AFL Round 12- Collingwood v Western Bulldogs: Past players and new arrivals

It just doesn’t feel right not being there. I really would love to be at Etihad stadium given it’s a Pies home game. But I think I’ve made the right decision in staying home to watch the Collingwood v Footscray Sunday twilight match on TV. My wife is booked in to give birth by caeserian section tomorrow (Monday). Our third child, to add to our two boys. Our final night together as a four piece band. It’s been a hectic weekend, making sure everything is ready and in place, and finishing off some jobs for my business. We are ready.

I did get a live footy fix this weekend. There was plenty of buzz around Colac this week due to the Colac Tigers’ home match against South Barwon. The visitors were to be travelling down the highway with possibly the greatest Full-Back to play our game, M.Scarlett. I met my Uncle Dean (a Carlton fan) and Aunty Colleen (a rabid Geelong supporter) at their home and we travelled together to the Central Reserve in Colac, where the playing surface has had a significant upgrade and now looks at an AFL standard. Seriously, it’s that good. We are keen to see M.Scarlett, and as we walk through the gate at five to 2 who do you think the first person we see is? It’s the great Geelong defender, in jeans and a hoodie. Dean’s shoulders slump. Colleen seems disappointed but is happy to be in such close proximity of a legend of the game and her favourite Cats player since the departure of Gary junior. I’m a glass half full man. “Maybe he leaves it until the last minute to get ready” I say. We grab a beer and take a bench seat on the boundary on the wing. Colac run out first. There’s a delay before South Barwon run out. “Maybe they’re waiting for ‘Scarlo’ to finish his hot dog and coke” this writer optimistically says. South Barwon run out without  their star. We find out the great man has a back injury.

South Barwon have dominated the Geelong Football League for over a decade. They start strongly and show they are a polished team. But after the early part of the first quarter Colac are the better team throughout the first half. A goal after the siren gives the Tigers a slight lead at the main break. They should be further in front. It’s a very high quality game, typical of what you would expect from the highest rated football league in country Victoria. South Barwon show why they are a dominant force in the second half as they run out 25 point winners. Colac just need a couple more good big blokes to be a real strong team. Enjoyed the day at the local footy, keen to keep following the Colac Tigers even though I never played for them, and actually played against them when they were in the Hampden league (at under 18 level).

It’s 4.40PM on Sunday and I’ve grabbed a cold one, am on the couch and ready to watch the Pies. We dominate the first half, playing much better than we did against Melbourne on the Queen’s Birthday. The Bulldogs aren’t as bad as the Demons though, they are much more organised but just don’t have a forward line. There’s a future for the tri-colours if they can unearth a key forward. 53 points up at half time and I’m thinking about our lowly percentage and the boost it might receive today. It doesn’t happen. Footscray outplay us in the second half, kicking 7 goals to four. We only win  by 34 points but somehow I’m happier with that than our 83 point win over the Demons last week. Are the Bulldogs a 49 point better team than Melbourne? Who knows. And who knows where Collingwood is at. Definately a top 8 team. Sydney, Hawthorn, Geelong and Fremantle look better at the moment. We look a 5-8 team right now, but there is lots of football left. David King said in the paper today that we could win the flag with a few attitude changes. Skipper Maxwell referenced King’s article in their after game interview on TV with King. Hopefully it has sunk in. Our less experienced players were again superb. Pendlebury and Swan just keep racking up possesions. Cloke looked liked kicking a huge bag again but settled with 5.

It’s not often I set out to keep an eye on an opposition player but I have become a Bob Murphy fan the last few years. He didn’t let me down. I rated him by far the best Footscray player of the match and enjoyed watching his run and his skill. A superstar player and a superstar media performer, I love his work on AFL 360 on Tuesday nights (especially ‘Bob’s Rascal’) and his weekly column in The Age. It will be interesting to follow his progress once his AFL career is over. Which won’t be anytime soon given his current form. He’s right up there with Jonathan Brown and G.Ablett jnr as my favourite opposition players.

The Robert Rose trophy has been retained.

