Post match: Pies pipped again . All comments please.

[RudeBoy]

I was gutted that we lost another game against the best team in the comp which we should have won. So none of us can be happy about that.

But.....I am absolutely thrilled to know that we can beat anyone and that we have the ability to win the Premiership this year. Make no mistake, we are performing at a level 2 yrs ahead of most people's (including Bucks' I suspect) expectations. Considering we have enormous scope for improvement, with players like Reid, Goldsack, Grundy, Greenwood, Scharenberg and Sinclair waiting in the wings.

To beat the Hawks at contested ball, clearances, inside 50s, scoring shots, and hitouts, says that we actually spanked them. Only our goal kicking accuracy let us down. However, as Bucks said, coming into this game we had the most highest scoring accuracy of any team in the comp. So while our bad kicking clearly cost us this game, overall it's not been a problem for us this season, so there's no reason to panic over this. Essentially, it comes down to a bit of stage fright from some players, and basically a bit of bad luck.

Perhaps my biggest worry is the current form of Elliott. We certainly need him firing if we're to beat the best.

PS. Last night showed why Blair is a favourite of the coach. Bilbo is a big game player, who puts his life on the line, gets the hard ball and is a beautiful kick for goal.

[GoWoodsmen]

Haven't been so disappointed in a loss in so long. Only got our goal kicking to blame really. Having said that, as others have identified... our inexperience probably stopped us having another 5-10 shots on goal when poor decisions turned the ball over. Having said that even the Hawks made some surprisingly bad skill errors last night.

Proud of the boys but shattered that we've dropped 8 points that could have had us in the top 2.

While we are way ahead of schedule we need to be very very careful we don't turn into North from a couple of seasons ago. From memory they lost six games by 10 points or less ... and let's be honest really haven't done anything despite the hype. We're currently at 3 losses under 10 points - and we should have won all of them.

Good news is this team is learning, and learning very very quickly. They got one very very small run on last night (3 goals from memory). Aside from that they never got any momentum going.

Last night reminded me a lot of Chris Judd's second Brownlow - completely undeserved.

[swoop42]

While our side might be young and developing overall Cloke and White aren't in that category.

No excuse for them to be missing crucial gettable shots on goal for the umpteenth time this season.

It's gotten to a stage where I just expect them to miss and a goal is a welcome surprise when it occurs.

[MightyMagpie]

Some context for the last two games (I looked at this for my benefit, but others may be interested):

vs Hawks was the first time this season we went into a game with an average age less than 24yo - 23yrs 11mths (vs Freo was 24yrs 6mths). Prior to that the avg age this season had been between 24yrs 1 mth (vs GCS) and 24yrs 9mths.

Hawks had avg of 55 more games played per player (Freo 29).

vs Hawks was the first time this season that the Club did not select close to the most experienced available lineup (that seemed to be a theme previously). We are a young team in any event and perhaps the decision to debut both Moore and Maynard (especially when an experienced player in Goldsack was a forced out) can be criticised as making us too young and inexperienced, especially vs an experienced team like the Hawks.

I know some others expressed surprise that we debuted 2 and queried whether the Hawks was the game to do it and I had the same reservations when I saw the team list.

(PS Seedsman just kicked a 60m goal in the VFL and set up Abbott for another so maybe he'll be back!)

[Jezza]

stats from the game.

Those stats demonstrate that we outplayed Hawthorn in most areas except the scoreboard in the end.

We're nearly there but not close enough but if this is the standard for the rest of the year then we're in for an exciting rest of the year and beyond.

[Jezza]

Before the season started, most people were saying we'd struggle to make the eight. Now they're complaining because we haven't locked up a top four position. Yes, there are areas that could use some improvement, but, bloody hell, this side is traveling okay. Two first gamers played last night, in what was a close-run loss to the reigning premiers. Impressive.

I see constant improvement, with a huge upside to the team. I am loving their efforts and expect to see better things over the next three years.

