Over-confident...?

[PieLebo87]

I understand we finished first, and I understand we may have a higher media exposure than other top 8 sides, but even just in the last 2 days we'ev had Heath Shaw come out and compare this side to that of the 1990 Premiers, and Dane Swan having his say. Whats the point? Why can't they be a bit more down-to-earth and say they're just focusing on it one week at a time?

Dane Swan said they've been building for a Qualifying Final all season, and to tell you the truth, this weekend is the most important game of our season. Even going back 2 months, and ahead 2 weeks. This is the game we HAVE to win. Obviously a Prelim is more important in a sense of winning a Premiership, but the QF is the most vital match of an AFL season, generally, the winner of that, gets a week's rest, and come into a Prelim with a fresh list, against a side that has had 3 intense weeks of finals footy which has included a loss.

Saturday night decides if Collingwood is a chance to win a Premiership or not. Its a 50/50 chance, we are no greater chance than the Doggies, and have you seen as much talk coming out of Whitten Oval? No.

Obviously, everyone likes abit of confidence from the players, but the Collingwood game-plan is based on hard, hard work, and having that mentality that we have to win every contest with the shadow of doubt. Being 'confident' is not good for this style of play. You CANNOT be confident when you're a Collingwood player, because subcounciously, even as Swan stated, confidence means you'll be less intense, and have that little bit less desire to attack the footy as though your life depended on it.

I hope all this talk is put to rest by the players and they start realising that if they don't win each and every contest on Saturday night, they've accomplished absolutely nothing for season 2010. Lose Saturday night, and they will not win a Premiership, which is what they've been aiming for since October 2009. Not a single side in finals has the right to be 'confident' because this is a completely different level to H&A football, there are 4-6 quality sides who have been the best of 16 all season, and on their day, are more than capable of going all the way and succeeding. I'm sure there are 7 othe sides out there this weekend that are just as confident as Collingwood, yet aren't advertising it.

 

[Pies_10]

Well said cant agree more gotta go out there from the start and just go for the jugular.

 

[MagpieJoel]

On the other hand, being confident can allow you to take risks, and to take the game on. It works both ways.

I don't think we have been cocky at any stage, and I think that is the key.

 

[mattys123]

I'm sure there are 7 othe sides out there this weekend that are just as confident as Collingwood, yet aren't advertising it.

This is part of "being Collingwood" though.

Every club has players interviewed during the week, but it seems that the Collingwood players comments still dominate the media coverage.

We don't "put our players out there" more then anyone else, we don't build ourselves up more then anyone else, it's just that every word one of our players, coaches or board says is published, that's the difference.

As for being "over confident", I believe it's a little like being "over alive", or "over awake", you are either confident or you are not, I think it's pretty Black or White (pardon the pun).

It would be difference if our comments bordered on arrogance or disrespectful towards our opposition, but I have heard no such comment.

Personally, I think it's only the 3rd time since 1990 I have heard our players have any "real" confidence, and I'm loving it.

 

[Optimax]

You complain toomuch

We finished first, won four more games then our opposition, beat them twice in the home and away season abd are going in fitter and with better form. If with all of that you can't be confident you may as well throw the towel in now

 

[cobbly]

The players need confidence, and alot of it, otherwise they'll crumble under the immense pressure put on them. I'm sure they know there's still a long way and a lot of hard work to go, I haven't heard any player say they think it's in the bag, but they obviously believe they are capable of doing it. Which is a GOOD thing.

Some of the supporters just need to find their faith again.

 

[PieLebo87]

We finished first, won four more games then our opposition, beat them twice in the home and away season abd are going in fitter and with better form. If with all of that you can't be confident you may as well throw the towel in now

Yeah, but how relevant is all that at 7:20 on Saturday night when the ball is bounced in a Qualifying final for 44 players?

 

[cobbly]

Yeah, but how relevant is all that at 7:20 on Saturday night when the ball is bounced in a Qualifying final for 44 players?

It gives them confidence, and confidence is incredibly important in a high pressure game.

You're obviously starting to get nervous PieLebo, but there is no reason the players should be. In fact if the players went into the game tomorrow night without confidence, it would be disastrous.

You have to remember, the players don't carry the same baggage as the supporters do. What reason do they have to doubt themselves?

