He knows how to get his troops up for a big game. Consistency is an issue, but Malthouse and Collingwood are built for this situation. The win against all odds stuff that makes me proud to be a Magpies supporter.
But, if I take off my Collingwood goggles, I have to say Hawks by 40. Time to prove me wrong.
After an atrocious fortnight of football, the Magpies have been delivered a huge reality check. The gameplan has unravelled. One reason for this has been an obvious lack of intensity, which is largely a cornerstone of our game. The second reason is that certain clubs have simply worked us out. Our gameplan may suit certain sides, but is highly vulnerable against others. Unfortunately, Hawthorn seem to be one of the sides that make us look vulnerable.
In round 7, Hawthorn dealt Collingwood a huge wake up call. After that loss, it sparked a 4 week winning streak including wins against St.Kilda and Geelong. Hopefully Essendon has dealt us the same wakeup call last week. However, I have my doubts.
So why does Hawthorn trouble the Magpies?
Their forward line would be a great place to start. In round 7, Franklin kicked 6.4, Roughead kicked 6.3 and Williams kicked 5. That’s 17 out of their 24 goals coming from 3 players. Hodge also chipped in with 2 before he pulled his hammy around half time. God knows what he would’ve done.
Unfortunately, Collingwood has no answer for a quick forward with strength. Fevola springs to mind. Even Lloyd was able to expose us last week when we refused to take Wakelin off him. There is no logical match for Franklin. Nathan Brown did admirably for a half last time they played, so will most likely get the job again. Although I think he is more suited to Roughead.
Moving to the midfield, they present an equal challenge. Not because I think their midfield is unbeatable, but because I think they worry our setup. In round 7, Mitchell had 39 disposals, Hodge 15 to half time, Crawford 25, Lewis 26 and Sewell 26. That is big numbers. If such a talented group is allowed that much of the ball with a strong forward line, you can pencil in the result already.
They have an expert clearance winner, and expert tagger, an incredibly precise user of the football and a tough nut. Depending on Crawford’s availability, they also have the hard runner. Also add in Chance Bateman who did not play in round 7 and we have huge problems as his pace really troubles us.
Onto the backline and equal problems arise. Firstly, they have run out of defence. If you look at the stats in round 7, Birchall had 24 disposals and 7 marks, Young took 10 marks, Guerra had 24 disposals and 10 marks and Campbell Brown had 16 disposals. Again, that is far too much ball for talented players with good disposal, and also indicates a lack of accountability and pressure from our forward line. Rocca has always worries the Hawks, but unfortunately he has missed the last few times we have played them. With him out again, their backline matches well with our tall forwards.
Gilham or Croad are good matches for Cloke, Brown is a good match for Medhurst, young Murphy did an admirable job on Steve Johnson in patches last week, whilst Guerra and Birchall will take one of our other smalls and work off him.
In my mind, it would be a very smart idea to try Dawes this week given the fact that the Hawks do not have a really big bodied defender. The worst case scenario would see Croad move back onto him, which gives Cloke more freedom. With John Anthony also in the side, we have a few different option to the side from round 7.
The next part of the Hawthorn side which requires attention is their ruck combination. On paper, it does not sound scary. But Taylor and Campbell have become a great combination. In particular, the Campbell/Mitchell combination ranks in the top 5 in the competition. In round 7, Taylor and Campbell combined for 42 hitouts (an even 21 each), whilst Wood and Fraser managed only 26, and each had less than 10 disposals.
Finally, their gameplan is a concern. Malthouse had no answers for their ‘cluster’ formation in the last meeting. Collingwood in general seems to struggle when teams get numbers behind the ball and rebound hard. Carlton, Kangaroos and Essendon have all exploited us with this style of game.
What’s more, the wider we play, the more difficult it will be to break the cluster because they have less field to cover. Their zone actually has the intention of forcing you wide into a corner. Unfortunately, we play right into their hands.