Mr. Buckley, take a bow.

Quality post! I think it's amazing how far we've come considering I never believed we would finish in the top eight let alone be pushing for a spot in the eight.

These two narrow losses to two strong sides hurt but the performances by the playing group have been superb and should be commended by everyone. I honestly didn't think we would get close to beating Fremantle and Hawthorn so the fact that we've lost to them by 10 points or under speaks of our remarkable improvement this year.

Looking at the big picture our future is one of the most exciting you'll see in the league. Hawthorn had 55 more games experience across the board last night and they were more than three years older than us in age so it's remarkable how close the match was when you look at it that way especially playing two debutants in Moore and Maynard as well.

They may have won the match last night with experience and class in the end but Hawthorn is an ageing team with more one crack at the flag if they're lucky and we're a rising team that will be on the up for a long time coming if all goes to plan. The future is bright!

[SwansWay]

I still believe we can finish top 4 this season. I think Sydney and West Coast will drop out. I'm not sure why Bucks didn't put Greenwood in last night. I was very angry after the loss. I smashed my fists into a glass coffee table and I NEVER do stuff like that. Winning last night was very important to me. The table only has a light corky and is expected to hold my cup of tea again for next week's game.

[jackcass]

I found this on BigFooty but I thought it was worth posting here considering how much progress we've made as a football club in the last few months.

Average age
Collingwood- 23 and 11 months
Hawthorn- 27 and 4 months

Average games
Collingwood- 83
Hawthron- 138

Players under 50 games
Collingwood- 9
Hawthorn- 2

That's 2 full seasons of senior footy difference on average. Got to be impressed with the progress of our kids.

[jackcass]

You see Rioli kick 5 goals and it's easy to say it was Tooves fault.



There was a couple of times when Rioli appeared to get loose (didn't always get the ball) which I didn't like. The unforgivable one was when Bruest had marked on the boundary line and Marley was caught deep between 2 Hawks Rioli started to drop back and away to the other side and Marley should have covered him while someone else come over to cover marley's man. By the time Markey realised he was 30m on his own and Bruest had spotted him and another easy shot from relatively in front of goal.

Disagree with this. I saw that unfold and Marley was fully aware of what Rioli was doing. He had to try and cover both but couldn't leave the man in the goal until the kicker was committed else the kick would just have gone there. Once the kicker committed Marley tried to get to Rioli but was never gonna make it.

Just smart play by Rioli to take advantage of a 2 on 1. Nothing else Marley could do.

Was actually Maynard wasn't it.

[RudeBoy]

I still believe we can finish top 4 this season. I think Sydney and West Coast will drop out. I'm not sure why Bucks didn't put Greenwood in last night. I was very angry after the loss. I smashed my fists into a glass coffee table and I NEVER do stuff like that. Winning last night was very important to me. The table only has a light corky and is expected to hold my cup of tea again for next week's game.

Greenwood was too sore to even play in the VFL. Believe me, Bucks knows who to play and who not to. You can't fault his decision-making at all. In line for coach of the year in my book.

[jackcass]

While our side might be young and developing overall Cloke and White aren't in that category.

No excuse for them to be missing crucial gettable shots on goal for the umpteenth time this season.

It's gotten to a stage where I just expect them to miss and a goal is a welcome surprise when it occurs.

Gunston kicked 2.4, it happens and no player in the league is immune.

[piedys]

Gunston kicked 2.4, it happens and no player in the league is immune.

Gunston kicked 2.4 because he had a REAL opponent this week due to Roughead missing.

[Donny]

Why do you think Sydney will drop out ?

[bkelly123]

Moore deserves to hold his spot next week I reckon.

Yep, telling 4 possession 1 point game.

I'd love to see Darcy given a chance to play as a defender in the seniors, he has played some great games in defence at VFL level, and at this stage of his development, I think that that is where the majority of his strengths lie.

[Dave The Man]