Don't remember a season coming 'round so quickly, and don't remember feeling this confident about a season for many, many years. We've got a real show at a flag this year, even the bookies agree (which worries me a bit, there'll be no 'under the radar' this time) but frankly, I'm more looking forward to a year of being confident that Magpie fans wont be thinking about beating the traffic home at 3/4 time. If we are as good as last year we'll be right in the game until the end, week in, week out, and that's as good as it gets. Many of the kids here weren't around in the late 60's/early 70's - I was only an ankle-biter myself - when Collingwood was feared every week by every team, more so if they had to venture to the dreaded Vic Park for what they knew would be a hard day. Amazingly we got no silver in that time, but silverware or no, playing Collingwood was dreaded by every team - top to bottom.
I felt like that again last year for the first time since way back then. Even in 1990 we didn't feel this...solid.
Then again I felt nearly this confident going into '04. There are NO guarantees in footy!
Absolutely hanging to see how Wood goes, but I can't say I disagree with the decision to omit him entirely, the long thin 'uns tend to break fairly easy and I wouldn't be keen to see him running round an Arabian horse paddock! I'd imagine the brains trust are more concerned about getting back to the airport with the same number of fit blokes they left with, an unlikely proposition first up after a spell under these conditions. But geez I want us to win this one. Mainly so we don't have to go bush next week! Besides, we'll likely play Wood and some of the other 'cotton wool' blokes if we get a 'city' game, unlikely if we have to go to bloody Albany.
The ride starts tonight guys, it's gonna last several years...Enjoy!
PS How come no mention of Jaxson Barham? Injured?
Pre-Match: Pies v Crows, NAB Cup...all comments in here
Moderator: bbmods
-
35forever
- Posts: 2684
- Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2005 4:38 am
- Location: Physical=Sunshine Coast -- Mental=Vic Park
- Contact:
Woods leave Wood out?
"If at first you dont succeed...
... oh who cares, we did it!!!!!"
-me, 2010
"The pies are going to the big dance!"-P.Daicos 2010
Visit My Website!
... oh who cares, we did it!!!!!"
-me, 2010
"The pies are going to the big dance!"-P.Daicos 2010
Visit My Website!
-
Collingwood Rox
- Posts: 11
- Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2008 2:06 pm
- Location: Victoria, Aus
-
Hired-Goon
- Posts: 437
- Joined: Thu Sep 19, 2002 6:01 pm
- Location: Melbourne :)
-
Magpie Girl
- Posts: 1085
- Joined: Wed Jan 02, 2008 12:08 am
- Location: Down town Bundy! ...& the #43 bandwagon!
C'MON!!!! I have been hanging out for this game all off season & it's only the NAB cup.... just imagine what it will be like when the real season comes around!!! 
I don't think I have ever been this excited about a season before, I can't wait!!
Just hope we can come away with a win!!
GO PIES!!!!
I don't think I have ever been this excited about a season before, I can't wait!!
Just hope we can come away with a win!!
GO PIES!!!!
"Everyone has their story and mine is unique, but I'm definitely trying to use that to help as many people as I can." - Heritier O'Brien ( 7/7/08 )
Harry, you're a champ!
Harry, you're a champ!
-
westernpie
- Posts: 454
- Joined: Sat Jul 05, 2003 8:54 pm
- Location: Perth
-
Dave The Man
- Posts: 45002
- Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2005 2:04 pm
- Location: Someville, Victoria, Australia
- Has liked: 2 times
- Been liked: 23 times
- Contact:
-
nomad pie
- Posts: 217
- Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2007 11:07 pm
- Location: Gold Coast
My thoughts on the game, how it might shape up, our players and what we can hope to get out of it.
Backs:
Big guys: Anthony, Brown, Maxwell, Cox. All capable of taking a large forward.
Great potential, but due to lack of experience potentially vulnerable if Wakelin does not play. We will be hoping for good signs from Brown and Anthony - as good signs would give hope for a future dominant collingwood back-line.
If Wakelin plays one of the above is likely to drop out. If wakelin doesn't play, Anthony or Brown will need to stand up. My guess is Wakelin will play (does anyone have info to the contrary - like he is still in Australia?)
Smalls - Johnson, Clarke, Shaw X 2, Illes (an abundent of small backs, but all capaple of playing through the middle). A team of great rebounding run through the lines small backs - doesn't get much better than this. We should get a lot of drive from our small backs this year.
Mids
Rucks: Frazer and Bryan.
Stanley, Cook, Pendelbury, Swan, Obree, Lockyer, Egan, Thomas (with cameos from a host of others). Everybodies eyes will be on Stanley and Cook - as big improvement from one of these two would bode well for the season ahead. I expect solid but not outstanding performances from the others, except for Lockyer who I think will put on a great display.
Forwards:
Cloke, Reid - will be exciting to see Cloke in action and how Reid handles himself. Showed enough last to suggest that he could be come an elite player. While their are options for resting rucks to go forward or throwing Maxwell down forward, there appears to be a lot of responsibilty on this young pair. Without Rusling, Rocca or Dawes Reid becomes the clear no 2 big forward with Cloke the stand out number 1.
