Toast Round 20 = Collingwood 90-45 West Coast

[Good Horse]

Happy Birthday to you and all the other good horses out there! 🕯

Thanks! Its a bit of a sensitive time for horses though. Imagine the shitfights in the horse community with everyone having the same birthdate and having to decide whose birthday party you go to.

And try getting a carrot cake today. Its worse than roses on Valentines.

 

[76woodenspooners]

Yesterday I managed to escape the Sydney lockdown (Hey, you Victorians out there … I don’t wanna hear how your government is better than mine! ), I swam across the Murray under cover of darkness, hitch hiked down to the MCG and managed to creep into Harvey’s post match review with the players without anybody noticing me. Here’s what went down:

Harvey: “Great game lads, a shout-out to all the young players, but our challenge today for all the experienced players was to be young again and do something that took you out of your comfort zone. Why don’t you kick us off Maynie, how did you do?”

Mayne: “I sold some candy …”

<The room erupts into loud cheers and ‘whoop whoop’>

Mayne: “And I tried a Jeremy Howesque hanger!”

<The room bursts out into hysterical laughter>

Harvey: “What about you Howie, how did you do?”

Howe: “I got myself on the ground, kept it simple, and didn’t do anything fancy, that’s out of character for me”

<Claps and Cheers around the room>

Harvey: “What about you Wil?”

Hoskin Elliott: “I took a bounce, I don’t do that very often”

<Claps and Cheers around the room>

Harvey: “Billie?

Elliott: “I neutralized NicNat in a marking contest … normally I would have simply taken the mark”

<Laughter around the room>

Harvey: “Tay, how did you do?”

Adams: “I tried a set shot barrel from outside 50!”

<Everybody laughs and cheers>

Harvey: “What about you Madge?”

Madgen: “I cleaned up after Maynard’s screw-ups”

<laughter around the room, Maynard is grinning broadly and clapping enthusiastically”

Harvey: “What about you Q?”

<Room erupts into cheers, Quaynor breaks out into a wide smile>

Quaynor: “I kicked a goal!”

<Room goes nuts, it’s mahem as everybody gets around Quaynor>

 

[MyManLynch]

Yesterday I managed to escape the Sydney lockdown (Hey, you Victorians out there … I don’t wanna hear how your government is better than mine! ), I swam across the Murray under cover of darkness, hitch hiked down to the MCG and managed to creep into Harvey’s post match review with the players without anybody noticing me. Here’s what went down:

Harvey: “Great game lads, a shout-out to all the young players, but our challenge today for all the experienced players was to be young again and do something that took you out of your comfort zone. Why don’t you kick us off Maynie, how did you do?”

Mayne: “I sold some candy …”

<The room erupts into loud cheers and ‘whoop whoop’>

Mayne: “And I tried a Jeremy Howesque hanger!”

<The room bursts out into hysterical laughter>

Harvey: “What about you Howie, how did you do?”

Howe: “I got myself on the ground, kept it simple, and didn’t do anything fancy, that’s out of character for me”

<Claps and Cheers around the room>

Harvey: “What about you Wil?”

Hoskin Elliott: “I took a bounce, I don’t do that very often”

<Claps and Cheers around the room>

Harvey: “Billie?

Elliott: “I neutralized NicNat in a marking contest … normally I would have simply taken the mark”

<Laughter around the room>

Harvey: “Tay, how did you do?”

Adams: “I tried a set shot barrel from outside 50!”

<Everybody laughs and cheers>

Harvey: “What about you Madge?”

Madgen: “I cleaned up after Maynard’s screw-ups”

<laughter around the room, Maynard is grinning broadly and clapping enthusiastically”

Harvey: “What about you Q?”

<Room erupts into cheers, Quaynor breaks out into a wide smile>

Quaynor: “I kicked a goal!”