So what are the answers??? This all seems doom and gloom.
First and foremost, intensity is the key. If we come out flat again, then we will be out of the game by quarter time.
Watching the Geelong v Hawthorn game last week indicates to me that Hawthorn are equally going through a flat patch. They have lost 2 on the trot, and their form in general has been very scratchy over the past 2 months. This is actually a good time to play Hawthorn because they are not playing with real flare and are perhaps a bit down on confidence.
Despite a good showing last week against Geelong, I thought they made some really poor errors under pressure and were a little intimidated by the occasion. Collingwood on a Friday night is an equally daunting prospect. We love the big stage and are used to big crowds. Hawthorn were sloppy to say the least last week, especially in the 2nd half. I thought Geelong were equally as sloppy, which made for an exciting match. The first half in particular was full of mistakes…largely due to immense pressure. The quality of the 2nd half improved drastically, but Hawthorn had the chance to win and did not take it. They handed Geelong a number of goals from uncharacteristic mistakes.
This may have been a one off, but it shows that under high intensity, they are beatable. If our pressure returns to its best, then we can also force these mistakes. Although they have a fantastic core playing group, their depth in their top 22 is perhaps a little thin and consists of a number of outside left footers.
What we can do ?
I think we should be proactive. I’d love to see us try and play this one through the centre. Give our forwards a real chance.
I think get some quick players across half back. Get young Wellingham more up the field because he links up well. Swap Lockyer into the forward line. He kicked 4 goals last time these sides met. He was our leading goal-kicker. Give him a forward tag on on Guerra to ensure he does not get 20+ loose disposals. Guerra was tried defensively on Steve Johnson last week and was mauled. The Hawks have tried to give him opponents on a number of occasions unsuccessfully. It goes to show that Lockyer could exploit him and also shut him down.
We need Rhyce Shaw to tag…I think Bateman is the best match for him. However, we also need his run off half back. I would use him in a loose tag. Ensure Bateman is well looked after whilst the Hawks are in possession, and tell Rhyce to work hard to win his own ball across half back. He along with Wellingham will ensure speed off half back.
The way to break the cluster is through handballs and playing through the centre. We tend to prefer kicking. But we have to take the game on. Although the cluster makes finding space difficult, it does mean that our players are loose. There is no man on man, and once you are through it, the forward line is open. Geelong had loose players sitting in the forward line last week.
I’d also love to see the return of Ryan Lonie. He has been in the best for the VFL side in the last 2 weeks since returning from injury. I think we need to try and buy some goals…and the 55 metre punt from outside 50 is a great way to get a cheap goal. I’d be giving him a free licence. Encourage him to take the game on. Play the way he did when he first came to Collingwood. Break the lines, run hard. He would be playing for his career. If he cannot break back into the side then he will most likely be delisted. What better way to put him to the test than against a top 3 side who have the wood over us.
Combat their talented players with our talented players. My preferred matchups are below.
Matchups
Midfield:
Burns v Lewis – Lewis thinks he is a tough nut. Let’s show him what a real tough nut looks like. Tackle him hard, niggle him. He will most likely become very frustrated.
O’bree v Mitchell – We must stop this guy winning the clearances. However, Cheesy has to also play him very tight. If I see Mitchell with over 35 possessions at the end of the match then I know that we have not payed him any respect. He is taggable to an extent. He is a champion and a leader. If we get first hands on the ball, then we will atleast have time to crowd Franklin and Roughead.
Thomas v Crawford – Let’s face it. We have no answer for Crawford. His fitness is an issue. I’d dare say his speed may be a little down given his chronic injury. Crawford will win plenty of the ball, especially since our main attention will go to Hodge and Mitchell. Thomas had a great first half last week and was one of the only one’s winning the ball. Leave him in the midfield, and put him on Crawf. Crawford will not look after him and will be beaten by him in the air. Thomas did a decent job on Bartel and has plenty to prove.
