Returning Thoughts…

Finally the end of financial year rush at work has subsided and I’ve been left with enough time and energy to return to doing something I love – talking about Collingwood.

Given the timing, this piece will serve as something of a belated mid-season review, although I wouldn’t be surprised if it degenerates into a collection of random thoughts that I’ve had whilst watching the team go about their business over the last month or so.  Considering how we were travelling prior to my hiatus and our reversal in form during my absence, I’ve regretted even more so not being able to keep this site active during a period where positives were presenting themselves thick and fast.

It’s time to make up for lost time…

I’m keeping perspective in regards to our five game winning streak; although I do think some people are being overly conservative when it comes to assessing our recent form.  There is a valid argument in pointing out the teams we have beaten and how those sides have been travelling during the time we faced them, but we can only beat the teams we are presented with and so far we have done so in convincing fashion.

The match against Sydney was the one that probably hung in doubt for the longest period of game time, however we extracted something completely different to a percentage boost – yet equally as valuable – from our victory in that game.  At three quarter time, we had our backs against the wall and I’m embarrassed to admit that I had resigned myself to the boys getting overrun in the last.  Admittedly, I had cause for such resignation; we were two players short on the bench at the time and we looked to be running on empty.

Sydney on the other hand had rallied, snatching the lead from us until Dane Swan plucked it back in the dying moments of the third term.  What transpired in the last quarter evoked some of the proudest feelings I’ve had for Collingwood in quite some time, as with their backs against the wall the lads gutsed it out and driven by the brilliance of Alan Didak and Leon Davis, sunk the Swans once more.

Leon Davis has continued on with his emergence as an elite level player last year and Alan Didak has hit his straps over the last couple of weeks, laying the ground work for repaying the faith shown to him.  Paul Medhurst returned to the side last week against Fremantle and whilst he was not at his best and will take a couple more weeks to regain match fitness and touch, he did enough to remind us of just how big an asset he is.

After being understandably patchy at the beginning of the year, Harry O’Brien has once again found form.  Nick Maxwell has played some of the best football I’ve ever seen him play over the last month, whilst Prestigiacomo continues to remind us of just how much we missed him. Heath Shaw has also run himself into some form after being in the wilderness and the result of all of the aforementioned positives is that our defence finally looks settled.

I sang the praises of Sharrod Wellingham after his game against Port Adelaide and he has continued to contribute since then.  He still has a tendency to drift in and out of games, but that could have as much to do with game time and rotations as it does with his mental application.  What has been noticeable is that when Wellingham is switched on and involved, he is having a decisive impact by either winning effective clearances or receiving on the outside and using the ball well.

Dane Swan has been his usual workhorse self and with Scott Pendlebury taking yet another step this year, our midfield woes are beginning to subside.  Speaking of Pendles, we lost his services at the beginning of the Sydney game and have still managed to chalk up two victories without an important cog in our machine.  Pendles absence was noticeable against Sydney, where his silky hands in the clenches were missed as we were smashed out of the middle for large periods of the match.

It hasn’t been an entirely dominant month, as our form during matches has been patchy.  What has been comforting though is that over the last month this fluctuation in form throughout games has become less of an issue, whilst we’ve rediscovered the ability – largely through our match winners – to turn it on.  Watching us dismantle Fremantle with a 10 goal final term last week was one of the most refreshing displays I’ve seen from Collingwood in a while; it seems we have remembered how to go for the jugular.

With our improvement in form, the speculation over the future of Malthouse has come to a grinding halt, which has been another positive for the club.  You cannot underestimate the effect that such uncertainty, especially when highlighted on a public and regular basis, can have on a football club.  With that said, I would hope that any decisions in this regard are made at the conclusion of the season when we have the complete picture of where we currently stand.

Whilst our last month has been good to excellent, it is our next month that will paint a more accurate picture of how we’re travelling.  We face Essendon on Friday night, followed by games against the Western Bulldogs, Hawthorn and Carlton.  The current ladder adds even more importance to these games, as they all shape as potential eight point games.  We have been presented with an excellent opportunity to consolidate our current top four position as the season rounds the bend for the home straight.

After a rough start to the season, we’ve managed to turn things around somewhat by mid-year.  Form can be fleeting and we’re set to find out a lot more about the list over the next month, but given how dire our position could have been we can be pleased with how the club has gone about their football for the past 5 weeks.  On paper, they were sides we should have beaten, but as Collingwood supporters we know all too well just how precarious that statement can be.

Consecutive Wins, Some Concerns Remain…

It seems like an eternity since we last managed to string two wins together, but we have finally broken the pattern this year after defeating West Coast and Port Adelaide in consecutive weeks.  Whilst both wins were eventually comfortable, you would need to combine both matches in order to say we put in a good four quarter performance.  In fairness though, our third quarter against Port Adelaide was something to behold.

Against West Coast, it was our top-liners who did the damage with Leon Davis a clear standout as he once again displayed how much he enjoys playing in front of his family.  Against Port Adelaide, despite an incredible 48 disposal game from Dane Swan, it was our up-and-coming players in Wellingham, Anthony and Dick who played a major role in turning the tide our way whilst the maligned Leigh Brown played far and away his best game for Collingwood.

I have been critical of Leigh Brown in recent times, but his performance on the weekend was excellent.  One thing I have noticed about Leroy over the last two weeks in particular, is that he can be remarkably clean at ground level for someone his size.  Whilst his latest performance was his best, Leigh Brown made a habit of putting in a blinder every so often only to return to extended mediocrity at the Kangaroos.  If the Anvil wants to endear himself to the Collingwood masses, he’ll have to show form resembling that of Sunday on a consistent basis.

Sharrod Wellingham was sensational on Sunday, also playing what could be considered his best game.  Wellingham had very good outings against Essendon and Geelong last year, but his performance against Port Adelaide had a touch of authority about it.  Wellingham has been good since stepping back into the side and what separates his latest performance from his previous noteworthy matches was that he played a pivotal role in our success, as opposed to simply playing a part or benefiting from overall team dominance.