We have a host of small forward riches in the forward line - Didak, Leon, Medhurst, Dick (with option to rotate Thomas and Egan), combined with Cloke and Reid we have an exceptionally mobile forward line. It will be interesting to see how we perform. Bryan may compliment this forward set up nicely, if he can go forward as an enforcer.
The only player not mentioned is Toovey. He appears to lack the class of the other players, however, he is big and has pace, so their may be a niche spot for him.
My team:
B: Johnson, Anthony, Clarke
HB: H Shaw, Brown, Maxwell
C: Egan, Lockyer, Pendlebury,
HF: Didak, Cloke Medhurst
F: Thomas, Reid, Leon
Foll: Frazer, Swan, Obree
Interchange: Stanley, Cook, Cox, Bryan, Illes (all need to be given plenty of time to shine) Dick (a couple of quarters - unless standsout - doesn't look big enough yet), R Shaw, Wakelin.
If Cloke and Reid play well and Brown and Anthony stand up down back, I think we will win comfortably. If Wakelin does not play it is a big ask for the two young backs Anthony and Brown to carry the back line for the full 4 qtrs. Otherwise we appear to have a powerful line up. The centre line players and our crop of running players may sufficiently compensate for the reliance on Reid, Brown and Anthony. However, should Reid, Brown and Anthony stand up this seaon we are in for a great ride!
Hope all enjoy the game and we see signs that the young guns have more than just potential.
Backs:
Big guys: Anthony, Brown, Maxwell, Cox. All capable of taking a large forward.
Great potential, but due to lack of experience potentially vulnerable if Wakelin does not play. We will be hoping for good signs from Brown and Anthony - as good signs would give hope for a future dominant collingwood back-line.
If Wakelin plays one of the above is likely to drop out. If wakelin doesn't play, Anthony or Brown will need to stand up. My guess is Wakelin will play (does anyone have info to the contrary - like he is still in Australia?)
Smalls - Johnson, Clarke, Shaw X 2, Illes (an abundent of small backs, but all capaple of playing through the middle). A team of great rebounding run through the lines small backs - doesn't get much better than this. We should get a lot of drive from our small backs this year.
Mids
Rucks: Frazer and Bryan.
Stanley, Cook, Pendelbury, Swan, Obree, Lockyer, Egan, Thomas (with cameos from a host of others). Everybodies eyes will be on Stanley and Cook - as big improvement from one of these two would bode well for the season ahead. I expect solid but not outstanding performances from the others, except for Lockyer who I think will put on a great display.
Forwards:
Cloke, Reid - will be exciting to see Cloke in action and how Reid handles himself. Showed enough last to suggest that he could be come an elite player. While their are options for resting rucks to go forward or throwing Maxwell down forward, there appears to be a lot of responsibilty on this young pair. Without Rusling, Rocca or Dawes Reid becomes the clear no 2 big forward with Cloke the stand out number 1.
We have a host of small forward riches in the forward line - Didak, Leon, Medhurst, Dick (with option to rotate Thomas and Egan), combined with Cloke and Reid we have an exceptionally mobile forward line. It will be interesting to see how we perform. Bryan may compliment this forward set up nicely, if he can go forward as an enforcer.
The only player not mentioned is Toovey. He appears to lack the class of the other players, however, he is big and has pace, so their may be a niche spot for him.
My team:
B: Johnson, Anthony, Clarke
HB: H Shaw, Brown, Maxwell
C: Egan, Lockyer, Pendlebury,
HF: Didak, Cloke Medhurst
F: Thomas, Reid, Leon
Foll: Frazer, Swan, Obree
Interchange: Stanley, Cook, Cox, Bryan, Illes (all need to be given plenty of time to shine) Dick (a couple of quarters - unless standsout - doesn't look big enough yet), R Shaw, Wakelin.
If Cloke and Reid play well and Brown and Anthony stand up down back, I think we will win comfortably. If Wakelin does not play it is a big ask for the two young backs Anthony and Brown to carry the back line for the full 4 qtrs. Otherwise we appear to have a powerful line up. The centre line players and our crop of running players may sufficiently compensate for the reliance on Reid, Brown and Anthony. However, should Reid, Brown and Anthony stand up this seaon we are in for a great ride!
Hope all enjoy the game and we see signs that the young guns have more than just potential.
Collingwood since 1972. Luv da pies!
-
Dave The Man
- Posts: 45002
- Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2005 2:04 pm
- Location: Someville, Victoria, Australia
- Has liked: 2 times
- Been liked: 23 times
- Contact:
-
Collingwood Rox
- Posts: 11
- Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2008 2:06 pm
- Location: Victoria, Aus
-
Dave The Man
- Posts: 45002
- Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2005 2:04 pm
- Location: Someville, Victoria, Australia
- Has liked: 2 times
- Been liked: 23 times
- Contact:
-
DaVe86
- Posts: 13731
- Joined: Fri Oct 08, 2004 7:04 pm
- Location: Melbourne