Rocca's six fires Pies

[bellastar]

how come tazza didn't play?

[Morrigu]

[DaVe86]

has anyone got a source to some stats?

[Lone Ranger]

Don't worry about the scores ... the pies took the foot off at qtr time when leading by 6 goals, and didnt put it back down again till the last quarter.
Today was as encouraging as you could hope to see. You go to practice matches hoping to see players take the next step, and those returning from injury gain some form. We saw:
- Davis was brilliant in the midfield and up forward
- Didak played well in midfield
- Rocca dominating up foward
- Egan playing well and kicking well ... skills much improved
- Richards playing well in the ruck
- Ben Johnson back in great form and disposing of ball extremenly well

We even got to see some improvemnet from Hall.

As good as all that was, the highlight was probably the extremely quick hands of the whole team. The speed of ball movement was very impressive.

Given everyone we had out, you could not be happier with how the game went. For those who werent there ... ignore the score, we were FAR more impressive.

[RudeBoy]

Thanks for the reports as I couldn't make it. It sounds like Leon was in great form. Did he spend much time on the ball or was he mainly used as a forward? If he and Didak can step up to become part of our midfield set up, it will improve our on-ball brigade, give us greater penetration into our forward line, and allow Bucks to spend a bit more time in attack.

[pietillidie]

Such good news. Even Richards is finding form. (Note to self: keep pre-season optimism to minimum as first game against form side of competition).

[tazzies_girl]

[collingwoodjoe]

Thanks Bucks4Eva!

Tell you what, it's going to be difficult to predict the make up of the side Vs Crows with so many hitting such good form.

[skaman]

Great reporting B4E and also MM in chat. However I couldnt get back into chat after half time!!!!! Damn it!

I think Leon is going to have a good year. Also good to see Ego amongst the best. Anyone know who we play next, prackie wise, or will it just be intra club stuff now, before season proper?

Also good......no injuries!, whew!

[Morrigu]

[PieGal4eva]

I thought The Zebra ( Kangaroos supporter ) offered an objective match summary...asked him if I could post it here....


"Just got back. Not a bad game for a praccy match.

The Roos started off terribly. Collingwood were dominating and went 6 goals up in the first quarter. Anthony Rocca was destroying Hay - big marks, good leads - he looked impressive. Gibson was about the only shining light in the first quarter. Plenty of possession, and looked pretty composed in the bakline. Highlight of the first quarter was Jesse Smith's blind turn running into the forward line. Totally lost his opponent with a full 360 spin. Mark was dropped (kick was probably a little off) but it was awesome.

In the second quarter it looked like more of the same as Rocca kicked his fifth, but at about the 15 minute mark we totally turned it around. Hay got well on top of Rocca, Hale starting dominating in the ruck, Le Cras was a massive impotes for the forward line, kicking two goals with good leads, hard work and good kicking.

The third quarter was great. Smith was good out of the backline, well kicked a freak goal off the ground in the forward pocket, and David Hale - well the man looked sensational. great taps to possession, nice delivery, good marks and running in support. Firrito also picked up from a slugish first quarter and played some good footy. Gibson had gone down a little since the first quarter but was still doing OK. Thommo would have had 2 by this stage, and was strong on the lead. makepeace was bad in the first half, but great when he baceame a centre link man in the third. kick a goal and set up a couple more.

In the last our intensity seemed to drop a bit at first as the teams when goal for goal. Didak was very good for the Pies, and with jade Rawlings now on A.Rocca, Rocca dominated again. marked everything a kicked another couple to end up with 7. Pies hi back late and won by 5. thommo kicked a sensational right foot snap from the boundary late in the game.

We dropped a lot of marks and looked sloppy at time, but the middle of the 2nd until the end of the 3rd played really good, exciting footy.

I'll post a bit of a player by player a bit later."

[Big T]

To me the best news is Ben Johnson - he is a barometer for us. Also Leons best preseason by far is promising. Concerned about lack of significant (or any) progress of C2, Hall, Walker, Richards, will rely heavily on Fraser being fit. Need at least 2 of that 4 to step up.

[skaman]

EEEEk i feel dirty, sorry PG4E. Just dont like reading reports from an opposition perspective. Re submit, 2 out of 10.

[dillo_09]

The reason for our "dip" from mid 2nd qtr to thne start of the last was our midfield.

MM was experimenting and for most of that time our mid 4 was Fanning, Swan, and a couple of the other 1st year players. When he changed it back to the more experienced players such as bucks, we dominated

[PieGal4eva]