After a reasonably slow start, Wellingham’s work in the centre played a major role in our third quarter dominance — not just winning clearances but winning clean and constructive clearances.  Along with his impressive work in the clenches, Wellingham also made himself dangerous around the ground and if not for an inch or two of goal post, would have finished the day with two very good goals.  His performance on Sunday was testament to the fact that when Sharrod keeps his head in the game, he has the ability to be a genuine weapon both inside and out.

Another brilliant and telling performance came via Brad Dick, who whilst not as prolific on the stat sheet, also played a very serviceable game against West Coast the week before.  Dick’s defensive pressure up forward and creativity has been a bonus the past two weeks and whilst two of his three goals on Sunday showed that he has what it takes to be an opportunistic forward, it was his 22 other disposals and his work at pushing up the field to provide us with dash heading forward that was most impressive.

The best thing about Brad Dick however is his passion and enthusiasm for the game, something that has been sorely lacking in the Collingwood side so far this year.  There isn’t another player who celebrates a goal with more genuine delight than Brad Dick and it’s refreshing and uplifting to see.

Our third quarter on Sunday was about the best football I’ve seen Collingwood play in a long time.  It came about through direct attacking play which created space and opportunity for our forwards.  The faster ball movement afforded us the opportunity to send the ball forward from better positions, whilst also allowing our midfielders to run into space and make themselves dangerous.  John Anthony was prominent during this period, whilst the likes of Leon Davis, Alan Didak and Brad Dick became an ever-present threat as opportunities became more frequent.

It’s important to remember however how inept Port Adelaide were during this period of the game, whilst also being mindful of how poor our first quarter was.  Whilst Port Adelaide’s performance can be attributed to our lift in intensity, it’s safe to say that better sides would have offered a lot more resistance.  Our first quarter, along with our early signs against West Coast the week before, showed that we still have a lot to work on.  Our ball movement was stagnant and focused along the boundary line and we also had periods where we were completely smashed out of the middle.

We’ve been fortunate in some ways this year, whilst we ultimately should have beaten Essendon, we were also lucky to be spared by their poor kicking — something that was repeated by Port Adelaide on Sunday.  The better sides in the competition will make us pay severely if we aren’t switched on from the get go, which has become something of a trait of our side this year.  I’m yet to see a four quarter performance from the side and until this happens, along with consistency from week-to-week, I’ll have my reservations.

Back to some more positives to finish off this piece; Cameron Wood has impressed me the last two weeks as he has shown a willingness to work harder around the ground whilst showing more intent in everything he does.  He started to show some of these signs at VFL level prior to being selected and it’s a good sign that he has brought it with him into the seniors.  Nick Maxwell has been fantastic the last few weeks and has also looked good streaming out of defence, providing some genuine rebound that was usually left for the likes of Shaw, Cox and Clarke.

Speaking of Heater, whilst still being a little rusty we’re starting to see the early signs of him running back into some form.  John Anthony continues to ridicule my pre-season comments about the benefits of trying him down back by continually proving how much of an asset he is up forward.  Whilst I stand by my comments and think we should always be open minded, Anthony has looked more and more like a genuine key forward this year and I can’t remember the last time we had a player who had us celebrating a goal before they’d even put the ball on their boot.

With automatic selections in Travis Cloke and Paul Medhurst to return over the coming week or two and McCarthy, Beams, Reid, Dawes and Barham all looming in the seconds; things do look a bit better at the moment.  Anthony Rocca and Sean Rusling are also noteworthy players, however I have them residing within the bonus category considering their respective situations.

The jury is still very much out on how we’re travelling, but there have been some good signs over the last two weeks despite bearing in mind the quality of our opposition and the resistance they offered.  We face four very winnable games over the coming month and if we can win those matches and gain some momentum, maybe a few perceptions will be changed.  However, it will be our performances against genuine top teams that will carry the most weight and therefore we’ll have to wait a little longer for the opportunity to reconsider our reservations.

Team Selection and Development…

Something of a continuation from my round eight thoughts, I thought I would take a look at some of the shortcomings within our current list, the development of specific players and the decisions made by the selection committee so far this year.

Whilst I intended on tackling this subject after my initial write-up, I was further motivated to do so after Pedro – a regular visitor to this blog – aired some concerns over our team selection so far this year.  I share these concerns, as our selection has left me uncertain for most of the year and even completely baffled at times.

The inclusions of Leigh Brown and Anthony Corrie have not paid off and may even be a hindrance to the development of our existing younger brigade at this point.  I’ll admit, I let out a groan when I heard Leigh Brown’s name called out on draft day, but once he pulled on the black and white I held out the sort of blind hope that Collingwood fans are famous for.

I would get frustrated watching Leigh Brown at the Kangaroos and I’ve never had any sort of investment in an opposition team.  Unfortunately, my initial reaction to the drafting of Brown has been justified so far this season, whilst Anthony Corrie has proven to be a handy player when everything is going right, which was a solitary occasion, but any expectations of a Medhurst like revelation should be put on ice.

Nothing against Leroy and Corrie, as despite being guilty of the typical off-season optimism my main expectation was purely based on depth when we drafted them as we were clearly lacking in the experience stakes.  Evidently, the club had grander expectations for both players and have provided them with the opportunity to reach those heights.  So far, they’ve fallen short and whilst Malthouse has persisted – particularly with Leigh Brown – most fans have been left wondering what the selectors have in mind and what illicit substance spawned such ideas.

Whilst Anthony Corrie has been dropped ahead of our clash with West Coast, Leigh Brown has retained his spot despite recent poor performances and the return of Josh Fraser.  After Malthouse defended Leigh Brown when his form was questioned in the press conference following our loss to Carlton, I can’t help but wonder whether the choice to retain him ahead of the likes of Chris Dawes, Chris Bryan or even smaller options has more to do with petty pride than team balance — a balance which has so far made vertigo sufferers look like tight rope walkers in comparison.

