Post Match. Pies win thriller. All comments.

[What'sinaname]

Until the last quarter, Cameron has never looked confident or comfortable since returning from injury. It seemed that in the last, he just decided that he couldn't be tentative anymore and just trust his knee.

[DT]

Good call Jezza. The team spirit and will to win is incredible. McRae knows exactly what needs addressing and it is a good lesson for the Pies.

I feel that Ginni is being challenged to step up. We can’t forget that he was a rookie listed player and is enduring a second senior season form slump. But he is the type of player who wins a tight final

[inxs88]

Gold Coast Match:

Outs:

* Johnson: omit
* Harrison: omit
* Maynard: TBA

Ins:

* Frampton
* F Macrae/Ryan/Carmichael

[Ronnie McKeowns boots]

Harrison is in because he is ft, Ginnivan cannot claim the same.

A win is a win, Crows played well, at this stage of the year 4 points is enough.

Danger game next week!

[RudeBoy]

Great to get another win, against a very good team.

However, we are certainly not playing like Premiership favourites atm. Obviously, we are badly missing JDG and Sidey, who each provide skill, tenacity, experience and leadership.

We still seem to be short of a key marking forward. Again, I was disappointed with Johnson, who seems to wilt under severe physical pressure. Hopefully, McStay's eventual return will improve our forward line, by taking some heat off Checkers. I've never seen McStay do much at all, but he was recruited for a reason, so let's hope he can deliver.

I'm not sure Harrison will retain his spot when JDG and Sidey return, but it looks like we have found a player.

[Magpietothemax]

Great win. Not perfect by any means, but hard fought in many respects. Adelaide needs to be credited for their second half turnaround and pushing us to the end. I think they're more than capable of playing finals if they maintain that standard of football.

The Daicos boys and Mitchell were the backbone of driving us to victory. Some excellent defensive efforts from Noble, Quaynor and Markov today particularly in the dying stages of the game where Adelaide were pressing us.

Our lacklustre third quarters continue. Part of me wonders whether it's a deliberate strategy to conserve energy for the final term, but by doing this we risk allowing the opposition to comeback at us.

Forward line looked a bit dysfunctional as well. Johnson looks well off the pace, and probably would have been dropped if it weren't for McStay's persistent injury troubles. It's the second consecutive game he's been tactically subbed off. Harrison's efforts are admirable, but Ginnivan is an upgrade to replace him. Elliott was decent on his return. Mihocek's in a mini slump after being on track for a career best season a few weeks back.

Overall, plenty of learnings to take out of this game but things are good. We sit on top and our fighting spirit is as strong as it's ever been.

Jezza, agree with this summary. I think AJ needs to be dropped for next round. I would bring Frampton in to play second ruck/back and in the forward line one of Cox/Cameron to be constantly forward. I would not bring in Kreuger, but give him another game in the VFL to prove why he should be selected.
I think Checkers slump is in large part due to the fact that we did not have another effective tall forward to complement him.
Concern regarding Maynard, will probably not come up next week. Would think about the possiblity of selecting Finn McCrae in the midfield, to free up Pendles/Crisp to cover for Maynard's role.

[Damien]

This will upset a few people, but the player that most doesn’t suit our style when we go hell for leather thru the corridor is Pendles. His declining pace got caught out a few times today. Having said that, I’m not suggesting he be dropped for a second.

Suggestions of some of the players getting dropped after today is bollocks to me. When we have close to a full list available it’s horses for courses. Very good players are gunna miss a game.

Today was a good win, end of story. To suggest we don’t look Premiership material at this stage of the year is laughable. When Melbourne was 11 zip last year the Cats didn’t look like the Premiers. Everything is fine peeps. Keep calm and barrack for Collingwood.

