Cam Hooke’s Collingwood Life – Round 20 Preview

True Believers, okay, as we head towards the end of our season, I just want us to show some promise for the future – something the players and supporters can hang onto over the long break.

The Season. Nothing new – one game at a time (for 2017).

Belief. Bucks: AFL 360 – http://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/video/2016-08-02/buckley-speaks-on-360. A bit happier this week.

The Game:

Richmond – Friday, 5 August; at the MCG (of course; where else?); bounce: 7.50pm.

12th versus 13th. This is the first time for a while we’ve played a team lower than us on the Ladder (Round 15 – Carlton; Round 14 – Freo). We’re still 12th, if you need reminding; percentages: 81.4% (them) vs 91.5% (us). They are 7 Wins and 11 Losses while we are marginally better at 8 and 10. Richmond are coming off one win (against Essendon) in their last five games – including last week’s thrashing by GWS in Canberra. We are three Wins from our last five outings, and are coming off our impressive win over the Eagles last week. And our losses to North and Adelaide were ‘respectable’. Simply put, last week Richmond were awful (does anyone want to provide a brief GWS / Richmond game report – I know some of you were there) – and their coach is under pressure – http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-08-01/trent-cotchin-throws-support-behind-fantastic-damien-hardwick. Always the first concern when a Club CEO says that he has “total confidence” in the coach. We should win and win well.

Weather. 5 – 14 deg; light winds; low chance of rain.

TV – 7mate from 7.30pm.

Them?

Tigers. So Richmond come into this game under a lot of pressure to perform – http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/afl-season-2016-the-trouble-with-the-tigers-20160801-gqik69.html. See below re Tigers’ players to watch. The lessons for us are (as always) the need for a four-Quarter effort, the need to get and retain control of the Midfield and other stoppages and the need to have a slick, fast movement of the ball out of our Backline into our Forward line; and better entry to Inside 50 that isn’t just ‘up and under’ bombs. And from some of our recent Losses – tighten up the Back 6 to avoid the ‘easy’ goals.

Tigers players to watch for:

Most influential. Watch for Riewoldt and Martin up Forwards and Rance down Back. Martin is getting lots of touches at CHF and is being talked about as a potential Brownlow winner – warrants tagging;
Potential influencers – In addition to them, watch for Maric in the Ruck, Cotchin amongst the Mids and Deledio at Half Back (but under an injury cloud); and
‘Family’ – not sure there are any. Suggestions?

Us?

Thursday night (again).

Injury Outs? – Moore (hamstring).

Legacy from last week: Well done to Grundy, Adams and Pendles making the Team of the Week after last week’s performance; and Darcy for picking up a Rising Star nomination after a Quarter and a half of the game – imagine if he’d played the whole game. See Michael Christian on ‘The Agenda’ – http://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/ – “He is a beast” – Check who?
.
In’s & Out’s: There are a few Tests though I’d be very surprised to see Moore or Sinclair (concussion the week before) reappear this season, regardless of the outcome. But – Fas and Blair back – great (remember Fas got 5 against Richmond, earlier this year). Who to bring in for Darcy – Cox? Your thoughts? I’d still like to see Goldsack back in place of Brown; and Caff has also performed well in the Two’s. Witts likely to return to the VFL side following his finger dislocation. Marsh avoids a suspension by accepting a fine.

Game Plan – what do we have to do to win? What do you think? What do you want from these last few games? Is there anyone out there?

Game Previews?
AFL Match Day Preview – http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2016/20/rich-v-coll. There now. Their prediction: Pies by 38 points;
Pies. Natoli’s ‘Ultimate Preview’ will be on the Pies Home Page at http://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/ in the next few days;
The Age Preview – Should be at http://www.theage.com.au/afl in the next few days; and
Expert Tips – Expert Tips will be at http://www.theage.com.au/afl/expert-tipsters in the next day or so. Last week was 6 (including Gleeson, Baum and, the ever-present, Mr Shorten) to 18 (including Ling, Connolly and Mr Turnbull) for a Pies’ win. My guess this week is 23: 1 for a Pies Win.

My Picks this week? Pies by 57; BOG: Treloar: 33 touches @ 79.3% DE; Goals: Trav – 5 and 5 Goal Assists, Fas – 4; Crowd – 49 000 (maybe augmented by Pies supports in anticipation of a Win – still very disappointing). Your picks?

Other:
VFL – Coburg at the Holden Centre. Saturday, 6 August; bounce: 1.00pm – Going for 10 Wins in a row. It’s also worth noting that this one and the next VFL games will be shown live on www.collingwoodfc.com.au;
Women’s Footy / Netball – http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-08-02/meg-hutchins-to-double-up-with-collingwood;
Eddie Watch. Quiet;
Terrorist Threat. Always look for the ‘silver lining’. As we are unlikely to be particularly interested in the Finals, and probably won’t attend, the threat of a terrorist attack on the MCG to us, individually, is a somewhat moot point – go to: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/mcg-vulnerable-to-terror-attack-says-top-security-expert-20160801-gqijax.html;
Finals. If you still have an interest in the Finals, check: http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-07-31/after-the-siren-round-19. I don’t agree – I see North as a worthy contender. Not sure who to ‘discard’. Certainly agree removing the Bulldogs. WCE without Nick Nat is also removable; different with him; and
The Olympics – whatever.
Reporting? Is anyone going? Ground Reports pls?

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

Next. Round 21 – Western Bulldogs; 12 August – at Etihad; bounce: 7.50pm. While the Doggies sit above us on the Ladder, comfortably inside the Eight, they are heading towards this game following this weekend versus North (likely Loss) and Losses against Geelong and St Kilda in the weeks prior to that. Admittedly they finish with Essendon and Freo, so should be safe in the Finals, but it would be nice for us, in addition to our Geelong, GWS and Eagles scalps (and Hawthorn in the final Round), “to make a statement”. More on this next week.

Go Pies.

Cam