Persistence despite performance has plagued just about every incarnation of Collingwood since we stepped into the new millennium, with the likes of Andrew Williams and Chad Morrison being prime examples.  Reasonable fans can forgive singular poor performances, even form slumps, but too often have under performing players been given extended stints in the seniors when even the most inattentive Magpie fan would deem their selection as being undeserved.

Leigh Brown and Anthony Corrie may yet add something to this side previously not envisioned by most supporters, but for the time being their contributions in the seniors (Brown) and reserves (Corrie) have not warranted senior selection.

Speaking of our most recent team selection and rewarding good form in the seconds, Tyson Goldsack was our other inclusion alongside Josh Fraser.  Now, I’ve written many times on this site that I’m a fan of Moneybags and hope that he can recapture some past form and better yet, improve upon it.  However, Tyson Goldsack continues to struggle, looking as out of touch in the VFL as he has when called up to the seniors.

Last week, Tyson once again struggled in the seconds, so much so that our official VFL write-up couldn’t put a positive spin on his game.  Yet, this week we find Goldsack elevated into the seniors despite the fact that we’re already playing Maxwell, Toovey and Cox.  The general consensus even before the season started was that we couldn’t carry all these “utilities” in the one line-up; a belief that was vindicated in round one against Adelaide.

Whilst how that selection might play out on Saturday night worries me, what worries me most is the message that is sent to our fringe players when such selections occur.  It’s a problem that has existed for a while now, but has become increasingly apparent over time.  On more occasions than I can count, players have been rewarded with senior selection when others around them had performed a lot better at VFL level.  If enthusiasm is lacking in our seniors, I could only imagine how hard it must be for players to work up the motivation when relegated to the seconds — this may also go some way to explaining prolonged form lapses, when the threat of being dropped is generally perceived as empty.

I understand the argument surrounding horses for courses and of course team balance, but I fail to see how a superfluous utility on the vast expanses of Subiaco benefits us strategically; or how an under-performing Leigh Brown would be a better option up forward than Chris Bryan or a developing Chris Dawes.

This rigid selection process has played a part in the seemingly stagnant development of our list.  We were steered to within one goal of a Grand Final in 2007 on the back of youthful exuberance and understandably Collingwood fans sensed a bright future ahead.  Since then, we have been treading water whilst being carried out to sea by a tide of stubbornness.

We have had a fascination in utilities with perceived versatility, capable of multiple positions yet masters of none.  Unfortunately, this preoccupation with flexibility hasn’t extended to our strategy come game day and our selection has been bereft of creativity whilst displaying an inability to identify blatant problems.

Heath Shaw was left to flounder last year when opposition teams took to tagging him out of a match in defence.  Malthouse placed the onus on Heath Shaw, indicating that he needed to learn to break a tag and become better for the experience.  I agree with this approach when it’s directed at midfielders, as being tagged is a rite of passage for any developing on-baller with an ounce of talent.  However, it’s a different kettle of fish when you’re a defender playing under a coach who demands accountability above all else.  Whilst Shaw’s form had lulled regardless, he was in a no win situation and his football suffered.

On the bright side, Shaw has been named up forward on paper this week and if this move actually eventuates, then I’ll be pleased to see some lateral thinking incorporated into our match-ups.

Hindsight plays a big part in assessing selection and it could be construed as cheap to be critical of such selections in light of the outcome; but personally I think those of us who have been disgruntled with the line-ups so far have merit considering how glaring some of the decisions have been.  Whilst injuries haven’t made the job any easier, a reluctance to address obvious holes – even if some of the options are as yet unproven – has been the prime cause for restlessness amongst Collingwood fans.

Collingwood may yet prevail this Saturday night, I certainly hope that we do, but I doubt that the result will do much to ease the understandable concerns of supporters at this point in time.  I’ve not given up hope just yet, but should things continue as they are – with similar results – then my tone is likely to change come the mid-season break.

Round 8 Thoughts…

I can’t remember the last time I refused to watch a Collingwood game, regardless of the result, but after listening to the game on the radio at work on Sunday I just couldn’t bring myself to relive the shattering disappointment in yet another format.  Besides, after watching the replay of the St. Kilda game last week and going by our score sheet against Carlton, I imagine it was virtually an encore performance.

Usually, I would make it a point to watch the game and extract positives like the scarce edible portions within a cheap, poorly cooked piece of steak.  This time around I’ve foregone that chore, because to analyse this single game would be a pointless exercise and I’d probably be overlooking the bigger problems at hand.

I’ve sat on the fence in regards to some of the topics that have been dominating Collingwood conversations so far this year, but I think it might be time to vent some frustration and be brutally honest in doing so.

First up, the game plan.  Our obsession with moving the ball down the wings has been one of the most talked about aspects of our football this year; we’ve always played this way, although it has become more apparent now that it is being exposed on a regular basis.  It’s not just that we don’t use the corridor, it’s also that we completely relinquish it to the opposition.

The logic behind playing the wings rests largely on the belief that if we do turn the ball over, there is a good chance that a boundary throw-in will result, thus giving us another opportunity to win back possession.  The problem is that when boundary throw-ins do not result – which has happened often – the opposition are lining up in the middle of the ground and are able to carry the ball with no pressure.

Against Essendon, I was astounded when on multiple occasions we would kick to an option on the wing who was outnumbered three to one.  There was so much about this that I seriously couldn’t comprehend.  We always bring the ball back in down the wing, yet none of our players thought to get to the predictable spot where the contest was going to ensue?

Our players have to carry some responsibility, as with the above example they obviously didn’t work hard enough or follow what is a basic aspect of our game plan — this was made even worse when Essendon obviously predicted our movements ahead of our own players.  With that said, it has to be a little hard to follow a game plan that exists because you’re apparently not good enough.

