Post Match. Cats outclass Pies - all comments

[mel_kay39]

Reid was very good tonight. Brown not so good.

I thought both did OK. They were only 4 goals half way through the third quarter. Considering how much more of the ball they had, I thought the backline stood up as well as could be expected.

Not sure about that. Who was on Mooney, cos twice I noticed no one near him when the ball was coming into their forward line and the only person who tried to stop him from getting his hands on it was Shaw, and he's no match in height for Mooney. I thought Reid was supposed to be on him, but couldn't see him anywhere both times. Maybe it was Brown but I don't think so, I'm pretty sure he was on Podsiadly.

[mel_kay39]

So you lot... find your friggin lids.. put them back on. One week at a time thanks. Reload for the battle against that umpire assisted shit in Brisbane we'll have to suffer in 8 days time. (piedys)

Well said, mate. Well said!!!

[Doc63]

Disappointed with the end result, but not devastated. They are still the best team going around. Couldn't understand why they weren't premiership favourites at the start of the season. What had they done wrong? St Kilda threw the kitchen sink at them in the Grand Final & still couldn't beat them.

That was our worst performance this year & it still took them until the last quarter to finally put us away.

I don't think there is any reason for wholesale changes. Did anyone think we were not going to lose another match? We are still a very good side, we're just not the best side. If we want to become what Geelong are now, the likes of Ried, Brown, Toovey, Beams, Sidey, Dawes, Wellers etc all have to play as much senior football together as possible. Its not all that long ago that these same Geelong players were bombing out in the finals every year.

Wood, O'Bree & Davis are, for mine, the only changes for next week. I don't care how many tackles Davis has had in the forward 50, he's there to kick goal, not be second to the ball at every contest. Wood needs a few years to develop, like Jamar. O'Bree is gone, Ball has taken his place.

I would bring in Fraser, Medhurst & Barham for the three outs I mentioned.

[Leggie]

Dissapointed by the loss. Geelong still ahead of us but the gap is closing.
Our season hasnt been derailed just yet so lets not get too freaked out.

[JakE_]

One of the first things a Midfield player is tought is two kick to a lead not a standing still player.

Dawes had about 15 mark chances but Matty S. kept hitting them away.
and from that turn over Bartell kicked it to the lead of moony and moony kicked a goal.

Our Defence kept them to a gettable score but we where out classed
in The Middle and Forward.

but now we know that we can beat them.
they got smashed by us in the first 10 minutes of the 3rd

And This will give us a real wake up
so i hope we win the Next 4 straight.

[Big T]

Dude. Duuude.

[One%er]

The positive tonight is the backline.

Shaw screwed up badly a few times, but it was the sheer pressure in the air and on the ground that kept such an amazing forward structure that has buried so many other teams to so few goals.

Quite frankly, if they can apply that sort of pressure to lesser teams than the cats for the rest of the season, we wont lose a game to anyone outside the top four.

And THAT is something to be excited about. Everyone would like a flag but I still remember the bad times when getting a pies win was like gold dust [and about as easy to find].

Every time we lose to the cats or the saints [really the only two teams that can beat us consistently] I look at the sky and thank God he did not make me a Richmond fan.

We are 7 and 2 peoples, celebrate!

[Dave The Man]

Agree accept for Beams and Pendles and Maybe even Ball they where very Ordinary

[mel_kay39]

One thing that struck me about the entire game, probably because I watched the tape of the game from '08 where we smashed them, is that the tackle count was WAY down on our usual effort. There were too many broken tackles, too many times Geelong was allowed to handball to each other through the corridor without a Pie in sight (or jogging around aimlessly on the fringes) and too many times a player would handball to a team mate under presure and force a turnover. Our disposal in the final quarter was terrible - even Didak was fumbling! The boys can do better than that, they've proved it over the past five weeks. The word is TACKLE. It was the number one thing that brought Geelong undone in '08.

[Cam]

beat the brions next week and we will be 8-2

[Big T]

The bad Collingwood came out last night. The bad Collingwood that bombs it long to a stagnant forward line, the bad Collingwood that has a stagnant forward line, the bad Collingwood that fumbles when under the slightest pressure, the bad Collingwood that stuffs up it kick-ins, the bad Collingwood that misses simple shots on goal, the bad Collingwood that has superstars aplenty against lesser lights but fail time and again once the pressure is ramped up.

