Post Match. Pies pipped by Hawks. All comments please.

[Kill for Collingwood]

Still support Buckley but this scenario is his, and only his to deal with and turnaround. I believe he can but he has to; no one else, he's it!!!!
Players last year demonstrated what's required unquestionably.
The coach has to recover it. Injuries didn't stop us last year and this year is no
different.
Over to you Bucks: you're in charge.
And bloody accountable.

[Lone Ranger]

Does it turn out that we actually have one of the worst midfields in the comp?

[Monco Matt]

Too many outs, too many off-field disruptions. No confidence, no skill, no flair, no dare. It is only about to get much worse. Once again we shoot ourselves in the foot. Five straight defeats is on the radar.

[eddiesmith]

35 to 57 inside 50's
Another slaughter.
All other stats relatively even.
Our mids are a disaster.

Yet people want to blame the forward line? To get smashed in inside 50s like that and only lose by less than a goal suggests the issue isn’t with the forwards. They did a sensational job to nearly steal it with such a lack of opportunity

The midfield is rotten, all those names, no guts, no care. Saw one play, it was the dream scenario, Grundy to Pendlebury, tears away, gives it to Sidebottom, turn over...This team don’t care and the coach is useless.

If we had Clarkson we’d be the reigning premiers and on track for back to back

[PyreneesPie]

Okay... I know I will probably get slammed for this, but I've had a couple of glasses of red, so who cares??

Last season, the boys played out of their skins. They had belief in
themselves to reach the pinnacle, despite an horrendous injury toll. They played on instinct and want. They took risks, attacked the ball with ferocity and trusted their team mates would do the same. They gave their all. And what did they get for all that effort, courage and determination? A heart-breaking GF loss on the basis of a questionable umpiring decision.

As that ultimate goal gets closer this season, the tragedy of that loss is still in their sub-conscious. Why play like demons when the end result may be the same? The pain would be just too much to bear.

So, right now they are playing scared.... afraid of what may await them in September. Honestly, our team doesn't need coaching with technical game plans and a thorough berating for playing within themselves. They need someone to give them mental courage, someone to tell them it will be alright, if they they don't reach the top of the mountain. It's the manner of the chase that gives them the joy, the glory and the satisfaction.

And I'm not drinking Wolf Blass However, as Bucks is a Wolf Blass ambassador, he would do well to show the players some examples of teams failing at the last hurdle, but regardless, still winning in their own estimation and achieving the admiration of all, most importantly themselves.

[think positive]

Maybe this is the catharsis our boys need. After this loss, a truly devastating one (should never have lost to them, Hawthorn are an inferior team this year..their inferiority was palpable throughout the game, they only won due to our amazing accuracy in shooting ourselves in the foot)...we now have nothing to lose. Nothing to lose means freedom...freedom to move the ball lightning fast like we used to, by hand and foot, through the centre whenever we see fit. Our defence is strong...we have established fantastic defensive structures across the team. that has been the one highlight across the last horrible 3 or 4 weeks. It is the offensive ball movement that has been gutted, but not by injuries (most injuries have occurred in defence). Tay Adams will be a huge inclusion when he returns, Stepho out is big, but does not explain the failure to transition the ball forward with aggression and daring. Our skills have fallen off the cliff, but skills don't just evaporate into thin air. It is the team synergy. We are being suffocated by lack of confidence. Tell the team: take it on. You have nothing to lose. Go for it. It's backs to the wall, like 2018.

Exactly... say no more.

Great post

[orie]

Felt really sad watching that team play tonight. It doesn't resemble the side from earlier in the season.
I desperately wanted to beat the Dorks because I really hate them and it made me so angry in that last quarter that they just took the game away from us so easily.
Sier licks a goal to keep us in it, and RUNS to the Bench. WTF. Go into the middle and get the friggiun ball. No hard bodies in there in the last.

Eagles is another big challenge and we have booked to go for our first time in Perth.
Feeling overwhelmed at the thought of playing them there after our terrible performances.. We just don't have the personnel.

[orie]

Felt really sad watching that team play tonight. It doesn't resemble the side from earlier in the season.
I desperately wanted to beat the Dorks because I really hate them and it made me so angry in that last quarter that they just took the game away from us so easily.
Sier licks a goal to keep us in it, and RUNS to the Bench. WTF. Go into the middle and get the friggiun ball. No hard bodies in there in the last.

Eagles is another big challenge and we have booked to go for our first time in Perth.
Feeling overwhelmed at the thought of playing them there after our terrible performances.. We just don't have the personnel.

[Jezza]

Does it turn out that we actually have one of the worst midfields in the comp?

Too many outside mids who don't run both ways, and we lack grunt on the inside.

We need Adams to return as soon as possible. His absence cannot be understated.

[melliot]

Can't win the flag now. You can't play like last week with the response of this week and be a team of character.

Something is deeply wrong at the club. Very few are playing well. The structure is non existent. We dont team well. Play dumb football. Boring football.

There are more flashing red lights on single acts or performances than green lights. Senior players need to lead the revival.

