Cam Hooke’s Collingwood Life 2025: Side by Side – Gather Round Review / Round 6 Preview

 

G’day True Believers.

 

A better start to the Season than last year? Sure is. Onward and upward, all.

 

 

Round 5

 

Collingwood 16.13.109 defeated Sydney 12.6.78. Interesting scoring shots differential – 29 (us) / 18 (them). The score difference could have been much greater.

 

Match Report – www.afl.com.au/afl/matches/7000

 

Coach’s comments – www.afl.com.au/video/1297501/mcrae-post-match-r5-hes-such-a-beast-at-the-contest?videoId=1297501&modal=true&type=video&publishFrom=1744379583001. Worth watching. He identified a number of factors influential in establishing the game on our terms including the team’s pressure, the domination of contested marks and seeking to stop their ball-movement. He further discussed a number of individual performances (Pendles, Long) as well as the collective Backline, noting that the team were in tune with each other. He reinforced that the team sought to entertain, and he hoped it would be known for that.

 

Goals scored:

Q1                   4 (us) / 4 (them). A balanced start. Our positive margin at the first break was 2 Points;

Q2                   6 / 4. Starting to dominate. Margin at HT was 17 Points;

Q3                   3 / 2. Continuing. Margin at the final change was 25 Points;

Q4                   3 / 2 finishing to the end; and

Totals:             16 / 12. Winning margin – 31 Points. We Won every Quarter.

 

Statistics

Some numbers to seek to identify where there was a substantial difference and how this impacted on the game:

 

Statistic	Numbers (us / them)	Comments
Hit Outs (HO)	26 / 50	A pretty irrelevant number, scored on the basis of who touches the ball first; doesn’t matter where it goes, that is HO to advantage, better assessed as Clearances.
Clearances	38 / 37	Centre clearances – 18 / 10; and Stoppage clearances – 20 / 27. To make any sense, the HO differential should be reflected in the Clearances, unlike here. Broadly similar – no Midfield dominated. These numbers match my perception of the game. My view was thatdrive out of the Centre and at stoppages was pretty equally shared though, from these numbers we did better at the Centre and they dominated at stoppages.
Inside 50s	55 / 56	The next step in the heading to Goal, broadly reflecting the Clearances.
Disposal Efficiency (DE)	74.1% / 73.2%	Pretty much on par. We were better, but not by much.
DE Inside 50	52.7% / 44.6%	The distinction here is the ‘game winner’. Clearly our scoring success would, and did, reflect this.
Scoring shots	29 / 18	Huge difference.
Goals	16 / 12	The end result.
Player numbers with DE > 80%	7 / 5	Linked with DE throughout the game. The spread of efficient players contributed.
Free Kicks	17 / 11	I was surprised by these numbers. It didn’t reflect my view of the game. I thought the umpiring was much improved, compared with previous weeks. Inconsistencies still exist in their application.
Contested Possession (CP)	144 / 134	Combined, the difference in the two aspects reflects the team style of play. Each team sought to dominate the game, holding onto the ball. As the coach identified, we did it better. There were substantial periods when the ball was locked in our attacking half..
Uncontested Possession (UCP)	220 / 231
Possession	42% / 40%	Across the game.
Turn-overs (TO)	63 / 71	One they Won, to little effect. I think the willingness to take risks is part of this,
Marks	85 / 80	Marks inside 50 – 13 / 9. Contested marks – 11 / 1. Not too different across the game. But the Marks inside the 50 and our total domination of the contested marks are evidence of our control; represented in goal-scoring.
Tackles	72 / 61	Tackles inside 50 – 10 / 8. Also highly critical to goal-scoring. The multiple tacklers was impressive.
1%’ers	44 / 50	This surprised me. Rarely are we beaten on this. Spoils and defensive actions. I haven’t gone back to add up the numbers, but this difference is, again, reflected their effort.

 

Crowd: 47,649 at Adelaide Oval (capacity 53,500). What percentage were Pies’ supporters? 

 

Best:

The AFL website identifies Collingwood’s Best as:

• Sidebottom,
• NickD,
• Long,
• Cameron, and
• Elliott.

 

I don’t disagree with any of those identified or the order (well, not too much, anyway). Your thoughts?

 

Darcy was much improved and could easily have been added. An interesting statistic on our Captain’s performances, so far, this Season – he has Lost only 5.6% of the one-on- one competitions. This is the lowest percentage he has recorded in his career. Keep it up, Darcy.

 

One correction. The AFL website states that Elliott was replaced by Allan, the sub, in Q2. This, of course, is wrong; he was still kicking goals in Q4. The coach identified his replacement with 10 minutes to go in Q4.

 

Some Observations?

This was an enjoyable game to watch. More importantly than Sydney not giving up, they fought it out to the end, but, our boys were better, slicker, more mobile and more effective. Some of the progressions out of the Backline to a goal score were breathtaking.

 

The tackling was ferocious, with much by multiple tacklers. Further there was great attention to ground balls, coming out of packs or tackles. The blunting of attacks into their Forward line and our drive out of our Backline was terrific – well done, Backs. Additionally, the varied delivery into our Forward line provided the basis for good kicking efficiency, though I’d still like to see the ball passed to better placed goal-kickers. And the Midfield? They worked both directions and contributed hugely.