[masoncox]

Casual observations from being at the game:

* we fumbled and got too cute with our ball movement
* Mihocek and Johnson two shockers in a row
* Degoey out kills us. We miss his 6-8 bursts from clearances
* We gave Adelaide those bursts from clearance
* Cameron was strong in the last quarter when it counted
* Crisp's 15 metre shot from goal was taken at 35 metres. Horrible effort
* Our forwards got zero separation from Crows defence
* Their forwards got maximum separation
* McCreery should never be the sub again
* Dropping Frampton was stupid
* Welcome back courageous Jeremy Howe

Good sum up.
Dawson for Adelaide smashed us.
No one seemed to be on him
Cox was held at every marking contest.
We need a big crashing forward like a McStay.
And another gorilla down back.

[Magpietothemax]

This will upset a few people, but the player that most doesn’t suit our style when we go hell for leather thru the corridor is Pendles. His declining pace got caught out a few times today. Having said that, I’m not suggesting he be dropped for a second.

Suggestions of some of the players getting dropped after today is bollocks to me. When we have close to a full list available it’s horses for courses. Very good players are gunna miss a game.

Today was a good win, end of story. To suggest we don’t look Premiership material at this stage of the year is laughable. When Melbourne was 11 zip last year the Cats didn’t look like the Premiers. Everything is fine peeps. Keep calm and barrack for Collingwood.

Agree, today was an amazing win. This team is just so astonishing in its mental strength, and drive to win at any cost. Today's win is worth its weight in gold in terms of finals preparation. in the last quarter, it was literally a finals like game.
Pendles also linked up brilliantly in quite a few chains. Lots of players got caught out today at instants in time. If they didn't, we would be winning by 20 goals to zero every game.

[masoncox]

Dawson from Adelaide thrashed us in the midfield all day

[Magpietothemax]

Dawson from Adelaide thrashed us in the midfield all day

Yes, I agree, since JDG has been out, our midfield has looked significantly weaker. I think it is time next week to give Finn McCrae a crack.

[LaurieHolden]

Gee there was some good and hard footy played in that game. Some massive contests and big game moments. Played like a final.
Great prep for a few months down the track.

Respect to Adelaide, they had a real dip. Have some absolute class emerging.
O'Brien was more more touch away from kicking a match winning goal.
Tex, well I'd love him at the Pies. A big man doing big man things.

One thing I think is clear, Johnson isn't a pressure / big moment player that we can rely on. Appears a down hill skier.
Talent, well that's clear, but talent alone doesn't win you finals.
Suspect he'll be the one that comes under the selectors scrutiny.
McStay will still be the preferred option going into September.

How good is Murphy?! That spoil in the last qtr, just a cracker.
Well done IQ, crucial part in this win.
Johnny Noble, take a bow.
That effort by Elliott in the dying moments, huge.
Respect to Adams, he's still out spirit animal.

Pretty well umpired, and a good game call by Huddo.

More to like than dislike in this game, we got tested, and came out on top. I reckon our best is still yet to come.

And our crowd and supporters, magnificent.

[Raw Hammer]

What counts now is, we are 2 games and 10% clear of 3rd placed Brisbane.
Let's keep this gap over the next few weeks, pls.

Thank you Mason Cox for the 4th quarter turnaround,
never underestimate the leadership and presence of a Big Cox.

I look forward to the next episode "The Mason Cox Show".
You can tell us all about the goggles incident.

Brisbane play WCE at the GABBA soon. They’ll have a better percentage than us very quickly.

[Raw Hammer]

Until the last quarter, Cameron has never looked confident or comfortable since returning from injury. It seemed that in the last, he just decided that he couldn't be tentative anymore and just trust his knee.

Agreed. He started clunking everything all of a sudden like his earlier season form.

[gurugeoff]

today's paper published the top 100 paid players in the league. No one from our forward line was in it, so we really shouldn't be expecting our forward line to be top class.

Mihocek is great as a forward, for a 25 year drafted from the VFL as a backman.

Cox is great as a forward, for a American who had never heard of the game.

Johnson is great as a forward, for a mid season mature age draftee.

McCreery and Ginnavan are great as forwards, for players drafted as low as they where.

However, take away the proviso, none of them are great forwards individually, but as a unit, they perform a whole lot better than they should be, considering where they were drafted from.