Leon........the club, the supporters have waited 9 rounds for you to show redemption for your finals series failure last year. Your forward pressure has been the only thing keeping you in the side. Last night it was non-existent. You are lucky that Brad Dick will sit out this weekend.

Forward line? Where did you see this forward line?

[AN_Inkling]

It's a two way street. Sure, the midfield need to pass the ball well, and last night we were unable to break forward into enough space to hit up a leading player. But, the forward also needs to get some space on his opponent, and be good enough to mark when a defender's in close attendance. Dawes did not do this last night. His contested marking has been ordinary all season. this is not unexpected for such an inexperienced player. I never expected him to stand up against the best at this stage.

Anthony was the same last year. But, he is a year older, though unfortunately lacking a bit of condition due to an interrupted pre-season. I think it's a close call between Dawes and Anthony. It could go either way. Mostly for experience, and accurate kicking, I see Anthony getting the nod by the end of the season.

[watt price tully]

im very disapointed in some of my fellow nicksters after reading through this thread, your a bunch of bloody sooks, i didnt think there was much between the 2 sides, geelong deserved the win though, its may FFS, its not the end of the world.

I rarely agree with yuor opinions Defender except when they are correct!! On this occasion your're 100% correct.

Went to the game with my oldest daughter: laughed, cried, got upset, got angry, got dramatic, high expressed emotions then we found our seats!!

We had chances to win, at least put a good distance between ourselves & the Cats & we didn't.

I looked up earlier & the sky hadn't fallen in. I was pissed off with Macafer as I'm sure he is disappointed with himself. After watching it on replay he earned the two fee kicks especially the second one - he was having a go. As we all know he was the unbder 18 leadijng goal kicker. Needs to go abck & re-learn his goal kicking tactics. In the VFL he was very good his wok elsewhere was pretty good.

Maybe I wasn't watching the same game as others but Harry beat Stevie Johnston. Johnston only got better when he went up the ground & away from Harry. Harry was better last night than he has been the last three weeks.

The stand out from a Collingwood perspective for me was Ben Reid. This kid has played a handful of games & did exceptionally well. It was the turnovers that cost us. Not Harry, Not Nathan Brown, Not Tooves & Not Macca but the collective team pressure. Our midfielders did not assist the forwards as well as they have been.

6 goals flattered them.

Tooves did reasonably OK last night - not the worst by a long measure.

For those blaming Cloke - need a GHL at yourselves IMO. Cloke did very well - had his arms chopped a few times, had Taylor shifted off him coz he was towelling him but he kept on having at tleast two against him most of the time by an experienced & very smooth backline.

Jolly was mostly disappointing I thought last night. But we had opportunities to win we didn't capatalise - end of story. Needed Leigh Brown last night - his physicality would have been helpful he's been BOG last 2 games in the VFL. Horses for courses.

We are 7:2 not the end of the world we need to redeem by a win next week.

[AN_Inkling]

^^Yes. Cloke stood up last night. His first half was very good. Cats got on top of him in the second by double teaming him and using Hawkins to get into his space. Dawes was no threat, and Wood was doing nothing around the ground, so they had a free player to work on Cloke and only a need to focus on one forward. Would have been tough for any player to deal with.

All of their defenders and midfielders are very good at disposal by foot and when you compare that to the Pies with - Maxwell, Shaw, Harry etc., - most of the time they get the ball they are kicking it long - and normally to a contest.

Johnson seems to be an exception - surprisngly.

Agree with this. Don't think our midfielders ran forward as hard as they have been. Seemed too worried about the Cats scoring power. So, when players like Cloke marked 70 out, instead of being able to hand off to players running past, we too often bombed it in. With the Cats getting numbers back, this was a mistake.

[John Wren]

For those blaming Cloke - need a GHL at yourselves IMO. Cloke did very well - had his arms chopped a few times, had Taylor shifted off him coz he was towelling him but he kept on having at tleast two against him most of the time by an experienced & very smooth backline.

i was absolutely amazed with his work rate. cretainly covered a lot of territory and provide options. there was a bit of criticism on the radio that he did not get a mark or possession in the f50 but that detracts from what he did further up the ground.