 

It was a game to enjoy and feel part of. My congratulations to those who were there, linked with substantial envy.

 

Round 6

 

Thursday, 17 April – Brisbane Lions versus Collingwood at the Gabba; bounce at 7.30pm.

 

Them

 

Brisbane are the reigning Premiers. That said, I don’t regard their Win last year as particularly dominant, principally because we weren’t in the Finals competition. As I have said a number of times I think the outcome could have been very different if we’d made it into the Finals. Brisbane, like Sydney, used their home grounds to great effect in those games.

 

Brisbane finished the H&A season in 5^th place on the Ladder compared with our 9^th place outside the Eight.

 

Following their Round 12 Bye, with the exceptions of Round 22 and 23 Losses to GWS at the Gabba and Collingwood at the MCG, Brisbane put together a clean sweep of 14 Wins, including of course the Grannie a Win over Sydney by 60 Points. It was a successful second half of the season for them though I suspect a closer examination of which teams they played in this period may be illuminating.

 

This year they have five Wins from five games, including defeating Sydney at the SCG by 4 Points and Geelong, admittedly at the Gabba, by 9. Sitting at the top of the Ladder on 120%, they could be leapfrogged by the GC and/or Hawthorn as those teams complete their fifth games. Importantly, their last game in Adelaide against the WB included a recovery from an early Q3 deficit of 39 Points. After the WB goal early in Q3, Brisbane scored the next 9 goals to take them into a competitive environment. They Won by 21 Points; a recovery of 75 Points. From reporting, particularly by their coach, a self-examination by the team at Half Time identified the failure to Win the Centre as the key. They (pretty obviously) reversed that.

 

Based on Their most recent performances, players to watch are:

 

• Neale – Rover;
• Zorko – HB / BP;
• Andrews – CHB. All- Australian defender; expect close defence on our Forwards;
• McLuggage – Centre;
• Cameron – HF;
• L. Ashcroft – Forward; and
• Hipwood – CHF.

 

Brisbane are missing a number of key players injured, notably Starcevich, nephew of our famous former player.

 

The lesson from their last game? The solution, as always, Win the Midfield battle, Win the Game.

 

Us

 

The Gabba, again. We have the personnel, the experience and the game plan to beat every other team. I hope some of the Magpie Army can make it.

 

Selections:

 

• Minor changes:

• In – De Goey. Sullivan sub; and
• Out – Houston (still one to go), Sullivan and Allan.

• Your views?

 

Game Plan – adjusted from previous weeks? 

 

• Application. Nothing is more important. Measure application through Tackles and Contested Possessions;

• Roles. Tagging role for Sidey; Frampton – hard lock-down role and Long freeing up NickD out of the Midfield;

• Midfield Management. Pendles guidance to the collective Midfield.

• Rucks. McStay was a competent 2^nd ruck supporting Cameron. Cox is a terrific Forward target and Cameron made the All-Australian Team, but note the different HO numbers against Sydney, above, – our Midfield made up for the offset. My regular view has been that neither Cameron or Cox are traditional rucks. That said, not too many of the other teams have a traditional ruck though we need to consider our options for this game;

• Passing. Accuracy of passes by foot and hand. Critical – watch the individual DE figures;

• 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 that has brought us undone on occasion, – “yes”, to ‘play on’, but know where your opponents are, particularly in front of goal;

• 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. I value GA (goal assists morehighly than actual goals scored. While the kicking for goal, generally, has been pretty good, it can always be better;

• Tackles. A major success. The perennial complaint, always: “Hold your tackles!”; and

• Umpires. Get the umpires to the Club to explain what happened in our last games? The rule applying to a ruck hitting the ball out following a ball-up might need clarification.

 

Our Aim, as always?

 

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

 

Weather? After a wet weekend, by next Thursday the forecast for Brisbane is for clear and dry. Players can decide to wear plastic, moulded-sole boots in the circumstances.

 

TV?     FTA on 7mate or 7+, plus the usual.

 

Winner’s pick?

 

• Pies by 23 Points. BOG – De Goey with 31 Disposals, hugely dominating in the Backline. Important up Forward was Hill and Mihocek each with 3 Goals.

 

Ground Reports? Did anyone go to the Adelaide game? Is anyone going to the Gabba game? Reports please? But if you aren’t going to be there, I’d especially like to hear from the armchair warriors watching from afar?  More please.

 

Next?

 

Round 7. Friday, 25 April (Anzac Day) – Collingwood versus Essendon at the MCG; bounce at 3.20pm.

 

Other:

• VFL. Round 4 – Friday, 18 April – Brisbane Lions versus Collingwood at Brighton Horse Arena, Ipswich; bounce 12.05 pm.

• VFLW. Round 1 – Saturday, 19 April – Casey Demons versus Collingwood at Casey Fields, Melbourne; bounce 2.35pm.

• Can anyone tell me if Ned Long is related to Ben Long, currently with the GC? Their photos don’t seem too similar but their passage through Melbourne Grammar (Vic)/Northern U18 is very similar.

 

See ya,

 

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

 

Cam

 

 

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