Post match. 3 in a row to PIES !! - All comments

[magpies are 2 good]

hope that anthony rocca is good for the next round because if he is not mm is going to play j.cloke at chf and i dont know about you people but i would rather rocca at chf then j.cloke

maybe we should get the drugs that the brisbane lions use to get rocca good for next week.

good game by schmucher aka c.cloke

[Cannibal]

Result is in and it's North by the proverbial country mile!

Frankly, I am not concerned with how other results affect our ladder position; that's a totally irrelevant issue right now. Our whole season is in our own hands after our rotten start and I don't think we should allow ourselves to be distracted by looking for favourable results to boost our ladder position. What we should be looking at is playing to our very limit - total football - and taking control of our own future.

What does interest me from the North/Richmond game (apart from feeling happy for Sav showing he still has a bit in him!) is that it shows just how bad the form of some sides that we've beaten is (and been beaten by) and therefore just how much improvement we have to make over the remainder of the season.

And, boy, is that a lot!

In truth, our ladder position now - 11th at at 4-7 - is a pretty fair reflection of both our season to date and our form right now. We are not yet Eight material. We're level with the Weagles and our game against them is a pretty fair pointer to the fact that this is an accurate reflection of our ability. Even though we beat North last week, we are not in their class when it comes to kicking big scores and we remain highly dependent on our defence standing tall when all around them is falling apart. We just cannot depend on this! The Weagles got back into the game because our forward line went to sleep. OK, maybe that reflected the fact that our midfield started to struggle but what do you think one of the top sides would do to us under the same circumstances? They'd rip us to frigging shreds.

Don't get me wrong; I love the commitment the guys are showing to one another, their work ethic, their increasing hardness, their dourness in the face of adversity. But it simply isn't good enough for us to start thinking finals right now. So, let's not get carried away.

Melbourne on Monday week and Sydney on the 26th are going to be HUGE pointers to whether we have the potential or not.

[foreigner]

I agree with you Cannibel. We are not at the standard we were at last year - especially the second half. But we have done enough to win 3 games in a row after some under-par performances.

One thing we are strong is our defence (at least used to)- that's why most teams couldn't kick high scores against us even when we were struggling. Now we are getting some form back, I don't have any doubt that with this team we are top 8 material. We have to be consistant and have better luck with injuries, and with the confidence gained each week will get there. It's heartening to know that guys like Didak, Cam, Burns, Fraser and Richards starting to score goals - we were too dependent on Tarrant and Rocca.

I reckon things are looking up. But yeah as you say the real tests are coming up. I can't wait.

[Cam]

I think Melbourne are over-rated and are coming crashing down without Bizzell. The Dees won't even make the finals. Beating them will be a have-to rather than some marquee matchup that shows we are September bound. The Sydney game will probably be more of a test.

Oh at least the Blues are only 2 wins away from missing a priority pick.

[Johnson#26]

I think Melbourne are over-rated and are coming crashing down without Bizzell. The Dees won't even make the finals.

The best thing is having them come off Brisbane and Perth. They'll be dog tired and without Bizzell, its great to play them now.

[JLC]

Melbourne are still a very good football team. Besides Rd1 at the MCG to the Dorks where White didnt play in the ruck they have been very very good there.

Hopefully its nice and hit in Perth today for the Dumbons

jlc

[Culprit]

[quote="Mick's My Favourite"]Cam, Alfy, Sherrife...all you non-believers.

you must agree that Rhyce Shaw is now one of the most important players in the Collingwood team.


Now I won't go that far MMF. Actually I would list Shaw's importance around number 20-22.

"One game does not make a champion". Colt said.


You have actually sledge the rest of his team mates with that quote.

Geez, just start naming your best players in the current 22, then throw in Presti, Holland and Bucks. I doubt many will come up with Shaw in thier top 15.

He has played 1 good game and it's been a long time between drinks.

Your only as good as your last game.

His confidence should be up, but he has to face a huge test each week.

[Donny]

I think some of you are missing the point here. A few points actually.

Our last 3 games have required real 'dig deep' gutsy, dare I say classy efforts from the boys.

Each game has been a fightback from early deficits. Each time, we've been in a position to be blown away. Each time, we've dug deep and found the necessary ammunition to prevail.

It's not mandatory to kick huge scores to win or even to 'bury' oppositions. A better percentage would be nice but we're fighting our way back from a disasterous, 1-7 start to the season.

