Pre Match: Pies v. Cats - all comments please

[Kingswood]

^refer to Jake's well written and thoughtful summary

Pies: More Free Kicks ,Less Frees Against , More Tackles
Geelong: More Kicks ,More Hand Balls ,More Disposals , More Marks More Hitouts ( But with out there best ruckman) More Goals

We are winning where the ball is like in clearences and hitouts
But fallingover when it comes to defence
Hence like 100 More Marks

[Dick Smallberries Jnr.]

Collingwood will not tag Garry Ablett Jnr. Mr $2 million dollar man. They will do what they did with Judd. Circle him and form a posse by committee. Collingwood will hope their rebound football is better than Geelongs rebound football. That is why I think it will be a blow out....either way.

[Dave The Man]

A squad of 25 Collingwood players trained on Thursday morning, although captain Nick Maxwell and Heath Shaw did their work indoors. Darren Jolly also did some light running and left the ground before the main group hit the track, but Neeld said it was not unusual for players to follow their own programs the day before a game.

Sharrod Wellingham was among the 25-man squad to train, although Paul Medhurst - who also missed last week with a foot injury - was unsighted.

So Medders is still out

http://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/newsfea ... fault.aspx

[DaVe86]

thanks DTM.

I'm not stressed if a few players miss.

it's nice to know we have a few cards up our sleeves next time we meet.

They left out Steve Johnson last year for the Saints game.

Wouldn't be suprised to see another big name out following the perth trip and having such a big schedule over the last month

[Dick Smallberries Jnr.]

Give Medds a bit of time off and get him right come finals time.

[Joel]

I heard on the radio about 1/2 an hour ago that Medhurst and Wellers have been declared ready to play.

[gravy]

I read on the afl website that paul medhurst was not sighted at training this morning but that sharrod trained with the main group.

I assume this means medhurst will be out for another week and sharrod possibly back in the side.

Did anyone go to training and see anything else? Did Presti train?

[mattys123]

You wouldn't think Medhurst is a chance at all, and neither should he be.

We need to take our time with Meds, last year we rushed him back after his initial injury and it ruined his season.

Plus we have Jack to cover Meds absence.

Greatest news I have heard all week about Wellingham though, adds so much pace and skill to our midfield, it makes us a different team.

If Sharrod plays, we win IMO.

[mel_kay39]

In the leadup to a game like this, I'm reminded why I hate living in Geelong every time i pick up a local newspaper or turn on the radio. So go, Pies, thump those Cats! Please! Or my mother-in-law and brother-in-law are going to be insufferable!!!

[mel_kay39]

In the leadup to a game like this, I'm reminded why I hate living in Geelong every time i pick up a local newspaper or turn on the radio. So go, Pies, thump those Cats! Please! Or my mother-in-law and brother-in-law are going to be insufferable!!!

[swoop42]

If he didn't train can't imagine Medhurst being named for this week.

Personally I don't think this is such a bad thing in that it will give Jack another week hopefully and against the quality defence of Geelong, Scarlett and Taylor in particular, his presence alongside Cloke and Dawes will give us another viable tall option in attack and should allow all 3 to play with a little less pressure and expectation.

I thought Jack was pretty good last week, like Dawes had a number of score assists and provided some forward pressure with run and tackle.

[mel_kay39]

Finally someone said it - I thought Jack was good last week, too. So what, he didn't kick five goals ala Travis Cloke? Someone needs to play the decoy to get Scarlett out of the way like we did with Rocca in '08, could be Jack's turn. Stick him in FF and get him to run Scarlett down the ground, out of his comfort zone.

[melliot]

[align=center]2010 Season Averages Per Game (from HS site)

Pies v Cats
118 Points For 127
81 Points Against 83
383 Disposals 429
137 Contested Possessions 134
237 Uncontested Possessions 292
61 Inside 50s 56
45 Inside 50s against 47

2010 Season Totals
8 1st halves won 5
6 2nd halves won 6
21 total quarters won 22

Average Score Last 5 Games
137 for 133
80 against 70
W W W W W streak W W W L W [/align]

The inside 50s for and against are intresting after Leigh Matthews article in another thread.

[Tannin]

Jack was no better than OK last week. He tried hard to do his bit on the defensive side, and probably tried too hard - he gave a lot of free kicks away. That's an experience thing. The more he plays, the less he will do that.

On the one hand, Jack didn't do all that much for our scoring and a fit Medhurst would kick just as many (maybe more) and provide more assists and put more pressure on them when they have the ball or it is in dispute.

On the other hand, Medhurst clearly isn't fit, and the reality is this - it doesn't actually matter if we win this game or not. We are going to finish top 2 (along with Geelong) unless we really drop our bundle againsat the lesser sides - and if we do, we aren't going to win anything anyway. So this game means nothing much. It is, in other words, a perfect opportunity to give Jack some more experience playing against the best defence in the business, and an opportunity to let Medders put his feet up and get his body 100%.

That is a win-win.

[Joel]

They have also had more points kicked against than, than us. Um...so why are people talking about Geellong "leaking goals"?