Cam Hooke’s Collingwood Life: Can the AFLW and AFLX bring the Pies some success?

In the second instalment of Canberra-based Collingwood fan(atic) Cam Hooke’s email chain for 2018, he ponders the Pies chances in the upcoming AFLW Season, what impact AFLX will have and a few other Collingwood queries:

 

True Believers, the seasons start.  In order (something that is likely to move during the various seasons) and first …

 

1. AFLW: ‘Go girls’!!!

 

The game:

 

Rule changes?

1. With the aim of decreasing congestion at stoppages and increasing scoring, a Free kick is to be paid against the last player to touch the ball before it crosses the boundary line.

–         But, if an opposition player chooses to shepherd the ball over the line, rather than pick it up in the field of play, the ball will be thrown-in.

–         If in doubt, there will also be a throw-in.

1. Team size has been reduced from 22 ‘picked’ to 21 – 16 players on the field (from each team) no change.  Statistics from last year showed the “sixth” player on the bench played, on average, 35 per cent game time.  Comment: I don’t think the logic here bears close examination.
2. Games will run slightly longer than last year, with time-on added during the last two minutes of each 15-minute quarter.

Captains’ Prediction excerpts:

• Which other team apart from your own is most likely to reach the Grand Final?

4 (votes out of 8) – Melbourne; 3 – Carlton; 1 – Western Bulldogs.

• Who will win the competition Best and Fairest?

3 – Davey, Carlton; Pearce, Melbourne.
1 – Brennan, Western Bulldogs; Paxman, Melbourne.

• Who will kick the most goals in the competition?

7 – Vescio, Carlton.
1 – Perkins, Adelaide Crows.

• Which one other game of the season, not involving your own club, will be you definitely be watching?

Carlton v Collingwood, (Opening match).

Usefulness?  Not very.  In last year’s inaugural year of the competition, not a single rival Captain nominated eventual premiers, Adelaide Crows, as capable of reaching the Grand Final.

Match.  Friday, 2 February.  Bounce: 7.45pm EDT.

• Location: Ikon Park (aka Princes Park – You all know where that is – the home of ‘the great enemy’).  Capacity 22,000.  Given the interest being displayed in Perth for the next Round, do you think the AFL might consider putting the games on at reasonably sized grounds?
• Everything you ever needed to know about this game? http://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/news/2018-01-29/aflw-opener-what-you-need-to-know
  
• Other good reason to go?  Entry is free.  Get there early – it is likely to be a ‘sell out’, but outside TV coverage will be set up.
• Team?  http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/aflw/aflw-round-1-teams-named-stars-set-for-second-season/news-story/077a366efa799f0a65cbc3eba0645036
• Comment.  http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-01-31/inside-the-aflw-magpies-nest-no-regrets-no-tomorrows-
• Game.  We got our season off to a shocker last year with three Losses out of the first three games.  Like to see a different start this year.  Sitting fourth below Carlton’s third as a sole consequence of ‘spelling’, the team changed its game plan after its awful start last year, winning three in a row before falling to Adelaide in the final round, missing the Finals.  But they showed what they could do.
• TV: The game was fantastic last year.  Expect the same.  Go to it or watch it.

A promise:

“We needed to improve in every area, as every team did… you’ll see a few things tomorrow night (Ed: tonight) that no one will have expected,” – Siekman #FOREVER

From last year: Go to http://www.footyalmanac.com.au/cam-hookes-collingwood-life-season-2017-underway/

Anyone attending?  Love to see some feedback (please).

Good luck, ladies.  We stand shoulder to shoulder with you; ‘side by side’.

Next:  9 February; 4.10 WST (7.10 ESST) vs Freo.  Watch the crowd numbers.  And attendance to this one isn’t Free.

1. AFLX:

 

The AFLX brand was created as 10 became a constant in the new version – X is the Roman numeral for ten (You knew that didn’t you?  I am consistently horrified by the absence of Latin within our school curricula.).

Game? Everything you ever needed to know – go to http://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/news/2018-01-26/aflx-all-you-need-to-know.  There has been some criticism of this concept – Are we pursuing a 20/20 cricket equivalent for whatever reason; Is this real footy; etc, etc.  Basically I don’t see a problem with the invention so long as it doesn’t impact on the real game, particularly with injuries (What killed off the State of Origin series?  Okay, apart from Victoria’s total dominance – VIC vs SA, 1989).

The Game?

Rules:  Go to http://www.afl.com.au/video/2018-01-24/aflx-explained

Our Games:

Thursday, 15 February:

• 6.38 pm            Adelaide vs Collingwood
• 8.30pm             Collingwood vs West Coast
• 9.03pm             Grand Final

The Team.  Go to http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-01-30/pies-to-lean-on-youth-and-speed-for-aflx. 

More on this next week.

Anyone attending?  Love to see some feedback (please)?

1. Netball:

First game – 28 April; tip off 3.00pm.  Vixens vs Magpies, Melbourne.  Nothing new to report.

1. AFL:

Practice Match – 1 March vs GWS, Canberra.  Nothing new to report.

1. VFL:

Pre-season games start 10 March vs Footscray at Whitten Oval; bounce 10.30am.  Actually, I’m not 100% sure of this – there are different reports on-line.  Will confirm in due course.  Nothing else to report.

1. Swisse Wellness VFLW:

As above, I’m not sure of the practice match game dates.  More later.  Nothing else to report.

Other

• Eddie Watch.  Quiet (very concerning when he is quiet?).  Feedback from our Melburnians?
• Sydney AFLX.  The AFLX will hit Sydney (Allianz Stadium) on 17 February.  Teams playing are GWS, Richmond, Brisbane Lions, WCE and Sydney.  Games start at 4.10 with the GF bounce at 7.03 (not a typo – that’s what is there).
• Other.  Remember the pre-season GWS vs Pies game at Manuka on 1 March; bounce  7.10pm.  It will be also sold out (my prediction) – Get your seats booked: Members – 5 March; public – 6 March.
• Jobs for the boys (and girls, in due course).  http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/dane-swan-joins-chris-judd-and-brendan-fevola-on-the-footy-show-20180129-h0q93e.html.  Swanny with Eddie – could be interesting.