Cam Hooke’s Collingwood Life: Round 19 Review, Round 20 Preview

 

True Believers, yep, it’s nearly over. Lucky the Olympics came along to give us something to watch and applaud.

Didn’t enjoy the last match, either. It seemed like we had great difficulty stringing good play together for any period.

So, is the season over? Well, yes and no. We should seek to Win each of the remaining games, seeking to try-out different players and tactics that will set us up for next year.

However, to complete the season, – Round 19.

 

Round 19

Port Adelaide 14.13.97 defeated Collingwood 10.9.69.

A look at the Goals scored by Quarter:

 

• Q1: 3 (us) / 2 (them);
• Q2: – / 4. Can someone explain to me what happened in Q2? The rest of the game seemed fairly even if you can ever describe “playing catch-up footy” as even;
• Q3: 5 / 5;
• Q4: 2 / 3; and
• Total: 10 / 14.

 

Match Report. Go to https://www.afl.com.au/matches/3131

AFL – News, Fixtures, Scores & Results – AFL.com.au AFL Live Pass is required to view AFL.TV & Match Replays. From 2019, fans will no longer be able to subscribe to AFL Live Pass through the AFL website. However, you can still subscribe via the Apple App Store or the Google Play. www.afl.com.au

Harves’ Comments. Go to https://www.afl.com.au/video/651968/harvey-it-doesn-t-help-to-lose-your-captain?videoId=651968&modal=true&type=video&publishFrom=1627045748001

Harvey: ‘It doesn’t help to lose your captain’ www.afl.com.au

He emphasised the performance of the team, excluding Q2 – that’s an easy way to avoid addressing the problem. However, his acknowledgement of how the Forward line worked better was positive.

 

Statistics:

 

Checking the control of the ball ‘new game’ first:

• Disposals – 379 (us) / 364 (them);
• Uncontested Possessions – 241 / 216; and
• Marks – 94 / 73.

 

What does that mean?

 

Well, statistically, we had the lead in possessions, therefore we should have been in control of the game. Later statistics become important, below.

 

Drive:

 

• Clearances – 32 / 39. Poor;
• Inside 50s – 39 / 58. But, this was absolutely critical; and
• Disposal Efficiency – 72.3% / 70.6%. With a fairly even DE across the game, the number of Inside 50s is key.

 

Effort: Bucks was a strong supporter of effort being indicated by Contested Possession and Tackle numbers. So:

• Contested Possessions – 127 / 141; and
• Tackles – 54 / 55.

I think I know what Bucks would have said.

 

Critically important, the use of the ball towards the Goal? Inside 50 numbers:

• Tackles – 4 / 15;
• Marks – 14 / 16. Better; and
• DE – 51.3% / 50.0%. Using the ball with the same effectiveness, but with them far more frequently.

And the result:

• Scoring shots – 19 / 27. Reflects the Inside 50s;
• Goals scored – 10 / 14. As does this; and we Lose the game.
• Losing margin – 28 Points.

Best: Grundy, Mihocek, Crisp, Adams, Sidebottom, De Goey and Ruscoe. Maynard should feel unlucky not to be listed – 26 Disposals (behind only Crisp and Grundy) and 413 metres gained (second only to Ruscoe).

 

Lessons – same as last week; and the week before; etc, etc:

• Grundy could be an effective Forward;
• Use Cameron and Grundy as the alternate Rucks;
• Adams, De Goey and Elliott alternating between the Midfield and the Forward line;
• Deliver the ball to a leading Forward – hard, low and flat; and
• We need to keep our attack up across the paddock for the entire game.

Experts? Every one of the Experts picked a Port Win. Go to http://whotippedwhat.com/round/afl-2021-round-19/.

 

AFL 2021 Round 19 – Who Tipped What – Who Tipped What Round 19: AFL 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Home Away Print Less Stats The Verdict View Round Summary All… Blogger Commentator Computer Predictions Ex-Coach Ex-Player … whotippedwhat.com

 

What did I say last week? Same again: We need to start Winning; this is not good enough. Go Pies – I don’t think we should ever give up.

 

Round 20

 

Collingwood versus West Coast Eagles.

 

Sunday, 1 August at the MCG; bounce at 2.10pm (AEST).

