Post Match. Pies demolish Dees. All comments.

[Magpietothemax]

Thought that this was an extraordinary win.
The first quarter was scintillating and powerful. I don't think this year we have every played with such a daunting physical element to our game. We decided to win tbe game by overpowering Melbourne in its own strength: contested ball...a plan that could only have been carried out with unwavering self-belief. Maynard's desperate smother on Brayshaw's kick - ie do everything humanly possible to stop Melbourne going forward - was an expression of our will to win. As Bruzza said, it was a football act: it was a pure action of contesting the ball at every moment of the game, -within the specified rules - which is the attitude we brought to bear throughout. If he suffers any consequence from this, due to the accidental collision with Brayshaw, then effectively the AFL is saying that players cannot even play within the rules without first considering the consequence of any decision - an impossiblity within the split second Bruzza had to decide that he was going for a fair smother.
It was appalling how Goodwin attempted to throw Bruzza under the bus in his press conference at the end, and is a measure of his own lack of strength of character.
Despite what Goodwin and other commentators claimed, I thought that in the 2nd and 3rd quarters we matched and responded to everything melbourne tried to throw at us. It was only in the last quarter that momentum swung decisively their way. It is unrealistic, given the quality of Melbourne's team, to expect them to never experience such a period in the game. But the defence our team summoned to meet the challenge was just breathtaking. Dangerfield in the commentary made the observation: "this is no ordinary defence". Much was made by some of Melbourne's frittered opportunities on goal in the last. This always leaves out the reasons for such inaccuracy: the pressure we applied throughout the game had left them exhausted and mentally fragile. Taking set shots under such circumstances become more difficult by a very large factor. In the final analysis, our pressure overpowered theirs. It was just brilliant to watch how our players brought numbers to every contest:due to constant hard running, and just an iron will to get the ball. It is also to be noted that Jaicos did not have a major impact on the game, while Naicos did not play. So this game is testament to the fact that this team is built on team defence, and does not depend on one or two superstars. I was one who questioned the omission of Noble. In retrospect, I understand now the reasons for it. We needed as many large bodies as possible to go in for the contested ball...we could afford only one speedster in defence, and Markov got the nod, not unreasonably.
After this game our team will benefit from the extended rest. The game had a similar level of intenity to the PA game, which we know took a toll.
This is our first finals win under Fly. A win to be celebrated. Go Pies!!

[LaurieHolden]

We decided to win the game by overpowering Melbourne in its own strength: contested ball...

Dangerfield in the commentary made the observation: "this is no ordinary defence".

After this game our team will benefit from the extended rest. The game had a similar level of intensity to the PA game, which we know took a toll.
This is our first finals win under Fly. A win to be celebrated. Go Pies!!

A sound assessment. Opponent aside, the week off going into a Prelim allowing us to decompress should prove invaluable.

Of those that were at the game, how long did Pendle's seem to play on Petracca?
Watching down the barrel of the TV camera, it's hard to get a real sense of how close he stuck to him during the game.
Was it a game of sacrifice your own game for the betterment of the team?
A Carlton mate who has always had good insight to what's going on across the whole field as opposed to down the barrel of a TV camera went to the game and said he thought Pendles was near our best for the role he played. While it won't show up on stats's, from his vantage point, Pendles perhaps had the most individual impact on the game.

[Magpietothemax]

Of those were at the game, how long did Pendle's seem to play on Petracca?
Watching down the barrel of the TV camera, it's hard to get a real sense of how close he stuck to him during the game.
Was it a game of sacrifice your own game for the betterment of the team?
A Carlton mate who has always had good insight to what's going on across the whole field as opposed to down the barrel of a TV camera went to the game and said he thought Pendles was near our best for the role he played. While it won't show up on stats's, from his vantage point, Pendles perhaps had the most individual impact on the game.

Thanks for this insight LH. Petracca got off the leash in the last quarter, but by then clearly Pendles had done enough damage to give us a winning lead. These insights are so valuable and educational.

[LaurieHolden]

This is our first finals win under Fly. A win to be celebrated. Go Pies!