<Room goes nuts, it’s mahem as everybody gets around Quaynor>

I absolutely believe you.

nb Last year I was running a people smuggling service (using my boat) from the Deep Creek Marina Pub NSW to Henry’s Bridge Hotel.
I would have offered my services if I was still in Australia (Water is a a bit chilly this time of year)

 

[Mukesh]

my imagination... or do we consistently play well/win when Sidebottom is captain ??? maybe someone has the stats on this...

 

[Leviathan Pie]

What a great performance that was yesterday. Super even spread of contributors - very few negatives.

Great win.

 

[TakingThePies]

Thanks for your very informative post, you peanut.

You have no idea what happened, it's a child birth, his first child.


You're a clown for even saying anything like that, the bloke is a normal person. Family is always first no matter whether you play elite sport or work in a factory. Have a hard look at yourself.

 

[Rebuilder]

We lose, we're trash!

We win, the opposition played trash!

 

[stormskye]

Ir

We lose, we're trash!

We win, the opposition played trash!

View attachment 1193496

A few posters in here are never happy. Shallow Hal’s…I’ve enjoyed my weekend after our win. They are few and far between atm!

 

[magpies42]

You have no idea what happened, it's a child birth, his first child.


You're a clown for even saying anything like that, the bloke is a normal person. Family is always first no matter whether you play elite sport or work in a factory. Have a hard look at yourself.

He isn’t a normal person, he’s a professional footballer. Sacrifice your pay if you want to do it part time. How many other people get to pick and choose when they work? Not many.

Health and family first for sure, I wasn’t questioning that. If there is an issue you put family first. If not then you make a determination…professional football or amateur.

Steeles form has been up and down in recent times…if he takes a part time approach to no wonder.

Attend the birth, and get back to it.

There is no need for you to be such a tool.

 

[Albert Parker]

Great game by the team.

Play on approach and use of corridor was terrific.
Forwards leading toward the ball carrier.
Great to see de Goey continue to be the player we have been hoping for him to come. He's had a great past 6 weeks as an on-baller.
Fantastic to see Sidebottom leading from the front. A lot of heat on here in recent weeks when he's been playing under duress.
Seeing Howie down back brought a smile to my face too.
Continued progress from our young players too - Macrae, Henry, Ginnivan, Bianco, Ruscoe.
Helps to make the weekend enjoyable!

 

[Albert Parker]

There’s your key word. Until we invest hard in top tier KPF talent I won’t be comfortable with the list build. Surely it comes in 2022…

I’d love to share the optimism for next year, but a new coach with an aging midfield and defense (Steele, Pendles, Mayne, Roughead and Howe all 30+ and 4 of those 5 were in our best group yesterday) suggests to me there’ll be challenges. The main one is that Hawthorn aside the clubs around us are on the up. GC can’t stay this bad forever, North are building nicely and have significant midfield and KP assets, Adelaide are starting to build a talented base which will be boosted by another top 5 pick. I mean we could do a Melbourne post 2018, but I think it would take a guy like T Brown or Kelly breaking out and I just don’t think they have it in them.

I’ve said it a few times now WC and Richmond are the watches next year because like us they don’t have the talent in that 22-28 age bracket and they don’t have the talent underneath to remain mid table, IMO.

Agree on a one year view. Tigers have a good draft hand next year at this stage though.

Eagles are a worry. Nic Nat has a Dad bod and plays 60% game time after a decade in the system.
Shuey is perennially injured and there are a few that don't put in quite a few weeks.
Their attitude reeks of being the biggest club in a small town. No good without the crowd behind them to win free kicks and pat them on the back.

 

[ottoman]

Trying not to read to much into this, couldnt help but look at the ladder position to see if there was any mathematical hope of making it…alas there is not!

New coach, new approach…happens more often than not that there is an up tick in performance as teams learn and adjust to the new style. The win was further compounded by a non existent west coast. Great game for us. Let’s hope it’s the beginning of something new.

Chin up mate. We can still make it.

