Cam Hooke’s Collingwood Life: Round 3 Review – Round 4 Preview

 

G’day to all, True Believers; feeling confused? Pleased with the way things were going and then, just a trifle concerned; right up to the end of the game. And then things changed. Every schoolboy’s and schoolgirl’s dream – to kick the winning goal after the siren. I have no idea what is going on.

 

Round 3

 

That was not fun. Once again, we demonstrated just how good we are before slowly being ground down. Brisbane never gave up. Some of our players really should not be there.

 

Collingwood

 

 

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

 

 

‘There’s a lot of things we could have done better’: Buckley laments fadeout

 

www.afl.com.au

 

Extraordinary things we saw (just a couple):

 

  • Cameron’s goal;

 

  • Howe’s goal; and

 

  • Howe’s marks.

 

Some statistics and comments:

 

  • Hit Outs to advantage – I still don’t have these figure except for commentator comment during the game. A dominant HO performance, but far too often sharked. See next;

 

  • Clearances – 35 / 30. A strange reversal, given our HO dominance, above;

 

  • Inside 50s – 53 / 58. This is the most important statistic, qualified by the next two. It is a curious number as usually dominance here dominates scoring;

 

  • Disposal Efficiency – 72.9% / 75.1%. Okay, no real difference here through the whole game, but there’s more. See next two;
  • Individual Disposal Efficiency – 8 / 10 team members with a DE equal to or over 80%. Really poor in our Midfield – Adams – 44%, De Goey – 50%, Sidebottom – 55.2% and Grundy – 60.7%;

 

  • Disposal Efficiency Inside 50 – same between teams;

 

  • Contested possessions – 155 / 139. With Tackles, a measure of pressure (commitment and application); and

 

  • Tackles – 55 / 69. Remember Bucks identified this as a specific failing after Round 1. Seemingly good numbers, but ….

 

We were four goals up halfway through Q2. Our boys look magnificent, passing the ball. Brisbane looked tired and shell-shocked. But they fought back.

 

Best: Grundy, Quaynor, Pendlebury, Howe, Sidebottom, Adams. I do not agree the inclusion of Sidebottom. I think that is the worst game I’ve ever seen him play.

 

Lessons:

 

  • Back 6 – well done. A great performance, again.

 

  • Forwards, also well done – great concurrent leads and leading to marks early on but devolved to high ‘up and under’s to Cox and we occasionally saw Cox and Mihocek competing for the high ball;

 

  • Crumbing packs, both behind and in front? This was shown by both sides as a way to goal. We need to shut theirs down;

 

  • Tackling and one-on-one. Too many opponents ran out of tackles and in one-on-one competitions our player was occasionally on the ground, leaving his opponent free to continue. Stay on your feet or get up quickly;

 

  • Midfield collaboration? Hit Out numbers are useless, unless turned into Clearances? And Cox is not an alternative ruck. We should look seriously at including Cameron and / or Lynch (both did well in the VFL practice match), even at Cox’ expense; and

 

  • Basics – Improved last week but really suspect this week; and

 

  • Decisions – Better than last week.

 

Plus?

 

Experts – 69% of the experts got it right. Go to http://whotippedwhat.com/round/afl-2021-round-3/

 

AFL 2021 Round 3 – Who Tipped What

 

Round 3: AFL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Home Away Print Less Stats The Verdict View Round Summary 69% 97% 58% 94% 97% 53% 72% 69% 97% All… Blogger Commentator Computer Predictions Ex-Coach Ex-Player Journalist Podcast Radio Sports Betting Analyst Television Round Season Upsets Last 5 More Stats # Who From Tips W […]

 

whotippedwhat.com

 

All in all, a solid Loss.

 

 

Round 4 – Greater Western Sydney

 

Collingwood versus GWS. Saturday, 10 April at the MCG; bounce at 7.25pm.

 

Recent History:

 

  • 26 Jun 2020 – GWS 10.6.66 defeated us 9.10.64. This game was almost dead-even for all but Q3 when they got away from us. We recovered from a three-goal deficit late in Q3. In fact, Behinds to Stephenson and Pendles put us ahead at the start of Q4. And it remained close for the whole of Q4, with GWS falling over to win.

 

  • 21 Sep 2019, Preliminary Final – GWS 8.8.56 defeated us 7.10.52. Again, very frustrating. We recovered hard in Q4 but were left a kick short; again.

 

  • 20 Jul 2019 – GWS    19.8.122 defeated us (actually, other descriptive words might apply) 11.9.75. Nothing of value here.

 

Them:

 

GWS are not highly rated though they did defeat Sydney in their pre-season game (and almost lost it in Q3. Who steadied them? Of course – Greene). Taken on top of Sydney’s destruction of Adelaide in Round 2, this might appear significant. However, of course, pre-season games are only practice matches and not to be taken too seriously. Right now, they are ‘2 and 0’ having Lost against St Kilda (13.8.86 to 11.12.78) and Freo (11.21.87 to 7.14.56), the second of these in the wet (interesting accuracy by both sides). The games are an interesting statistical reversal of each other. Against St Kilda GWS dominated Hit Outs and Inside 50s and, especially, Contested Possessions (170 / 140). Against Freo the reverse applied – beaten in HO, Clearances, Inside 50s and, critically, Contested Possessions (113 / 145), but they still Lost. One minor observation – in both their practice match and Round 1, GWS was clearly liked by the umpires, dominating Frees (31 / 19 and 30 / 14, respectively). Round 3, they Take on Melbourne at Manuka. Your thoughts on this? Off the top of my head I would expect Melbourne to dominate, particularly out of the Midfield. So, GWS could be ‘3 and 0’ by the time they meet us.