 

[Premier Pies]

Yeah, but how relevant is all that at 7:20 on Saturday night when the ball is bounced in a Qualifying final for 44 players?

None of it is relevant at all but FFS, lighten up a bit mate. As someone said before, we have won four more games including beating them twice. Our form is good and they have some injury concerns.

There is nothing wrong with confidence at all imo. As long as you are not arrogant or cocky or take your opponent lightly, you have nothing to worry about. I love the fact that they are confident but also paying respect to the Doggies. No way known would the boys be taking this game for granted.

So I'm expecting them to come out really hard just like the doggies. It will be a scrap early I'm sure but as the match rolls on we should be able to overpower the Doggies with run and hardness at the ball.

Pies by 20 points

 

[Cousin of Daicos]

Rodney Eade said just yesterday how confident they are, and how much belief they have.

Man all teams do this. You just hear about it more from us. Eade also said the wet weather would suit them too.

All I've heard from us is the same as any other team:

- We're confident
- We have belief
- We trust our structures
- We're aiming for a flag
- We're in good shape
- We're as good a chance as anyone

I've had those or variations on those from ALL sides in the Top 8. Except maybe Sydney.

 

[Mickaman]

None of it is relevant at all but FFS, lighten up a bit mate. As someone said before, we have won four more games including beating them twice. Our form is good and they have some injury concerns.

There is nothing wrong with confidence at all imo. As long as you are not arrogant or cocky or take your opponent lightly, you have nothing to worry about. I love the fact that they are confident but also paying respect to the Doggies. No way known would the boys be taking this game for granted.

So I'm expecting them to come out really hard just like the doggies. It will be a scrap early I'm sure but as the match rolls on we should be able to overpower the Doggies with run and hardness at the ball.


Pies by 20 points

That would be the only issue if we took the doggies lightly.

 

[Cousin of Daicos]

If it helps Leb, Mick said that in his first flag with West Coast, the Eagles got flogged in the last round of the season, and the players AND Mick still said internally that they WOULD win the flag. Not that they COULD, but that they WOULD.

I get the sense that this team/club TRULY believes it will be there on September 25. Whether that happens or not is a different matter, but it does appear that they BELIEVE it, which helps a lot when you have confidence and talent to go with that belief.

 

[Optimax]

Yeah, but how relevant is all that at 7:20 on Saturday night when the ball is bounced in a Qualifying final for 44 players?

I'd imagine the fact that our 22 players have been involved with 4 more wins then their 22 players, our 22 have also beaten their 22 twice this season, oh and our 22 is closer to full strength then their 22, would mean it's pretty damn ****en relevant perdonally

 

[Quicky]

There is nothing wrong with confidence at all imo. As long as you are not arrogant or cocky or take your opponent lightly, you have nothing to worry about. I love the fact that they are confident but also paying respect to the Doggies. No way known would the boys be taking this game for granted.

Pretty much this.

Every top four finals side has been talking themselves up. It's no time for doubt.

 

[jefffff34]

I'm so confident I expect us to win by 230 points, and expect the Western Bulldogs to forfeit to Sydney/Carlton because they have had too much emotional stress from Saturday night's events.

 

[PieLebo87]

I agree with the majority of whats being said here. I'm not doubting confidence is very important, but read the title. How embarressing would it be for Heater with the 1990 comparision if we were knocked out in straight sets?

As I said, I agree there that there should be an element of confidence, but think about the style of play Collingwood plays. 110% into every contest, ferocious pressure and tackling, causing the turnover. You cannot win these 50/50 contests when you're purely 'confident'. You need to be uneasy, and at edge, knowing the job needs to be done. I guess if theres a balance between that, and confidence in making this year a special one, then bloody awesome but I want there to be uncertainty, I want them to also acknowledge the job at hand instead of just being really confident.

When you realise you've got a massive job ahead of you, and you're willing to put in the hard yards, you attack it with everything you've got, and you generally win if you're better, and you're giving it 100%, but when theres that subconciousn thought of being confident, you sort of get ahead of yourself, and believe you're already half way there before its actually happened.

I guess I differ in thinking with some of you. I want us, the supporters to be confident, cocky, arrogant and just the way we're meant to be, not the players. I want the players to be focused on the job at hand. Belief in ones ability, and confidence comes 15-20 minutes in to the last quarter of a Grand Final, when you're up by 5-10 goals.