 

Them

 

The Eagles are still a Top 8 contender. They are sitting 7th on the Ladder with a 98.6% percentage compared with our 18th place and 88.5%. They have spread their Wins and Losses pretty evenly through the season. More recently, since their Round 14 Bye, they’ve Lost to the Bulldogs by 55 Points, to Sydney by 92 Points (yes, not a typo) and (yes, lost to) North by 10 Points. Even after Winning against Adelaide by 42 Points two weeks ago, you’d have written off their season. Then last week they beat St Kilda by 8 Points and, suddenly, everyone is getting excited. I suspect last week’s result says more about St Kilda than it does about the Eagles. However, their ambition and their most recent result make our game hugely important to them.

 

They are not playing well at the moment. They rely heavily on their Midfield and the passage of the ball in the corridor (see names and positions, below, though they are all getting on a bit).

 

Players to watch – their Midfield and their spine:

 

• McGovern – CHB
• Sheed – Centre;
• Kelly – RR;
• Hurn – BP / HB;
• Naitanui – Ruck;
• Kennedy – FF (Injury test);
• Darling – CHF; and
• Yeo – RR.

Redden and Shuey are both out injured.

 

Us:

 

Team & Tasks. Some changes are essential:

 

Ins: Check out: https://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/news/987955/six-available-for-selection-against-west-coast

 

Six available for selection against West Coast www.collingwoodfc.com.au

• Lynch. To take the principal ruck role, releasing Grundy to FF, alternating with him. He performed that role well at this level before being dropped and has had great game at VFL level;
• Kelly; and
• Sier.

And if you think I’m off the planet regarding the use of Grundy, go to https://www.afl.com.au/news/651488/bizarre-stats-what-do-these-weird-numbers-say-about-grundy-s-year-

 

Bizarre stats: What do these weird numbers say about Brodie Grundy’s year? BRODIE Grundy has become a more dominant tap ruckman in 2021 than his previous All-Australian seasons, but the Pies are operating better without him at centre bounces this year. Hard to fathom? Let the stats explain before jumping to a conclusion on how he has performed. According to Champion … www.afl.com.au

 

Outs:

• Pendlebury – injured;
• Siodebottom – managed; and
• Cox. 

Your thoughts?

 

Game Plan. We need to focus on:

• See Lessons, above;
• Application. High intensity commitment for four Quarters. Watch the Contested Possession and Tackle numbers. The chase and tackle must be maintained for four Quarters, and when we tackle, we have to hold on;
• Place Lynch as the principal ruck; move Grundy forward into the FF role supported by Cameron and Mihocek (if available) and Elliott and the other smalls (particularly crumbing). Critically important is the delivery Inside 50 to a leading Forward – one on one, Elliott has shown the ability to chest mark a leading kick and then to kick accurately;
• Keep the ball away from Darling and Kennedy – remember what they did to us a year or two back;
• Winning the Clearances. Dominate Inside 50s and look for a better placed goal-kicker. De Goey just appears to make things happen from the Midfield. Task on the Eagles Midfield (Sheed, Kelly, Naitanui, Redden (if there) is critical – whichever team wins the Midfield will Win the game;
• Drive forward off the HB line and out of the Midfield. Last time we met four of our Best 6 were from the Backline but we have lost Moore from that group. The other two were Adams and Grundy – critical to Win the Midfield battle, as above; and
• We can Win this if we get possession and keep it.

Conclusion. We can Win this; again, it will be regarded as a ‘major upset’, but we must control possession.

 

My picks. Collingwood to Win by 7 Points. BOG – De Goey – 37 Disposals @ 80.7% DE; 11 Clearances, 5 Tackles and one Goal. Grundy – three goals and three Goal Assists.  Your thoughts?

 

Experts. Go to http://whotippedwhat.com/round/afl-2021-round-20/. Check it out later in the week.

 

AFL 2021 Round 20 – Who Tipped What – Who Tipped What Round 20: AFL 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Home Away Print Less Stats The Verdict View Round Summary All… Blogger Commentator Computer Predictions Ex-Coach Ex-Player … whotippedwhat.com

 

Weather. Forecast for Melbourne on the day of the game is for light rain. Get rid of the moulded-sole boots.

 

1. TV. No FTA coverage. Routine for FOXTEL and Kayo.

Other:

 

• Injuries. Go to https://www.afl.com.au/matches/injury-list.
• Footy Almanac. Go to https://www.footyalmanac.com.au/. Check out others’ comments under this – always interesting.
• Covid. Best wishes to all those suffering Covid lockdowns. Hope that the footy gives you some confidence in our eventual Win by Australia over the bug.

Go Pies.

 

Cam

 

 

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