Some things from my notepad last night

[ManWithNoName]

Went along to the game(s) last night. Noticed a few things.

• The Pies were tackling and running hard immediately. They look ready to go, which is really impressive considering the limited pre-season they would've had compared to teams like Richmond and Carlton. Could play devils advocate and ask if they've focused to much on a good start to the year and burn out come mid-year. But given the professionalism of the Pies outfit, I doubt their fitness staff would do that. If they can maintain this kind of intensity from the off all throughout the year, they're gonna be hard to beat.
  
• The Pies are really mugging the ball carrier. Any time an opposition player gets it he's not just dealing with one Collingwood player, but two or three. Pies are giving the opposition zero space to work with.
  
• Wasn't impressed with Krakouer. I know it'll take him a couple of games to get back into the swing of things but he looked slow, was leading to stupid areas, was constantly behind the play, got muscled off the ball far too often and seemed incapable of breaking tackles. Then got his arse handed to him by Yarran in Game 2. No doubt he'll continue to improve with more game but but there's no doubt he does need to lift, a lot.
  
• Collingwood not only mug the ball carrier, but they clog the space one kick ahead of play. So even if the opposition manages to get clear and look ahead, all he sees is about 5 Pies blokes right where he'll kick it. And it was that way constantly.
  
• Despite the out of bounds rule, the Pies were still going wide regularly and using the boundary line. Could be a clear sign they're going to retain this tactic for 2011.
  
• Harry O'Brien pushed forward regularly last night. A lot more than I've seen from him in the past. Not sure he'd be any good up there but it wouldn't surprise me if we saw him on the wing a lot more this year.

 

[jerry springer]

cheers mate,always good to hear a another supporters view

 

[Heater39]

I thought our tackling was our most impressive facet of our game by far last night. Sure, the skills aren't going to be fantastic in the first hit out but to show the intensity we did was impressive.

 

[jonbe54]

Admittedly it was first hit out and only a micky mouse competition, but having admitted that the attack on the ball, the opposition ball carrier and the opposition trying to free up in the space in front of the ball carrier were awesome.

Those opposition supporters hanging their hopes on the old 'premiership hangover' crutch would be feeling very nervous now whether they admit it publicly or not.

 

[makethat2]

I thought our tackling was our most impressive facet of our game by far last night. Sure, the skills aren't going to be fantastic in the first hit out but to show the intensity we did was impressive.

Does any one else think that D Thomas is our best tackler. A few times last night players tried to run threw him but he stopped them every time!

 

[jonbe54]

Does any one else think that D Thomas is our best tackler. A few times last night players tried to run threw him but he stopped them every time!

I find it hard to believe he has improved since the GF's but he has

Highest possible praise for the coaching staff for having the nous to put him in the backline for a season, it has been the making of him!

Big props for Daisy as well, has kept up the pressure on himself to improve despite arguably being the best player in both GF's last year. Totally professional attitude

 

[Zahki]

Thanks for posting your thoughts, always good to see a neutral opinion outside the "Everything to do with Collingwood is awesome" bubble.

I think you're being a bit harsh on Krakouer, he's got to get used to the Collingwood game style just like Jolly and Ball did last year, and on top of that he's got to adjust to the increased speed of the game, not only from WAFL level, but since he last played AFL as well. He'll need a few games to find his feet and get some confidence up, but once he does I'm sure he'll be a top class extractor and work really well alongside Pendlebury, Swan and Ball. Malthouse didn't seem too disappointed, he was giving Kraks a few pats on the back after the game.

 

[didaka]

Krakouer will improve 100% on that. Even veteran players come back after the pre-season and need to find touch, while Krakouer has been out of the system for a while.

I thought he played forward to often as well. I hope we're not going to see that all year because as soon as he went into the middle he won 2 of 2 clearances.

I don't think he's going to be much use to us lingering 30m from goal all year.

Except for his goal he pretty much got all of his footy up field where he could run a bit and find a bit of space and Yarran wasn't hanging off him.

 

[BlueJet]

Does any one else think that D Thomas is our best tackler. A few times last night players tried to run threw him but he stopped them every time!

I was thinking the same, I was also impressed by Heath Shaws effort at the contest/man which has certainly improved since he was younger.
Krakouer will take a period of adjustment having been out of the system for a while so his true value won't be seen for a while.

 

[Bonuspoints]

I was really impressed with:
* the way we pressured the potential receivers and not just the ball carrier.

* the next wave of young talent. I was blown away with the way the young'uns slotted in naturally in the 22 and played their role in the system.

 

[smiddaz123]

Does any one else think that D Thomas is our best tackler. A few times last night players tried to run threw him but he stopped them every time!

Maxwell and Goldsack are our best two imo.

 

[robertg22]

On a side note that tackle by Dawesy in the fwd pocket last night reminded me of a Ray Lewis quarterback sack... brutal stuff
Sidey's one of our best tacklers too imo