Post match. Pies gallant in defeat - All comments please

[larrylj]

What a great effort, our boys.
Pity the siren didn't hold off for another 40 seconds.
I can't imagine how sore, tired and sad our heroes must have felt as I have only just crawled out from under the bed and the tears still very close.
We are so proud of you all. GO PIES '08

[Johnson#26]

[Mugwump]

Brilliant post Luke - well-written, passionate but realistic. None of those are easy to achieve.

[stui magpie]

Great effort by the boys. Genuine team effort against a physically more mature team that has taken all before them this year.

Most so called experts didn't have us in the top 8 at the start of this year.

No one gave us a chance Friday night.

Premierships are won by teams that have a number of players that come thru together.

Premierships are won by teams that play intense, physical football and don't let their opponents play the game they want.

Premierships are won by teams that have built up to it and have finals experience..

We are on the way. Big time. Friday night was our GF. We didn't quite get there but the experience will do the boys so much more good than if we made a GF and lost.

We're not quite there yet but building very nicely. Our older KPP's role now is to be there to support the young KPP's coming through so they aren't thrown to the wolves.

I can genuinely see now that the future is looking very bright indeed. Roll on 2008 and beyond.

[Cam]

The best thing about this year is that we didn't play above ourselves. In the past we have had scrappers who relied on guts and determination.. We have got ourselves some pretty skillful players! They improved and their focus was on winning because they are winners.

We are going to kick ass all the way to the top of the class.

[Streak]

1) Still filthy on that free kick awarded to Mooney in the pocket. The margin didn't exceed 5 points for the quarter - it was tough, no-nonsense footy... and the umps decide to award them a certain goal on a dubious free kick. Pfft screw you, umps.

2) Nice to see that 9 All-Australians make a difference of 5 points. Awesome.

3) CARN THE POWER!

[RudeBoy]

Nice post Luke. You've said it all mate, well done.

[Neil Appleby]

Lovely piece Luke but I couldn't disagree more on the ruckmen issue.

Yes Richards and Bryan can be handy in the sense that a horse and cart can be handy; if there's no machinery go for the horse and cart.
Richards is, at best, a fill in when Josh and our new recruit ruckman is injured.

Bryan should be traded. His ruckwork was not AFL standard on Friday night.
He looked more like Barishnikov leaping through the centre than a Collingwood ruckman; it was almost comical except that I was groaning and swearing instead of laughing.

No, we need a quality helper for Fraser, otherwise we'll have another year where he breaks down all the time.

Forget Judd, get Charman or Jolly.

[blackandwhite4life]

It's already been mentioned by others but it feels so much like the 02 GF.

You were left feeling proud that the team could not have given any more while the rest of the footy world gave us no chance. It would have been great to steal one for a change.

Was so confident we would have had Port's measure this week and after their big win yesterday, we would have remained the underdogs. Oh well...........

[3rd degree]

Still shattered and feeling very hollow, but very proud of how hard we went at it.
We went out swinging and made them hurt.

[jimbeam]

good game by the boys.

[mel_kay39]

Malthouse doesn't carry players who can't perform in big games. Richards is gone.

Great effort tonight from the boys, i'm devastated and it's terribly hard not to want to rip into someone (hence my Richards comment) but they did us all proud.

Screw Judd, lets get a good Ruckman like Geelong did poaching Ottens.

Um... if Malthouse doesn't carry players who don't perform in big games, what about Rocca?!

[David]

They've made a big deal about this recently, but I don't really buy it.

Jason Cloke stayed on the list for another three years. According to this theory, he would have been cut soon after his grand final performance in 2003.

People mention Leon Davis. Yes, he had a quiet grand final in 2002. But what about his game over in SA against Port just three weeks earlier? No questions he was a performer in that game.

Oh, and Richards performed admirably in our two winning finals.

As for Rocca... 2002 grand final, need we say more? That is one of the best 'big game' performances I've ever seen... and his effort in this year's elimination final wasn't half bad either.

[mel_kay39]

great gutsy effort from a team that most of "the experts" gave absolutely no chance.

I would rather have seen Rusling on Scarlett, Anthony is far to slow to go with him, I find it amazing that Mick would even expect him to when he has shown before that he cannot.

We need rucking strength, a better functioning forward line, Chris Judd and then I think we can string a couple of premierships together.

We have a fabulous group of young players who would slot into any team, they just need a bit of support around them.

I was under the impression that defenders are given forwards not the other way around. Forwards just have to deal with whoever the opposition coach choses to lumber them with. That said, Rocca did piss bugger all and always gets slaughtered by Scarlett. Rusling should have gone FF and then Scarlett would probably have taken him.

[Cuthbert Collingwood]

As for Rocca... 2002 grand final, need we say more? That is one of the best 'big game' performances I've ever seen... and his effort in this year's elimination final wasn't half bad either.

not to mention his 3 goals against WC - wouldn't have won without them. sure he was well beaten for most of the game, but a big game player takes his chances when he can.

i'd be very happy if Ant could stick around for another two years.

BTW, lovely piece Luke.