Cam Hooke’s Collingwood Life: Round 12 review, Round 13 preview

 

Okay, True Believers, there comes a time, far more frequently than we would desire, when being a Pies’ supporter can be a bit of a challenge. Be strong! We will look back at this time and chortle about the ups and downs of the competition. We always looked like we were ‘in charge’ against Adelaide, regardless of what the scoreboard said, but last night Melbourne made us look ordinary. I was pretty disappointed with our skills, of course, but especially some of the chasing. It looked like we didn’t want to be there.

 

After last night? Bucks: “We were off tonight, that’s as disconnected as we’ve been, we knew this was an important game for us and we dropped it. It puts us in amongst it a little bit and we’ve got some work to do. We know we’re capable of a lot better … and we’re going to keep working towards being better.” Wouldn’t disagree with any of that.

 

Confused? Look at the job we did on Geelong a month back. Then look at Geelong’s destruction of Port two days ago. Finally look at Melbourne’s destruction of us last night. What is going on?

 

Round 12: Collingwood versus Melbourne

 

Collingwood 6.8.44 were thrashed by Melbourne 16.4.100.

 

The Game. “Sigh….”. Comparative goals scored by quarter were:

• Q1 – 1 (us) / 3 (them);
• Q2 – 4 / 7;
• Q3 – 1 / 2;
• Q4 – nil / 4; and
• Total: 6 / 16.

Melbourne were “cleaner, harder and more efficient”.

 

Match Report. Go to https://www.afl.com.au/matches/2817#match-report.

 

Buck’s comments. At https://www.afl.com.au/video/486108/buckley-this-was-a-really-important-game-for-us?videoId=486108&modal=true&type=video&publishFrom=1597488256001 (very hard to hear – microphones off?). Others’ comments: Damo Barrett’s Sliding Doors on the AFL website for Collingwood:

IF …

there’s a guy with a better attitude in footy right now than Bucks …

THEN …

not sure who it is. Nothing fazes him, even unfair allegations of COVID-19 protocol breaches. Deserves for that attitude to be rewarded as this most extraordinary of season continues to unfold in unpredictable ways.

 

Thank you Mr Barrett – a little difficult to see that right now, after last night. Also see Buck’s interview before the Melbourne game – https://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/video/795131/press-conference-nathan-buckley?videoId=795131&modal=true&type=video&publishFrom=1597374965001. I strongly recommend people watch / listen to each.

 

Statistics

 

The Match statistics for the team and individuals are at https://www.afl.com.au/matches/2817#team-stats and https://www.afl.com.au/matches/2817#player-stats. Always worth a browse. We were soundly beaten. Because the game was generally consistent there is some value looking at the comparisons:

 

Passage to a score:

• Hit Outs – 37 (us) / 26 (them). Well done, Brodie, but…..

• Clearances – 32 / 31. No real advantage resulting from our HO dominance. Midfield?

• Disposal Efficiency – 68.2% / 77.0%. Says a lot, doesn’t it;

• Marks – 55 / 84. These numbers clearly identified that Melbourne were in control of the air. Why we continued to kick to large contested packs is beyond me;

• Inside 50s – 41 / 40. Viewed from the outside we tended to deliver the ball into the 50 without a specific target; they were the reverse;

• Disposal Efficiency Inside 50 – 31.7% / 50.0%. And this one says it all;

• Scoring Shots – 14 / 20; and

• Goals – 6 / 16. And the game was lost.

 

And application, something we’ve prided ourselves on in the past. The numbers below seem to indicate some equivalence in application. I didn’t see that. I saw a motivated Melbourne team that ran for four quarters:

• Contested Possession – 122 / 120. Not sure what this comparison means anymore;

• Tackles – 40 / 38;

• Turnovers – 70 / 68;

• Tackles inside 50 – 11 / 5; and

• 1%’ers – 42 / 45

 

And individual performance:

• Player numbers with an individual Disposal Efficiency equal to or over 80% – 4 / 10. Ours were Noble, Madgen, Reid and Moore – well done to them. I can understand midfield players getting possession and kicking immediately; I have difficulty accepting the same outside of the midfield. If you want to know what I’m talking about check the Individual DE numbers under the Player Stats (website above).

 

In summary:

• Pressure. We were slaughtered. The statistics don’t do justice to Melbourne’s application, their run and support. Melbourne were pretty, bloody impressive;
• Disposal Efficiency. Our overall DE was nearly 10% below theirs and they had 10 players with a respectable DE compared with our four. This was a major contributor;
• Scoring. Melbourne’s 4 Behinds and 16 Goals is pretty impressive. Our 8 Behinds with 6 Goals is pretty ordinary. Well done to Sidebottom passing the ball to a better placed Forward rather than simply blazing away; and
• Basic Mistakes. Awful. AFL statistics used to record Clangers, where a player’s delivery went directly to an opponent.  I haven’t found this in the new structure which is fortunate for many of our team. Our Turnover of possession was extraordinary.

