Remove this Banner Ad

My Nightmare

🥰 Love BigFooty? Join now for free.

Joined
Jul 10, 2009
Posts
3,265
Reaction score
4,179
Location
Adelaide, SA
AFL Club
Collingwood
I had a torrid nightmare last night.

I awoke in a cold sweat, my Collingwood guernsey soaked through. After a few confused moments, I realised where I was and my breathing subsided.

It was just a dream.

Saying a quick prayer to the Buckley Shrine against my wall, I settled back to sleep. But my mind was not at ease.

The nightmare began well, the Pies had finished top four, dominated in finals, and had made it to the big dance, full of optimism, against a confident Geelong.

The boys had been in good form, sharing the goalkicking, the small forwards were crumbing well, the mids were kicking goals and the talls were taking marks and making contests. Everyone was talking us up, and every Pies supporter could see the end of the drought within reach.

The match began, and after a furious first five minutes, the Pies began to control the game, and dominate the posession. Our inside 50's were well up on Geelongs, and though we seemed to be the better side, we entered half time with Geelong still within touch through our inaccuracy.

The second half was the essence of frustration. We kicked 3.10 to their 6.2, missing snaps, set shots and shots-on-the-run that we would've nailed in the preceding four weeks.

We lost by a solitary behind.

The way we're going, this looks like a very plausible scenario. Too often already this season, in big games, under pressure, we haven't been able to put it through the big sticks.

I'm not certain what we can do/should do to change anything.

We could continue as we are, keep bombing it long, and hope that our big guys can put it to the crumbers, and hope that with enough games under our belt the goals start to go through with a greater consistency.

We could revert back to last years tactics, and retain posession outside 50 until a player can be spotted up inside 50 for a set shot. And then be vulnerable to zoning teams like Hawthorn last year.

My idea, and I would like your opinions on this, as well as any alternatives you have to offer, is thus;
We continue on as we have. When on song, the gameplan has looked awesome and we've appeared unstoppable. However, when the goals start to dry up, say we kick 4-5 behinds in a row, the players revert to a less frantic, more disciplined style. Perhaps concentrating on hitting up players inside 50, less flashy snaps, getting the ball in the hands of dependable players.

Just an idea. Thoughts?
 
Must Came from Watching the Dees Game.

But I can see that Happening in the GF if we make it and lose it with Bad Kicking. Cats did that in 2008 vs the Hawks
 
If we kick like we did against Melbourne in the finals, we won't lose by a point, we will lose by 6-10 goals.

We do have to get more "creative" with both our ball movement inside 50 and our forward structure.

Time for some forward line experiments maybe.
 
I can see us bloody losing a grand final due to bad kicking and that would hurt so much. We have kicked like crap againts the two best sides and it could well happen in September, i have had thoughts like this nightmare so many times this year.
 

Log in to remove this Banner Ad

I really don't see how much more we can experiment in terms of personnel.

We have already tried pretty much anyone who's fit in there at some stage during the year without any real consistency. Short of putting Presti up there (which might not be such a bad idea considering the way he played up there in that one game last year after taking a knock) I don't see who else we could try.

Maybe chain Cloke to the goal square? He has certainly developed the body strength to be a viable full time full forward option this year, and I still don't believe he is efficient enough with his inside 50's to play him in a Richo-winger style role which he has been attempting.
 
Maybe chain Cloke to the goal square? He has certainly developed the body strength to be a viable full time full forward option this year, and I still don't believe he is efficient enough with his inside 50's to play him in a Richo-winger style role which he has been attempting.

Cloke is hardly the dependable kick that is going to solve our goal kicking woes. A fully fit Jack Anthony is our best option IMO. Cloke would be a much better player if he didn't decide to wheel around on his left and roost 60meters to Leon every time he got the ball out of scoring distance.

Better delivery into the 50 will see us kick more goals then behinds, even if we still go round the boundary but just don't bomb long then it will improve. Move the ball movement closer towards the corridor and it will improve further still.

I would be really interested what the players are thinking when they watch the game in review and see the ball just being bombed in time and time again.
 
Agree with Stillwaiting on closer corridor use, at times especially last year we got the ball to either the wing or HF and then switched play back to the corridor or across to the opposite wing.
We now tend to switch at HB only and when we run the wing there is no switch so in effect the forwards have half the ground to work with.
Just so frustrating to watch because when we do use the corridor we look bloody dangerous.
 
I really don't see how much more we can experiment in terms of personnel.
We haven't debuted a player yet this year. :confused:

If it's good enough for the likes of Geelong, why not us?
 
We haven't debuted a player yet this year. :confused:

If it's good enough for the likes of Geelong, why not us?

Who's the debutant though?

The choices are;

* Jarryd Blair
* Josh Thomas
* Ben Sinclair
* Jarryd Blight
* Scott Reed
* Luke Rounds

Sinclair and Blight have struggled with injuries, and we would have to promote Blair to select him, and with Luke Ball's likely return this week, I can't see him getting a chance this year now.

Thomas has been impressive, but would need more time at VFL level before being considered IMO.

Reed and/or Rounds are the 2 most likely, but that would mean dropping Medhurst, Davis or Dick as they are only really small to medium forwards.

So I just don't see a debutant in there, that will make an impact straight away and help us win a game.
 
Take a punt, play up the corridor with more handballing. If we lose a few games because of it... so be it. Put simply, we can NOT win the flag if we continue with this gameplan. We need to be more attacking up the middle, and risk the counter-attack, if we want to score heavily and kick accurately. End of story.
 