 

[wicksy]

I'm less confident now due to the underdog status being clearly with the red, white and blue....

 

[cobbly]

I agree with the majority of whats being said here. I'm not doubting confidence is very important, but read the title. How embarressing would it be for Heater with the 1990 comparision if we were knocked out in straight sets?

As I said, I agree there that there should be an element of confidence, but think about the style of play Collingwood plays. 110% into every contest, ferocious pressure and tackling, causing the turnover. You cannot win these 50/50 contests when you're purely 'confident'. You need to be uneasy, and at edge, knowing the job needs to be done. I guess if theres a balance between that, and confidence in making this year a special one, then bloody awesome but I want there to be uncertainty, I want them to also acknowledge the job at hand instead of just being really confident.

When you realise you've got a massive job ahead of you, and you're willing to put in the hard yards, you attack it with everything you've got, and you generally win if you're better, and you're giving it 100%, but when theres that subconciousn thought of being confident, you sort of get ahead of yourself, and believe you're already half way there before its actually happened.

I guess I differ in thinking with some of you. I want us, the supporters to be confident, cocky, arrogant and just the way we're meant to be, not the players. I want the players to be focused on the job at hand. Belief in ones ability, and confidence comes 15-20 minutes in to the last quarter of a Grand Final, when you're up by 5-10 goals.

First of all, if we go out in straight sets, no one is going to care what heater said in the week before our first final.

Let me put it this way. Cloke is lining up for goal to win the match. Would you want him to be confident or "knowing he has a massive job ahead of him"?

 

[mattys123]

Let me put it this way. Cloke is lining up for goal to win the match. Would you want him to be confident or "knowing he has a massive job ahead of him"?

If Cloke is lining up for a shot to win the match, I won't be thinking much, I will probably be hiding under my seat, arse up, waiting for the roar, one way or another.

Seriously, if Cloke ends up with the ball having a shot at goal to win us the game, GET THE EMERGENCY ROOM READY, because many Pies fans will be having medical problems bought on by extreme stress.

 

[PieBeast]

Geelong's loss put pay to any chance of our boys having even a hint of complacency in tonight's game.

 

[lenny&carl]

It's all cool. They know they can, they know they will. eos

 

[Somebody]

I must admit I was a bit concerned about those comments at the time. But really I don't see the players becoming over-confident. For the last 2 or 3 seasons we have often lost games we were expected to win. I think this often is a result of insufficient belief and confidence to hold up when you are the hunted rather than the hunter/underdog.

The current confidence comes from having faith in the game plan(s) and in their teammates. The players just know what to do in detail, in almost every situation, know how to play to all their teammates' strengths and know it will usually work. It clicked in after the last StK win, and super-clicked with the Geelong win and the players now have the kind of supreme self belief of Geelong.

In Geelong's case their belief now exceeds their actual ability which has gone down 1/2 a peg, and without it they wouldn't have gone close last night.

Overconfidence is sub-consciously thinking it will "just happen". In the case of Woods '10, their confidence and game plan is based around intensity foremost, so it's not likely they will lose that. That is even more unlikely after they have watched the intensity of last night's game which will have mentally put them firmly in extreme finals mode.

More importantly, when the opposition threatens dangerously to overrun and take the game away, that's when deeply ingrained self-confidence hopefully automatically kicks in and overcomes panic, finals nerves and fear of losing.

If Cloke is lining up for a shot to win the match, I won't be thinking much, I will probably be hiding under my seat, arse up, waiting for the roar, one way or another.

Seriously, if Cloke ends up with the ball having a shot at goal to win us the game, GET THE EMERGENCY ROOM READY, because many Pies fans will be having medical problems bought on by extreme stress.

If that happened I would wonder what I (and all other pies fans) had done to deserve that sort of agony. Hopefully Cloke wound't be thinking similar thoughts, and if he actually put it through it of course would have been worth the pain and would immortalize him in the finals history books along with names like Jezza (famous mark 70 gf), RAy GAbelic (3 or 4 bounce lumbering run and goal to go ahead in a GF in the Jerassic age with just a minute or so to play), Blight (amazing 70 yard torp to win a cutthroat final after the final siren) and Ablett snr (urgh... well there must have been 2 or 3...) for famous moments (can't think of others right now).

 

[Somebody]

doubley