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

[Pies4shaw]

Well, he's a backman - it's the only place he's been playing in the VFL.

On Thomas, that was his 50th game in a row since he was last out of the side - whatever he does, the Coach is obviously happy (or relatively happy) with it. Also, have a look at what isn't running around in the VFL. He was terrible last night but he was probably one of about 1 dozen or so who really didn't do enough to retain their spot (they will, of course, for the most part, because the VFL cupboard is fairly bare).

As for Varcoe, the less said about what he might have brought to the team last night, the better. He has spent the entire season not quite getting to the contest, then running on to nearly the next one before the ball is gone. He looks done - and the fact he's been dropped a couple of times this season despite our general lack of pace and, now, extensive injury list, speaks volumes.

[WarrenerraW]

We've regressed and reverted back to our old ugly ways of slow, ineffective ball movement. No one (save the defenders) can hold their heads high at the moment. Our pressure is pathetic and we can't handle things when the heat is on. Our star players go missing when we need them most and we have zero leaders at the moment setting the example.

Once again we got bullied and outmuscled out of most of the contests and were forced into making rash decisions which ultimately resulted in turning the ball over. I can't understand what stopping, propping and waiting for someone provide a contest really achieves when we should be moving the ball a lot quicker. The team we waste with the ball allows the opposition to drop back and congest. All teams need to do now is bully us and force us to turn the ball over.

Our mids/rucks are not efficient enough with their first use of the ball and we're being exposed for our lack of pace. Grundy can't tap to a team mate to save himself and none of our mids know who should take first use of the ball.

Our forwards are a trainwreck. No confidence in front of goal, butchering every given opportunity just about.

I'm not sure what bucks' is trying to achieve but it's clearly not working and we've reverted back to our ugly old ways circa 2015-17 with slow ball movement and passing to players under immense pressure.

At present we're garbage and it's highly likely we'll lose every match from here on, stumbling out of the finals (if indeed we make them). The brions must be creaming themselves now at the thought of getting our first rounder because it's likely to be a good pick.

I expected a harder tougher response from a Collingwod side embarrassed and humiliated the week before; but instead, we're just going through the motions one week at a time. We don't want it. Good teams come back and find a way. We've regressed and given up.

[Pies4shaw]

Our defenders are actually going very poorly, despite them getting off lightly. We have been unable to get the ball consistently out of our defensive half for weeks. They’re certainly not alone but nor are they helping. Some of them are doing OK restricting the opposition but the basic job of the defence, as a whole, in the modern game, is to rebound the ball to the other end. That is simply not happening - and hasn’t for weeks. The absence of our 2 best intercept players is the main reason for that.

[derkd]

Really like the games of Quaynor and The Berg!!!

[John LEWIN]

I like the idea of Quanor in the forward line, pace, physicality enthusiasm and skill. Drop Thomas and bring in Goldy in Defence.
I'd have Varcoe back too, instead of Daicos, his mobile tackling and pace would add something to what is looking pretty dour.

Lots of good posts to even up the manic depressives.

[Haff]

Our defenders are actually going very poorly, despite them getting off lightly. We have been unable to get the ball consistently out of our defensive half for weeks. They’re certainly not alone but nor are they helping. Some of them are doing OK restricting the opposition but the basic job of the defence, as a whole, in the modern game, is to rebound the ball to the other end. That is simply not happening - and hasn’t for weeks. The absence of our 2 best intercept players is the main reason for that.

Disagree. The backs are going ok despite the fact those two would be handy (That said I think howes kicking is a liability).

My guess on our issue at the moment is that our mids were not running defensively in the first few rounds. The over correction means they are not running offensively enough, spreading at the contest and creating options. That means we are not getting the ball fwd enough resulting in woefully out of form fwds.

I only saw the last 20 minutes (fml right?) but I saw a team not running and with no confidence but a team that (to that stage) had kept the sqwarks to 33 points.

In summary defensively we are set but perhaps playing too negatively.

Time to #thinkpositive

[matrix10]

Teams simply sit on sidey and phillips- sidey cant handle a tag and looked lost most of last night. Phillips tries hard but makes mistakes under pressure. Crisp also being worked - but keeps pushing.
Stevo gone and there are our 4 best runners.

Midfield is putrid- treloar racking up useless and ineffective possessions.
Pendles needed to kick the goal in the last (well both) instead of passing off to WHE- take the responsibility.
Sier clearly still impacted by concussion.
JDG in the guts is our only move- and then we have no one forward.