^ NB we did beat Freo in the semi-final final last year.

[Magpietothemax]

Yeah... I had a feeling as I typed that sentence that perhaps before submitting I should google it just to make sure!!

[Crimson Mask]

Thought that this was an extraordinary win.
The first quarter was scintillating and powerful. I don't think this year we have every played with such a daunting physical element to our game. We decided to win tbe game by overpowering Melbourne in its own strength: contested ball...a plan that could only have been carried out with unwavering self-belief. Maynard's desperate smother on Brayshaw's kick - ie do everything humanly possible to stop Melbourne going forward - was an expression of our will to win. As Bruzza said, it was a football act: it was a pure action of contesting the ball at every moment of the game, -within the specified rules - which is the attitude we brought to bear throughout. If he suffers any consequence from this, due to the accidental collision with Brayshaw, then effectively the AFL is saying that players cannot even play within the rules without first considering the consequence of any decision - an impossiblity within the split second Bruzza had to decide that he was going for a fair smother.
It was appalling how Goodwin attempted to throw Bruzza under the bus in his press conference at the end, and is a measure of his own lack of strength of character.
Despite what Goodwin and other commentators claimed, I thought that in the 2nd and 3rd quarters we matched and responded to everything melbourne tried to throw at us. It was only in the last quarter that momentum swung decisively their way. It is unrealistic, given the quality of Melbourne's team, to expect them to never experience such a period in the game. But the defence our team summoned to meet the challenge was just breathtaking. Dangerfield in the commentary made the observation: "this is no ordinary defence". Much was made by some of Melbourne's frittered opportunities on goal in the last. This always leaves out the reasons for such inaccuracy: the pressure we applied throughout the game had left them exhausted and mentally fragile. Taking set shots under such circumstances become more difficult by a very large factor. In the final analysis, our pressure overpowered theirs. It was just brilliant to watch how our players brought numbers to every contest:due to constant hard running, and just an iron will to get the ball. It is also to be noted that Jaicos did not have a major impact on the game, while Naicos did not play. So this game is testament to the fact that this team is built on team defence, and does not depend on one or two superstars. I was one who questioned the omission of Noble. In retrospect, I understand now the reasons for it. We needed as many large bodies as possible to go in for the contested ball...we could afford only one speedster in defence, and Markov got the nod, not unreasonably.
After this game our team will benefit from the extended rest. The game had a similar level of intenity to the PA game, which we know took a toll.
This is our first finals win under Fly. A win to be celebrated. Go Pies!!

Great post, although I do need ask as to the identity of our coach against Freo in the last final series.

[LaurieHolden]

This is our first finals win under Fly. A win to be celebrated. Go Pies!

^ NB we did beat Freo in the semi-final final last year.

Yeah... I had a feeling as I typed that sentence that perhaps before submitting I should google it just to make sure!!

Well in your defence, it was one of the most boring finals I've seen us play, it was largely forgettable.

A material influence on our game plan is how balanced our output has been across our list, and our list bats deep, maybe not on class but endeavour is second to none. The will of this team and the 1%ers is the best of any Pies side I have seen.

Melbourne to me relies too much on the output of their stars, break even on that front and the result takes care of itself. As a result, they've never concerned me as an opponent.

And the fact that they took a GF in a season that should have otherwise been voided...

[LaurieHolden]

How gutsy was Quaynor going back with the flight, he had every right to have been poleaxed. Some serious stones that lad.
I don't know what he'd be worth on the open market, but I'm glad he's ours.

[3rd degree]

Still wrapped after beating the toffs. Sidey , WHE and Crisp were great.

[Pies2016]

Of those were at the game, how long did Pendle's seem to play on Petracca?
Watching down the barrel of the TV camera, it's hard to get a real sense of how close he stuck to him during the game.
Was it a game of sacrifice your own game for the betterment of the team?
A Carlton mate who has always had good insight to what's going on across the whole field as opposed to down the barrel of a TV camera went to the game and said he thought Pendles was near our best for the role he played. While it won't show up on stats's, from his vantage point, Pendles perhaps had the most individual impact on the game.

