Things we learnt tonight......

[The 10th Letter]

It doesn't help that we have been FAR inferior to our opposition in pretty much every facet of the game.

Let's face it, in the grand finals we've played in this decade, on paper, our team has been easily the worse one on paper.

Exactly, I think people are getting a bit carried away with claims that we can't win grand finals, for the precise reasons you've mentioned above.

Let's face it, Geelong are an ESTABLISHED premiership side, they're not just contenders but expected to factor in the final weeks of September -- and for good reason.

Even in 2003 when we entered the grand final as favourites, I couldn't understand the reasoning. Brisbane - despite carrying some injury concerns into the game - clearly had a better squad across the field.

Same deal with Geelong tonight, despite some good signs and a world of expectation, we still have a young developing side who has a lot to prove before we can start scratching our heads and pondering superstition.

With that said, we do have a right to feel a little short changed for the performance put in tonight, I wasn't surprised at the loss but expected a bit more.

 

[bLUE_bALLs]

You learnt that you cant win games (let alone premierships) with a D grade midfield.

Reality is a bitch!

 

[FuManchu]

So, am I a heretic like I was accused of being last week because I said our disposal is not up to scratch?

perhaps they should put their hand up before I go back and find out exactly who it was.

Oh, thats right it was Col 'trenches' Davies in response to this

Originally Posted by FuManchu
They need to ensure their foot passing and even handball hit the intended mark, too many soft kicks falling short. Bucks would have drilled it half way down your throat, some players try and finesse the kick too much. If you are going to play the short game, you need to make sure your possesions are clean.

Originally Posted by Col Davies
What will you whinge about if we win next week?

Well Col, perhaps you should listen to those who watch and understand what happens in a game

 

[FromDaics2Dids]

Was looking forward to the replay here in London this arvo... Obviously wont bother. By the sounds of things knowone turned up, looking at the stats was Dane Swan & Leon injured how much game time did they have?

 

[kevind]

So, am I a heretic like I was accused of being last week because I said our disposal is not up to scratch?

perhaps they should put their hand up before I go back and find out exactly who it was.

Oh, thats right it was Col 'trenches' Davies in response to this






Well Col, perhaps you should listen to those who watch and understand what happens in a game

Well FU , I don't think you are a heretic. I think you are far more realistic than most posters on here. A true supporter who is sick of the bulldust and bluster that we are being fed. Unfortunately most only want to hear the great delusion that we are primed for a premiership if not this year, then definitely next year.

This has been the culture of Collingwood for the last 40 years. It doesn't matter if we have deficiencies, we will somehow just win it and the world will be full of sunshine. The cruel fact is, you don't win it if you don't have the players. Cruelly exposed tonight. And as for the game plan, well......I refer you to your own posts.

With regards to Col Davies, have you ever thought that maybe Col is not a person but simply a book of put downs. All his posts are simply 1 or 2 lines of smart arse remarks you would find in any cheap book of quotes and put downs. Perhaps look in your local newsagent, you may find him on the shelf for $3.99, although that would be dreadfully overpriced.Other than that , he may be attached by mouth to Eddie's groin, so a bit difficult to remove.

 

[krisholio14]

Forget about tonight. Better to learn the hard lessons now than in the midst of a tough H&A season.

You guys will be there at the pointy end this year no doubts about it, and make no mistake, you will have learnt plenty tonight, and have the players to make the necessary adjustments.

 

[FuManchu]

Well FU , I don't think you are a heretic. I think you are far more realistic than most posters on here. A true supporter who is sick of the bulldust and bluster that we are being fed. Unfortunately most only want to hear the great delusion that we are primed for a premiership if not this year, then definitely next year.

thank you Kevin

There are a few of us, I guess probably the more mature in age and experience who have seen enough in football to know that you need to look beyond the veneer of easy results and look for the flaws. Its the flaws that tell you where you are at.

This has been the culture of Collingwood for the last 40 years. It doesn't matter if we have deficiencies, we will somehow just win it and the world will be full of sunshine. The cruel fact is, you don't win it if you don't have the players. Cruelly exposed tonight. And as for the game plan, well......I refer you to your own posts.

Oh you mean the sycophantic rah rah rah squad that will bag you endles if you dare criticise. The ones content with mind numbing 4ths and 2nds and think that everything will fall into place as a result. The ones that have no concept of continual improvement as a benchmark. The ones that idolise the individual and think the team will fall apart if any of their idolised leave, including a coach.

Yes, Kev, I have had to endure these mindless fools for so long as it seems you have. You try and educate them in the intracacies of it all, but they cant fathom that it is such an evolving situation, that what was was yesterday, is not necessaily the same today.

With regards to Col Davies, have you ever thought that maybe Col is not a person but simply a book of put downs. All his posts are simply 1 or 2 lines of smart arse remarks you would find in any cheap book of quotes and put downs. Perhaps look in your local newsagent, you may find him on the shelf for $3.99, although that would be dreadfully overpriced.Other than that , he may be attached by mouth to Eddie's groin, so a bit difficult to remove.

