Silly Season: Where We Stand Thus Far…

The silly season is beginning to gain momentum as we edge gradually closer to trade and draft week.  So with that in mind, let’s take a look at what Collingwood’s situation is at the moment; subject to change of course.

Retirements

• Scott Burns
• Shane Wakelin
• Ryan Lonie

Delistings

• Chris Egan
• Brodie Holland
• Sam Iles
• Luke Casey-Leigh (Rookie)

So far, Collingwood have opened six spots on its list.  Luke Casey-Leigh was a rookie listed player, therefore his departure opens a space on our rookie list but not on our senior list.  Our rookie list is currently comprised of Sharrod Wellingham, Brent Macaffer and Kevin Dyas.

It is safe to assume that Wellingham will definitely be promoted to the senior list next year, whilst Brent Macaffer is another likely promotion from the rookie list based on his VFL performances this year and some positive comments from Malthouse.  If both Wellingham and Macaffer are promoted, then they will take two of the six spots that were opened up by our retirements and delistings.

Our Draft Picks

• Round 1: Pick 11
• Round 2: Pick 29
• Round 3: Pick 45
• Round 4: Pick 61
• Round 5: Pick 77
• Round 6: Pick 93

I can’t see Collingwood drafting beyond the forth round myself and as things currently stand, we only have four active picks to use in the National Draft anyway.  The original train of thought was that Collingwood would use Pick 61 on our NSW Scholarship holder Scott Reed; however given we have the option to place Reed on our Rookie List if he agrees, we may choose to go down that route.  This would allow us to potentially draft four players in the national draft who we don’t already have a claim to.

If possible, I believe we should attempt to rookie list Reed as he is a raw talent and could do with a year or two of development in the VFL.  Mostly, rookie listing Reed would maximise our ability to use the Scholarship system to our advantage — being guaranteed a player without having to invest a senior list position for him too early.

This draft is important and if ever there was a time for Hine to shine it’s this year.  Next year and in 2010 the draft is heavily compromised by the concessions granted to the GC17 expansion.  Collingwood desperately needs to make this draft a winner.

So the break down is this: Collingwood have six spots vacant, likely to be four once Wellingham and Macaffer are promoted.  The rookie list is being extended to six spots next year which means that we would have five vacant spots to be filled.  Scott Reed would ideally take one of these spots, leaving us four picks in the rookie draft to find some overlooked talent.

If Collingwood opts to use all four selections in the National Draft, then we would be unable to participate in the Pre-Season Draft.  I suspect that in light of certain players potentially being available in the Pre-Season Draft – namely Ben Cousins – that Collingwood would like to take part.  If this proves to be true, then Collingwood would have to either free up another spot, or only take part in the required minimum of three rounds in the National Draft.

I can’t see Collingwood drafting that shallow in this years draft, which appears to run quite deep with talent.  This presents the possibility of Collingwood discarding at least one more player, potentially more.  All of this is speculative of course and I’ll delve into the chopping block and trade bait possibilities in a later article.

Current Players of Interest

• Ben Cousins (Unlisted)
• Ryan O’Keefe (Sydney Swans)
• Adam Thomson (Port Adelaide Power)

This is a conservative list of players who are shaping as potentially available via trade and who Collingwood may find a use for.  Ben Cousins is the obvious one and also the player who has the most speculation surrounding him and his possible return to the AFL.  Cousins is yet to nominate a club of choice, but if he does elect Collingwood as his preferred destination then we have the potential to pick him up cheaply — possibly in the Pre-Season Draft.  If this possibility becomes reality, then look for Collingwood to open up another space on the senior list to enable us to grab Cousins.

Ryan O’Keefe is a recent development, as it seems there may be a chance he is looking to return to Melbourne.  Collingwood is apparently one of the clubs interested in his services, however we have ruled out our first draft pick and Alan Didak as potential trade currency.  Whilst I rate O’Keefe highly, I’m unsure as to whether we need a player of his ilk.  O’Keefe is a half-forward for the most part, with the ability to play cameos in the middle.  We currently have depth in this area, with the likes of Leon Davis, Medhurst, Didak and Thomas.  It depends largely upon what we would have to cough up, but personally I feel we would be best served by giving O’Keefe a miss in favour of more genuine midfield prospects.

Adam Thomson was drafted in the first round of 2004.  In his four years at Port Adelaide, he has managed 28 senior games, playing only seven games in 2008.  Adam Thomson’s name has been thrown around a lot during this trade period, as he may be looking for more senior opportunities elsewhere.  As an inside midfielder, Thomson has shown promise but just hasn’t had the opportunity to solidify himself within Port Adelaide’s senior team.  Thomson could be worth looking at, since we desperately need to find an inside midfielder or two and his lack of exposure would mean we could possibly acquire him relatively cheaply.

My Stance

There are two factors at play which are going to shape this years trade and draft period.  Firstly and most importantly, the looming GC17 draft concessions from next year onwards.  Secondly, but definitely worth noting, is Hawthorn’s success.  With Hawthorn winning the flag, they have become the benchmark both on and off the field; hence validating their cutthroat trading and youth policy of the past four to five years.  Hawthorn have used the draft to build whilst placing sentiment secondary to success and the proof is in the pudding.  Hawthorn are the 2008 premiers and look likely to contend for the greatest prize of all for at least the next two to three years.

With this in mind, draft picks are gold.  I would prefer if Collingwood looked to invest in young midfielders this draft, along with another key position backman.  As for the trade table, I would hope that Collingwood doesn’t part with any trade picks for players who won’t have a significant and prolonged impact on our midfield.

If possible, we should look to upgrade our picks by either trading them plus an expendable player.  What would be even better is if we can obtain another pick or two within the second or third round in exchange for a player or two.  Fremantle shapes as a possible market for us come trade time, as they have several players leaving and won’t be confident in filling their list from the 5th round and beyond of the draft.  As with other teams though, they will be reluctant to part with their second and third round draft picks.  Who knows though?  We’ve got good luck when trading with Fremantle, as do most teams.

So in summation, with this years draft as critical as it is, I say in Hine we trust.  Our major target in this years draft should be midfielders, inside and out and with sound skills.  This years draft is deep and there are bound to be some bolters and sliders; we could potentially get some exceptional quality with our first two picks.  Hine’s drafting philosophy has been best available regardless of position, so there is no way to predict what might happen come draft day.  Our last few years at the draft have been impressive, but it could all come undone if this year’s draft goes pear shaped.