 

And Free Kicks – 15 / 21. It seemed worse. Nobody minds being ‘pinged’ for an offence but we all really hate inconsistency. I totally agree criticism of the ‘holding the ball’ and the sliding tackle against a player’s legs.

Best: The AFL website identified Sidebottom, Adams, Grundy and Daicos as Best. Not sure I agree with any except Adams; and would probably add Moore, and maybe Noble (a quiet achiever). Your thoughts?

 

The Future (after North):

• Round 14 – 30 August at the Gabba – Carlton; bounce 3.35pm;
• Round 15 – 4 September at the Gabba – Brisbane; bounce 7.50pm;
• Round 16 – Bye;
• Round 17 – 14 September at the Gabba – Gold Coast; bounce 7.10pm; and
• Round 18 – 30 August – Port Adelaide. Detail TBA.

 

Round 13: Collingwood versus North Melbourne

 

Monday, 24 August at the Gabba; bounce at 7.10pm (AEST).

 

Them

 

North were one of the teams being touted as potential achievers at the start of the season. In spite of our club’s assistance in developing their new coach from a young age, things haven’t quite worked out. They started the season well with wins over St Kilda (by 2 points) and GWS (by 20). Since then they’ve won once, against Adelaide (Round 9), but then so has everyone else this season. North are sitting 17th on the ladder with a percentage of 83.1%; compared with our 7th place on 104.9%. However, they are not to be discounted. Their strength is in their midfield (see names below) and their backline based on Tarrant who may be out injured. Simply, whoever wins the midfield battle will win the game.

 

Interestingly North lost to Melbourne (also without Gawn) last week by 57 points – one more than our loss to Melbourne. They are coming into this game following a loss to Brisbane by one point. They recovered from a three-goal deficit at the start of Q4. They can be expected to be confident given that and our past results.

 

Who to watch for?

 

Midfield:

• Goldstein – Ruck;
• Simpkin – Centre / rover;
• Dumont – RR / rover;
• Anderson – rover / RR / Interchange (maybe injured); and
• Polec – Wing;

 

Backline:

• Tarrant – FB (if playing); and

 

Forwards:

• Higgins – HF; and
• McDonald – HF.

 

A?lso keep an eye on Ben Brown if he is playing. How do you think he’d fit in wearing a Pies’ jumper? Your thoughts?

 

Us

 

Okay, the same as every week. To do list:

• Control the game. We need to be the team winning the Midfield battle and then driving forward, keeping control of the ball until, really importantly, we have an easy kick at Goal;
• Get control of the Clearances to match HO, whoever is rucking;
• Rest Grundy (suggested again) – use Cox and Cameron alternating as Ruck against Goldstein;
• Tag Dumont or Simpkin (whichever one is playing Centre; Pendles can have the one playing RR) – Greenwood; and
• Speed and variety of entry to the goal-kicking position. Stop the ‘up and under’ big kick into the 50. Kick to a leading Forward.

 

Team:

• Ins: Cox, Mayne, Roughead (or Broomhead if not available), Stephenson and Greenwood; and

• Outs: Mihocek and Reid (both injured), Ruscoe, Phillips and Thomas. Your thoughts?

 

Play Cox, mostly, in the ruck with Elliott alternating with Adams in the midfield; Greenwood to tag Dumont or Simpkin. Play Stephenson off the wing. Your thoughts?

 

Pre-game Brief? Go to https://www.afl.com.au/matches/2849 (eventually).

 

Weather. Dry.

 

TV. Not clear. Go to https://www.afl.com.au/broadcast-guide-premiership.

 

Anyone Going? Frank dobbed himself in last week – “Queensland; beautiful one day, locked out the next”. Frank, could I ask that you provide a ‘Ground Report’ from the game? Anyone else in Brisbane? I’d still really like to hear others’ views before, during and after the game?

 

Expert Predictions? Look around here at http://whotippedwhat.com/.

 

My Picks

• Pies to Win by 29 Points. BOG – Elliott (27 Disposals @ 81.6% DE; 8 Clearances and 1 goal). Cox and Cameron each kick three. Your prediction and selections?

 

Other

• Eddie Watch. Quiet for him.
• Injuries. Worth watching – https://www.afl.com.au/matches/injury-list?nav.
• Footy Almanac. Keep a watch on Footy Almanac at https://www.footyalmanac.com.au/.

 

This is our year, people. C’mon, be positive. Let’s hear your views?

 

Go Pies.

 

Cam

 

To read more of Cam Hooke’s Collingwood Life, click here.

 

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