Col's number 9 incarnation : tissue, was his most reasonable psychotic episode. But as Col let out of the bag later, he is under strict conditions of 'severe moderation' if he transgresses again.

$3.99? Surely he didn't pay that much for that guff! Ever noticed like another well know resident of New York, they dont have any argument, its just that they dont like my argument. Yet they will argue black and blue that I shouldnt have an argument just because they dont have one. A bit like telling me that we didnt play wide against the Eagles, even tho I was there and I saw it in person. I guess they want to dumb it down to their level. And once they got you at that level, you know a lobotomy is not far away!

 

[TheGreatGrundy]

I don't know what game I was at but the Ben Reid I watched was appalling. He kicked terribly, even when under no pressure, his decision making was poor and he looks like he lacks a football brain. He could become as frustrating to watch as Tarrant.

Cox also turned the ball over repeatedly under pressure. He looks to be a bit of a flat track bully and I would be very nervous if he is supposed to be in our best 22.

Toovey was excellent-he runs in straight lines and tries to provide a bit of rebound and movement off half back. Daisy was good and I thought Clarke and Bryan , (despite his clangers) could hold their heads high.

Wood looked insipid at the centre bounces and what is it about the two words "Grand Final" that turn Leon Davis into a quivering shadow of the player we have come to love?

This is the most accurate description of events from my perspective too.

 

[jonny_d4]

Cox was terrible last night, anyone who thinks he should start in round 1 is kidding themselves. When the pressure was on he took stupid runs, set his team mates up to get grinded and turned it over. He looks good when there is no pressure around him!
Johnson is a hack, absolutely struggled last night, shouldn't get a game this year, and should of gotten rid of him 2 years ago.
As a whole, the team played very ordinary, we got out done in the rucks again and cam wood has a long way to go unfortunately..... I guess it was good to see the young boys getting a run, and the guys calling out for davis and didak's heads, yes they did have poor games, but they didn't even have that much game time so calm the F*** down. I liked J-Mac's attack on the footy and i wish he got more gametime and probably started in the centre square. We will get better throughout the season, no doubt, it just showed last night how much we missed harry and heaters drive from the backline, and FFS Collingwood GO THROUGH THE CORRIDOR!!!!

 

[OniAu]

Thomas was probably best on ground for Pies my friend, a lazy conclusion based on silly caricatures about Thomas.

you are spot on , regardless of whether we win or lose. If he hasnt taken half a dozen speccys its considered a bad game. Yet he still chases and does alll the one percenters and team things for the game.

People need to get past the blonde hair and flashy plays, hes more than that.

 

[OniAu]

Cox was terrible last night, anyone who thinks he should start in round 1 is kidding themselves. When the pressure was on he took stupid runs, set his team mates up to get grinded and turned it over. He looks good when there is no pressure around him!
Johnson is a hack, absolutely struggled last night, shouldn't get a game this year, and should of gotten rid of him 2 years ago.

yeah i cant believe people sittin here saying cox is in our best 22 on last nights performance. the last 3 weeks hes been playing with no pressure on himself in the backline.

tonight he cops a lot of it in about five to ten minutes and he does turnover after turnover. sure the team was getting smashed so it wasnt just him, but he did do a few easy mistakes.

just reminds me of a worse version of bret thornton, trys to do to much with his run and bounce at times instead of being a stingey stubborn backmen and just shutting the contest down. gives the forwards more chances than they deserve

tooves looks like hes miles ahead of cox atm

 

[rose jam]

tooves looks like hes miles ahead of cox atm

got to admit Tooves is starting to grow on me a bit.

I hope Brad Scott indicating that the training load being high certainly contributed last night. The effort was flat. Against Geelong when we have done well we defended a line through the middle of the ground and that slows them down and they get confused. But there was no running effort to hold that ground and Geelong will smash your face if you let them chain ball it through there.
Very flat performance.

 

[Dylz48]

can't believe the knee jerk reaction it is the bloody nab cup
I still reckon will make top 4

either way I'd much rather lose like we did last night then to have won and got a player injured like Geelong

 

[Teak_Pies]

can't believe the knee jerk reaction it is the bloody nab cup
I still reckon will make top 4

Im sorry mate but we are a few years away.

 

[well left]

You have to look at the positives from last night. Selecting the side for Round 1 just got a lot easier:

Ben Johnson - not in best 22
Tyson Goldsack - not in best 22
Alan Toovey - is in our best 22
Shannon Cox - terrible last night but may survive based on previous form. Flat track bully looks like a great description.
Ben Reid - should be played.
Dayne Beams - is in our best 22
McCarthy - needs some time in the VFL first to get some match fitness

Based on the performance of our rucks last night, Bryan is head of Wood but only by default. I would be more tempted to use Leigh Brown as the back-up ruck. Lachlan Keeffe now has massive motivation to keep his form going. He could be promoted at Rd11 the way things are going.

And to state the obvious - we got smashed in the midfield and stoppages. We may need to give a guy named Danny Stanley a chance.

