PIES V TIGERS

[foxy]

wow. what a great performance today. we started out really well again, and i thought that we'd just give it away after quarter time. but we played out a full 4-quarters. well maybe about 3 and a half quarters; the first few minutes of the last were pretty poor. let me go through each of the players:
orchard - wasn't busy, but did a good job tagging one of the tiger forwards (might've been sampson?)..stayed on the whole match..needs to stay on, he's a good solid player
richo - wow. probably the best game of his career. did a fair job in ruck but his marking around the ground was great. took a vital mark at half-back in the last quarter that stopped the tigers just as they were getting momentum. kicked a couple of goals as well.
bucks - another great game. kicked two great team-lifting goals..got 37 possies, as did his opponent (campbell)..bucks seemed to provide more drive out of half-back..campbell was really only busy under the pack.
patto - didn't get much game time, but he was pretty hungry as usual..probably going to be in the ressies next week.
freeborn - a much better game than last week. started in great fashion, kicked a few good snap goals.
willo - much better than last week, without being super good. kicked a team-lifting goal out of the middle in the first (we were looking bloody hot then).
schaubs - another good game..the pies supporter near me seemed adamant to call schaubs a moron, so i told him to shut up..did a good job on ottens, and kicked a goal!!! wow..he actually showed some mobility too.
tape - very good. perhaps our best defender today..has a great spoil and can always be counted on to burst through a marking contest..showed magnificent desperation in the 3rd quarter with a diving goal saver.
davo - was very busy. took some fine marks..one special piece of play was in front of the pavillion when he got around two tigers players and hit freeborn with a perfect kick.
tazza - good return game..took some fine marks..is deadly on the lead..needs to work on his goalkicking though..has a great football brain; when he gets the ball in the forward line he always takes his time and tries to find an option by hand.
pebbles - getting better every week..got the better of gaspar in the end..took a superb mark against two tiger defenders..kicked a great goal from a throw-in.
tarks - a little quieter than normal..still good though..turned the ball over a few times, but was still impressive with his desperation.
browny - wow. he really was great today..his second efforts were superb, his hands and creativity were terriffic..took a superb diving chest mark under all sorts of pressure from his opponent.
crosisca - spent most of the game on the bench, but when he came on he provided some good drive as always.
kinnear - pretty quiet, though he got a goal..give him time, he's getting better.
lica - again played a great game..provided heaps of drive from the back line..showed some strength overhead, and a lot of pace..needs to work on his delivery though.
lane - busy as always..he's getting better and better playing as a defender now, and running out of defence and kicking goals.
presti - one of his best games ever..i think the fans are finally beginning to respect him..and why not, he kept richo to no marks, no kicks, nothing for a quarter and a half. most of richo's goals were in extra time in the last, or they were from free kicks (the umps love richo)
jaco - didn't get much of a run.
scotland - played one of his best games..showed a cool head in around the packs..has a neat kick as well.
mal - once again, starred in the forward line..is totally desperate in the packs and has great hands..very creative.
betho - spent much of the first half on the bench, but when he came on he was great..made some beautiful kicks into the forward line.
well, that's about it. all up a great performance. hats off to shawry for that little piece of innovation before the game started, keeping all the players down in defence so the tiger's defenders has no idea what was going on. totally unsettled gieschen.

[Fradam]

Well I had a lovely day just sitting in the Ponsford Stand on Saturday. I saw a Collingwood side who rad hard and directed all their play straight down the middle of the ground. They played very entertaining footy. I'm not as observant as Foxy plus sitting behind the goals its hard to get a whole perspective of the game but thats the best game I've seen Mark Richardson play. Tarrant provided a great second option up in the forward line. Pebbles, Presti, Lane, Betheras, Bucley,Williams, Lockyer, Tape, Michael, Davis, Rowdy....eveybody. I don't think any of our players got beaten, nor did any of them star, it was a great team effort and the most satisfying performance I have seen in a long time.

[Fradam]

Silly me, I forgot to mention our Reserves who won by a goal after being down for a lot of the game. A good win by the boys. Sadly our little league team lost but you can't win em all I guess.

[Damien]

Although I sat beneath the Northern Stand in what is traditionally a Richmond area of the G, I have never felt so outnumbered at a Collingwood game in Melbourne.

However, the tiger supporters never really found any voice due to the absolute dominance of our boys from the start.

Willo was sensational as a stopper on Daffy

Presti carved up Richo, who's stats flatter him as he did nothing when the heat was on in the game

Browny continued to present himself across half forward and then as he slowed down in the second half, Tarrant took over the pivot role

Richo edged out Gale as the dominant big man all over the ground

Bucks and Tarkyn Lockyer were waxing on the kickouts all day

Pebbles again was a strong leading target, he led well and had it delivered well all day

This was definately one of our best team efforts for the year, however as always, Bucks was the architect. He was everywhere.


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Damien