Post GF. Pies pipped in GF thriller - All comments please.

[Collingwood Crackerjack]

^Totally, there were fifty fiftys for both teams that were not paid all day, which is fair enough, but those two stick out like you know what

[Greeny2968]

[RudeBoy]

Having slept on our loss, I reckon there's a couple of things worth noting, apart from pride in our coach and team for giving their all and delivering us an incredible season and Grand final effort.

However, if we are to take the next step and bridge the gap (however small it is) with the best, then we have to recognise the areas where we need to improve.

1. While Grundy is the best ruckman in the AFL, he needs to improve his marking power. He's already a terrific tap ruckman and ground ball midfielder, but for his size and athleticism, he needs to take more marks and add goal kicking to his bag of tricks. I realise this seems picky, given how good Grundy is, but our whole team needs to improve, including Brodie.

2. We were clearly short of one big defender. If Moore, Reid or perhaps even Dunn had been up and about, I reckon it would have made the difference.

3. I think we have to face up to the fact that Pendles best is past him, and the days of him being able to turn a game in our favour are going to be few and far between going forward. So we need to find/develop another 'A' Grade midfielder, to compensate for the inevitable decline in Pendles output over the next 2-3 years. Sier is looming as a potential A grader, but we need another imo.

4. Ideally we need another strong marking forward to play alongside Cox. That would allow us to use De Goey in the midfield more, where he is more naturally suited and where he can have greater impact on games. A midfield set up boasting Sier, De Goey and Adams is more what I'd like to see - comprising grunt, power and class.

Overall, we have the nucleus of a Premiership team already on our list, so just a little tweaking this year should have us ready to launch again next year. Hopefully Moore commits to the club and gets super fit over the summer. Landing one more KPP would just about set us up for Premiership success.

It's hard for all of us to handle such a heart breaking loss, but we need to remind ourselves, that few people even thought we'd make the 8 this year, and hardly anyone picked us as potential Grand finalists. We have performed fantastically and for that we should all be proud.

Thank you Bucks and thank you team. Go Pies!

[Collingwood Crackerjack]

My word, we had our chances in the 2nd quarter, bit of poor kicking going forward, a few bad bounces....bugger

[Collingwood Crackerjack]

4:20 left on the clock in the 2nd, pies up by 4 goals, win the centre clearance, pass from pendles to Checkers misses by about 6 inches, goes down the other end for a goal...its a game of inches alright

[robevpau1]

If I had an inkling mid-season that the magnificent maggies - whom I have supported 60 years this year - would end up one kick short of lifting the 2018 Premier Cup - I'd have grabbed it wholeheartedly with open arms. A truly wonderful and commendable team effort, overcoming much adversity - that has molded a close,caring, and supportive team that will deal with all adversity along the way.We will rise .. and we will pounce. I hope everyone can become free from 'the pain of the moment', and begin to truly see the broader context of what we are creating. - rob

[Abdul The Bull]

Had any other team put in that performance - the whole season, not just the GF - any neutral observer would have said "bloody good effort". I will try and bear that in mind when I find myself drifting to that dark place.
However, given Collingwood's history and record of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory I cannot help but feel that we are indeed cursed. It has been 60 years since Collingwood last won a Grand Final in September! Supporting Collingwood can be like living in purgatory. Frustrated beyond compare but despite sometimes feeling like you can take no more and just want to give up; you cannot.

As devastated as I am, I am desperately trying to remain positive and see this as a tremendous growth year. If we can go on next year and take the flag then this result will be viewed in the context it probably deserve to be viewed. But, if we fail again then it will be seen as yet another missed opportunity that only Collingwood truly excels in.

My son said after the 2011 GF, and my daughter said after yesterday's loss "Oh well, there's always next year!" But the fact is there isn't. There's no guarantees.

The most disappointing thing about yesterday's result was that we lead for 90% of the match, except win it truly counted. Had the situation been reversed and WCE got away to a 5 goal lead and we worked tirelessly to peg them back, but just fell short, I could have lived with that, But the manner in with we lost broke my heart.

So, once again, I'm a conflicted supporter. Do I applaud the effort and the process or, do I lament yet another grand final loss. In reality, as my emotions ebb and flow it's probably a little of both. One thing for sure, I will be back supporting my team with great gusto next season and hoping that my heart is not ripped out once again.

[VicParkTragic]

I think you have to applaud the effort of the players, the coach and the whole club for the season that just concluded. Yes we lost the big one but it wasn’t for any reason apart from we got done by a slightly better team on the day. We don’t have the best team on paper, far from it IMO. We have a solid team that was extremely well coached and managed. The club will know what the team needs in terms of personal and persue it.
I’ve loved watching how the team has gone about it this year (and late last year too). To see players like Adams, Treloar and Sidebottom playing because they love the game and the club has been a joy.
I can’t wait until next year. Bring it on!!!

