Almanac Footy: Cam Hooke’s Collingwood Life – Round 23 preview

August 24, 2016 by Almanac Admin Leave a Comment

True Believers, our last game of season 2016. Let’s finish with a win and head towards 2017 with optimism.

The Season. Over. As I mentioned in an earlier email I would welcome your views / attitudes / strengths / weaknesses / etc., on our 2016 season?

Belief. Bucks: http://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/video/2016-08-23/buckley-speaks-on-360. Looks at Bucks’ future.

The Game:

Hawthorn – Sunday, 28 August; at the MCG; bounce: 3.20pm.

4th versus 12th. 16 Wins and 5 Losses for them, c/f 9 and 12 for us. Percentages: 119.7% for them c/f 95.4% for us. From a Ladder position perspective this should be a ‘walk in the park’ Win for them, but I don’t think it will be like that. We should win. Why? Regardless of our injuries, we have the talent to do this. And I think Hawthorn are on a serious slide, though they would not want to go into the Finals from 7th place (see below). The injury to Ceglar is critical to them.

Weather. 8 – 16 deg; possible showers later in the day; windy. Therefore? Long sleeves and ‘stops’.

TV – 7mate from 3.00pm.

Them?

The Hawks. The Hawks are the ‘three-peat’ Premiership champions; in contention for a fourth. They are a legendary side that may, now, be just slightly on the decline. I don’t have the reference in front of me but I seem to recall their average age is relatively high. Since their bye (Round 15) the Hawks have had 5 wins (including wins over Port, Carlton and Richmond (none particularly impressive) and including a very close result against Sydney (in Sydney)) but with two Losses against Melbourne (Round 20) and the Eagles (in Perth (yes, I know it’s always different) last week). They slipped from the top of the Ladder to their current fourth position last week; if we can beat them and GWS beat NM (expected), WCE beat Adelaide (distinctly possible) and WB beat Freo (c’mon, you have doubts?), Hawthorn could be end up in 7th place by the end of the weekend. That appeals to me. They have a few mainstay players (Lewis and Mitchell and Birchall) who continue to perform and need to be closely watched; even tagged; but following Ceglar’s injury, I’m not sure who is playing ruck (see comment below re a replacement). Again, we have to play ‘our game’ rather than seeking to just negate theirs. The lessons for us are (as always) the need for a four-quarter effort, the need to get and retain control of the midfield and other stoppages and the need to have a slick, fast movement of the ball out of our backline into our forward line; and better entry to inside 50 that isn’t just ‘up and under’ bombs (let’s try and deliver the ball to Trav flat and hard). And tighten up the back 6 to avoid the ‘easy’ goals. Oh yes, tag Lewis out of the game.

Hawks players to watch for:

Most influential. Watch for Lewis and Hodge amongst the Mids, Birchall, Mitchell and Gibson on the HB Line and Rioli up Forward;
Potential influencers – In addition, watch for Mitchell playing in the Centre and a ruck replacement – maybe Schoenmakers or Fitzpatrick or Pittonet; and
‘Family’ – Not sure there are any. Your ideas?

Us?

Thursday night (again) announcement.

Injury Outs? Moore out from last week. De Goey and Goldsack are both Test.

Legacy from last week: See ‘The Agenda’ – http://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/video/2016-08-22/kiss-his-career-as-a-forward-goodbye. Worth watching. Congrats to Howe, Treloar and Grundy for making the Team of the Week after last week’s game.

In’s & Out’s: We know Trav is coming back in (maybe for his last game for us). Others? Your thoughts?

Us. Okay, so that’s five from nine for us since the Bye (Round 13). And the Losses have been (mostly) against quality sides. Sunday against the Hawks, the second last Home & Away game of the 2016 season, gives us the opportunity to hit 2017 running. Don’t give up.
Game Plan – what do we have to do to win against a serious Finals contender? What do you want from this last game?

Game Previews?

AFL Match Day Preview – http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2016/23/haw-v-coll. There now. Their prediction: Pies by 10 points (well, that’s nice, if probably somewhat questionably justified);
Pies. Natoli’s ‘Ultimate Preview’ will be on the Pies Home Page at http://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/ in the next few days;
The Age Preview – Should be at http://www.theage.com.au/afl in the next few days; and
Expert Tips – Expert Tips will be at http://www.theage.com.au/afl/expert-tipsters in the next day or so. Let’s guess: 22:2 for a Hawks Win.

My Picks this week? Pies by 17; BOG: Treloar (31 touches @ 81.7% DE. Goals: Trav – 5 and 3 Goal Assists); Crowd – 49 000 – which would still be a bit disappointing. Your picks?

Other:

VFL – This week: Last H&A game – Collingwood v Footscray at the Whitten Oval on Saturday, 27 August; bounce – 12.00pm. Going for 13 Wins in a row and the Minor Premiership. Finals to follow – follow at http://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/season/vfl;
Women’s Footy. Follow at http://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/season/womens-football;
Netball. I haven’t seen anything about our sponsored Netball side. Anyone?
Swanny, Caff and Tooves, thank you. Nothing more really needs to be said. See Swanny’s letter attached and a quick summary at http://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/news/2016-08-23/36-things-we-love-about-swanny. For Caff and Tooves, I hope you get that ‘other’ Premiership that you are working so hard towards this year to go with your 2010 one;
Others? Who else should retire (I have some ideas)? Follow the ‘end of season’ departures at http://www.afl.com.au/news/features/retirements-and-delistings; and
Eddie Watch. Quiet’ish – saw him on the ‘Swanny retirement panel’ complaining about the 3.00am phone calls that related to Swanny’s activities.