Thanks for this insight LH. Petracca got off the leash in the last quarter, but by then clearly Pendles had done enough damage to give us a winning lead. These insights are so valuable and educational.

For those who like to review the game to the extent of the above, the best tool to track any players movements, is the quarter by quarter heat map that appears in the game day analysis on the AFL app. This doesn’t appear until post game as opposed to during.
In the case of Trac vs Pendles, review each players heat maps and overlay them ( BY THE QUARTER ) over the top of each other. Simplistically, the Dees didn’t touch the ball in the first quarter, so neither did Petracca. At the opening bounce, Pendlebury started in the middle but Petracca started forward. In the second quarter, although both started in the centre, it was Adams who stood beside Petracca. Then both Pendles and Trac would float forward of centre for their respective teams, so they were nowhere near each other ( other than the centre bounce ) during that quarter.
After half time, they were a lot closer to each other with the likelihood of Petracca warranting attention because the Dees were getting hold of the footy more often. Both players did their best work in the second half and to be fair, Petracca was a part reason for their comeback. Having said that, Pendles 7 possessions and leadership in the last quarter was a significant factor towards keeping them out.
They might have kept an eye out for each other in the second half but there’s nothing to suggest Pendles bothered with a leg rope on him in the first half

[LaurieHolden]

^ cheers mate. Balanced and considered insight as always.
Out of interest, wow much footy have played or coached, or do you just consider yourself a student of the game? I always look forward to your analysis. Thanks again.

ps' is the heat map only on the App, I can't find it on the desktop, do you have a link handy?

[pietillidie]

^I stand corrected on that, then, Pies 2016. I might have seen Pendles with him a few times and thought it was a tag. Are you saying it was just that we were belting them so Petracca wasn't getting near it?

[Magpietothemax]

For those who like to review the game to the extent of the above, the best tool to track any players movements, is the quarter by quarter heat map that appears in the game day analysis on the AFL app. This doesn’t appear until post game as opposed to during.
In the case of Trac vs Pendles, review each players heat maps and overlay them ( BY THE QUARTER ) over the top of each other. Simplistically, the Dees didn’t touch the ball in the first quarter, so neither did Petracca. At the opening bounce, Pendlebury started in the middle but Petracca started forward. In the second quarter, although both started in the centre, it was Adams who stood beside Petracca. Then both Pendles and Trac would float forward of centre for their respective teams, so they were nowhere near each other ( other than the centre bounce ) during that quarter.
After half time, they were a lot closer to each other with the likelihood of Petracca warranting attention because the Dees were getting hold of the footy more often. Both players did their best work in the second half and to be fair, Petracca was a part reason for their comeback. Having said that, Pendles 7 possessions and leadership in the last quarter was a significant factor towards keeping them out.
They might have kept an eye out for each other in the second half but there’s nothing to suggest Pendles bothered with a leg rope on him in the first half

Thanks P2016. I share LH's sentiments as well. I have just gone on the AFL app and can't seem to find the Heat Maps. I've gone to Match Centre, then clicked on Collingwood-Melbourne game, and couldn't seem to find it under SUMMARY, PLAYERS, TEAMS or TRACKER panels. Any quick instruction as to how to find it? PS..Thanks so much again for your analysis. Cheers

[blybo]

Great team effort to put us in the Prelim with an excellent chance to go all the way

The heart monitor on my watch went off with four minutes to go in the last quarter. Apparently my pulse rate had been above 120 bpm for ten minutes.

Will need a MICA Ambulance on standby if/when we make the Granny

Mine was buzzing repeatedly for the entire 2nd half. Shut up Siri, I know I'm nervous.

[Pies4shaw]

^ cheers mate. Balanced and considered insight as always.
Out of interest, wow much footy have played or coached, or do you just consider yourself a student of the game? I always look forward to your analysis. Thanks again.

ps' is the heat map only on the App, I can't find it on the desktop, do you have a link handy?

No, it's only in the App. The App also lets you breakdown player stats qtr by qtr, which you also can't do on the desktop version.