We need to draft a quality group of youngsters this year to compliment our already solid core of up-and-comers, so that when our established young guns peak, they will have adequate support.  This years draft and trade period shapes as the one that will determine where we stand for the next five years.

Holland, Egan, Iles & Casey-Leigh Make Way…

Well, it’s a tough game and there is no other time of year on the AFL calendar that is as ruthless as the end of season/pre-draft chopping block period.  As teams shuffle their lists to make way for new draftees and potential trades, there is little room for sentiment as the dead wood is lopped.

Brodie Holland was no surprise as injury has plagued his past two seasons, preventing him from finding any semblance of form.  Regardless, he was probably a logical choice to be moved on as Collingwood looks to reinvent its midfield and there were no assurances as to what Holland could bring to the table in 2009.  Holland managed only one game in 2008 and never looked like finding his way back to the senior team.

Holland served Collingwood well during his time at the club.  At his best, he was our most effective tagger, but unfortunately it appears that Brodie’s best may have come and gone.  He is interested in trying to revive his career elsewhere and for that, I wish him all the best.

Chris Egan is one of the bigger disappointments.  Drafted at pick #10 overall in the 2004 draft, Egan showed plenty of promise early with his polished skills and occasional flashes of brilliance.  However, through a lack of dedication or application, he just has not come on.  He played the first two games of season 2008, looking good in our opening round clash with Fremantle where he racked up 21 disposals and 9 marks.  However, he came crashing down a week later against Brisbane in wet conditions, where his lack of intensity towards the contest proved costly for the side and ultimately for his future chances.

The whole Egan situation is doomed to be viewed as a costly draft blunder, as we traded the selection (pick #7) that was used for Jordan Lewis to Hawthorn along with Bo Nixon in return for pick 10 and 37, the latter being on-traded to West Coast for Chad Morrison.  Now that the dust has settled on this trade, Collingwood has received little reward.  In defense of drafting Egan, there was some merit to why he was targeted.  At the time, Collingwood was attempting to address a lack of class throughout the middle of the ground and Egan seemed a potential solution.  Unfortunately, we got it wrong.

We can stew over this trade for all eternity but it won’t change anything, so instead we should take some solace in the fact that through Derek Hine we have performed exceptionally well on draft day ever since this fiasco.  What has surprised me is that we haven’t attempted shopping Egan around, as I thought we could have potentially snared a third or fourth rounder, or perhaps even improved our trade position within the third round.  It seems however that Egan’s trade value is perceived to be virtually nil by the people in charge.

Sam Iles could perhaps consider himself a little unlucky.  Picked up in the 2005 pre-season draft, Iles has worked hard and performed relatively well at VFL level.  Sam managed to play seven senior games since being drafted and whilst being serviceable in his appearances, he never managed to cement his place within the team.  In 2008, Iles was unable to break into the senior side and as the season wound down, the writing was on the wall.  Unfortunately for Iles, it seems he was a victim of being capable in many roles without being exceptional in any.

Our most recent delisting is that of Luke Casey-Leigh, which was surprising if only for the fact that he was given only one year at the club and was on the rookie list to boot.  With the imminent drafting of our NSW scholarship holder Scott Reed, it appears that Collingwood believes that Casey-Leigh and Reed would have been vying for similar roles.  After having the opportunity to view Casey-Leigh closely throughout the year, the powers that be have deemed that Reed is the better option moving forward.

It’s a little harsh on the young man to be given the chop after only one season, but there is also word going around that we may be looking to free up rookie spots in what we perceive to be a deep draft and perhaps also with a view to rookie listing Reed – if he accepts – as opposed to drafting him straight onto the main list.

With the departure of these players we have opened up three more spots on our primary list and one spot on our rookie list.  With the retirements of Burns, Wakelin and Lonie we currently have six spots on the main list vacant.  It’ll be interesting to see if any more players are culled, with the futures of Ben Johnson and Rhyce Shaw seemingly still in doubt.

Farewell and good luck to Holland, Egan, Iles and Casey-Leigh.

Farewell Sir Scott…

I don’t quite know how to begin this piece, so I guess I’ll just start with the facts.  As of yesterday morning, Scott Burns has officially retired.  As a supporter of this proud club and with all due respect to those before him, I don’t think there has ever been a Collingwood player – in my lifetime of course – who I have admired more than Sir Scott.

Throughout his career he was consistently one of our best performed and as such, most important players.  Whilst Buckley was our standout champion, Burns went relatively unsung for the majority of his days and was arguably just as influential on Collingwood’s fortunes.  Buckley tore teams apart with his incredible skills and capacity to accumulate disposals, whilst Burns tore teams apart literally; at the bottom of every pack.

Scott Burns has been a credit to the Collingwood Football Club since being drafted in 1992.  Beginning his career as a courageous and dependable back pocket, Burns progressed into the midfield to become Collingwood’s most prolific clearance player.  But Burns wasn’t all grunt and no polish, he had the attributes to damage sides both defensively and offensively.  In one-on-one contests, whether aerially or on the ground, Scott Burns generally won out with desperation and nous.

It was only last year when Michael Voss paid tribute to Scott Burns publicly, stating that Burns was one of his favourite players.  This is quite a compliment coming from a player who is largely recognised as one of the best to play the game, not to mention a player who was once on the receiving end of a Scott Burns shirt front during the 2002 Grand Final.  Voss recovered from that bump to be instrumental in the following piece of play that resulted in a Brisbane goal; and he let Burns know about it as well.  Regardless, respect was obviously won – or had already been won from past skirmishes – and Voss would be the first to testify that Sir Scott Burns was one of the hardest yet fairest players he competed against.

This aforementioned example is testament to the way Scott Burns played the game and the way in which he was perceived by those he played with and against.  Shirking the issue was something completely foreign to Scott Burns; when it was his time to put his head over the ball he did so without hesitation.  On the other side of the coin, Burns was never untoward in the manner in which he administered punishment on opposition players — they most definitely knew they had just crossed paths with Scott Burns, but amidst the soreness no ill feelings could be found.

