Cam Hooke’s Collingwood Life 2025: Opening Round

Greetings Pies’ supporters.

True Believers, always. So, our Season starts in Sydney. Are you going?

We’re going, seated in Section 232, Row K, Seats 635 – 637. Give me a call on 0437 716 396. Love to catch up with many of our fellow True Believers whom I haven’t met?

Opening Round (OR)

GWS host Collingwood at their home ground (again; Engie Stadium) – Sunday, 9^th March 2025; bounce at 3.20pm. The AFL website brief is at www.afl.com.au/afl/matches/6968.

Go to www.collingwoodfc.com.au/matches/6970

History?

We went last year to the same OR game – not a pleasant experience.

But it is worthwhile looking at that game, even though our List has changed significantly. Go to www.collingwoodfc.com.au/matches/5898 to read the Match Report from that game. Importantly, this wasn’t as bad as the usual 32 Point Loss – 18 Goals 6 Behinds registers as 24 scoring shots, against our 11.16, 27 scoring shots. See related Lessons, below. A look at the AFL game site, however, identifies the first three Quarters’ Goal scoring difference as 3 (Pies) / 5 (GWS), 3 / 5 and 0 / 4 respectively. Our Best at this game were NickD, Cameron, Maynard, JoshD, Schultz and Lipinski. GWS best were Brown, Green, Hogan, Daniels, Kelly, Coniglio and Ash. All are still at each Club; not necessarily playing this game.

My assessment following the game is at www.footyalmanac.com.au/cam-hookes-collingwood-life-2024-opening-round-review-round-1-preview-own-the-moment/. My assessment provided the evidence supporting Maynard’s personal win over Greene.

Lessons for the future?

Having watched the practice match plus other excerpts the team look pretty switched on. The game against Richmond was a bit of fun, but raised some points.

In the media Collingwood are reported as ‘thrashing’ Richmond and the 21.6.132 to 6.13.49 result, giving an 83 Point Winning margin, would appear to support that. But look at the scoring shot difference – 27 / 19, closer than the score implies. And if you have more than a cursory glance at the game statistics, you find we lost Clearances 40 / 43 but won Inside 50s 53 / 51; both marginal differences. In fact it is only our massive advantage in Disposal Efficiency Inside 50 – 52.8% / 39.2% that provides for the difference. One for them? They had 20 Frees against our 13. Those figures are across the whole game. We did thrash them between halfway through Q2 to halfway through Q3 – 12 goals to 2. Go to www.afl.com.au/afl/matches/7176#summary where you can see fairly equal scoring for the rest of the time. Coach McRae applauded the team for playing through to the end. I’m not sure I agree though I’d give the team credit because so many of the class players got rested as the game progressed. What was really good was the continued pressure throughout. NickD – In just over a half of the game produced 32 Disposals, 8 Tackles, 6 Clearances, 11 Score Involvement and 4 Goal Assists.

What things would I like to see, not in any priority order?

Results? My view is that we were highly competitive by the end of last year. Unfortunately a series of Losses mid-season did us no favours. I believe that if we’d made the Finals we would have had a major impact, including potentially going all the way. We finished the season with two good Wins after our 3-Point Loss to Sydney, in Sydney. GWS come into this game following three Losses, including two Finals. Betting currently sits at $1.77 for a Giants’ Win; $2.10 for us – 26 / 2; today reduced to 2.00 (us) / 1.85 (GWS). That means they are still favourites. Go figure!

List? Our List is very different when we last met; theirs is broadly the same. Time will tell, but it looks like we’ve finally replaced Nathan Murphy with Houston and Perryman in the Backline. The objective seems to be to let Darcy and Murphy, now Houston, to run free, to play their intercept role, with the other Backs tying down their opponents. Well done to all those who sought to replace Murphy over the past season but, frankly, it didn’t work. Darcy’s performance also suffered. Up Forward we’ve added Membrey with McStay (late return last year) as talls. We are sown down with good Midfield options. Most don’t need any explanation but a couple of comments below.

Our Game Plan?

Taggers. Just when I was getting prepared to suggest Sidey retire, he got given a tagging role and executed it perfectly. I would suggest this continue with Frampton being given the hard lock-down role he thrived with late in the season.