Realistically, they were only missing Mooney and we were missing Harry, Fraser, Shaw and Rocca. Any thought that Rocca is not required should be put to rest for the time being. He is still very much required as a deep forward and will assist JA and Cloke in their development.

Only a preseason game so do not really need to go overboard but some of the above seemed obvious to me last night.

 

[MagpieGirl_13]

Well, well, well..... some people are starting to realise that Toovey isn't as bad as half the population make him out to be.....

I won't say anything just yet, wait until he really shows his stuff.....

 

[smiddaz123]

No, Toovey was as bad as he was made out to be last year imo. I don't regret what i said about him, as I still think it was warranted.

More than happy to eat my words and give him credit when it's due, and it has certainly been due so far.

On current form he is in our best 22, but in previous years he has been terrible.

 

[well left]

No, Toovey was as bad as he was made out to be last year imo. I don't regret what i said about him, as I still think it was warranted.

More than happy to eat my words and give him credit when it's due, and it has certainly been due so far.

On current form he is in our best 22, but in previous years he has been terrible.

Agreed. He seems so much more composed and confident so far this year.

I will happily take back any comments I said about him not making it but not about his form in previous years.

In a game where we really missed Heater and Harry in defence I was really impressed with Toovey.

 

[Palmer Stoat]

You have to look at the positives from last night. Selecting the side for Round 1 just got a lot easier:

Ben Johnson - not in best 22
Tyson Goldsack - not in best 22
Alan Toovey - is in our best 22
Shannon Cox - terrible last night but may survive based on previous form. Flat track bully looks like a great description.
Ben Reid - should be played.
Dayne Beams - is in our best 22
McCarthy - needs some time in the VFL first to get some match fitness

Based on the performance of our rucks last night, Bryan is head of Wood but only by default. I would be more tempted to use Leigh Brown as the back-up ruck. Lachlan Keeffe now has massive motivation to keep his form going. He could be promoted at Rd11 the way things are going.

And to state the obvious - we got smashed in the midfield and stoppages. We may need to give a guy named Danny Stanley a chance.

Realistically, they were only missing Mooney and we were missing Harry, Fraser, Shaw and Rocca. Any thought that Rocca is not required should be put to rest for the time being. He is still very much required as a deep forward and will assist JA and Cloke in their development.

Only a preseason game so do not really need to go overboard but some of the above seemed obvious to me last night.

Jeebus, that's eerie. I wrote almost exactly the same thing on another forum about 10 minutes after you posted this. Agree with 99.9% of that.

 

[jerry springer]

The only positive is that we embarassed ourselves that much again on the big stage that we might and focus and come out and start the H&A season on fire

And toovey is getting better each game

 

[Snag Breac]

I learnt that there's a lot to be said for TRS's new signature. Quote:

#28 Danny Stanley - Because the odd centre clearance can only be a good thing... right?

They were going ok until the second half, and then even some of our best players seemed to fall apart and commit such basic errors. What is it with momentum?

Anyway, it's still a young team; they can only learn from the experience.

 

[FuManchu]

I learnt that there's a lot to be said for TRS's new signature. Quote:

#28 Danny Stanley - Because the odd centre clearance can only be a good thing... right?

They were going ok until the second half, and then even some of our best players seemed to fall apart and commit such basic errors. What is it with momentum?

Anyway, it's still a young team; they can only learn from the experience.

you mean the 2nd qtr

If you look at it, they dominated us for the first 8 mins of the 1st qtr, we came back well until qtr time, and after that it was all one way. We played 15 mins of football for the whole night.

 

[Snag Breac]

you mean the 2nd qtr

If you look at it, they dominated us for the first 8 mins of the 1st qtr, we came back well until qtr time, and after that it was all one way. We played 15 mins of football for the whole night.

Sorry, yes I do.

But why did it happen that way? It's as if someone pricked their confidence balloon. It just hapened so quickly, and there was no recovering.

 

[Last Line Hero]

J Anthony had no supply from the midfield so don't blame him for not kicking any goals.

True. But when it was delivered to him, he was vaporized. You at least need to provide a contest and hope to potentially create for somebody else, but he was just kept off it too easily, granted by the best in the business.

I agree with what another Collingwood fan mentioned in that he seems the type who would really benefit with more experience playing on top-line defenders. He is quite tall, lightning quick and he converts when he needs to, so the attributes are there for easily a 40, maybe 50 goal a year player.

All he needs is some lessons in adapting to finding space and manouvering himself in contested situations against quality opposition, and continuing to work hard without getting frustrated which he did last night. I was impressed with his game's late last year on the likes of Craig Bolton and Ben Rutten, so he can match- up OK with those experienced bodies, he just has to keep working and adapting.

If he can then take that knowledge and apply it against 2nd or 3rd rate defenders with Rocca and Cloke in the team he will be a damaging commodity for a while to come. I like him a lot, and he'll be better for the lesson last night and you can rest assured Malthouse will have told him as much. You need your young players to go through those soughts of nights.

 

[jerry springer]

if we are expecting Danny stanley to be our answer we have even bigger problems

he has shown that he is far too slow and has the dexterity of a moving glacier