 

[ottoman]

Yeah, there is a chance …

View attachment 1192820

… insanely improbable though. Requires at least one drawn game.

Sorry mate, mine was better
No need for a drawn game.

 

[Kappa]

You can still lose to sh*t teams. Your comment to me comes across as we only played well because Eagles were poor. I don't think that acknowledges how good the performance was.

The eagles' pressure was extremely poor and the entire game left multiple free men in the corridor which good teams won't, it's a consideration.

 

[Carringbush2010]

So I've watched the replay.

One thing is for certain, the work rate of our mids vs wc, unbelievable! Tay, Goey, Sides etc. did a LOT of two way running to help out in d50 and to help apply forward pressure i50. This is bread and butter for Sides but Kudos to Goey, he's showing he's willing to out two way his opponent. (Although not hard given the opponent mids work rate), still you can see the intent.

Where as wc literally had zero pressure period, zero. That's been their game over the last month - transition reliant, and they're being found out. You could tell by the way we gave them no out with pill in hand that our team defence was bang on! Helped of course with that mid group outworking their more highly fancied opponents.

It was this defensive set up without pill that allowed us training drill transition - well more likely wc's zero team defensive pressure. But I will pay homage to our boys, (actually our panel instructing our boys) to play on at all costs - with pill it allowed us territory so that in the event we did turn it over we had soldiers behind the ball giving them no easy outs / link ups. Whether this was the intent (as a defensive back up) I don't know but the result was still the same.

Move ball with speed and hit up the lead up forward, if we turn it over we have lines behind the ball to cover any holes. This was obviously a lot easier given the oppositions pressure or complete devoidance of.

I'll give credit to our forward pressure as well, won territory but contested when we didn't hit up that lead forward, and fiercely!

It was the complete transition game that gained territory that was fiercely defended without pill. Sort of looked like a dogs game style, admittedly not as clean but I'll give a mulligan given the amount of inexperience that all played a big part in that style. Also given it's the type of plan that requires everybody on the same page that's showing a willingness to collectively 'do the job'. Exceptional given the starting list age / experience imbalance, great cohesion!

That game did tail off late in the 3rd when we were gassed but still had the intent to cover off any easy link ups, didn't come off and wc eventually got on top in the clearance battle - obviously we had them there before tiring.

Great great signs of potential there, too much raw talent with almost zero games to get a gauge on - but potentially there's plenty to work with.

 

[Pera]

Harvey finally figured it out after last week I feel. We were getting the ball into the corridor against Port but whenever we took a mark we would then look for the next chip in the middle. The run from behind is ultimately what killed West Coast in the corridor and every time we went through the middle, it was fast with the handball not the kick that opened up the arc for our forwards to lead into. Great adjustment from Harvey and he deserves praise for how he got that tactical message across.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

Good result to “only” lose the second half by five points. They really tried their best to run the game out despite some of the younger players looking cooked.

 

[Vicky Park]

I don't recall Mr Maynards first few games, but I venture to suggest no one on here was proclaiming him a star after them...

There were a few of us who consistently called for patience with Maynard early days. In fact the outrage on here at him being given games, in his first couple of seasons, was a running joke. One post from that period that stuck in my mind was someone claiming their six year old daughter could do better.

 

[unplugged]

Game reminded me a bit of the Richmond game in Round 2, 2019 which ended up locking in a new game style for the next 2 years, rather than being just Plan A, B or C dependant on who we're playing. The mark game isn't going to work against every side, but when it works it's a great watch.

That half back flank kick to inside the square on a 45 we've been doing the last 6-odd weeks (even when Buckley was still around) has been spot on though. Now part of our DNA so much that any time we switch play via the defensive 50 it just screams of our old style and is frustrating, albeit sometimes necessary. Bit more 2018 about it.

Work rate was definitely the key though. If you look at the tracker etc. on the AFL app, we have the top 5-6 players for average speed in defense. WCE have the top 5-6 got speed in attack.