With the retirement of Buckley at the end of last season, Burns assumed the captaincy for our 2008 campaign.  He was a shoe-in for the job and performed it with aplomb, being instrumental in many of Collingwood’s victories throughout the year.  A persistent calf injury prevented Scott Burns from playing in the finals and ultimately proved to be the reason for Burns unselfishly calling it a day; preferring to retire admirably rather than risk becoming a liability, a word which even the most scrupulous of supporters could never bring themselves to attach to Scott Burns.

There is still a bright future for Scott Burns in the football world, as many clubs have expressed interest in his services as an assistant coach.  Geelong and Carlton appear to be the front-runners at this stage, and whilst it would be difficult to see Scott Burns at another club in any capacity – especially the Blues – he has bled for the black and white and I wish him all the best in his endeavours.  Besides, when Malthouse decides to call it a day, Burns might be ripe and ready to return to where his heart undoubtedly lies.

As our 5th leading game player and one of our most loyal and respected sons, Scott Burns leaves a giant legacy and an equally vast void to fill.  It is time for a changing of the guard at Collingwood, but we are in good standing with the knowledge that our up-and-comers have been able to stand alongside the likes of Sir Scott.  We can only hope that they have been able to learn something from the impeccable example he has set.

Thank you and farewell Scott Burns, the Collingwood faithful are forever in your debt.

Didak Likely To Stay…

One of the biggest stories to come out of 2008 for the Pies was the indiscretions of Heath Shaw and Alan Didak.  Whilst Heath Shaw was considered relatively safe – since it was his first transgression – Didak’s career at Collingwood looked to be in serious jeopardy.  Both Shaw and Didak were suspended for the remainder of the season, with their futures to be decided once Collingwood exited the race.

During this period, Collingwood fans have waited anxiously to find out the fate of Alan Didak.  It seems we no longer have to wait, as this week gave us the best indication that Alan will continue his career in the black and white.  On Thursday, Didak’s long awaited public apology and interview was aired on The Footy Show, where he expressed remorse for his actions but most importantly a genuine desire to carry out his career at Collingwood.

This interview was followed a day later by Eddie McGuire stating that Didak was a required player; elaborating that he thought Didak was a “good young fella” and that he had “learnt a lot over the past six weeks.”  All these comments bode well for Didak remaining a Collingwood player and I must say that I’m thrilled at the prospect.

Let’s face it, Didak has been guilty of making poor and irresponsible decisions, the standout being his association with the CBD shooter last year.  However, his latest indiscretion – although not ideal – was not the unforgivable sin that the media made it out to be.  Didak was guilty of getting intoxicated and being a passenger in an equally intoxicated Heath Shaw’s car.  The situation was exacerbated by the fact that Didak and Shaw lied to club officials as to whether Didak was present.

Whilst it was poor form on Shaw and Didak’s part to lie to their club and team mates, one can understand the reason they were dishonest.  The sole intention on Shaw and Didak’s part was to avoid a further media circus by distancing Didak from what was already an undesirable situation.  It was poor judgement on their part and they were rightfully punished, but there was no malice involved and it could even be argued that the players involved – particularly Didak – were trying to protect the club.

From a supporter’s perspective, I had decided that Didak was entirely in control of his destiny as far as remaining a Collingwood player was concerned — and it seems that the club was of a similar persuasion.  If Didak expressed a desire to remain at Collingwood and do whatever it took to make things right, then Collingwood would be best served by keeping him.  Didak has since checked these boxes and nobody can question his passion for the football club or how sincere he is in his aspirations to play out his career at Collingwood.

This isn’t the first time that Didak has shown his loyalty towards the club.  Back in 2003 when Nick Stevens was asking to be traded to Collingwood, Port Adelaide demanded we trade them Alan Didak as compensation.  Didak was originally from South Australia and even played with the Port Adelaide Magpies in the SANFL.  Yet when approached by club officials he expressed no interest in returning to Port Adelaide and furthermore; showed a deep desire to remain a Collingwood player.

The club has stood by Didak and have no doubt had their faith tested.  His ability and output on the field has never been in question, as Didak has been one of our better performed players over the last couple of seasons and has proven to be a matchwinner on several occasions.  All that is required of Alan now is to reward the faith shown in him off-field.

From a list management perspective and with a view to the future, losing Didak was never a good option for Collingwood.  We already lack some much needed class in the midfield, which is something we are no doubt looking to remedy this off-season.  Regardless of what we received in exchange for Didak, the gaps we desperately need to fill would have been widened by his departure.

Collingwood has succeeded in setting a disciplinary standard for the players by leaving Didak and Shaw on the sidelines when we needed them the most.  On top of this, in the wake of the Shaw and Didak incident we blooded Chris Dawes and John McCarthy earlier than we otherwise may have, enabling us to provide them with invaluable experience.  Didak was already an established player bordering on elite and we can only hope that now – after the blowtorch has been applied – a fire has been lit within Alan to silence the doubters and reward the Collingwood Football Club and its supporters.

Wakelin & Lonie Call It A Day…

Admittedly, I’m late on doing a write-up for this, but I was holding out in the event that there were more retirements announced so that I could maybe wrap them all up in one.  Since no answers have emerged as to the fate of Scott Burns in particular, I’ll pay tribute to the two players who have confirmed their retirements.

First off the bat, Ryan Lonie.  Lonie has struggled over the past couple of seasons with injury and form, not to mention off-field family matters that have inhibited Ryan from performing to his best.  It is generally considered inappropriate to draw attention to some of the more forgettable aspects of a player’s career once they have announced their retirement, but Ryan has been one of the more maligned Collingwood players in recent history.

I only mention this because perhaps through acknowledging some of the scrutiny that has been directed towards Lonie, we can put what was otherwise a respectable career into perspective.  Lonie was one of the players who was met with ridicule from Collingwood and opposition supporters in the fall out of the 2003 Grand Final.  A lack of courage under fire – perceived or otherwise – was one of the biggest accusations aimed in Lonie’s direction throughout the latter part of his career.

The fact of the matter is that Lonie was drafted – and succeeded for the most part – primarily to use his most damaging tools to further our ends; those tools being his exceptional long kicking and ball carrying ability.  Injuries and unfortunate timing prevented Lonie from employing these tools to their full effect towards the end of his career; but lest we forget his exceptional 2002 season, in particular the finals campaign that saw us come so close.