For as long as I can remember, our style of play has been clinical, inflexible and predictable.  It has been this style of play that whilst enabling us to be competitive against some superior outfits, has caused us to be vulnerable to lesser clubs.  Despite Malthouse objecting, Buckley was right when he said we often lose matches we should win; it has been an all too common theme that has cost us three top four finishes by my count (2006, 2007 and 2008).

When Hawthorn exposed us savagely last year – on not one but two occassions – I would have given anything to see the side try something different, to throw caution to the wind and take the game on.  Supporters can stomach losses if they know that their side went down swinging and left no stone unturned, but as has been the case too often we stayed the course and lost in as regimented a fashion as when we win.

The players lack enthusiasm and passion, they simply no longer seem to enjoy their football.  Personally, I think the game plan could be in some way responsible for players lacking these intangibles, as they’re no longer presented with the opportunity to take the game on and back themselves in against their opponents.  Instead, they are told that they are not good enough to venture through the middle of the ground and reminded of their supposed inferiority in the most public of arenas when questions are raised about our game plan.

Our list does have deficiencies in the talent stakes, but I’ll go over that at length in the very near future.  With that said, I rate the talent within our playing list higher than that of Essendon and Melbourne, yet their recent form has been considerably better than ours and a lot of it has to do with the way they go about it.  Essendon are playing with a spark that doesn’t come from superior talent, but from belief and passion.  It’s what saw them manufacture three goals in just as many minutes in conditions that deter scoring, whilst we capitulated and watched it unfold.

We have been hit hard by injuries, but this recent development just masks problems that have been evident for a while now.  Something needs to change and whether Malthouse is capable of breathing life into this side or not remains to be seen; but I’ve grown increasingly doubtful and it has become evident that our compass is broken and our direction is wayward.

There is a lot more I would like to cover and I will soon enough.  For now I will state that I love this club, but we simply cannot afford to be blindly loyal – usually a pride evoking prerequisite for the Magpie fan – given the current situation and especially if we intend on tasting some long overdue success.

Round 7 Thoughts…

First things first, I don’t like Monday night football and I hope it doesn’t take off.  Starting work at 4:00am forced my hand and for the first time in as long as I can remember, I resorted to recording and watching the game after the fact.  I made the decision knowing that as a Collingwood supporter it would be impossible to avoid knowing the result once I got to work — especially if the result was an undesirable one.

My prediction held true, as I hadn’t even thawed out from the early morning cold before a co-worker tipped me off about the massacre.  To his credit, he was compassionate about it; but then most people are left with pity after such a one-sided result and he is a Richmond supporter.

So instead of watching the grotesque spectacle play out, I steadied my stomach to attend the post-mortem after work today — complete with some comfort food to act as the odour masking menthol.

I wasn’t confident of our chances given that we were missing Leon, Medhurst, Anthony and Didak — virtually rendering our forward line impotent.  Truth be told, even if these players were available I still would have entered the game expecting a loss given the current form of both teams.  Regardless of the opposition’s quality, it’s still impossible to accept such embarassing losses.

I thought we were competitive in the first term, controlling play and winning most contests for a majority of the quarter.  Unfortunately, we were unable to translate this to the scoreboard, which could in some way be attributed to our absences but credit also needs to be given to the St. Kilda defence as well.

From that point on though, it was all St. Kilda in a dominant display that invoked deja vu of the NAB Cup Grand Final.  I can’t fault the endeavour of most of our players throughout the game, but we were simply outplayed by a side sporting considerably more class and cohesion than us at the present time.

With both Medhurst and Davis withdrawing from the game (one expected, one surprising) the opportunity arose for Sidebottom and Stanley.  Sidebottom made his eagerly anticipated debut at an inopportune time, whilst Stanley was finally rewarded for consistent excellence in the VFL.  Both players had little influence on the match, but at the same time neither disgraced themselves.

Danny Stanley has been a continual talking point amongst Collingwood fans, with people divided over his future prospects.  I’ve been a fan of Stanley and have longed for him to be given a decent opportunity at senior level, but that’s not to say I’m confident that he will eventually make it.  The fact is, we do know that he is a very good VFL player and there is nothing more that we can learn about him at that level.  Whether he could be more is still in doubt and given the state of our season, I see no harm in finding out definitively.

Sidebottom had a good debut considering the circumstances.  He racked up 22 touches and looked to adjust to the lift in tempo as the match wore on.  His work in contested situations was probably the feature, whilst he also displayed clean hands when attacking the ground ball.  He’ll definitely retain his spot and hopefully he can provide us with something to smile about in what could potentially be a very long season.

I thought Maxwell was good throughout, whilst Presti also held strong for the most part despite Riewoldt kicking five.  Anthony Rocca also got involved a bit more this week, but given his age and with all due respect to Pebbles I would prefer if he wasn’t the player acting as the source for any silver linings.

Jaxson Barham continued to display his determination and I’m happy to persist with him in hope of ironing out some of his rough edges.  Shane O’Bree also gave a good account of himself, whilst Pendlebury despite having what could be considered a quiet game collected respectable stats and provided us with some of our most convincing clearances.  I was fairly critical of Sharrod Wellingham based on what he was showing in the VFL leading up to his senior selection, but he has performed well at the top level in his two games so far.

The positives dry up right about there…

Heading into this season, I decided that the year could go either way given that I truly believe we’re in a transitional period all over the field and it’s looking more and more likely that this phase will extend off-field.  Recent retirements and our obvious lack of experience have caught up with us, whilst the unpredictable development of players has left us exposed.

I can’t think of any other way to describe our side and performances so far this year other than stale.  We showed some spirit against Brisbane but followed it up with the ANZAC Day debacle.  Our victories over North Melbourne and Melbourne weren’t as convincing as the scoreboard might suggest, given the quality of those respective teams.  Most important of all, Geelong and St. Kilda have shown us just how far off the pace we currently are.

To add insult to injury (or should that be injury to insult?) Josh Fraser, Dane Swan, Dale Thomas and Travis Cloke all sustained injuries during last night’s encounter.  With a growing injury list which now contains most of our top bracket, the next few weeks could be very interesting.  Regardless of how results fall, we might be given the opportunity to find out more about our list over the coming month.