 

Noteworthy? No Shaw and no Mumford.

 

Players to watch and / or do something about:

 

  • Greene – CHF / HF / FP. I do not admire this player, but he is hugely talented and gets goals – listed amongst the team’s Best in most games – a serious goal-sneak. He needs to be tagged, but by someone capable of turning inside him. Maybe one of the newbies rather than Greenwood;

 

  • Perryman – BP;

 

  • Himmelberg – FF; and

 

  • Taranto – CHF.

 

And watch Keeffe (FB) and Reid (BP; nope, he’s suspended) for broader ‘family’ reasons.

 

Note, no mention of a ruck or other Mids.

 

We should dominate across the ground and seek to win comprehensively.

 

Us

 

Injuries. Go to https://www.afl.com.au/matches/injury-list. Our list is very good, theirs is not too bad (but early in the season). Worth a quick look. This game is the anniversary of Howe’s injury last year. Hope for a better year this season.

 

Team & Tasks. I think we need a couple of changes:

 

Ins:

 

  • Lynch – Tall forward / 2nd ruck (though I’d accept Cameron as an in-lieu item);

 

  • Henry – speed; and

 

  • Greenwood – tagger.

 

Outs:

 

  • Hoskin-Elliott, Ruscoe and Thomas.

 

Game Plan. We need to focus on three things:

 

  • Winning the Clearances. Dominating Inside 50s, would actually be a better target statement here – working backwards, Inside 50s rely on Clearances and the drive forward; Clearances rely on Hit Outs and action in the Midfield. A failure at any stage will result in a failure of the system. And you can add Disposal Efficiency into this process. Scoring is a direct consequence of getting the ball into the 50; and accurate kicking – look for a better placed kicker;

 

  • Alternative avenues to goal – as demonstrated against Carlton; and

 

  • High intensity commitment for four Quarters. As Bucks acknowledged in his interview following Round 1, Tackle numbers is something we pride ourselves on; Round 1 was disappointing. The chase and tackle must be maintained for four Quarters, also as demonstrated against Carlton.

 

Conclusion. Funny about that – my comments are very similar to the ones last week. We can (and should) Win this, comprehensively.

 

My picks. Collingwood to win by 37 Points. BOG – Grundy- 33 touches @ 87.3% DE; 37 HO; 16 to advantage; seven Clearances, five Tackles and one goal; Cameron, De Goey and Cox each get two goals. Mihocek has three Goal Assists. Your thoughts?

 

Experts. Go to  http://whotippedwhat.com/round/afl-2021-round-4/ later in the week for Round 4.

 

AFL 2021 Round 4 – Who Tipped What

 

Round 4: AFL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Home Away Print Less Stats The Verdict View Round Summary 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% All… Blogger Commentator Computer Predictions Ex-Coach Ex-Player Journalist Podcast Radio Sports Betting Analyst Television Round Season Upsets Last 5 More Stats # Who From Tips […]

 

whotippedwhat.com

 

 

Weather. No rain is forecast on the day or in the week leading to the game.

 

  1. TV. FTA – 7mate from 7.00. Routine for FOXTEL and Kayo.

 

Other:

 

  • AFLW. The girls are magnificent. I hope the guys have been watching them – there are some good lessons for them all. I was wrong in expecting them to stay in 2nd place on the Ladder – losing by two goals led to a drop in our percentage from 217% to 190.5%. Regardless, this week starts the Finals. Week 1, Qualifying Final is against North Melbourne on Saturday, 3 April at Victoria Park, ball-up at 3.10. A Win here will take the girls to a Preliminary Final against Brisbane, supposedly in Brisbane, but you never know. Good luck, Ladies. Go to https://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/matches/match-day-hub/aflw-qualifying-final:

 

Official AFL Website of the Collingwood Football Club

 

All the information for our Qualifying Final against the Kangaroos at Victoria Park. Where: Victoria Park When: Saturday 03 April Gates open: 1.40pm (AEDT) First bounce: 3:10pm (AEDT) Ticketing …

 

www.collingwoodfc.com.au

 

  • Other Games. Note, particularly for the Canberra residents, that GWS are playing Melbourne at Manuka on Sunday, 4 April; bounce at 6.10pm. For information go to https://www.afl.com.au/matches/3022:

 

AFL – News, Fixtures, Scores & Results – AFL.com.au

 

Australian Football League. All the latest AFL news, video, results and information

 

www.afl.com.au

 

 

An appeal. Guys, this should be a two-way flow of views and opinions. Pls consider this and contribute. Remember we are all ‘family’.

 

And, yes, there is a reason you are getting this at such an un-Godly hour. We’re travelling today. Have a truly wonderful Easter and a safe, healthy and happy holiday.

 

Go Pies.

 

Cam

 

 

To return to the www.footyalmanac.com.au  home page click HERE

 

Our writers are independent contributors. The opinions expressed in their articles are their own. They are not the views, nor do they reflect the views, of Malarkey Publications.

 

Do you enjoy the Almanac concept?
And want to ensure it continues in its current form, and better? To help keep things ticking over please consider making your own contribution.

 

Become an Almanac (annual) member – CLICK HERE
One-off financial contribution – CLICK HERE
Regular financial contribution (monthly EFT) – CLICK HERE

 

 

 

 

Leave a Comment

*