Lonie played an instrumental part in our side that year, made even more impressive by the fact that it was only his second year of senior football.  Lonie used his aforementioned skill set to devastating effect during that year, to the point where a goal was almost a foregone conclusion whenever he received the ball on the run from outside 50.

At his best, Ryan Lonie was one of the more exciting players to watch.  His early form offered so much promise and in fairness to Lonie – like many before him – he probably fell victim to unrealistic expectations.  Whilst it became apparent that this was probably going to be Ryan’s last year with Collingwood, it surprised many when he decided to retire as opposed to reviving his career elsewhere.  I personally believed that Lonie still had something to offer in another environment, especially for a team in need of a player possessing his exploits.

With that said, Ryan Lonie has provided us with some memorable moments during his time in the AFL.  He should be commended for reaching the highest level of this grand sport and for his services to the Collingwood Football Club.  I extend my gratitude and sincere appreciation to Ryan and his left boot; may life after football treat you well.

The next player I would like to pay tribute to is a little harder to come to terms with.  Shane Wakelin crossed over to Collingwood from the Saints at the end of 2000, debuting in the black and white in Round 1 of 2001 against Hawthorn.  From the very first minute that Wakes donned the black and white, he has been one of my favourite players.  Dependable, talented and professional are just three shining attributes that sum up Shane Wakelin the footballer.

For the past eight seasons Wakelin has served the Collingwood Football Club admirably, being instrumental in our defensive setup throughout this time.  An uncanny defender, Wakelin made a habit of beating opponents who were often larger or more mobile by being superior at reading the play and deceptively strong in one on one contests.  Even in his final year, he performed well beyond expectations (memorably taking the scalp of Barry Hall on both occassions our sides met) and caused many to believe he had the potential to continue beyond 2008 with such an impressive showing.

What’s most respectable about Wakelin and in particular his 2008 season, is that he was set to hang up the boots at the conclusion of 2007.  Being the clubman that Wakelin is, he put his hand up to go around once more after James Clement unexpectedly retired.  Most were content with having Wakelin’s experience to help guide our younger brigade in the back half, but Wakelin went one better by playing a large part in pushing the Magpies into September action for the third consecutive year.

However, it was in his last game against St. Kilda in the Semi-Final last Saturday night where Wakelin showed the true extent of his exceptional character.  In what was his final moments as an AFL footballer, Wakelin organised the Collingwood players into a guard of honour to pay tribute to Robert Harvey, his former team mate at St. Kilda who had announced his retirement earlier in the season.  Despite St. Kilda advancing in the finals and still having at least one game more than Wakelin to play, it was Harvey who Wakelin decided to focus on.

It was one of the more selfless acts seen upon a football field, one that astutely sums up Wakelin’s career.  He went about his business expecting little fanfare or accolades and as such, was largely underrated by the footballing public.  The fact is, Wakelin’s departure will leave a bigger void in Collingwood’s defence than I think many people – especially outside the club – can comprehend.  Players of Wakelin’s ilk are irreplaceable, both on and off the field.  As a player, Wakelin was accountable and more often than not beat – or at least broke even with – his opponent whilst using the ball well and providing reliable rebound from defence.  As a person, he provided an exceptional example that is invaluable for a club’s environment; especially for the younger players who are not only finding their feet in the football world, but also the world at large.

Wakelin began his career at the Saints, but I think it’s safe to say that it is the Collingwood faithful who will remember him most dearly.

I would like to thank both Shane Wakelin and Ryan Lonie for their contributions to the Collingwood Football Club.  It’s always sad to farewell players, but we can always find solace in the memories they have left us.

Match Review: Collingwood Vs. St. Kilda

SEMI-FINAL 2008: COLLINGWOOD VS. ST. KILDA

The Scores

Collingwood: 3.4 / 4.11 / 5.16 / 9.18 [72]
St. Kilda: 4.1 / 8.1 / 14.2 / 17.4 [106]

Goals

Collingwood: Lockyer, Swan, Anthony, Goldsack, Cloke, McCarthy, Medhurst, Brown, Clarke.
St. Kilda: Riewoldt 5, Koschitzke 3, Milne 3, Gram 2, Gwilt, Schneider, McQualter, Dal Santo.

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

Review

After a valiant six weeks, season 2008 has finally come to an end for the Magpies.

Scott Burns and Simon Prestigiacomo were late withdrawals for the Pies, replaced by Rhyce Shaw and Shane Wakelin respectively.  After going goal for goal in the first quarter, the Saints managed to kick away to a 14 point lead just before half-time.  The match promised so much in the first quarter and a half, although even during that period there were signs that Collingwood was in for a tough night at the office.  Whilst St. Kilda entered their forward 50 methodically and with purpose, Collingwood went forward with little intent and as such, snagged their early goals from half chances and 50/50 opportunities.

It turned out to be the story of the night, as at the final siren Collingwood had gone inside 50 on 55 occassions to St. Kilda’s 43.  We would have six more scoring shots on the board, yet still end the game 34 points behind.  In stark contrast to Collingwood’s impotence up forward, St. Kilda were devestating with Nick Riewoldt leading the way.  Collingwood simply didn’t have any answers once the Saints got a roll on; with Dal Santo, Montagna and Gram racking up possessions at will.

Collingwood were still very much in the match during the middle part of the third quarter, when Chris Bryan was awarded a 50 metre penalty that brought him within 25 metres of goal and a chance of slicing the margin to just over 2 kicks.  The result was terrible however, rivalling Cook’s effort of last week as Bryan sprayed the kick hopelessly and then got sucked into the gesticulating Saints by giving away a free kick out of frustration.  It was at that point that it became clear it wasn’t going to be our night.

Swan, Davis and Pendlebury battled bravely throughout the night but were unable to impose their will upon the game.  Tyson Goldsack put in one of his better performances, specifically in the first half as his defensive efforts saved Collingwood on multiple occasions; capping it off with a terrific interception and running goal in the second quarter.  Travis Cloke entered the match under an illness cloud and was well beaten by Blake, who went on to rack up 27 possessions.