Sewell v Pendlebury/Swan – After watching Welsh destroy Pendlebury last week, I think Hawthorn will try a similar tactic. Sewell may go on Pendlebury and work off him. Otherwise he will go onto Swan. Either way, Sewell does still allow you plenty of the ball, but wins his share himself. If Scott gets the job, then he has to be far more accountable and show a bit more heart. I think Malthouse will be considering dropping him this week after a poor season really. Considering the heavy rotation of Pendlebury and Swan, I’d assume Sewell will find himself on each of these guys throughout the match.
R. Shaw v Bateman – Rhyce has the pace, Bateman lacks the accountability. Rhyce needs to win a heap of the ball across half back. If Bateman is winning the ball, then it has to be behind centre. Rhyce is the logical choice.
Heath Shaw v Hodge – This is the big one. Teams have worked out Heath Shaw. Are we going to persist with the same strategy. Hawthorn will simply put a small onto him and work him around. Hodge poses a huge dilemma. We either have the choice to bring in Cook or Stanley from the reserves to get this task, or throw the gauntlet down to Heater. Heath has shown no ability to win his own ball in the midfield. Atleast Hodge will show him the way. Also, Hodge loves pushing forward to snare a few goals. Heath is a good size matchup to counter this threat.
I understand MM’s stubbornness with Heath. He is a half back flanker and has to learn to deal with attention. But not many sides have such a heavy reliance on their half back flanker to be their best player. They use a number of players in the role. Those players also have a capacity to play on a small forward and work off them. Heath has been smashed by Grant and Monfries in consecutive weeks. Let’s try this matchup.
The only counter argument I have to this is that Shaw won 34 possessions in round 7 and was perhaps our best player. Hawthorn drop a lot of numbers back and don’t usually use forward tags. I doubt Hawthorn would leave Heath Shaw loose, but it would atleast force them to crowd their forward line with an extra player which also means one less player in the cluster. But I cannot see any other matchup for Hodge and I really want Heath to get the big challenge.
Defence:
Brown v Franklin – No other real matchup. The key will be to get players at his feet to ensure he does not win the ball at ground level. Brown may be able to match Franklin in the air, but he will not at ground level. I’d love to see Wellingham loose across half back to get into the game, so he could hover around Buddy and ensure he does not win the ball at ground level.
Wakelin v Roughead – This matchup did not work last time, but it is still the best and only match we have. Realistically, I’d love to see Brown get this job because I think it’s a better matchup for Brown, but then we are left with no one for Buddy, and Wakelin is left without a match.
Harry v Williams – This is a good matchup I reckon. Harry was perhaps our best last week and was very impressive on Lucas. I pondered Harry on Franklin, but memories of Brendon Fevola come flooding back. Franklin would simply be too tall and strong. But I reckon Malthouse will be keeping this idea in the back of his mind considering the form O’Brien is in.
Ultimately, Williams is also in great form and we have no other matchup. Goldsack would be perhaps a good match, but I don’t think he should be brought back in.
Marty Clarke v Cyril Rioli – Just an exciting matchup on paper.
The wildcard in defence could be John Anthony. I have little doubt this guy is a defender. Despite his impressive form up forward, I feel he is not really offering a strong target. He is chipping in for a few goals, but is not really presenting as a lead up target and the team is not kicking to him long. I don’t know why because he has shown he can take a contested mark. But ultimately he goes missing for large chunks of the game up forward.
Therefore, I’d be bringing in Dawes as a forward and putting Anthony in defence. Otherwise, I have no hesitation play Cloke, Dawes and Anthony up forward. Anthony is a strong tackler and Dawes is a strong presence so we should still have enough forward pressure. Also, it might stretch the Hawks a little bit.
Then Nick Maxwell has to go back to been 3rd man up. He simply cannot play 1 on 1. I thought he was good against Essendon so will hold his place.
