Cam Hooke’s Collingwood Life – Round 11 Preview

June 1, 2016 by Leave a Comment

True Believers,okay last week not bad; just not great.  Onward and upward, one week at a time.

Belief.  A pertinent starting quote, looking back:

  • Adams –   “Proud isn’t a word I would usually associate with a loss.  Today is different, very proud to be a Magpie after that effort from my teammates.”

The Season?  As per last week, forget the Season; forget the Ladder.  Both will look after themselves; we just need to win each week.

The Game:

 

Port Adelaide.  Sunday, 5 June at the G; bounce: 1.10pm.

 

12th vs 10th (we’re 12th if you need reminding); 92.7% (us) vs 105.3%; Port are 5/5; we’re 4/6. Closer on the Ladder than previous weeks but Port are still ahead of us.  Betting is in our favour ($2.05 to $1.77).  And we will win.

 

 

 

Weather in Melbourne?  Shower or two, clearing; 10 – 15 deg. Windy.  Might be an opportunity for sleeved jumpers.  Remember the ‘stops’ in the boots; get out of the ‘moulded sole’ boots.

 

TV – No Free to Air.  Find a friend with Fox.

 

Them?

 

Over the last month (plus a bit) Port have soundly defeated Richmond, Brisbane and Melbourne and have been ‘pipped’ by the Eagles (by 8 points) and Carlton (by 2 points).  Put like that they have a much more solid recent history than us; except for how we have performed over the last three weeks.  We have shown that our team can beat anyone if we perform to the standard we are capable of.  Port have also shown the ability to to run and chase hard throughout the game, and to finish a game off.  Notably last week, Melbourne’s Mids dominated (particularly good work by Gawn in the ruck) but Melbourne could not convert – serious inaccuracy – and frequently turned the ball over in the Forward Line.

 

Port players to watch for:

  • Most influential. Watch for Boak and Wines amongst the Mids, Howard and/or Trengrove taking the bounce, Wingard and Dixon up Forwards and Pittard off the HB line.  And watch for Ebert as a tagger – he had a blinder last week tagging Viney out of the game; and
  • Potential influencers. Broadbent missed last week – should be back.  Krakouer, O’Shea and Dixon, just to pick a few names, and “DBJ”, the new ‘poster-boy’ of the ‘Port fan club’ – Darcy Byrne-Jones.

 

Us?

 

Published Thursday night. Will be changes as a consequence of last week’s injuries.

 

Injury Outs – From last week: Darcy, Adams and Fas, for sure. Tooves (concussion, probably available); Crocker (ankle, also probably available).

 

Legacy from last week: Michael Christian on ‘The Agenda’ – http://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/ and Team of the Week –  http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-05-31/team-of-the-week-round-10.  Well done Pendles and Howe making the Team of the Week from a losing side.  Well done to Treloar and Pendles to be in the running for All Australian – http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-06-01/your-clubs-all-australian-contenders. I note that GWS have six named (including Heater) – do you remember that we had six All Australians in 2010?

 

This is the start of a series of four seriously winnable games for us over five weeks including Port, Melbourne, Freo and Carlton with a Bye in there, and maybe even a little potential for some ‘pay back’?  Their impact on us?  We must respond to the Port ‘running game’ by doing likewise.  We must dominate the stoppages, giving ‘taps to advantage’ to the Mids.  We will need to tag players who can cut us apart – Greenwood was fantastic over the last several weeks – maybe DBJ or Boak?  The Backline needs to tighten up – even recognising Howe’s performances over the last few weeks, as was shown in the last two weeks’ Final Quarters, against Geelong Hawkins nearly cut us apart and last week the WB got away from us.  So double-team and punch rather than seeking to out-mark.  If you have a lead, defend it by shifting a player into Defence?  On too many occasions last week, soft goals resulted from free WB players in their Forward Line.

 

In’s: Witts – I keep encouraging his inclusion – I think we might be a very different team if he hadn’t injured his hand. To win, we need to control the stoppages, hence Witts; the Mids can’t do it all.  Maybe Trav and Gault in in place of Darcy and White.  Both Marsh and Goldsack performed well in the VFL side last game and are worthy of consideration (and Williams, though he hasn’t had a full VFL game yet) to augment the strength and experience of the Backline; maybe Brownie too but I consider him too slow against some of the smaller opponents.  Caff and Goodyear will also be on the table, particularly as ‘runners’.

 

Game Plan – Why will we win?  Same plan as last week and the week before – run like hell, all game; control the stoppages and have alternatives to enter the 50.  Demonstrate ‘the Game Plan’ again, and again, from the Centre or the stoppage around the ground (including kick-ins) – showing that we have a plan, that we know where the ball needs to go next, every time, and we can implement that plan. Your ideas?

 

Off the planet idea.  Do you remember Maxy when he was out, injured on the sideline.  He spent the game screaming at the Backs – encouraging, berating, whatever.  I would suggest the same approach be applied to our ‘injured’ – Fas up Forwards, Goldsack down Back.  Go get em guys.

 

Game Previews?

 

 

My Picks? Pies by 31; BOG: Treloar – 34 disposals at 84.5% DE.  Goals to Trav – 5, Cox – 3 and Gault – 3.  Crowd: 63,000.  Your picks?

 

Other:

 

Reporting?  Anyone going?  Ground Reports pls?

 

 

Remember to keep an eye on the Footy Almanac – http://www.footyalmanac.com.au/.

 

Next. Monday, 13 June (QB Holiday Monday), versus Melbourne at the G. Bounce at 3.20pm.

 

Be optimistic and keep the faith. I believe.  Go Pies.

 

Cam

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