A combination of poor disposal and even worse decision making undid much of Collingwood’s good work.  We had our fair share of the ball, but wasted it more often than not – especially when going forward.  Time and time again our delivery into the forward line was haphazard and easily chopped off by the likes of Goddard, Gilbert, Fisher and Raphael Clarke; who played one of the best games of his career.  Collingwood made the job a lot easier for St. Kilda’s defenders though, as on more than one occasion we simply handed the ball back.

Structurally, we were outcoached and outplayed by the Saints; who controlled the tempo from the start of the second quarter until the end.  Their defence countered any of our attacks with little fuss, whilst setting up their own forward thrusts just as competently.  St. Kilda were able to take the ball away fluently and with little pressure from their kick-ins, which is damning considering the amount of points Collingwood amassed.

The intensity was simply non-existent after the first quarter and by the third – even before St. Kilda blew the game open – the body language of the Collingwood players seemed to suggest that the game was out of their hands.  As such, by the time the three quarter time siren sounded the Saints had blown the margin out to seven goals and looked set for a Preliminary Final against the Hawks.

Collingwood kicked the first goal of the final term, but from that point on the two teams just went through the motions and played out the minutes.  Nathan Brown ventured forward to cap off a good piece of play by Medhurst and win back a little respect after being well beaten by Riewoldt, but it was all inconsequential at that stage as the Saints ran out comfortable 34 point winners.  Full credit must be given to the Saints, who were simply too good on the night.

As for Collingwood, the off-season begins now and it’s back to the drawing board for the coaching staff and list managers to determine how we should go about correcting our deficiencies.  Our two finals matches provided our youngsters with some invaluable experience going forward, whilst also summing up our season astutely.

There was a vast contrast between our performance of last week and the lackluster effort of last night; which was best represented by our tackle count of only 26 for the entire match, exactly half of our output against Adelaide.  Whether this polarity in performance stems from youthful inconsistency or otherwise is unimportant, it has cost us throughout the last two seasons and needs to be addressed.  The best performed teams in the competition are those who can maintain an adequate level of form, something we have failed to do.

With all that said though, I’m proud of the way the team has handled itself over the last six weeks.  The season ended in an undesirable fashion, but with the players we have blooded over the last few seasons and with players returning from injury for our 2009 campaign, we have a lot to work with heading forward.

Thanks for the effort and endeavour Collingwood, it has been a bumpy ride but not without its positives.

Semi-Final 2008: Collingwood Vs. St. Kilda

The Team

B: Prestigiacomo / Brown / Goldsack
HB: Clarke / Maxwell / O’Brien
C: Lockyer / Burns / Cox
HF: Pendlebury / Cloke / Davis
F: Dawes / Medhurst / Anthony
Foll: Fraser / Swan / O’Bree
IC: McCarthy / Thomas / Bryan / Cook
EMG: Reid / Shaw / Wakelin

Changes

IN: Scott Burns
OUT: Rhyce Shaw (Omitted)

Preview

After overcoming the Crows in what was an inspiring effort, the Pies march forward into September to take on the Saints.  Collingwood have already overcome the Saints twice this year, but finals football is an entirely different kettle of fish – especially with the Saints looking to redeem themselves after being trounced by the Cats.

Collingwood’s chances have been improved with the return of our captain Scott Burns, who played a pivotal role the last time these two sides met.  The last time we faced off against the Saints, Collingwood was recovering from the aftermath of the Didak/Shaw incident.  It was Sir Scott Burns who set the standard early in that match by putting his body on the line and leading from the front.  A similar effort this time around will put Collingwood well on the way to victory.

Rhyce Shaw could be considered a little unlucky, as he paid the price for a poor first half against Adelaide despite working his way back into the game.  It was always going to be a tough choice and it seems that the match committee viewed Rhyce Shaw’s early errors as critically as a lot of the Collingwood faithful.  For St. Kilda, Luke Ball and Armitage have been named in their squad, replacing Xavier Clarke and Charlie Gardiner.

Luke Ball is the most dangerous inclusion from a Collingwood perspective, as St. Kilda have sorely missed his hardness at the contest, especially around the stoppages.  There will still be questionmarks over Ball’s fitness, but the same could possibly be said for Scott Burns.  Collingwood can’t be hinging its bets on an underdone Luke Ball though, as there is little margin for error in finals and St. Kilda would not have selected him if they weren’t confident he would come up.

Prestigiacomo has been chosen over Wakelin once more, despite receiving a hard knock to the shoulder last week.  I trust that the powers that be down at the Lexus Centre wouldn’t take any undue risks, so it’s safe to assume that Presti has pulled up alright.  Once again Wakelin has been named in the emergencies, so there is always a chance of a late change.  Malthouse quoted his “horses for courses” philosophy earlier in the week, so it seems that he is backing Prestigiacomo to be the best option for Koschitzke whilst I would expect to see Nathan Brown given first crack at Riewoldt, with Harry O’Brien a secondary option should that fail.

Collingwood have won four out of its last five matches and enter this game as favourites.  In my mind, this match is yet another 50/50 prospect, despite beating the Saints twice this year and having a more promising week one of September action.  St. Kilda will be desperate to bounce back from last week; not to mention the fact that they will be determined to avoid sending Harvey off with a straight sets exit.

The Road To Victory

With the omission of Rhyce Shaw, Collingwood has lost a fair bit of pace.  Because of this, the onus will be placed on Dale Thomas and Leon Davis to break the lines and provide us with some dash.  Harry O’Brien and Marty Clarke will also be expected to give us good drive from the defensive half.  We have to try and curb the influence of Jason Gram and Brendon Goddard, as their drive from the half back line for the Saints is often what leads to Riewoldt being isolated one out.  If we can keep Gram and Goddard in check, it will go a long way to quelling St. Kilda’s forward thrusts.

Goddard played a blinder against us the last time and is capable of pushing forward and causing havoc with his excellent foot skills.  Whoever Goddard mans, they must make themselves dangerous from the get go to ensure that he is forced to be accountable.  Nick Dal Santo hasn’t been in the best of form and does have a tendency to go missing, but regardless he always looms as a potential match winner if he isn’t closely checked.  In light of Maxwell’s efforts against Thompson last week, there may be a chance he will be asked to do another midfield stopping job.  Dal Santo may shape as a potential target, being that he isn’t a player who will expose Nick’s lack of leg speed and the general belief that Dal Santo doesn’t like the rough stuff.