This week’s bye has come at good time for the Pies and a great time for me and my family. Or I could claim it as well planned. Either way looking forward to a new Collingwood supporter being born.

COLLINGWOOD: 4.2   11.4   13.6   15.9     (99)

FOOTSCRAY:        0.2    2.5   4.9    9.11       (65)

GOALS:

COLLINGWOOD- Cloke 5, Elliot 2, J.Thomas, Pendlebury, Blair, Dwyer, Seedsman, Kennedy, Jolly, Martin

FOOTSCRAY- Giansiracusa 2, Stringer 2, Griffen, Boyd, Liberatore, Stevens, Murphy

BEST:

COLLINGWOOD- Shaw, Swan, Pendlebury, Cloke, J.Thomas, O’Brien, Williams, Brown

FOOTSCRAY- Murphy, Goodes, Griffen, Talia, Boyd, Liberatore, Stringer

UMPIRES- Bannister, Armstrong, Jeffrey

CROWD- 32,253 at Etihad Stadium

VOTES-

3. Heath Shaw (Coll)

2. Dane Swan (Coll)

1. Bob Murphy (Foots)

 

About Luke Reynolds

Cricket and Collingwood tragic. Twitter: @crackers134

Comments

  1. The best thing about the almanac’s match reports is the ‘home baked’ feel of them. Luke, you do it as well as anyone. Lovely stuff

    PS. Hope the birth of your new child is a thrilling experience mate. And congrats!

  2. Peter Fuller says

    Luke,
    Best wishes with the new arrival – presumably already a done deal. As you are surely already aware, parenting is the great adventure. Your report was a real nostalgia trip for me, as Colac (Tigers) were the first serious football team Hampden League, where they played until their recent shift to the Geelong League) I watched regularly, mostly at the Western Oval, as Central Reserve was opened the year before my family left the area. I saw John Devine play for Colac, and John Northey, John Rantall, Stewart & Alister Lord (among many other notables) as visitors.
    My visits to the ground in recent years have been for the post-funeral wakes for relatives, where I’ve indulged myself scanning team photographs on the walls.
    I also enjoy your regular reports from the world of cricket, bioth your own exploits inside the fence, and your assessments from the lounge room or the MCG.

  3. Luke Reynolds says

    Emily Anne Reynolds was born at 2pm today, 3.3kgs, 51cms. Mum and baby both well. Two very excited older brothers.

  4. Well done Luke, you were magnificent no doubt. Best wishes to Mrs Reynolds, and don’t forget, there’s a ICC Champions match on in the wee hours, we’ll expect your report on time.

  5. Luke Reynolds says

    Thanks so much T Bone and Peter for your kind words.

    Peter the Central Reserve is a fabulous venue now, both the playing surface and social rooms are fantastic. The move to the Geelong League, while divisive when it happened, seems a great move, especially with the Hampden League expanding West this season with the addition if Hamilton and Portland.

    John Devine must have been a wonderful player, he is spoken of very highly down this way.

  6. Luke Reynolds says

    Cheers Cookie, my role was very minor in theatre!

    Fair chance I’ll be up to see most of the cricket tonight!

  7. Congrats Luke, well done to Mrs R too.

    You’ve got a starting 5, going for a cricket team?

    Will the added dad responsibility play havoc with any potential Warner replacement calls from the selectors that may come your way?

    Sean

  8. David Wilson says

    Congratulations Luke.
    Welcome Emily.
    What a great day. Good on you all.

  9. Ripper mate. But lets hope Emily breaks ranks and follows the dogs!!!

  10. Luke Reynolds says

    Sean-Thanks mate. I’m super keen for 6 more for a starting XI , Mrs R not so keen.
    If any Warner replacement calls come I will very quickly drop my Dad responsibilities and be on the first flight! Not sure they will be looking for a bush cricketing hack though!

    Thanks David. It was a great day. Enjoyed your piece today.

    Cheers T Bone. Of course will be doing everthing in my power to make sure Emily is a Pie fan. If that doesn’t work the dogs are a far better option than most of the other Victorian clubs. My mother-in-law bought her a pair of St Kilda coloured booties. Totally unacceptable.

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