The Game

[Soups]

What were your thoughts on today's game?

I thought that we lack a bit of run from previous weeks, where today the cats ran really well off the HBF. We seemed to play from behind alot today and the cats took alot of marks when they were infront. We were getting smashed in the centre clearences but we did well to come back in the last quater. Our backline looked a little under-manned today maybe the young guys are getting a little bit tired? We need Presti and Clem back there to give it some experience.

Travis Cloke and an awesome game today and see what he can do when he kicks straight.

Thoughts?

 

[Frederlick]

Rocca will take a couple of weeks to get back in the slot, the fwd line was probably too small given the way the footy was bombing in there and Geelong just outran them through the centre. Geelong did well to keep Heater off the ball and it hurt big time. Josh Fraser played his guts out as usual. Some dumb decisions and what was the obsession with short kicking? Geelong are not invincible by a long shot and I would rather play them in finals than Swans or Eagles on their day. Well done Cats.

 

[nihh]

Trav was indeed fantastic kicked straight and took some beauties in the air. That last shot at goal seemed to be in the range that he misses a lot but he nailed it nicely and gave us some hope.

As I wasn't at the game, it seemed like Geelong were able to handball back at every stoppage to a man who was free, and they generated plenty of drive in the first 3 quarters from this. If anyone else was at the game I would be interested to know if we were employing the same tactics and backing ourselves to win the stoppage or if the players ahead of the ball were being slack.

Goldsack impressed me with his run and one on one work but his kicking was absolutely ordinary. He usually is so precise with his delivery so I am not sure if this is a big weakness for him or if it was just due to an off day.

Thomas and Pendles were good but were not dominant. I would have loved Pendles to have kicked that goal early in the first and cast some real doubt into the Cats as we would have had 3 straight on the board. Unfortunately he hit the post and Cats got the next 5.

Clarke was ok, didn't make any glaring errors and ran hard for follow up possessions so a solid game overall. He has managed not to be exploited one out inside 50 in all 4 games which is great.

Harry had a great first half on Mooney, but was not as great in the second half on a variety of opponents.

Shaw was not at his best today and seemed a little too casual at times. Took some gutsy marks as you expect from him but I reckon he will be a little dissapointed that he didn't play better.

Iles, started ok, but got worse as the game went on. Not sure whether he will come good or not, I would much prefer a fit Racer in the team instead at the moment.

The senior guys who played well in my opinion were Burns, Lockyer and Wakelin.

Licuria started well but then proceeded to turn it over with high trajectory kicks that gave Cloke and Rocca no chance.

Fraser started well also but perhaps lacking support from Bryan lost rhythm.

Maxwell kicked a great goal before half time and did do some good things but he also let us down a couple of times.

Obree, just can't seem to hit a target.

Didak, looks unfit this year and when the pressure goes up he goes missing (due to fitness).

Davis, there were moments when you thought he was going to do something special but unusually it didn't happen for him today. Missed three tough shots from acute angels that on a good day would be money for jam for him.

Swan was well held by Ling for three quarters and lacked penetration in his kicking when he is usually so reliable at hitting targets. Worked his way back into it in the last quarter but not one of his better days.

Johnson was ok, didn't set the world on fire and did make some costly turnovers at times.

Bryan, Medhurst, Rocca the less said the better. Scarlet was BOG for mine, he really set them up with some great one out work and hard running.

Would love to see Buckley, Racer, Clement and Presti in black and white sooner rather than later, but unfortunatley the players they should replace on form are some of the senior guys. Some worries today but we are well placed with these kids for the next few years.

 

[footy_rulz]

Forwards lost us the game.

 

[ant22]

It showed exactly where we are at. A young side that never gives up but still does not have the same class as the top 2 or 3. Lets remember the majority of this geeling group have played together for several year. They should have been contenders last year but went missing due to internal problems. They are a very very good side and they had to work bloody hard today. When you look at the sides on paper they should have killed us.

The big upside for me was Cloke who will be one of the games powerhouse forwards of the next 10 year, goldsack-this kid will be star, I liked him from his very first game and he gets better every week and I thought clarke looked good in the second half.

Not worried at all about the result, I expected it. We will be better for the experience and so will the cats I imagine.