Nick Riewoldt got the better of Nathan Brown in the last outing, but Nathan did well enough to force Riewoldt up the ground, thus preventing him from doing too much damage on the scoreboard.  With Harry O shaping as the likely match-up for Milne, Brown will be required to improve upon his last effort on Riewoldt.  The good news for Pies fans is that we have options for Riewoldt if Brown should fail, as O’Brien has a good track record against lead-up forwards despite being somewhat undersized.

As for our forwards, Cloke will most likely get manned up by Max Hudghton.  Cloke didn’t have a memorable match last week against the Crows, but he’ll be given more license to roam this time around as Hudghton doesn’t have the rebounding attributes of Nathan Bock.  Cloke can work his way into the game a little more freely this week and can hopefully find his feet early and finish strongly.  Dawes and Anthony had fantastic finals debuts and if they can contribute similarly this week, then we’ll be in good standing.

Medhurst was phenomenal in the last quarter of the elimination final and we’ll be expecting him to carry that kind of form into this week.  When on song, Medhurst is an almost impossible match-up and he shapes once again as our most likely match winner in the forward half.  Leon Davis is in the same bracket and we’ll be looking for him to get off to another sizzling start.  If we can gain the ascendancy early it’ll go a long way to unsettling the recovering Saints.

We must also keep close tabs on the Saints small forwards, specifically Schneider and Milne.  Schneider has been in good form of late and Stephen Milne always has the potential to kick a bag.  Lockyer, Harry O’Brien and Tyson Goldsack will be depended on to keep these goal sneaks honest.  When Milne is off-song and well held, he can be as detrimental to the Saints forward structure as he can be influential.

It must be remembered that St. Kilda have some fantastic talent on their list, with the likes of Hayes, Ball, Dal Santo, Goddard, Riewoldt and even the out of form Koschitzke;  but if we can play high intensity football and gain supremacy in contested situations, we can expose St. Kilda’s weaker links and cause their game plan to break down.

Final Words

The most important facet of this game – and also what Collingwood supporters are most nervous about – is what team of Magpies will show up.  We have been inconsistent throughout the year and quite often we have seemed to rest on our laurels after similar performances to last week.  Malthouse made an immediate point of refocusing after last week’s win and I trust in his ability to get the team up again for this match.  It’ll be a packed house at the MCG on Saturday night and hopefully the boys will be able to draw upon the Magpie army to push further into September.

The Saints may come marching in, but if Collingwood brings its best contested football then I expect us to go marching on.

Go Pies!

Match Review: Collingwood Vs. Adelaide

ELIMINATION FINAL 2008: COLLINGWOOD VS. ADELAIDE

The Scores

Collingwood: 4.3 / 7.6 / 14.9 / 19.11 [125]
Adelaide: 2.2 / 9.6 / 11.7 / 14.10 [94]

Goals

Collingwood: Anthony 3, Dawes 3, Swan 2, Maxwell 2, Cox, Davis, Fraser, Cloke, R. Shaw, Lockyer, Thomas, Clarke, Medhurst.
Adelaide: Stevens 6, McLeod 2, Mackay, Edwards, Maric, Johncock, Bassett, Gill.

The 10th Letter’s Best: Swan / Medhurst / Clarke / Maxwell / Anthony / Davis

Review

There is nothing that can prepare a supporter for the nerves that come with finals football.  Regardless of how we prepare for the worst with thoughts of potential defeat and the small and inadequate compensations that come with an early exit from the finals, once game time nears our stomachs get more knotted than a transient’s hair and our heart rate jumps to a level that could run in sync with a techno track.  This year, despite having humble expectations, was no exception.

So it was that on Saturday the 6th of September, the Sherrin was slammed down into the middle of AAMI Stadium and Collingwood’s finals campaign commenced.

Collingwood gained the ascendancy first, with Leon Davis bursting out of the blocks and being the instigator in many of our early sorties forward.  It’s always good to be the first on the board in pressure cooker situations, so when Shannon Cox kicked the opening goal with an opportunistic snap, I breathed a little easier.  Collingwood maintained their early dominance to add two more goals by way of Dawes and Davis, taking our lead out to 20 points in the middle stages of the first quarter.

Adelaide added their first goal after the early pressure Collingwood applied subsided momentarily, only to have it answered by a freakish Fraser snap from 40 out.  Collingwood was looking in the box seat at this point, until an unfortunate Goldsack tackle on Edwards slipped high right before the quarter time siren.  Edwards kicked truly, and some of the momentum that Collingwood had gathered was wrestled back, along with the scoreboard deficit.

As the second quarter commenced, Collingwood forgot to pick-up where they left off as Adelaide piled on two quick goals to level the scores.  At this point, I was getting a little worried but reminded myself that it was never going to be easy, despite being teased somewhat by our early form.  Things only got worse though, as Prestigiacomo sustained a hard knock to his shoulder during the first quarter which left him with one functioning arm.  Simon battled on, but the defence was looking vulnerable as Adelaide, led by Scott Stevens, piled on the goals and extended their lead.  Nick Maxwell ventured forward and kicked a superb set shot goal from right on the 50, keeping the boys in the game.

Things were still looking dire though, as the Magpies were smashed out of the middle and in general play.  We became sloppy and started missing targets, our intensity lapsed and as half-time neared it looked like we’d be in for a long afternoon.  Enter Dane Swan.  Dane was relatively quiet in the first half and had virtually no impact until less than 5 minutes out from half-time, when his continued work ethic to push himself and keep running paid off.  Dane ran into space 30 metres from goal to mark and kick truly, then followed it up not long after with an opportunistic snap after a brilliant effort by Medhurst brought the ball to ground.  Collingwood went into the major break trailing by two goals, but we had managed to steal back some of our thunder.

For the first half, Pendlebury did some classy extracting of the ball in stoppages, although his disposal wasn’t quite as sharp as he would have liked.  John McCarthy impressed by getting amongst it and winning some valuable contested possessions, he looked unfazed by the occasion.  Leon Davis tapered off a little in the second, but it was his silky use of the ball that opened things up for us when we were falling down going forward.

