Welcome to Collingwood, Coach Craig McRae

[Quincy]

I get we are a work in progress and we have a young team and new coach but please tell me where our on field leaders are. Yesterday in the first qtr Noah Bolta took 4 intercept marks (everybody watching could see the issue) are our leaders out there so robotic that they can’t get together after a goal to say we need to change the way we deliver the ball forward.

The reason why Balta took those marks was because we decided to play the high forward as an extra at the stoppages ( commentators said as much ) That leaves an extra in Richmond’s defence.
The idea is with the extra at the stoppage, you should gain an advantage at the contest but because we executed poorly into the F50, Balta was having a field day. The players would know they are kicking to an extra in defence but Richmond’s pressure didn’t allow us to make pin point decisions.
You could easily make Balta accountable by manning him up but the counter argument would be that we would lose more contests at the stoppages.

Well our mids should be ablet to win contests without assistance. Why hurt our forwards?

[Pies2016]

^^ ^
The more you have at a contest, the more likely you take FIRST possession.
Also, what if Richmond played an extra up on the ball and we chose not to match it, then we would be disadvantaged at the stoppage ( albeit we would then have an extra in our backline )
Let’s not forget, they won the three of the last five flags under the same coach and most of their key players remain. They’re pretty good at what they do. I’m not saying it’s right or wrong but I am explaining why Balta was on his own so much, particularly early.

[BazBoy]

We have problems with tall strong key fwds -Geelong/Lions/Dons and now coming up is Naughton and Kernow

Feel the Footscray game a 50/50 but Freo & Carlton worry me

Get thru this trio of games be hairy

[piffdog]

Fly will take the gloves off when we’re past a certain point in future and if the lessons haven’t sunk in. He’s got a bit of Clarkson mongrel in him we don’t see in public, but the players will if they don’t show development by next year. Coaches and players are still in the getting to know each other phase, the trade period will be interesting. Long game in play, not just short term.

Hope you're right.

[piffdog]

I get we are a work in progress and we have a young team and new coach but please tell me where our on field leaders are. Yesterday in the first qtr Noah Bolta took 4 intercept marks (everybody watching could see the issue) are our leaders out there so robotic that they can’t get together after a goal to say we need to change the way we deliver the ball forward.

The reason why Balta took those marks was because we decided to play the high forward as an extra at the stoppages ( commentators said as much ) That leaves an extra in Richmond’s defence.
The idea is with the extra at the stoppage, you should gain an advantage at the contest but because we executed poorly into the F50, Balta was having a field day. The players would know they are kicking to an extra in defence but Richmond’s pressure didn’t allow us to make pin point decisions.
You could easily make Balta accountable by manning him up but the counter argument would be that we would lose more contests at the stoppages.

For most of the first half they were playing with 7 defenders (not 6). The outnumber came from them having an extra back - not us sending one up the ground. They were still able to score comfortably because of the breakdown of our own defence.

[Pies2016]

^ ^ ^

Im not sure which club blinks first in the strategies department but it was Riewoldt ( then Dal Santo at qtr time ) who described how Collingwood were using a high half forward to come up to the stoppage. Clearly, the extra Tigers defender suited Richmond but either way, they had one more in defence than we did as forwards. If Richmond were playing with seven defenders as the number, then obviously both wings come into play too.

[Harrysz]

I watched this week's presser with our coach and I was dismayed. There would have been at least half a dozen questions about H Lamumba. Now, McRae wasn't at the club when most of the things complained of allegedly occurred but that didn't stop the press from asking him multiple questions. They went on and on and his answer was mostly, "I wasn't here at that time but we're making Collingwood a safe environment." When someone finally asked a footy question he smiled and made a joke.

What was truly impressive was how he maintained his composure and didn't lose his cool. He gave brief answers but was not dismissive of the questioners nor the questions. The man has class!

[think positive]

yeah i agree, i saw that too. love the guy!

[Lazza]

Future captaincy material for sure. Good leadership skills to keep calm and on topic.

[think positive]

huh? captain coach??

[Dave The Man]

Media just want a Reason to Shit on Collingwood

[Piesnchess]

Fly is a friggin Legend. all class, the bloke is all class.

[Lazza]

Media just want a Reason to Shit on Collingwood

My way of dealing with this would be to get to a really strong confident club situation where they say “bring it on” and then deal with it in a manner that would make the bastards think twice about picking on Collingwood ever again. Make it a bad decision for them to have made.

[stui magpie]

Fly was head of development at Collingwood from 2010 to 2015, so he was there in 2014.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-mcrae ... xperience/

Regardless of that, I do like his style.

[Harrysz]

Perhaps he was there, I'm not sure. But he clearly said he knew nothing about it. This wasn't accepted and they kept badgering him. He represents our club well. I believe he'll have success.