Again, on Friday night, we were headed early but came back. Then we lost Johnno and Ant. We were wounded and vulnerable. Did we capitulate ?? No !!

Burnsy lifted. Shaw, Lokan, C1, Lonie and Maxwell put in. Clemo was calm and inspirational. Cam Cloke stood tall. Richards stepped up.

In the last minutes, when we could have been overrun, we steadied and Tazza goaled.

I thought this win was full of merit and promise. And remember, this mob beat us by over 100 points at out last meeting.

[Brown26]

not sure how you could call anything in the adelaide game classy Donny, nor much in the Roos game, but damn in the second and third quaters on friday (when Dids and Tarrant were firing) did we have a classy forward line!! Pity Dids went off, I reckon that knocked a bit of momentum from us, his seconds efforts that game were great too.

We got tired in the last half - that's the effects of having two players off the ground (Rocca and Johnno) and two players 2 games back form long injuries (could Locks and Burns play longer than they did - not yet, but next week and after the break definitly). Also, WC midfield are really very good and very hard running, so it takes it out of the boys.

Who's baggin Fraser? Well stop it damn it! Look at the ruck work on the forward line and you can see why Fraser is still the best ruckman we've got, and that's taking nothing away from Stretch, he's really stepping up and is playing well but Fraser is a cut above, and we get goals from him. Simple as that. Remember he's essentiall having a bit of a position change atm, no one expects Rocca to play at CHB and get 20 possies in his first week, so let Fraser get used to the forward line a bit. Around the ground non-ruckwork is great too, with him and Dids leading long to the wing with Tarrant now, it's starting to look very formidable - can't wait to see it on the wide spaces of the MCG.

That's three must win games behind us, all won with the dogged, gritty style of 2002. If we beat Melbourne we're still in with a good chance of making the eight (only need 6 from our next 10 really, 11 wins should be enough), and if we have a good break and injury free take out Sydney, well watch out all comers! I just feel the lesser lights are stepping up, and with O'Bree and Bucks back, and Burns, Locks and Fraser matchfit, we could really make some headlines after the break. But we've gotta beat Melbourne.

- Ben

[sherrife]

11 wins will not be enough for us to make the finals (remember our percentage). We will need 12 to cement a spot methinks.

That said, As Cannibal says if we get on a roll we could end up 5th/6th, otherwise we will struggle.

[Brown26]

To make 11 wins:

richmond, carlton, westcoast, us need 7 more wins to get 11, sydney (assuming they lose today) and kangaroos need 6 more wins, geelong (assuming they win today) need 5 more wins.

That's for two spots in the eight. We play richmond, carlton, sydney and geelong again, if we get on a roll and win those (all but sydney we really should) it makes it a bit harder for them.

WC play 7 games at subi (including Freo) so they might get up, Sydney are a chance, and Geelong should get up, so yeah you're right maybe we need 12 wins, but as I said in another post, we probably won't win 7 of the next 11, we'll either win 4 or 5, or 9 or 10 is we get the momentum.

Let's hope we win the next two!!

- Ben

[spoljar]

I thought it was another good fighting win from the boys. It is amazing how well we do play when we move the ball quickly from one end of the ground to another. Taz was twice hit on the chest from memory, once from Tarks and another from Burns when we took the first option. So was Cam from Tarks also. Go with your gut and move the ball quickly boys. We are a much better side when we do that!
Here is how I saw the players:
A Grade: Licuria, Clement and Burns.
B Grade: Lockyer, Woewodin, Shaw, Cole and Tarrant.
C Grade: Lonie, Richards, Fraser, J Cloke, C Cloke, Wakelin and Didak.
D Grade: McGough and Maxwell.
E Grade: Swan, Lokan and Davis.
Unfair to Grade: Rocca and Johnson.

[Mick's My Favourite]

we will have to beat Melbourne and Brissy which is an absolute big ask to get into the finals.
spojar
thought Richards and the two Clokes should get a higher grade

[foreigner]

Seems like the Demons will beat Freo at Subiaco ... ominous signs for us

[sherrife]

Nah they're winning in a low scoring game... with our amazing defense we are masters at low scoring games

Plus, there is no way that Tarrant, Fraser, Didak, Cam and Burns will be held to a scoreline anything like the Freo game.