Medhurst began to work his way into the match, being denied a goal which looked to have cleared the post it apparently hit.  The back line was still looking a little bit exposed, but Harry O’Brien was solid and did some inspirational bustling work to drive us forward.  Marty Clarke showed why he has the best endurance at the club, as he pushed up the field to provide an option as often as possible whilst still being accountable.

The third term began and those pre-game nerves had returned with a vengeance.  It wasn’t long however before the boys sedated me with a blistering opening, adding two quick goals to square the ledger and continuing on with it.  This quarter was an inspirational one by the young Magpies, as Dawes and Anthony stepped up a gear to give some potency to our forward line and in turn giving the Adelaide defenders something to think about.  Cloke, who was well held by Bock for the first half, also managed to work his way into the game.  The intensity and tackling returned and we reaped the rewards, emulating Adelaide’s second quarter by adding seven goals to their two.

Special mentions go to our midfield brigade in the third quarter, who absolutely smashed Adelaide out of the centre with some classy clearance work from the likes of Pendlebury, O’Bree and Cox.  Cox drove us forward time and time again being the third man up in stoppages, one in particular that resulted in a freakish (albeit fortunate) 50+ metre reflex snap from Daisy which sailed through the big sticks and drove a dagger into Adelaide’s heart right on the siren.

Collingwood went into the final break with a 20 point lead, but the job wasn’t done yet as the Crows were kicking towards what had proven to be the scoring end in the last.

Adelaide came out better at the start of the fourth quarter, narrowing the margin to less than two kicks before John Anthony straightened us up by keeping his feet and running into an open goal.  Adelaide hit back with another Stevens goal and with half a quarter remaining and two kicks separating the sides, I had nothing left but cuticles to bite.

A large part of the fourth quarter was an arm wrestle as it became apparent that each team needed a match winner.  Scott Stevens shaped as the likely one for the Crows, but Collingwood’s defence sured up as Nathan Brown stood tall and the likes of Marty Clarke mopped up anything at ground level.  Dale Thomas worked his way into the game, playing a great final quarter to give us some dash forward whilst Pendlebury corrected his early disposal problems to start making his possessions count.

It was Medhurst who broke the game open though, setting up Cook 15 metres out with a great mark and brilliant spot up.  The situation got the better of Cook as he slammed the ball into the woodwork, fortunately for Ryan though Medhurst repeated his earlier efforts to setup Dawes at an identical distance on a slightly more accute angle.  Dawes went back and made Adelaide pay for their lack of checking and it appeared to be the straw that broke the Crows back.

Anthony kicked his third from a beautiful set shot from just outside 50, whilst Clarke setup Medhurst for his first of the game and the result was beyond doubt.  The siren sung the end of Adelaide’s season as AAMI Stadium cleared out to the haunting slow chant of “Cooooooollingwood.”

Dane Swan was at his gut busting best and was best on ground for mine.  John Anthony continued his sniper like accuracy in front of goal, as well as being lively throughout the match.  I have to say that Jack showed a bit more agility – particularly in the second half – as he gathered balls that fell short at full tilt and turned his man inside out on more than one occasion.  Dawes played a valuable role and this game could be chalked up as his best so far.  Pendlebury improved as the match wore on, whilst Thomas worked his way into the game and stood up when we needed him most.

Rhyce Shaw got better in the second half, but had a first half that he would like to forget.  At his best Rhyce provides us with some much needed dash, but when he isn’t on song his errors have a tendency to be quite costly.  Thankfully, Rhyce settled better in the second half when the game was on the line.  Nick Maxwell deserves special praise, as he was pushed into foreign ground in the middle to shut down Thompson and not only succeeded, but also kicked two very important goals from 50 and beyond.

All in all, it was a brilliant effort by the Pies who worked there way back from a four goal deficit to overrun the Crows by 31 points.  It was a proud day for the Collingwood faithful, as we fielded the youngest side currently in the finals and came out on top.  Regardless of how deep into the finals we go this year, things bode well for the future with the experience our youngsters are getting and the fortitude that they are showing.

For now, it’s on to next week against the Saints, good old Collingwood forever!

Elimination Final 2008: Collingwood Vs. Adelaide

The Team

B: Prestigiacomo / Brown / Goldsack
HB: Clarke / Maxwell / O’Brien
C: Lockyer / Shaw / Cox
HF: Pendlebury / Cloke / Davis
F: Dawes / Medhurst / Anthony
Foll: Fraser / Swan / O’Bree
IC: McCarthy / Thomas / Bryan / Cook
EMG: Stanley / Wakelin / Iles

Changes

IN: Dale Thomas
OUT: Danny Stanley (Omitted)

Preview

Well, Collingwood enters this finals series on the back of a poor performance in the west.  I – like many others – have no idea what to make of Collingwood this year, as our form has been near on impossible to predict.  After beating the Swans comprehensively with a first half onslaught that had the game decided by half-time, the lowly Fremantle Dockers did a number on the lads a mere week later.

Dale Thomas is a welcome return to the side after training well this week.  Whilst Thomas returns for the Pies, Porplyzia won’t be making an appearance for the Crows.  This is welcome news as Proplyzia has been a shining light in what could be considered a workman like Adelaide forward line.  However, Collingwood will have to be on their toes, as Moran has been brought in as the replacement and has shown that he has the capacity to kick goals.

Collingwood haven’t looked settled all year, barely finding any rhythm from week to week.  With the absence of Scott Burns, there are large questions over our ability to win at the stoppages, which is always critical when playing Adelaide.  Our forward line also looks a little suspect, especially when placed against the experienced defence of the Crows.

This game, in my mind, could go either way despite the Crows heading in as favourites based on recent form and home ground advantage.  I can’t see our disposal being as poor as it was last week, which was the worst display I’ve seen us dish up all year – and this year has had it’s fair share of disappointments.

The fear I hold is that we are still depending quite heavily on our younger brigade to step up, making this yet another baptism of fire.  The likes of Dawes and Anthony are playing vital roles in the forward line, whilst McCarthy and Cook will be called upon to play big games throughout the middle of the ground.  These players still being green causes concerns when matched up against a well-drilled Adelaide side.

The Road To Victory

We need yet another sizzling performance from Leon Davis, who has been one of our best throughout the year and should give the Copeland a shake.  Paul Medhurst needs to start finding the ball in more dangerous positions, as our forward line is rather inexperienced and we are obviously missing Didak, Medhurst needs to get dangerous around goals again.  We need some continued scoreboard input from Anthony along with the pressure he applies within our forward 50, whilst Dawes needs to make his man accountable and provide a viable target.

