Cam Hooke’s Collingwood Life: Round 7 Review / Round 8 Preview

 

G’day to all. A great game; enjoyed it hugely.

 

Onward and upward. Go Pies.

 

Round 7

 

Collingwood 17.13.115 defeated the Gold Coast 14.6.90.

 

A general comment first:

 

The Gold Coast aren’t easy-beats. Witts did his job; Casboult was fantastic, as was Miller; and the team, fortunately for us, was without King, out injured. But our team performed, again. We have four Wins and three Losses and, of those Losses, two were close Losses that could have gone our way. Even though the result was close I do not include the Brisbane Loss as, potentially winnable. What does this mean? I really only rate Melbourne and Fremantle, plus, maybe Brisbane, as seriously better than us in the competition. And which team is the last to beat Melbourne? Yep, us, late last year (was it Bucks’ last game?). The season is on. Aim for Top 4 by the finish of the H&A; and the Premiership.

 

Go Pies.

 

Game Timeline. Have a look at the Timeline at www.afl.com.au/afl/matches/3869#timelineIt shows the importance of the 7-goal Q1, after the Sun’s starting (and startling) two goals, and the three-goals at the end of Q3.  The game, Goals scored by Quarter:

 

 

  • Q1                   7 (us) / 3 (them).
  • Q2                   4 / 5;
  • Q3                   4 / 3;
  • Q4                   2 / 3; and
  • Total               17 / 14. And we Won.  Note the Scoring Shot differential – 30 (Us) / 20 (Them) – compare it with the previous weeks. Both sides were very accurate.

Summary from the AFL website?

 

 

  • The Suns win the final term 3.3 to 2.3 but Collingwood runs out 25 point winners. One of the best for the Magpies was veteran Scott Pendlebury with 25 disposals at 72 percent efficiency, nine contested possessions, six tackles, and six marks.

 

 

  • The Magpies have won 40 percent of their offensive one-on-one contests today, bettering their season average of 33 percent. In contrast, the Suns have won just 16 percent of their offensive one-on-one contests today.

 

Match Report:  www.afl.com.au/afl/matches/3869#match-report.

 

Coach’s Comments: www.collingwoodfc.com.au/video/1116515/post-match-craig-mcrae?videoId=1116515&modal=true&type=video&publishFrom=1651387884001. Worth watching. Quote for the week: “..we’re proud of our performance..”. So they should be; as are we.

 

Statistics & Lessons:

 

Team Statistics (identifying only those numbers where there was a significant difference):

 

  • Hit Outs                               17 (us) / 50 (them). While the GC resoundingly won the HO, they failed dismally to exploit                                                      this advantages – see next;
  • Clearances                          33 / 36. The next step. We have broadly re-established the equivalence of the HO numbers.                                                 So, our Mids were doing ‘the sharking’ – Well done;
  • Centre                                  11 / 17. As above, our Mids were doing the sharking. Makes a change; and
  • Stoppages                           22 / 19. Even better;
  • Disposal Efficiency              75.0% / 73.1%. Across the whole game – a minor advantage. Look at the Inside 50 numbers                                                      where it really counts. Broadly equivalent numbers of individual’s with reasonable DE;
  • Inside 50s                            52 / 46. A really good pair of numbers when you look at the starting HO – The critical step                                                       towards goal;
  • Disposal Efficiency              57.5% / 43.5%. This won us the game; and
  • Marks                                   13 / 16. This should have been a major advantage to them, but wasn’t;
  • Scoring Shots                      30 / 20. Then the goals?
  • Goals scored                     15/12. And the game was Won.

 

Application. The sum of Contested Possessions and Tackles, as a measure of application, gives us – 185 (us) / 178 (them) – a reflection that both sides worked pretty hard, no side dominated.

 

So, what is going on? The use of the corridor was terrific, as was the movement round the Wings – see some comments below relating to next week and Richmond’s strong HB line. I think it is a real reflection of changes to the ‘game-philosophy’ that players will have a go – sometimes unsuccessfully, but frequently playing a game that is, seriously worth watching. Cameron and Begg did a good job in the Ruck in place of Grundy against Witts. Unlikely to change. Interestingly the Clearance numbers improved when Begg was rucking in spite of a reduction in the HO, compared with Cameron’s. Good to see Lipinski and Adams back in the mix. See below to look at the future.

 

Best. Listed Best were: J. Daicos, Mihocek, Lipinski, Crisp, Pendles and N. Daicos. I would have been tempted to add Cameron to the list – 5 Clearances, 5 Tackles, 155 metres Gained (plus his pair of goals). And congratulations to Madgen. I note he has had a fair amount of criticism (some by me, honestly), much not warranted, so a goal by a Back is always good to see. Well done.

 

Ground Reporting. Did anyone go? I would love some more ‘ground reporting’ please?