It’s shaping as a gloomy winter for the Collingwood faithful, although the clouds might part and some warmth be found if we can roll the Blues this coming weekend.

Message To Readers…

Gone Workin’ … Back in 3!

Some of you may have noticed that the site has been bereft of updates over the weekend and before I plead my case I would like to apologise for the temporary lull in write-ups, reviews and so forth.

Although it would please me greatly, maintaining this site unfortunately doesn’t pay the bills and over the last week my place of employment has been inundated with work — which given the current climate I cannot complain about.  I’ve just finished working my 8th day straight in what could potentially be a month long stretch, which has left me with little time to dedicate to this site or even to get to games.

With that said, I expect things on the work front to simmer down in about three weeks time, at which point things should return to normal.  I hope that those of you who have paid regular visits to the site and made contributions continue to check in.

During this time, I’ll be refraining from detailed reports on AFL matches whilst I also expect to be unable to attend VFL games for the next month.  However, when I do find time I’ll be posting articles on general talking points that relate to the club or arise from our games.

I would like to thank everyone for their support so far and I look forward to picking up right where I left off within a few weeks time.

Regards

The 10th Letter

Teams: Collingwood Vs. North Melbourne (Round 6, 2009)

Collingwood

B: Shaw / Prestigiacomo / Maxwell
HB: O’Brien / N. Brown / Clarke
C: O’Bree / Lockyer / Thomas
HF: Medhurst / Cloke / Macaffer
F: Anthony / L. Brown / Rocca
Foll: Fraser / Beams / Pendlebury
INT: Davis / Barham / Swan / Toovey
EMG: Goldsack / Corrie / Wellingham

IN: Heath Shaw, Nick Maxwell.
OUT: Shannon Cox, Tyson Goldsack.

North Melbourne

B: Watt / Thompson / Gibson
HB: Pratt / Firrito / Rawlings
C: Urquhart / Harris / Thomas
HF: Harding / Edwards / McMahon
F: Warren / Petrie / Hale
Foll: McIntosh / Ziebell / Swallow
INT: Lower / Power / Simpson / Greenwood
EMG: Ross / Jones / Goldstein

IN: Daniel Harris, Shannon Watt.
OUT: Brent Harvey (elbow), Lachie Hansen (hamstring).

Much to my surprise, we have made only two changes ahead of our clash against North Melbourne.  I personally expected at least three, with the likes of Toovey, Macaffer and Barham being fortunate to escape the knife.  I also thought that Leigh Brown may have made room for one of Wood or Bryan considering Fraser’s performance last week, but the experiment continues.

Just on Barham and Macaffer, I’m actually glad to see that we’ve decided to persist with them.  Macaffer didn’t have a noteworthy debut, but at the same time he didn’t do too much wrong and I’d like to see what he can offer after settling a bit more at senior level.  Barham had a day to forget as far as his disposal was concerned, but his endeavour was once again commendable.  If he can continue to work hard and improve his disposal he might become a regular fixture, otherwise he might be relegated to the VFL until he polishes up on the basics.

I’m not sure what to think of this side, which is a feeling I’ve had all year when it has come to team selection.  We have effectively made minimal changes after what was one of the worst losses I can remember — it still hurts.  Our back line should become a bit more settled with the welcome return of Shaw and Maxwell, but I’m still not sold on our top-heavy forward line.

As far as the omissions go, the dropping of Goldsack was fair enough as he is still yet to find his feet at senior level after a forgettable 2008.  Shannon Cox I’m a little surprised by, as I thought he would have had enough credits in the bank after a reasonably good start to the season.  Cox has his detractors and had his worst outing against Essendon, but he has been in our best or thereabouts for most games in 2009.  Someone had to reap the whirlwind after ANZAC Day and it turns out that Cox was our Dorothy.

I remain uncertain about our team selection and downright fearful about our ruck situation opposed to the likes of McIntosh, Petrie and Hale.  North’s midfield has taken a significant hit with the loss of Harvey and Wells, but the likes of Simpson and Harris are very good in the clenches and are likely to be well-serviced by their rucks — whilst you would hope that we gain supremacy in the midfield, it’s never a sure thing.

Without pondering further, I’m just going to say we better win this one because if we don’t, we could realistically be standing 2-6 in a couple of weeks time.  After last week, the side owes something to the supporters — it’s time to pull the finger out Collingwood.

Preview: Collingwood Vs. North Melbourne (Round 6, 2009)

This has been one of the toughest weeks I’ve endured as a football fan in recent memory; as every morning upon waking I’ve been forced to come to the bitter realisation that – as surreal as it was – it wasn’t just a nightmare.  Suffice to say the season hasn’t started as we all expected and I’m as bewildered as the next person as to what is happening down at Collingwood, but as fans we must persevere.

We’ve dropped two games that we should have won, the last being downright unforgivable given the circumstances.  This week we come up against a North Melbourne outfit, sans Daniel Wells and Brett Harvey.  Despite the Kangaroos always troubling us, this is a game that would have been pencilled in by most as yet another predicted victory.  With our current position in mind and the absence of Wells and Harvey, if Collingwood don’t win this one then whatever is amiss down at the club could very well become terminal as far as 2009 is concerned.

Josh Fraser became the face of our spectacular failure on ANZAC Day, which was expected if not a little unfair given the general performance of the entire list.  Fraser deserved to be put under the microscope, but the extent to which he has been scrutinised – whilst overlooking the entire picture – was in my opinion a little bit much.

It will be interesting to see how Fraser responds, as this week he’ll have his work cut out for him against the likes of McIntosh and Petrie.  What was evident on Saturday was that Josh needs more adequate back-up.  We’ve sent a message to the likes of Wood and Bryan, but now is probably the time to see if that message has been received by testing one of the two at senior level once more.