Whilst we need our younger brigade to stand up once more, we really need our more experienced players to lead by example – especially in the absence of Burns.  Dane Swan needs to continue to waddle to as many contests as possible, whilst if there was ever a time for the much maligned O’Bree to remind the faithful of his worth to the side as a clearance player, then it’s now.

Importantly, we can’t afford to play stagnant football.  Adelaide are notorious for pushing numbers behind the ball, therefore we’ll need to move it quickly and give our forwards every chance of one-on-one contests.  We’ll be looking towards the likes of Leon and Daisy to draw upon their natural flair and line-breaking ability to make this happen.

As for the backline, we can breath a little easier with the absence of Porplyzia and also Burton – who carved us up the last time we met until being injured.  Prestigiacomo has been chosen above Wakelin, which has raised a few eyebrows considering this will only be Presti’s second game for the year.  I wouldn’t be surprised to see a late change considering Wakelin is on the emergency list.  However the defence lines up, they need to operate as a cohesive unit and also provide some drive through the likes of Clarke and O’Brien.

I’m hoping Shannon Cox can slip under the guard of Adelaide, as he has been in good form since being a late inclusion in the match against Sydney.  Cox has an air of class about him, hopefully he can call upon this alongside the likes of Pendlebury, Thomas and Davis to provide us with enough creativity throughout the middle of the ground to unsettle the Crows.

The key match-up in my mind is Cloke Vs. Bock.  Travis needs to get seriously dangerous in this game and set an example for the other forwards.  I feel Cloke needs to play a little closer to home in order to negate Bock’s rebounding ability, as well as improving his chances of kicking a few himself.  I say we experiment with Anthony and Dawes as lead-up targets, with Cloke and Medhurst operating within the forward 50.  If this fails, we can always switch it up and hope for the best.

Importantly, we can’t afford to let any Adelaide player fall behind the ball and rack-up possessions at will.  Andrew McLeod, I’m looking at you.  McLeod’s career is winding down, but if there is one thing that Andrew McLeod does well it’s finals football – two Norm Smith medals can attest to that.  We’ve had a bad track record with letting certain players – who are of respectable calibre – do as they wish at crucial moments in games.  Daniel Wells did this to us in our last match against the Kangaroos and it proved to be telling.  We can’t afford to let McLeod – or any other Crow for that matter – play unaccountable football.

Final Words

Whilst not confident, this is definitely a game we can win and shapes to be the sort of match that we stand up for.  We match up well with Adelaide, as they’re not a team that makes a habit of blowing opposition sides out of the water, always giving their opponents a sniff.  We haven’t quite worked out Adelaide as comprehensively as we’ve figured out Sydney, but there are definite similarities between both Adelaide and Sydney’s game plan that we can perhaps exploit.  It’s been a roller coaster ride of a season, but I have faith in our players and coaching staff to get us over the line.

Go Pies!

[Results & Match Review Now Available]

Brisbane Lions: Another Chapter Closed…

Alright, I guess it’s time to come clean: I am in bed with the enemy.  I myself never thought it could happen, to be able to look past certain scars, certain premiership cups that I can still feel – like phantom limbs – that were snatched away so unceremoniously by a team from the north.  But we don’t choose who we fall for and I guess it was just irony – or a masochistic trait I was previously unaware of – that would cause me to fall for a fan of the Brisbane Lions.  Not only that, but a proud ex-native of the sunshine state to boot.

Now that I’ve got that out of the way, my interest in the Lions is perhaps a little more understandable.  I watch pretty much all of their games and follow their progress.  Needless to say, they’re probably the team I’m most familiar with outside of Collingwood.  It’s not all in vain though, as my partner also watches Collingwood closely and has even established a soft spot for the Pies.  Granted, the scars that I incurred during our 2002-2003 tussles are just sweet memories for her.

So, with the disclaimer and apology out of the way, let’s take a look at what’s happening with the Lions since their off-season has kicked off at break-neck speed and pay homage to a great coach in particular.

That coach being Leigh Matthews of course, a man who has ties with both Collingwood and Brisbane.  He took both our sides to the apex of success – Brisbane’s being prolonged of course – only to then see the team stagnate once the glory subsided.  I don’t believe there is a direct correlation between what happened at either club, as Brisbane’s current situation has more to do with the cyclical nature of the modern league as opposed to what appeared to be an extended premiership hangover by the 1990 Collingwood side that ended a 32 year drought.

This week, after the dust settled on Brisbane’s 2008 season, Matthews announced his resignation from the coaching position.  I can’t say that I was too surprised as the writing appeared to be on the wall.  Matthews strikes me as the sort of coach – the sort of man more accurately – who marks himself as stringently as he marks those he coaches.

Matthews was a ferocious competitor on the field, unforgiving and brutal to the point of bending rules and even morality; it’s no surprise he was nicknamed Lethal Leigh.  During his coaching tenure, we saw this fierce spirit instilled within the players he coached and the uncompromising game plan they employed.  From the tenacious Lions of 2001-2004 all the way back to the Magpies of 1990.

The Lions finished two games shy of the final eight in 2007 in a season that showed many promising signs for the future.  It was a logical step to take by supporters and the team alike to expect a final eight finish in 2008.  Many – including Michael Voss – considered Brisbane to be shoe-ins for the top eight, some even touted them as top four material.  Ultimately, 2008 saw Brisbane fall two games short once more as not unlike Collingwood they squandered winnable games, particularly in the latter part of the season.

Nobody would have taken this harder than Matthews, as supporters became restless it’s safe to say that Matthews felt very much the same.  There was no real pressure amongst the media for Matthews to be moved on, as there are few who question Matthews’ status in the game.  Despite all the conspiracy theories around the traps as to Jonathan Brown and Matthews’ association or the usual speculation as to internal pressures behind closed doors, I’m convinced Matthews’ decision was his own.

It’s always sad for a team’s supporters when they see another chapter of what was a special era end, but change is essential in the modern game and I’m sure all Brisbane supporters will bid Lethal Leigh farewell with nothing but fond memories and gratitude.