 

 

VFL. I need to draw your attention to the VFL competition. Go to:

 

 

 

 

Our VFL side is sitting 4th on the Ladder with a percentage of 146.3%. Next week they take on the Western Bulldogs.

 

 

Round 8

 

Richmond versus Collingwood.

 

Saturday, 7 May 2022 at the MCG; bounce at 1.45pm.

 

Richmond currently sit 9th with a percentage of 114.4% for 3 Wins / 3 Losses, compared with our 8th place with 110.3%. Pretty close and the fight for entry to the Eight. The future identification of opponents and locations for both is interesting, to our R14 Bye:

 

Round Collingwood Richmond
9 WB, Marvel Hawthorn, MCG
10 Freo, Perth Essendon, MCG
11 Carlton, MCG Sydney, SCG
12 Hawthorn, MCG Bye
13 Melbourne, MCG Port, MCG
14 Bye Carlton, MCG

 

Not sure who will be better placed by Round 15. Your guess?

 

Richmond: Focussing on this year and identifying their Best each week:

 

  • Round 1. Lost to Carlton by 25 Points. Best – Short (HB), Pickett (W), Bolton (HF) and Martin (Rover);
  • Round 2. Won against GWS by 36 Points. Best – Short (HB), Cotchin (C), Pickett (W), Nankervis (Ruck), Balta (FP), Rioli (HB) and Broad (CHB);
  • Round 3. Loss to St Kilda by 33 Points. Best – Graham (off the Interchange Bench), Dow (Rover), Pickett (W), Short (HB), Broad (CHB) and Nankervis (Ruck);
  • Round 4. Win over WB by 38 Points. Best – Short (HB), Lynch (Ruck), Prestia (RR), Rioli (HB), Bolton (FF) and Pickett (W);
  • Round 5. Loss to Adelaide by 19 Points. Best – Cotchin (C), Vlastian (CHB), Prestia (RR), Parker (IC) and Edwards (IC);
  • Round 6. Loss to Melbourne by 22 Points. Best – Vlastian (CHB), Short (HB), Graham (IC), Prestia (Ruck Rover), Gibcus (BP) and Rioli (HB); and
  • Round 7. Win (thrashing of) over WCE by 109 Points (not a typo). Best – Short (C), Lynch (FP), Bolton (HF), Lambert (CHF), Vlastuin (CHB) and Nankervis (R).

Injuries: Go to www.richmondfc.com.au/football/afl/injury-list. Check later in week. Note Lambert is out for the season.

 

Deductions?

 

Seeing some consistent performers? This is my source (mostly, not entirely) of my opponents to watch, below.

 

  • Richmond have a very strong spine and can be expected to use the corridor – principal challenges for our man on man defence, particularly their FB, CHB, C, CHF and FF. Close defence on FF?

 

  • They also have a strong Midfield. The Ruck battle will be key though not the sole part of the challenge. Potentially, tag Prestia?

 

  • And a great Backline. Our Forwards must provide alternative leads. Note the domination of the Best list by HB players. We should seek to avoid this line, maybe by going over it?

 

Anything else, people? Your views?

 

Who to watch:

 

 

  • Short – HB;
  • Vlastuin – CHB;
  • Nankervis – Ruck (supported by Lynch);
  • Prestia – Ruck Rover;
  • Bolton – HF / FF;
  • Riewoldt – Forward, can turn a game as a key target; and
  • Tarrant – FB, a very talented, former All Australian Full Back, brother of a very famous former Pie.

 

 

Us

 

Injuries: None further, though ‘sickness’ nearly removed some of them.

 

Team:

 

 

  • No change. Consider Henry’s return into the Forward line.

 

Things to do – same as previous weeks:

 

 

  • Focus on the ruck battle – very important for the next step – Clearances, then the Inside 50s;
  • Seek to shark the Clearances in the Centre bounces and at stoppages around the ground;
  • Better establish Forward targets – a variety is essential. Please do not take Moore out of the Back 6;
  • Maintain the speed of movement; avoid stoppages or delays (particularly amongst the Backline) – open the game up;
  • Continue to enjoy your footy; and
  • Pursue the execution of the high-intensity Game Plan for the entire four Quarters.

 

 

Your thoughts would be welcomed.

 

Result

 

 

  • My Result. Collingwood to Win by 17 Points BOG – De Goey with 35 Disposals, 10 Clearances and 3 Tackles; Ginnivan to get 5, again. Your thoughts? 

 

 

Go get em, boys.

 

  1. No FTA TV coverage. Go to FOXTEL or KAYO or head off to your friendly pub or club.

 

Weather. Cloudy and dry, but rain is forecast the day before. May be as slippery surface. Avoid moulded-sole boots.

 

Round 8

 

Saturday, 7 May; bounce at 1.45pm.

Collingwood versus Richmond.

 

Other

 

 

Go Pies

 

 

Cam

 

 

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