At the selection table:
I have no real idea who MM will elect to line up this week. However I do think changes are required.
The Josh Fraser dilemma remains. There is no real evidence that he is back into fantastic form at VFL level. There is also no real indication as to whether he can ruck at AFL level. Malthouse has said Fraser is a ruckman and will not return until he can compete in the bounces. I totally agree.
However, Bryan and Wood were terrible last week, and equally as bad the week before. Each have had a fantastic 2 month period where they have really staked their claim. But they both looked tired and disinterested last week. Scott Burns was actually forced to take a ruck dual against Hille. Hille simply plucked the ball out of the air and snapped a goal. He was able to pluck the ball out of the air a number of times because Bryan or Wood were trailing behind out of the contest.
I think it is Wood who could be dropped. He was horrible against Hawthorn in round 7. I also like Bryan’s footskills against Hawthorn. If we are struggling to break the cluster, then Bryan may simply be able to kick over it. Plus they lack a good size matchup if he elects to rest forward.
But this may be a waste of breath considering no one knows the state of Josh Fraser. I think it has become evident in the past fortnight that we need Josh if we want to push deep into September. As it stands, I’m not sure if we are even going to make the 8. A loss this week will most likely drop us outside. But my worry is that Campbell and Taylor are good tap ruckmen, and if Josh cant ruck, then Mitchell is going to have a field day in the clearances.
As I have mentioned, I’d also love to see Lonie and Dawes come in this week.
Ben Johnson would be the first I’d omit. Admittingly, we need his run and dash off half back against Hawthorn. But his form has been so bad that I don’t think he deserves his spot right now.
I’d have Fraser, Lonie in for Wood and Johnson. Then I think we should also find room for Dawes. Preferably I’d like the omission to be Maxwell simply because I was unable to find a matchup for him in the Hawks forward line, and I think Anthony can go back into defence if need be. With Dawes in the team, this is a good option.
I don’t think bringing in too many kids is the answer. If Dawes comes in, we also have Anthony, Wellingham and Brown as first year players at AFL level. Then Clarke is in his 2nd year, and Pendlebury and Thomas in their 3rd. That’s young enough against a top 4 side.
There may be some concern over Rhyce Shaw given his injury last week. If he does not pull up, I am keen on getting some gametime into young Isles. He is quick and in good nick at VFL level. This would probably be the only other change I would make if the need is there.
But I can strategise as much as I want. It ultimately comes to which Collingwood side runs onto the field on Friday night. If we get first hands on the ball, then our forward line is dangerous enough to put the score on the board. (If Travis Cloke pulls off a miracle and kicks straight)
If we stop the Hawks run out of defence then we can slow the game up and get numbers back.
Most of all, we have to take the game on. We were rank underdogs against the Western Bulldogs, but we played with flare and got on top before injuries set in.
We always play better when we are underdogs. It seems we have nothing to lose and we become the hunter. I think we enjoy being in this position.
Most of all, we have to put up a fight. We have to take something out of this game. Hawks will be at full strength so there will be no excuses on their part. The Western Bulldogs game springs to mind. We were backing up from a tough loss to Carlton, and no one gave us a hope. We didn’t win, but we showed spirit and won back some respect. In the following 2 rounds we beat Sydney and Adelaide who were 4th and 5th.
What’s more, if we win this game we have beaten 3 of the top 4, and had the other side on toast. If it wasn’t for injuries we’d have beaten the Doggies too. This still makes us a force to be reckoned with. But we have to show some heart this week. We have a decent run home, so again destiny is in our own hands.
MM loves these games. He is in his element in this situation. He knows how to plan the undoing of a strong team. He knows how to get his troops up for a big game. Consistency is an issue, but Malthouse and Collingwood are built for this situation. The win against all odds stuff that makes me proud to be a Magpies supporter.
But, if I take off my Collingwood goggles, I have to say Hawks by 40. Time to prove me wrong.