Alan Didak is still under an injury cloud, but Nick Maxwell is a certain starter and Heath Shaw could be another inclusion if he gets through training this week.  Our back line has lacked balance all year and team selection has been a bit of a puzzle so far.  I haven’t been convinced with having Toovey, Goldsack and Cox all within the same team and with the return of Maxwell and hopefully Shaw, we might be able to find equilibrium down back.

Harvey and Wells are fortunate outs as far as Collingwood is concerned, as these two habitually cause us problems.  Wells is a player who we tend to disregard and pay the price, whilst Harvey is arguably in the top bracket of talent in the AFL and for good reason.

Whilst you would expect (or maybe hope is more apt) that our shocking loss to Essendon will sting the side into action, it must be remembered that North Melbourne would also be determined to bounce back after falling to Richmond last week — a more surprising outcome than our match, albeit not as dramatic.  Further concern stems from our discomfort at the Dome, a ground which we haven’t performed well on in recent years.

I can’t predict how the team is going to line-up this week, although I would expect a minimum of three changes with returning players in the mix.  Wood or Bryan could very well constitute another change if Fraser’s performance last week is to be addressed via the line-up.

Much like our back line, our forward line still requires some tweaking.  Granted we suffered from the loss of Didak, but faced with that possibility again I think we need to opt for more flexibility up front.  I’m a fan of Macaffer and whilst it was good to see him debut, I think it was perhaps a little premature.

The plan to add strings to Macaffer’s bow at VFL level was only in its infancy and I think we would have been better persevering with the original plan a little longer.  Macaffer didn’t disgrace himself on ANZAC Day and I was actually content with what I saw; but we can’t carry Rocca, Anthony, Cloke, Leigh Brown and Macaffer at the moment.  We need to bring in a player at the expense of Brown or Macaffer that either fills a more important role (i.e. Wood or Bryan as dedicated second string rucks) or has more flexibility, perhaps even an extra set of legs in the midfield.

Friday night isn’t about redemption, as there is no possible way we can redeem ourselves for last week’s disaster.  We simply have to win this game and move on to the next job, because given the season so far and our 2-3 standing, any celebrations should we get up on Friday night should be humble if not non-existent — I want to see some resolve and focus from this point forward.

Redemption can be judged come mid-season.

VFL Report: Collingwood Vs. Bendigo (Round 3, 2009)

The Scores

Collingwood: 3.4 / 7.6 / 9.6 / 13.11 [89]
Bendigo: 1.2 / 6.3 / 6.9 / 6.10 [46]

Goals

Collingwood: Bennell 3, Francis 2, Dick 2, Rounds, Sidebottom, Corrie, Frost, Bryan, Stanley.
Bendigo: Slattery 2, Neagle 2, German, Magin.

I usually do a more comprehensive review and player report for VFL matches, but I was only able to watch one half of the match this week before having to dash back down the Northern Highway at half-time.  With that in mind, the following player report will consist of observations from the first half alone.

Chris Bryan: Didn’t get too involved in the first half, although would have made the highlight reel for a big pack mark in the second quarter.  Continued to be played as a permanent forward, so I’m starting to wonder whether Bryan will figure in senior ruck considerations.  Having Bryan as a focal point at VFL level allows our up-and-coming smalls an opportunity to shine; whilst also taking some pressure off of Dawes.

Chris Dawes: Got involved in the first quarter, but unfortunately not in the manner that we would ideally like to see.  Most of his contribution was done at ground level rather than on the lead or in the contested marking stakes — let alone on the scoreboard.  He was barely spotted in the second quarter, but after worrying repors during our pre-season hitouts regarding his mental application, I would have to say over the last three weeks he has continued to try hard and put in without dropping his bundle.

Luke Rounds: Showed some very good signs in the first half.  He started on a forward flank and got busy.  He presented well a few times and was rewarded once or twice, but his work at ground level and defensively was the highlight.  Got a bit of the ball and kicked a lovely goal from right on 50 metres in the second quarter.  He came to us being noted for having a lot of pace and a fair bit of polish, both these attributes have been showcased but I will add that he also doesn’t mind the rough stuff.

Jarrad Blight: The player I was most looking forward to seeing yesterday, being that he hasn’t had a run in the VFL yet this season.  Was very pleased with what I saw in the first half.  Played across half-back and displayed a good ability to read the play coming in, chopping off a couple of Bendigo’s forward thrusts.

I made a point to watch him when not in possession or near the play, and he positions himself well to provide an option for the switch, or a get out of jail option to a nearby team mate in possession.  He got a fair bit of the ball in the first half and whilst he had a few fumbles, we could safely attribute these to rust and early jitters.  Has some springs in his heels, taking a very nice mark over Bellchambers of all people.  Both Blight and Rounds have shown good signs early, they could do with a year in the VFL whilst bulking up and learning the finer points — but I’m reasonably confident at the moment about their future prospects.

Tristan Francis: Goes about his business in a very honest manner, but that’s not to say he is a battler.  His burst of pace over the first few steps was present again yesterday, getting him out of trouble a few times.  Whilst his foot skills aren’t particularly noteworthy, they’re fairly sound as he seems to play within his limits.  Shapes as a player who we could get some good service out of in the future if he continues with his current progress and maybe manages to go up a notch or two.

Jaryd Blair: I have to admit I didn’t notice him much in the first half bar a couple of instances.  In those cases, he showed his good awareness and evasive ability in traffic.  Has the knack and good awareness- similar to Sidebottom – of stopping on a dime and sidestepping to avoid a tackler coming from any direction.  Hasn’t been as prominent as his first outing in the VFL over the last fortnight, but we’ll see how he comes on throughout the year.

Cameron Wood: I was really pleased with Wood’s game last week in a losing side and I was happy with what I saw in the first half against Bendigo.  His tap work wasn’t too convincing, although the wind caused problems particularly at boundary throw ins.  He has the ability to be a very good tap ruck man, which was on display last week when he got some extremely good hit outs.  What pleased me the most yesterday was his effort around the ground to provide an option and get involved, which has been a big step up from some of his passenger performances during the NAB Cup.