 

[Candy]

delivery into the foward line let us down, as did the short kicks towards our CHF position which lead to many a turndown.
​

 

[thatday]

Johnson and O'bree are really annoying me. They are both making mistakes that end up being turnovers others do it to but they are the main 2 that do it.

 

[Coin_Toss]

Don't be too disappointed. But we need to make a few changes which will improve the side. Hopefully a few senior players return over the next two weeks.
Drop Maxwell - I've said it before and I'll say it again, he can't hold down a position. Drop Bryan.

I was very impressed with Pendlebury. He was very clean, as usual, and he played a better game than Selwood.

The forwards didn't lose us the game - we lost it through the midfield. There wasn't any flow from the likes of Shaw and Swan and we didn't get the ball into the forwards quick enough.

 

[Pie Fight]

I don't know if Geelong can play any better than what they did today. On the other hand Collingwood will only improve with the return of Buckley, Clement, Shaw and Presti to come in the next couple of weeks. This hopefully will be enough time for these guys to be fit by the time the finals start and in doing so will make this unit a far more superior one that run out today. Although Geelong won today, I was reasonably happy with how The Pies went. I'd say that MM and his coaching staff would have learnt a lot today about Geelong, but hopefully when the 2 sides run out against each other deep in September Collingwood will have a few more surprises.

 

[Scuderia]

I don't know if Geelong can play any better than what they did today. On the other hand Collingwood will only improve with the return of Buckley, Clement, Shaw and Presti to come in the next couple of weeks. This hopefully will be enough time for these guys to be fit by the time the finals start and in doing so will make this unit a far more superior one that run out today. Although Geelong won today, I was reasonably happy with how The Pies went. I'd say that MM and his coaching staff would have learnt a lot today about Geelong, but hopefully when the 2 sides run out against each other deep in September Collingwood will have a few more surprises.

I reckon Geelong can certainly improve on today's effort. We missed a couple of pretty easy shots at goal, and we still need to work on our entry into the forward line.

Having said that, the thing that is impressing me this year about the cats is their ability to win the close games when the pressure is on.

I better go now

 

[cult_hero26]

how did that 'red flag' activity go for anyone who was at the ground?

 

[Rocca Flys High]

What exactly was that?

Our markers can't mark and our crumbers don't crumb!

It seems as tho they needed only 2 kicks to get to their forward line, while it takes forever for ours! What happened to the Highest scoring team of last year?

 

[ceedubb]

I think we lost the game across half forward today, but maybe that stemmed from our lack of run out of the backline through the midfield.

We had a good period in the second quarter where we kicked a few in a row but for the rest of the game it seemed like we got to half forward and due to the lack of pace the Cats were able to get back and so we just bombed it in and gave our forwards bugger all chance.

BTW - Rocca was owned today!

So what did i take out of the game? Well, as much as i would love to see us make some noise in the finals and win the big one, i honestly dont think we are there...yet (but we will be).

Sure, we have some good players to come back and sure up our backline, but if we are honest with ourselves as fans, we are probably playing a year or so ahead of ourselves.

I see this year as being a development year still with a lot of youngesters being blooded (love Goldsacks form) and our second/third year players such as HOB, Pendles, Maxwell and Thomas getting some valuable experience. I think today that it was obvious to me that as awesome as DT is, he is still a boy against men and pure heart and slick skills will not always wein out, sometime the body just needs to mature to be able to dominate.

Still, there is so much to like about our team, i think NEXT year we will make some noise in the finals (maybe even this year), and maybe the following season we will be true contenders for the title. Think of some of the exciting developments we have seen in the youngsters and how that may continue on, its very encouraging!

Having said that, with thew WCE and Adealaide both getting beaten today and the Hawks being thumped by the Crows last week, so i guess anything can happen on any day!!!

Go Pies!!!

 

[magpies42]

we broke down going into the forward line for alot of the game! when that happens the ball rebounds out and we are screwed on the counter attack especially without shaw, clement, presti in the side!

 

[DanA]

Selwood:
12 kicks, 10 handballs, 7 marks, 6 tackles, 1 goal
Pendlebury
10 kicks, 10 handballs, 8 marks, 5 tackles, 1 goal

Statistically pretty even, I have Selwood as our second best player on the ground and I would have thought Pendlebury was pretty close to breaking even. Selwood was very clean in close and by foot. A bit one eyed to say Pendlebury played a better game today.

Scarlett absolutely owned Rocca. Rocca's second worst game for the season.