[Pies4shaw]

[Cakewalk 90]

STICK FIRM, MAGPIE BRETHREN

Approximately twelve months ago it was announced that Senior Coach Nathan Buckley would have his contract renewed for a duration of two years.

I was frustrated (and frankly surprised) by this decision in light of increasingly poorer seasons throughout Buckley’s tenure. I supported him initially, particularly in light of long term injuries to key personnel. My patience was tried throughout 2016 when Collingwood lost a number of close games. In Round 19, 2017 the Magpies led Adelaide by fifty points at the MCG only to draw. I wanted Alistair Clarkson or Paul Roos as senior Coach.

Fast forward to yesterday and Collingwood are level with West Coast at three quarter time in the 2018 Grand Final. That they couldn’t salute yesterday hurts plenty, make no mistake. Approaching time on in the final term, with the Magpies leading narrowly and security entering the perimeter of the MCG and the ball in our left forward pocket my hopes, which I had held in check all afternoon despite a bright start, began to rise. Afterwards as I slowly made my way from level four of the Ponsord stand I saw many crestfallen supporters and, regrettably, one distraught lady openly weeping. I was blinking back tears myself, still am now to be honest.

But if at the start of the season you told me that Collingwood were going to finish eighth and make the finals I would have taken it. That they not only qualified for the finals after losing the opening two rounds but finished third to secure the double chance is nothing short of remarkable. Consider the following: Tyson Goldsack and Jamie Elliott did not play a single home and away game, Tim Broomhead breaking his leg in sickening fashion against Hawthorn in round one, Alex Fasolo playing one quarter throughout the entire season, Jordan De Goey again missing initial matches, Matthew Scharenberg rupturing his ACL, only six games from Ben Reid, Adam Treloar snapping both hamstrings at once, Darcy Moore’s recurring hamstring problems, etc. The courage of Travis Varcoe to play throughout the finals following the tragic death of his sister outstanding.

But the highlights, oh the highlights! Thrashing Adelaide away with dashing newcomer Jaidyn Stephenson booting five goals. Thumping a white hot Melbourne on Queen’s Birthday in front of a crowd of over 83,000. Winning four of five games on the road, the sole defeat against Sydney by two points due to a freak dribbling goal in the dying minutes. (The free against Collingwood earlier for deliberately rushing a behind, rarely paid and in this instance incorrect, didn’t help matters either.) Indeed, our backline was so decimated that night following Darcy Moore’s injury that debutant Jack Magden was forced to cover Lance Franklin! Finishing all over Port Adelaide in Round 22.

And to the finals where Collingwood were gallant against West Coast (both times), did enough against Greater Western Sydney and were truly magnificent in the Preliminary Final against Richmond, thwarting their back to back aspirations. That performance against the Tigers was one I shall long cherish, even shading the 2010 Preliminary Final demolition against Geelong.

Messrs. Buckley, Harvey, Hocking, Longmuir and Sanderson, and the entire Collingwood playing list, I salute you - thank you so much for season 2018.

Floreat Pica.

[Collingwood Crackerjack]

So many unnecessary handballs in the centre clearances in the last quarter when a kick was on, we were obviously not keen to hack kick it to McGovern, but surely you have to back in your team mate to make a contest?

[Piesnchess]

I got little sleep last night, i actually feel more down and devastated than i did last night, in the cold light of day. So &%^%&%^& close, yet so fcungkin far, it is heartbreaking. 11 GF losses for me, for 2 wins, i really thought we would win yesterday, but our fairy tales don't happen for us, do they? So, now we have to do it all again, a harder fixture, and those tigers will be back up there, along with these Perth creatures, Giants, Deeees, Cats, Crows, Swans, we will have our work to make top 4 again, that's for sure. My one hope is, our guys, mainly our kids, and guys like taylor adams, treloar, howe, grundy, maynard, sidey, are so hurt by this loss, that they make a pact and use it to drive them on into next season. They now KNOW the pain of GF defeat, and from that unremitting pain, adversity, must come a resolve to never let it happen again, ever. BTW, i want us to re sign Moore, and get May, and get Dunn, Schreanberg back for next season too, to take that next step. Anyway, im taking a bit of a break from Nicks, starting tomorrow, i just need to take a step back, and take this defeat in and come to terms with it, a timeout , so to speak.

[Nearly]

I’m not blaming the umpires for the result (on reflection today I believe the major factor was we went away from our game plan, probably because after 4 hard weeks of finals we had nothing left to give and so all we could do was boot long down the line), although it’s pretty clear that had the non decision on the Maynard block been paid, we probably would have gone on to win.

But looking at it again. It should never have got there. Ryan takes the mark leading to the kick to Sheed, and he’s allowed to pick up the ball off the ground next to Langdon and play on. You can’t do that after a mark ( as opposed to a free kick). You must come back behind the mark to take the kick.

Leigh Mathews is right. The umpires choked. 4 free kicks in the last quarter hence only 4 illegal acts??? Nup, don’t think so.

[thebaldfacts]

[Collingwood Crackerjack]

As did Varcoe