Midfield Management. Pendles just seems to make room. He is rarely caught. But, more importantly, he does provide that mature guidance to the collective Midfield.

Rucks. I’ve spent much time over the last few seasons questioning Cox and Cameron’s role in the ruck. Cox is a terrific Forward target and Cameron made the All-Australian squad, unlucky not to take the next step. My view has been that neither are traditional rucks. That said, not too many of the other teams have a traditional ruck. We need to check the new talls and seek to develop those recruited into the ruck role, playing in the Twos.

Passing. Why do we love this game? Spectacular marks, fantastic physical contact and ball passage close-in between players. Keep up the ball movement.

Drive. Drive out of the Backline is a key part of our gameplan. Be prepared to cross the field, even to kick backwards to change the direction. A minor point – “yes”, to ‘play on’, but know where your opponents are.

Kicking for Goal. Ball delivery to the best goal-kicking position. Be prepared to acknowledge difficult shots on goal and willing to pass the ball inside the 50 to a better placed teammate. See below- I value GA (goal assists mor highly than actual goals scored. The game against Richmond – unbelievable accuracy;

Tackles. A perennial complaint: “Hold your tackles!”. Having gone to the trouble of chasing someone down, it’s always disappointing if they can spin out of the tackle or fend off the tackler. Of course, watch for the ‘slung tackle’; and

Them?

Finishing 4^th on the Ladder last season is indicative of their team’s capability. They are a good side.

Players to watch for (based on performance since their Bye, 2024) are:

Green – Midfield. Tag with Sidey?
Greene – Forward. Team Captain. This player is hugely talented as a player. He has the ability to Win a game – Maynard’s boy – “Go get him, again!”
Whitfield – HB;
Daniels – HF;
Callaghan – Wing;
Himmelberg – BP; and
Briggs – Ruck; and

Keeffe – frequently off the Interchange bench, for Collingwood family reasons.

The listed players implies a willingness to play the ball around the boundary as well as along the corridor, but both potentially break down if any one point is dominated. So? Be willing to adjust the direction of attack as the game progresses.

Our Aim?

Be happy. Our team has been noticeably happier than most other teams. They smile and laugh when things work and, importantly, when they don’t. They actually look like they’re enjoying the game. We should follow their lead and enjoy the game from our perspective, even when things don’t work.

Weather? Specific forecast for the date is not out yet. Google weather in Sydney. And let that sway a decision for players to wear traditional boots with stops, or plastic, moulded sole boots.

TV? Not yet out. Go to www.afl.com.au/afl/matches/6968, eventually.

Winner’s pick?

Pies by 31 points. BOG – NickD, closely followed by Houston, hugely dominating in the Backline and Maynard taking Greene out of the game. Important up Forward was Hill with 5 Goal Assists, followed by Membery with 4 Goals.

Ground Reports? Is anyone else going to the game? Reports please? But if you weren’t there, I’d especially like to hear from the armchair warriors watching from afar? More please.

Next?

Saturday, 15^th March: Collingwood versus Port Adelaide at the MCG; bounce at 7.35pm.

Other:

Did you see Eddie’s boy play in the winning College gridiron team as a kicker? Very pleased and proud mum & dad. Not sure what influence Cox had on the boy?

VFL and VFLW State of Origin games will be played against SA in Adelaide during the Gather Round weekend – Saturday, 11^th April (VFLW, Atherton, 7.00pm AEST) and Sunday, 12^th April (VFL, Tanunda, 3.15pm AEST). Note also the discussion broadly supported by the AFL Captains for the reintroduction of State of Origin.

Did you see Pendles is now, part coaching staff, as well as playing? Go to www.afl.com.au/video/1272016/footy-feed-pendleburys-new-role-crows-embrace-pressure?videoId=1272016&modal=true&type=video&publishFrom=1740542746001(1.29 minute mark)

Concerns about our List age are being raised in the media. Go to www.afl.com.au/news/1262928/list-analysis-where-your-club-ranks-for-age-and-experience. It is worth watching. I have little doubt that if we take the Premiership this, three or four players from the team would likely retire.

See ya,

This is our year. Always believe; never, ever give up! Go Pies.

Cam

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