Poor Coxy- cant blame the guy when the ball is delivered so horribly- not to mention had he been in brown and gold would have got 50 frees.

Leadership on ground is severely lacking- Pendles and Sidey are good leaders- but i would argue they are leaders because they are very good (well, mostly) players- whereas Howe and Adams are on field generals- they make everyone better and have true leadership skills.

Missing Langdon and Howe kills our defence- they always look to take the game on.

That said- defence has stood up amazingly considering how many inside 50s coming in the past few weeks.

Cleary the Stevo situation and Beams situation(s) have impacted the group- the unyielding belief and confidence are gone and we look nervous and scared.

[3rd degree]

One of the most bitter losses i have watched , I thought our effort at times was ok , but our skills and over possessing terrible. The misses from Phillips and Pendlebury hurt us. On a more positive note IQ was great and I thought Daicos gave us something at times. But it was our turnovers and lack of good clearances that hurt us. Moore and the Berg were great.

[Mr Miyagi]

The bad: a moment when JDG jumped out of a marking contest.

The good: Quaynor. Looking forward to seeing more of him! Great to see Schaz back, he was very unlucky to be pinged for deliberate out of bounds.

[shawthing]

I guess I'm a week late, but rumour says the Pies midfield is being coached by the cheersquad.

Yeah I thought the same thing when I saw it.

I honestly don't know why we have the stupid banners in footy. The players never break through it anymore, and it's just become an advertising opportunity for the clubs. No other major sport in the world has such an amateurish way of introducing the players. Check out how the NBA or the NFL do it.

Actually while I'm on that, do you notice how the NFL and NBA have ZERO advertising signs on players uniforms or in the stadiums. I guess we're just for hire to anyone.

[Raw Hammer]

I guess I'm a week late, but rumour says the Pies midfield is being coached by the cheersquad.

Yeah I thought the same thing when I saw it.

I honestly don't know why we have the stupid banners in footy. The players never break through it anymore, and it's just become an advertising opportunity for the clubs. No other major sport in the world has such an amateurish way of introducing the players. Check out how the NBA or the NFL do it.

Actually while I'm on that, do you notice how the NFL and NBA have ZERO advertising signs on players uniforms or in the stadiums. I guess we're just for hire to anyone.

Wrong. The NBA have introduced ad patches on the upper left shoulder.

Also, US sports teams are owned by billionaires.

[Raw Hammer]

I guess I'm a week late, but rumour says the Pies midfield is being coached by the cheersquad.

Yeah I thought the same thing when I saw it.

I honestly don't know why we have the stupid banners in footy. The players never break through it anymore, and it's just become an advertising opportunity for the clubs. No other major sport in the world has such an amateurish way of introducing the players. Check out how the NBA or the NFL do it.

Actually while I'm on that, do you notice how the NFL and NBA have ZERO advertising signs on players uniforms or in the stadiums. I guess we're just for hire to anyone.

Wrong. The NBA have introduced ad patches on the upper left shoulder.

Also, US sports teams are owned by billionaires.

[RudeBoy]

I think our biggest problem is the poor form of Cox. He is not taking marks when we kick out from defence and he can’t catch a cold up forward. That’s why our midfielders are hesitant going forward. He has gone backwards this year. Unless he can make a good target and at worst, bring the ball to ground, then he becomes a liability.

[glasseyevfx]

Poor Coxy- cant blame the guy when the ball is delivered so horribly- not to mention had he been in brown and gold would have got 50 frees.

I don't think the new rule in protecting the marking space/push in the back change is helping Cox - its a good rule for defenders and it means you have to be that much better at reading the ball in the air. It may take a while for him to deal with it.

great to see IQ out there - he looks like a gem. liked shaz and Roughhead's game too.

If I was to take aim I'd be looking at WHE last night - he was active but he is capable of a whole lot more the last few weeks. Also Grundy, as good as he is, sitting on his arse in our defensive 50 thinking the ball wasn't coming back his way - pew. When the camera went back to Bucks in the box I thought 'well yeah'.
Truth to tell I don't think any one player had a particularly awful game - they each popped up and did something - just not consistently enough. At least it was better than the last two weeks (at least that's what I thought)

[35reasons]

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

Agree whole-heartedly. Our mids need significant improvement.

Yes the forwards need to lift, but it’s probably unfair to judge them given the poor supply.

Having said all that, backs-to-the-wall challenges is where we’ve excelled in recent seasons and I’m tipping a 2-3 goal win next week.