Lachlan Keeffe: Can’t say that I saw a whole lot of Keeffe during the first half, but the bits I did see I was happy with.  He’s still learning the trade and at times that point is very evident, but over the last three weeks I’ve seen a ruckman who loves to play the big man role.  He’s got a good size on him considering he’s still early in his development, but once he fills out look out — we may have found the ruckman who we’ve sorely missed for the last decade.

Danny Stanley: Started on the ball this week (along with Francis and Sidebottom) and spent a fair bit of the first half pushing forward to expose his opponent in the air — something he is quite good at.  Managed to snare a goal in the first half after out positioning his opponent in the goal square.  Whilst he hasn’t been as prominent as he has been in the past so far this season, his second, third and fourth efforts are a real feature.  I wouldn’t say he has done enough over the last three weeks to demand a senior call-up (which admittedly can be said about a few who have been called up) but if we had to replace O’Bree at any point then Stanley for me is the only real candidate.

Steele Sidebottom: Got a fair bit of the ball in the first quarter and was quieter in the second.  His exceptional reading of the play and positioning was again on show, but I’m almost entirely of the mind that the reports about elite foot skills were premature.  He doesn’t burn the ball at all – quite the contrary – but he uses it more conservatively over a 5-30 metre radius.  A very efficient and clever player and it’ll be a little while yet before we get a clearer picture of what primary position he’s going to fill at senior level; as he has the scope to step into a few.

Brad Dick: I was tough on Brad Dick last week despite the four goals he kicked, as he wasn’t involved in the game for the most part.  It was the complete opposite in the first half yesterday, where he seemed to be everywhere.  Laid some very good tackles (and was rightfully rewarded) and linked up all over the ground.  Kicked two goals for the half, one of which was a set shot from outside 50 into the wind after being knocked silly in a marking contest.  Fantastic first half, I would have rated him as BOG up until half-time, although with that said I would prefer him to notch up a few more performances like yesterday before coming back into the senior side.

Anthony Corrie: He was Collingwood enemy #1 for the fans who got down to Visy Park in round one, and rightfully so.  He put on one of the most selfish and mediocre displays that I’ve witnessed first hand, but to his credit he has improved upon this over the last two weeks.  The traits are still there, but he has improved somewhat in this regard and yesterday showed a willingness to put his body on the line in a few instances, as opposed to floating on the open wing for the easy release.  At this point, I’m pretty much resigned to him being nothing more than depth, which was probably always going to be the case.

Ben Reid: His best performance so far for the year.  He got a fair bit of the ball in the first quarter and used it well, managing to find targets despite the difficult conditions.  The best part of his game was on show in the second quarter and it all came down to defence.  He’s managed to amass relatively impressive stats the last couple of weeks but people are more worried about his ability as a defender.  Yesterday he showed excellent signs, I must have counted about three or four genuine spoils that either went to our advantage or killed any further contest, all within the second quarter.  Fear not, he’s progressing quite well.

Toby Thoolen: Still yet to show any notable improvement, unless something happened in the second half that I missed.

Kevin Dyas: Last week was his first game back after tearing his hamstring off the bone and being laid up for a while — understandably he struggled to find his feet.  Yesterday, he looked better and got involved more.  I’ll be waiting until later in the year before really assessing him given his injury and background.

Sharrod Wellingham: Has been one of the more disappointing players for me so far this year, as I was expecting quite a bit more from him.  He works hard and demands the ball, but can often fall victim to bad decision making or overestimating his own ability.  Wellingham is talented no doubt, but to a point.  If he can learn to play within his current boundaries a bit more and get some rough edges ironed out, he’ll be one of the first in line for a call-up.  Has been played mostly across half-back this season, so it looks like they’re trying to improve his defensive side and concentration — mixed results so far.

Johnny Bennell: Always looks lively and you can’t miss him with those boots, but unfortunately I didn’t get to see his best efforts yesterday.  Chased diligently in the first half but didn’t manage to get on the end of the ball too often up until half-time.  He ended up our leading goal kicker though, so his fortunes obviously changed.  I’ll get a better look at him this week.

Scott Reed: Didn’t get too much of it in the first half and the times he did it was evident that he longs for a bit more freedom, as he enjoys to run and carry.  He got carved up in defence last week, but it’s always a steep curve when you’re learning a defender’s trade whilst being undersized.  I got a closer look at him yesterday, being situated near the Collingwood bench and his slight frame became even more apparent.  He’ll have a bit to offer once he develops physically, but it’ll be interesting to see what we have in mind with all the utility types we’ve amassed over recent years.

Once again, all these observations were taken from the first half alone and based on how the game panned out I would have missed out on a bit; but given most people don’t get the opportunity to see our VFL side play I figured something is better than nothing.

Match Review: Collingwood Vs. Essendon (Round 5, 2009)

The Scores

Collingwood: 4.2 / 6.6 / 8.10 / 12.16 [88]
Essendon: 1.5 / 6.6 / 9.13 / 13.15 [93]

Goals

Collingwood: Anthony 4, Davis 2, Rocca, Macaffer, Medhurst, Cloke, L. Brown, Pendlebury.
Essendon: Lovett 2, Dyson 2, Winderlich, Lonergan, McPhee, Monfries, Stanton, Davey, Jetta, Zaharakis.

The 10th Letter’s Best: Pendlebury / Davis / Swan / O’Brien

Losing to Essendon is always a bitter pill to swallow, losing in the fashion that played out today is downright unbearable.  For those who didn’t happen to watch the game and might be reading this as their only means of envisioning the events; I extend my pre-emptive apologies for a review that may very well suffer from the loathsome, deflated feeling that I am currently immersed in.

The weather held out for the majority of the match, and as the game kicked off we looked to be switched on as we kicked the first two majors through Rocca and Macaffer — who was a late inclusion for Alan Didak and got his senior career started on the best possible note.  Essendon would work themselves into the game however, as they spent a 10 minute period peppering the goals with only their inaccuracy sparing our ineptitude.