I think the same game style will really challenge Hawthorn next week but we obviously need to stop Mitchell and Omeara from getting it at the coalface.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

There were a few of us who consistently called for patience with Maynard early days. In fact the outrage on here at him being given games, in his first couple of seasons, was a running joke. One post from that period that stuck in my mind was someone claiming their six year old daughter could do better.

She’d be twelve or so now... I wonder how her career is progressing!!!

 

[jonmacTrag]

Game reminded me a bit of the Richmond game in Round 2, 2019 which ended up locking in a new game style for the next 2 years, rather than being just Plan A, B or C dependant on who we're playing. The mark game isn't going to work against every side, but when it works it's a great watch.

That half back flank kick to inside the square on a 45 we've been doing the last 6-odd weeks (even when Buckley was still around) has been spot on though. Now part of our DNA so much that any time we switch play via the defensive 50 it just screams of our old style and is frustrating, albeit sometimes necessary. Bit more 2018 about it.

Work rate was definitely the key though. If you look at the tracker etc. on the AFL app, we have the top 5-6 players for average speed in defense. WCE have the top 5-6 got speed in attack.

I think the same game style will really challenge Hawthorn next week but we obviously need to stop Mitchell and Omeara from getting it at the coalface.

I think the Harvey lovers for head coach should remember that this new style of play is NOT his brainstorm - as you say it started whilst Bucks still had the reins.
Harvey was a great player and is apparently a great guy but head coach???

. . . . Pass.

 

[JLC]

I think the Harvey lovers for head coach should remember that this new style of play is NOT his brainstorm - as you say it started whilst Bucks still had the reins.
Harvey was a great player and is apparently a great guy but head coach???

. . . . Pass.

The defence first mantra is what killed NB imo. He tried to save games rather than win them. I have no problem teaching a young group about being accountable. I feel the balance between defence and attack was wrong. It is almost like Harvey has more belief in the players abilities?

Harvey may or may not be a great coach BUT at least it’s been enjoyable to watch in larger patches.

 

[jonmacTrag]

The defence first mantra is what killed NB imo. He tried to save games rather than win them. I have no problem teaching a young group about being accountable. I feel the balance between defence and attack was wrong. It is almost like Harvey has more belief in the players abilities?

Harvey may or may not be a great coach BUT at least it’s been enjoyable to watch in larger patches.

This isn't about Bux - as far as I'm concerned he had his shot and just fell short - my take is that Buckley had his walking papers weeks before he 'resigned' and the playbook was forced upon him.
What is more likely about Harvey is that he is 'softer' after Buckley's 'harsh' style and the players respond to the 'nice guy'
It's called the 'new coach bubble' and it almost never fails.

 

[Mukesh]

There were a few of us who consistently called for patience with Maynard early days. In fact the outrage on here at him being given games, in his first couple of seasons, was a running joke. One post from that period that stuck in my mind was someone claiming their six year old daughter could do better.

Worth remembering the next time one of us armchair gurus goes the early call on a young player...

 

[Albert Parker]

This isn't about Bux - as far as I'm concerned he had his shot and just fell short - my take is that Buckley had his walking papers weeks before he 'resigned' and the playbook was forced upon him.
What is more likely about Harvey is that he is 'softer' after Buckley's 'harsh' style and the players respond to the 'nice guy'
It's called the 'new coach bubble' and it almost never fails.

Where is the evidence that Bucks has been harsh in recent times?
He'd very much been about comeraderie and being warm and fuzzy. Much more empathy since the review in 2017.
-eg. Caleb Poulter winning his spot with a faux basketball game.
In fact, I'd suggest he couldn't even bring himself to be honest with Treloar and let him go.

Very good vibe with the players but his game plan was too defensive and the transition to a more attacking style came too late. Harvey has followed that approach which worked well against Melbourne, Geelong in Q4 etc.
Wonder if Adam Simpson will learn it soon.