The match began, and after a furious first five minutes, the Pies began to control the game, and dominate the posession. Our inside 50's were well up on Geelongs, and though we seemed to be the better side, we entered half time with Geelong still within touch through our inaccuracy.

The second half was the essence of frustration. We kicked 3.10 to their 6.2, missing snaps, set shots and shots-on-the-run that we would've nailed in the preceding four weeks.

We lost by a solitary behind.


Just an idea. Thoughts?

Thoughts? I think you've be raiding my dark fantasies. I lived through something very like this in my imagination on the train home from Monday's game. It's all too likely, unless we can make good our deficits.

We have to settle the forward line.
We have to abandon the boundary line, or at least use it as a second option.
We have to be prepared to batter the heads off the opposition when they're in the corridor
The forwards have to get the ball where they'll be within a coooeee of getting a goal.
We have to just go for it and stop futtering about when we have the ball, broadcasting our next move to the enemy.
We have to clone Brad Dick!

And we MUST beat Geelong or St Kilda before finals, or we'll be going in like a one-legged man at a ceilidh
 
I wonder how wed go addapting a pagen s paddock, cloke stays in the forward 50 most of the time even if he isnt the best shot on goal he is still gettin shots
 
We haven't debuted a player yet this year. :confused:

If it's good enough for the likes of Geelong, why not us?

I thought he was referring to forward options. He's pretty much right too. Besides Reed and Rounds we've tried just about any able bodied forward we have. This may be an issue in itself. Perhaps it's time like Snag suggested to settle the line-up a bit more. Theres a few things I think need to change to help fix our forward issues:

1) Get rid of the three talls set-up
2) Bring in Dawes and play Cloke deeper more often
3) Improve our ball movement, move the ball more quickly
4) When targets are hard to find be more patient in delivering inside 50
5) Improve goal kicking

I'd like to see us set-up like this:

HF: ------Didak-----Dawes-----Rusty-----
FF: ------Dick------Cloke-----Medhurst---

We can be flexible with our HFF's and rotate players through those positions but the rest i'd like to see settled.
 

Remove this Banner Ad

Take a punt, play up the corridor with more handballing. If we lose a few games because of it... so be it. Put simply, we can NOT win the flag if we continue with this gameplan. We need to be more attacking up the middle, and risk the counter-attack, if we want to score heavily and kick accurately. End of story.

Mick says we don't have the cattle.
 
I thought he was referring to forward options. He's pretty much right too. Besides Reed and Rounds we've tried just about any able bodied forward we have. This may be an issue in itself. Perhaps it's time like Snag suggested to settle the line-up a bit more. Theres a few things I think need to change to help fix our forward issues:

1) Get rid of the three talls set-up
2) Bring in Dawes and play Cloke deeper more often
3) Improve our ball movement, move the ball more quickly
4) When targets are hard to find be more patient in delivering inside 50
5) Improve goal kicking

I'd like to see us set-up like this:

HF: ------Didak-----Dawes-----Rusty-----
FF: ------Dick------Cloke-----Medhurst---

We can be flexible with our HFF's and rotate players through those positions but the rest i'd like to see settled.

If you can handle a slightly impartial opinion.....

If you don't introduce the young kids in the next few weeks then it will be too late to do so for this year.

If you can make your forward line full functional, then IMO you have a real chance at stealing a flag.

IMO Cloke is an out and out leading CHF who can play Brown like leading up the to wings and taking 10+ marks per game. Didak is as close to Daicos as you will get in this day and age and is perfect on a flank. I would have either Rusling or Jack on the other particularly if you have Cloke leading up the ground.

Dick is a one off an provided he continues to work hard in the defensive areas he's a lock for the pocket. Personally, I wouldn't play him and Neon in the same side - I reckon there is one role between them. Dawes lookes a viable option at FF with assistance from Rus/Jack.

Which leaves us with Medhurst. Has father time got him by the goolies? I would trial Lukey R and or Reed in that role pretty much straight after the break to see what they offer. You won't know if you never ever give them a go.
 
Mick says we don't have the cattle.

I don't think he really believes that. It's just a way to justify his gameplan.

We have some outstanding handballers in the side, and we have some serious pace to go through the corridor. Our half-back line would absolutely thrive with such a style, as would Thomas, Wellingham, Pendlebury, Johnson, Dick, Swan and Didak. Not to mention the forwards getting service on a platter. The only negative is putting our defense under the pump with a turnover... but so be it.
 
I had a horrible dream too, something about both my parents being murdered and chopped into bits to mka a soup, with them being fed to me without any knowledge only to realize afterwards...

Not nearly as bad as your dream though.
 
I had a horrible dream too, something about both my parents being murdered and chopped into bits to mka a soup, with them being fed to me without any knowledge only to realize afterwards...

Very Titus Andronicus - in reverse.

Not nearly as bad as your dream though.

What if you'd unwittingly eaten Alan Didak?:eek:
 
I had a horrible dream too, something about both my parents being murdered and chopped into bits to mka a soup, with them being fed to me without any knowledge only to realize afterwards...

Not nearly as bad as your dream though.
Reminds me of the movie Hannibal, when that guy was fed a piece of his own brain.:eek:
 

🥰 Love BigFooty? Join now for free.

What if you'd unwittingly eaten Alan Didak?:eek:

Not as bad. If I had unwittingly eaten Didak we could still potentially win the flag and there is nothing life could possibly throw anything worse than a one point grand final loss. As far as the subcomscous goes, eating your parents is one thing or even Didak for that matter but a one point grand final loss is just taking it too far. :thumbsd:
 

Remove this Banner Ad

Remove this Banner Ad

🥰 Love BigFooty? Join now for free.

Back
Top Bottom