Despite our lightning start to the match, there were signs in the first quarter that forewarned of a possible poor performance.  Our players looked flat and were not clean in contested situations, whilst Essendon dictated a lot of the play and looked a lot more committed and settled.  We managed to withstand the early Essendon push – largely due to their failure to convert – and when Medhurst and Cloke goaled as the quarter wound down we took some scoreboard supremacy in the quarter time break.

It’s important to note that David Hille went down with a suspected ACL injury in the first quarter, leaving Paddy Ryder as Essendon’s only slightly qualified ruckman for the remainder of the match.  Most people would have expected Josh Fraser to seize control of the match, but instead Ryder played an incredible game that whilst deserving of kudos for him, was simultaneously an indictment on Josh Fraser’s eventual performance.

Essendon controlled the second quarter, as Collingwood retreated back to the boundary line and back within themselves to play some ordinary football.  Scott Pendlebury was fantastic in the first quarter but Essendon managed to nullify his influence somewhat during the second.  By the half-time break, we had witnessed Essendon whittle down Collingwood’s 15 point lead to finish the half with scores tied at 42 a piece.  If not for the straight kicking of John Anthony, it could have looked a lot worse for Collingwood.

After the half-time break, Essendon came out a lot more determined whilst our boys struggled to get out of first gear.  With all the talk of premiership intentions during the off-season and after being challenged in the second quarter, it was downright bewildering to witness the football that we offered up during the important third quarter.  Essendon had the opportunity to put the match beyond doubt but once again squandered chances, adding 3.7 for the quarter.

It took until there were only 5 minutes left in the quarter for Collingwood to snap into action, with Leon Davis – who had gone largely unnoticed for most of the match – sparked a late surge out of the middle.  After controlling the last 5 minutes of play, we managed to head into the last quarter only 9 points behind after a quarter that rightfully should have seen us almost out of the contest.

After a quarter of teeth-gritting and fist clenching, I had no idea that things were set to unfold in a manner that would render me incapable of mustering any sort of physical response.

The stage was set and after playing mediocre football all day and being spared through good fortune and poor execution by Essendon.  Collingwood finally gained some ascendancy for most of the last quarter, regaining the lead and managing to extend it to 14 points late in the last quarter.  Leigh Brown and Marty Clarke both had opportunities to ice the match, but failed with Clarke snapping a little too sharply and Leigh Brown kicking way too lazily.

With less than 5 minutes left, we looked poised to escape with a narrow victory.  The heavens opened up as the clouds darkened, the lights came on at the MCG and switched off in the heads of those on the field wearing the black and white.  In the space of 2 minutes, Essendon kicked three goals with Zaharakis floating the match winner through with only seconds remaining.

Just writing it seems all too anti-climactic for what was, in the most disappointing variation, such a surreal conclusion to a game.

In the space of four quarters, we probably pieced together about 30 minutes of football that would achieve an acceptable mark — and I’m probably being generous in saying that.  Considering this, along with the other pieces that fell into place for us, we quite simply didn’t deserve to win and some hard questions need to be asked of everyone currently involved at the club.

Scott Pendlebury is possibly the only silver lining on a very dark cloud, as he found a lot of the football but more importantly used it extremely well.  Leon Davis was the catalyst to getting us in a winning position and gathered very impressive numbers, but it took him a while to really impose himself in any fashion.  Dane Swan picked up 37 disposals and ran hard as always, whilst Harry O’Brien played a good game after a shaky start, winning some crucial contests and winning a fair bit of the ball.

Matches like today are difficult to review, in that it would be easier – with less reluctance involved – to name our worst performers.  Josh Fraser, who has been very good over the last three games, put in an almost unforgivable performance today.  Granted, Fraser may have been fatigued from his heroics over the last three games, but as acting captain and a senior player his attack on the contest really needed to be better.

The man forever under the microscope during times such as this, Alan Toovey, put in a performance that highlighted all the reasons why his detractors have serious doubts over his future.  Similarly, Shannon Cox had probably his worst game for the year and made some glaring mistakes over the course of the match.

Travis Cloke continues to struggle, whilst Anthony Rocca currently doesn’t look ready for senior football and spent most of the day as the invisible man.  Jaxson Barham tried hard, but his poor disposal by foot – which was forgiven last week in what was an otherwise incredible performance – was horrific for the most part today.  Tyson Goldsack just hasn’t been able to look convincing at senior level since 2007, causing me to have some doubts over a player who I have had a soft spot for since his debut.

With the doubts  about Malthouse and even McGuire doing the rounds amongst some Collingwood supporters and even making their way to the media, today’s performance is not just going to fan the flames of the disenchanted, but douse them in gasoline.  Questions need to be asked about our game plan and I’ve seen a polarised Collingwood fan base become more and more unanimous about their displeasure in our current strategy.

After five rounds of football, any premiership expectations have been well and truly sedated with what we’ve seen so far.  I took a lot of comfort and even pride out of our victory last week, believing that it would instil some wavering belief in the players and supporters; but today’s outcome and the manner in which it occurred obliterated anything gained from last week.

Whilst the coach and the usual suspects amongst the playing group are likely to be the targets for many frustrations; the entire club – and that includes everyone – needs to turn a corner, because if this form continues then a mere finals appearance could become a stretch.  I don’t want to hear any more about umpires, from the club or supporters, because it’s time that the Collingwood Football Club took some ownership of our fortunes.

We’re only five rounds into the season and we’ve already dropped two games that we were expected to win.  This has become an all too familiar pattern since 2006 and whilst rebuilding through that period, it has to be asked why the side can’t get themselves firing for any period of time.

From my perspective, the only way the team can make amends for efforts such as today and in round one, will be through consistent, committed and preferably victorious football from this point on.

As supporters we can stomach losing if the side gives everything it has to give, but performances like today are simply not suitable for digestion.