[bally12]

Some of our bigger problems...
Tackling:
==========
Players that body-line the ball and tackle with their bodies, driving into the opposition with body tackles:
DeGoey, Grundy, Adams, Mayne, Greenwood, Crisp, Maynard.
Players who lay feeble finger-tackles, often grabbing 1 of the arms of the opponent in the chance they get a cheap holding the ball.
The rest of the team.
Seriously, get a rugby coach that can teach the rest of the team how to tackle with ferocity. No team fears our tackling. They brush us off like we are not there. We need to get stronger bodies, and stick our tackles to be considered a serious football team.
Midfield:
==========
Treloar, Thomas, Sidey, Brown, are not clearance mids. Get them out of the centre square. About time to give Maynard a go at the centre bounces. Heck, throw Mayne in there sometimes...he can't do as bad as we are doing.
The rest:
==========
How does Thomas stay in the side, and Varcoe get dropped? When you watch on TV Varcoe is the only one that flashes unexpectedly into the picture attacking the ball carrier. He brings something we don't have. Broomy is a better player.
The one positive was Quaynor. Sure hands, smart player, and has some pace. I'd like if he had a left foot. BT before the game called him a tough left footer. Enough said on BT.
Daicos needs an injection of pace and power over the next preseason. He's the same size as the Swans Player Papley, who's a couple of years older. He needs to folllow in his footsteps and train for speed/power. It can be done.
I like what Browny is doing. I was a doubter but he's improving all the time, and I like how he can put the hammer down for short bursts. Time to bring in his brother as well.
Mihocek jsut gets on my nerves. Dumb player, but I get it he runs a lot.
Cox has lost the plot and gets out-bodiedntoo easily. Too lazy to move his defender around. Just invites the kicker to kick it on his head.
Game style:
===========
Our ball movement is too static. We need to play on instinct, and take risks. It's the only way the play will open up and present opportunities. Our game style reflects Buckley's personality. Too measured, calculated, and programmatic. If you wait long enough to see an opening, then when you see it, and think about it, then a few seconds later, execute....well, guess what...IT'S TOO F#C*ING LATE. It's boring footy and hard to watch. Our players need to be coached to express themselves in the moment, and play instinctive, attacking footy.
While I'm on the topic, seeing our midfield is getting embarrassingly destroyed every week, what is Robert Harvey doing as assistant coach? Maybe time to move him on. He didn't impress me as a player, and doesn't strike me as a good coach.

[Medieval]

I honestly don’t even care anymore. I’ve had enough of the acceptance of mediocrity that comes with being a Collingwood supporter. We’re never genuinely good. 2011 you say? The year we were beaten by one other team three times? Another premiership gone begging. Even in 2010 when we did win, we drew first. We only won that flag because our list was younger and recovered faster and we ran all over them in the replay. 1990 we drew with WCE and then had to go on and beat them again the next week. There’s always been drama around Collingwood and there always will be. The tainted steaks, the unnamed self-reporting drug takers, the gambling. I don’t really have the energy any more to care about players who don’t care about the club as much as I do. So here’s what’s going to happen. We’ll get smashed against WCE in Perth and I’ll laugh about how bad we are. We’ll get smashed against GWS and I’ll again laugh at how bad we are. Taylor Adams will still be two weeks away. We’ll beat Richmond and everyone will think our season is back on track, until we lose to Adelaide. We’ll finish 5/6 and maybe win one final then watch on as someone else, someone who we could demolish if we ever decide to play as well as we can on any given day, wins the flag. Then we’ll do it all again in 2020, minus a first round draft pick because we gave it away to get Beams back. And Taylor Adams is still two weeks away.

[Kill for Collingwood]

Grundy's "dominance" this year has been a waste of space.
Two slack efforts in last quarter cost 2 goals in 5 minutes.
Does he ever damn palm it to our players; or is it their fault?
I can't work it out. Does a team need a dominant ruck?
Not helping us.

[Piesnchess]

Maybe this is the catharsis our boys need. After this loss, a truly devastating one (should never have lost to them, Hawthorn are an inferior team this year..their inferiority was palpable throughout the game, they only won due to our amazing accuracy in shooting ourselves in the foot)...we now have nothing to lose. Nothing to lose means freedom...freedom to move the ball lightning fast like we used to, by hand and foot, through the centre whenever we see fit. Our defence is strong...we have established fantastic defensive structures across the team. that has been the one highlight across the last horrible 3 or 4 weeks. It is the offensive ball movement that has been gutted, but not by injuries (most injuries have occurred in defence). Tay Adams will be a huge inclusion when he returns, Stepho out is big, but does not explain the failure to transition the ball forward with aggression and daring. Our skills have fallen off the cliff, but skills don't just evaporate into thin air. It is the team synergy. We are being suffocated by lack of confidence. Tell the team: take it on. You have nothing to lose. Go for it. It's backs to the wall, like 2018.

Exactly... say no more.

Great post

Yep, spot on. thirve on being the underdogs again, free up, as Norf have done, play for fun, take risks, go for it. May as well, we cant go any worse, have a real crack and sew what happens.

[PyreneesPie]

==========
Players that body-line the ball and tackle with their bodies, driving into the opposition with body tackles:
DeGoey, Grundy, Adams, Mayne, Greenwood, Crisp, Maynard.

How does Thomas stay in the side, and Varcoe get dropped? When you watch on TV Varcoe is the only one that flashes unexpectedly into the picture attacking the ball carrier. He brings something we don't have.

Our ball movement is too static. We need to play on instinct, and take risks. It's the only way the play will open up and present opportunities.

Absolutely! To do the last, the players need mental courage and self-belief. Someone has to help them with that, whether it be Pendles, one of the leaders, the coaches or some fancy psychologist!!! I don't care who, but mental courage precedes taking risks.

Our wonderful back line have this already, by virtue of their roles and the tough nuts within it, but geez, the rest of the team, especially the mids desperately need some.

As for dropping Varcoe and retaining Josh..... some lack of insight there regarding our current woes by the selection committee.