Cam Hooke’s Collingwood Life – 2018 Round 16: The Year of the Pie

True Believers, the ‘hard yards’ are about to start. Having disposed of Melbourne, in the next five weeks we face almost all the Premiership ‘pretenders’ plus Essendon (depending on how you view them – more below). We should face each, week by week starting with Essendon this week and finishing with Sydney in Sydney in Round 20. This will be a challenge.

When we get through this period successfully we will be true Premiership contenders.

 

 

But, right now, Top 2 – terrific. And this week? Essendon. Go Pies.

 

 

AFL:
A good performance that, perhaps not surprisingly, dropped off a bit after Half Time; still, a solid Win over a hard-working and pretty competitive Gold Coast at home 14.15.99 to 8.12.60.
  • Frees: 19 (us) to 14 (them).
  • Hit-outs: 56 / 34. Well done, Brodie; good around the ground too.
  • Clearances: 44 / 39. Again the HO dominance should have given us a greater advantage. Mids?
  • Inside 50’s: 52 / 58. Comment, as above. No, not a typo; they won these.
  • Marks inside 50: 11 / 5. A pretty poor delivery conversion rate.
  • Scoring shots: 29 / 20.
  • Goals: 14 / 8.

 

 

And to see how GC were competitive and kept fighting:

  • Contested Possessions 164 (us) / 162 (them) and Tackles 69 / 62 – very close.

 

 

Lessons:

  • Without Quarter by Quarter numbers it’s difficult to identify whether the Clearance and Inside 50 numbers factor in the Collingwood ‘drop-off’ or whether they reflect a poor Mids’ performance – probably some of each. Still, if we want to beat the serious teams we need to play for Four Quarters.
  • And my doubts about our FF selection are back.
  •  Again, the crumbing in the Forward line and support amongst the Backs was fantastic. On those rare occasions when ‘it didn’t work’ the effort and intent didn’t stop. Well done, all.

 

 

Next: Sunday, 8 July vs Essendon at the MCG; bounce 3.20 (AEST).
  • Preview: http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2018/16/ess-v-coll
  • Them: After a pretty poor start to the season, Essendon have produced – Round 9 Geelong; Round 10 – GWS; Round 14 – WCE (in Perth) and, last week, Round 15 – North. So they are coming off four Wins out of their last five matches. The exception – a 70 point Loss to Richmond in Round 11. In most of their games they, also, have played well, dominating for a Quarter or two; but not for the whole game. Go to: http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-07-01/inform-bombers-have-magpies-in-their-sights.
  • Who to watch for? They’ve shared their Best list amongst the players. In the Mids watch for Fantasia, Heppell and Langford; Merrett and Saad back and McKernan and Smith up Forwards.  Zaharakis is out injured (see next).
  • When we last met? In Round 5 (Anzac Day blockbuster) after an even 1st Quarter, we pretty comprehensively destroyed Essendon by 49 points. For them Hurley, Heppell, Merrett and Zaharakis were best; for us Pendles, Sidebottom, Treloar, Grundy, Dunn and Howe.
  • Us: I have no real issues with the team, though maybe might consider ‘resting’ Cox. Replacing Dunn? There are a bunch of potential Backs who could return / get a run. Game Plan – no problems – but play for four Quarters. Effort – as always – and don’t play safe. We have a number of players ‘for test’ including Greenwood, Moore, Reid and Smith. Most need a workout in the 2’s. Varcoe had a run there last week and should be considered ‘ready’. I’ve heard Moore will play in the two’s this weekend – this is critical at this stage of the season – we are going to need all these players as we head towards the Finals; watch for the others.

 

 

Picks: Pies by 29 points; BOG – Sidebottom (celebrating his 200th game; what a fantastic performance, particularly as he is playing better now than at any time earlier. Well done) with 38 Disposals @ 87% DE. Also gets three goals.

 

VFL:

 VFLW:
  • Another great Win, moving the team to the Top of the Ladder. Well done, ladies. Collingwood defeated the Northern Territory Thunder 6.8.44 to 4.4.28.
  • Next: Sunday, 8 July vs Darebin at Victoria Park; bounce 2.30pm. Note the VFL game before).

Netball:

  • Another disappointment – West Coast Fever defeated us 70 to 57. Girls, we have all been there before as Pies’ supporters – onward and upward.
  • Match Report: https://supernetball.com.au/2018/06/30/fever-sweep-magpies-aside/
  • Next: Sunday, 8 July vs the Adelaide Thunderbirds in Adelaide; tip-off at 12.30pm. This game is between the bottom and second-bottom  teams. Note that this game will be shown, live, on Channel 9.

VWFL

 

 

 

Other sports, Canberra:

  • GWS at Manuka – Saturday, 11 August; bounce 7.25pm vs Adelaide.
  • Raiders – Next game Sunday, 7 July –  away – Bulldogs.
  • Brumbies – Next game Sunday, 7 July – away – Chiefs.

Other:

  • Eddie Watch – back being quiet.

 

 

Go Pies

 

 

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