You got nothing from your small forwards which was a bit unexpected.

Lockyer was good as ussual.

Travis Cloak was sensational. Only forward for Collingwood that was presenting today. Some of those kicks for goal were phenominal. Pies will be top 4 come finals time in my opinion (3 weeks ago I thought they would struggle) but the cats are unquestionably the team to beat.

 

[Mooney_d'King]

Johnson and O'bree are really annoying me. They are both making mistakes that end up being turnovers others do it to but they are the main 2 that do it.

It's surprising to see Johnson not doing so well, he had an absolute stellar year last year and I personally rate him really highly.

My father-in-law is a CFC past player and even he reckons that if O'Bree gets it he'll turn it over. So not so much different there, but Johnno...??

 

[Medstar]

How did medhurst and bryan go.

 

[pipeline]

How did medhurst and bryan go.

Medhurst poor, didn't get a touch in the second half, Bryan very ordinary.

 

[Tarkyn_24]

How did medhurst and bryan go.

Just made a thread on it. Didn't see these posts.

Next week
Out > In
Medhurst > Cook
Bryan > Richards

 

[Aucklander]

Tough game. Geelong are a bloody good side. I may be wrong, but I thought our youngsters got shown up for the first time today.

Geelong went harder for the ball and just seemed to want it a bit more. There's certainly no shame in losing to such a good side. Could have been a different result with a bit more urgency and accuracy IMO.

Disappointing to lose, but certainly not all doom and gloom.

 

[Pie eyed]

Geelong are the benchmark of the competition, they have just won 10 in a row for the first time since Adam played FF for Jerusalem.
We got beaten by a better team yet only by 16 points and had the "Footy Gods" been on our side Burns's snap would have gone through and several other chances would not have gone begging.
We almost pinched it and could not have said after the game we played overly well.
We got out of it with no injuries I am aware of and all the young fellas got a "finals type atmosphere" run under their belts and got a look at the best team in the comp at the moment.

We have 7 rounds left to fine tune our "Beast" and have it ready for a real dip at the "Big Silver Schooner".

Shit I am happy to be a Collingwood supporter and I bet Mick Malthouse sleeps with a little smile on his lips.

Yahoooo! Bring on next week.

 

[twoforjoy]

nah no doom and gloom at all. (well except maybe rocca i was hoping for a biggie from the big ant) Goldsack was impressive, im really starting to like this kid. Clarke had a red hot go. Glad to see Trav shake the monkey of his back and step up.

I thought the cats bigger older bodies (ottens ling and mooney especially) was a factor but only time will sort that for us.

 

[Pie eyed]

Don't be too disappointed. But we need to make a few changes which will improve the side. Hopefully a few senior players return over the next two weeks.
Drop Maxwell - I've said it before and I'll say it again, he can't hold down a position. Drop Bryan.

I was very impressed with Pendlebury. He was very clean, as usual, and he played a better game than Selwood.

The forwards didn't lose us the game - we lost it through the midfield. There wasn't any flow from the likes of Shaw and Swan and we didn't get the ball into the forwards quick enough.

Pretty tough on Maxwell I thought he played well....is this a long standing dislike?

 

[Nesian]

yea i think there quite a few good things to take away from this game. At least we have played them in an atmosphere close to finals and have some idea whatneeds to be done next time, it was a good experience for the kids. Medhurst and Bryan I am rather disappointed in, they didnt really seem to do much at all. And I think we missed Rhyce Shaws run out of defence..esp with his bro contained pretty well. Geelong wow...what can i say very good side but are definitly not invincible! I havent watched much of their games this year so i wasnt really sure what to expect but wow pretty impressive.

With players such as r shaw, lonie, bucks, clement and presti coming back over the next 3 weeks, i think it shall have a big impact. Also like how Malthouse is taking the challenge up to the younger players to step up rather than rushing exp players back in as i dont think there will be huge changes next week apart from the bleeding obvious.

 

[Frederlick]

nah no doom and gloom at all. (well except maybe rocca i was hoping for a biggie from the big ant) Goldsack was impressive, im really starting to like this kid. Clarke had a red hot go. Glad to see Trav shake the monkey of his back and step up.

I thought the cats bigger older bodies (ottens ling and mooney especially) was a factor but only time will sort that for us.

Scarlett too, 1st quarter, smashed us.