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.

Teams: Collingwood Vs. Essendon (Round 5, 2009)

Collingwood

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

No Change

Essendon

B: Fletcher / Pears / H. Slattery
HB: Dempsey / McPhee / Hocking
C: McVeigh / Stanton / Lonergan
HF: Winderlich / Lucas / Zaharakis
F: Ryder / Lloyd / Davey
Foll: Hille / Watson / Lovett
INT: Monfries / Lovett-Murray / Myers / Jetta
EMG: Dyson / Nash / Houli

IN: Lovett-Murray, Lonergan, Myers, Hocking, Jetta.
OUT: Daniher (Groin), Skipworth (Hamstring), Quinn, Nash, Dyson.

Collingwood have opted to make no change heading into our ANZAC Day clash with Essendon.  After a great team performance last week, the philosophy has been to refrain from messing with a winning formula.  Saturday is expected to be wet, so our experience last week will serve us well if conditions play out as forecasted.

In the event that the weather is as predicted, there has to be some question over the height that we’re carrying into the match.  We will be taking 8 players above the 192cm mark into this game and I can’t help but feel a little anxious about such a line-up, despite triumphing last week.  Leigh Brown will remain simply because he provides some minor relief for Fraser in the ruck, but I wouldn’t rule out a possible late change with Rocca being under a slight injury cloud.

Speaking of injury clouds, Paul Medhurst is apparently still struggling to shake off the after effects of concussion from last week’s game — although I’m reasonably confident that he’ll be right to go.  Alan Didak has also been in doubt after experiencing some hamstring soreness, which saw him rested for most of the last quarter against Brisbane.

With Brent Macaffer, Sharrod Wellingham and Anthony Corrie all named as emergencies, the club is obviously covering its bases up forward in the event that one or two of Didak, Medhurst or Rocca miss.  Game day conditions may also play a part, as a smaller type would be a safer bet in the event that we are faced with a wash out.

Congratulations to Brent Macaffer for getting named amongst the emergencies on the back of two hard-working performances in the seconds.  We have blooded players on ANZAC Day before and whilst most had their money on Sidebottom, we may yet see Macaffer make his debut on the biggest stage in the home-and-away season.

Preview: Collingwood Vs. Essendon (Round 5, 2009)

ANZAC Day is upon us once more and fans of the 14 other teams can take some pleasure in sharing the day with us, being that ANZAC day falls on Saturday this year.  With that said, Collingwood and Essendon still hold a monopoly on the daylight hours, whilst any small victory other fans might feel about how the calendar panned out this year will quickly make way to bitterness once more when they have to face up to work on Monday.

But enough of this pettiness…

We’ve managed to straighten the ship somewhat after a well earned victory against Brisbane, although our next two weeks shape us equally important in the scheme of things.  Facing Essendon this week and North Melbourne the next, I would be disappointed with anything but a 4-2 standing by the end of round six.

This pre-season we made it clear for the first time in a long time that we were aiming for a premiership.  Every side obviously has this objective in mind, but when a club declares such matters publically then they are accepting the expectations that follow.  If all of our talk is to be taken seriously, then Essendon should find themselves chalking up another defeat come Saturday evening.

ANZAC Day has always made for a good spectacle in the past, regardless of ladder positions or the form guide.  Both sides tend to lift for the occasion and neither team can afford to take anything for granted.  On paper and current form, Collingwood should win, but any such confidence on my part will go out the door once the Last Post winds down.

Essendon has been getting game time into its young defenders Pears and Daniher, with Dustin Fletcher providing some experience down back.  With Anthony Rocca getting through his first senior game unscathed last week; John Anthony with some stunning recent form against the Dons; Paul Medhurst playing himself back into All-Australian form and Travis Cloke overdue for a big one — the inexperienced backs of Essendon shape as a tasty proposition for Collingwood’s forwards and fans alike.

Down back, Prestigiacomo was close to our most important player last week doing a fantastic job of shutting down Brown.  Whilst Harry O’Brien has been gradually finding his feet again after the loss of his father at the final stages of our pre-season campaign.  O’Brien kept Bradshaw goalless last week and has made a habit of destroying Scott Lucas – who is currently struggling – whenever our two sides meet.

We’ll be missing Nick Maxwell down back whilst Heath Shaw is also likely to sit out again this week with hamstring soreness.  Tyson Goldsack may get a reprieve whilst Alan Toovey was serviceable enough to assume he will also be retained.  Matthew Lloyd shapes us a potential threat, as despite my dislike of the velvet sledgehammer I have to admit he has been in threatening form since the Bombers shocked most punters by defeating Carlton.  With Prestigiacomo returning to his glove-like best, he’ll be a sure bet to match up on Lloyd.

Essendon’s biggest asset is their pace, which tends only to come to the fore when things are falling into place for them.  With the likes of Lovett, Davey, Winderlich and Dempsey along with the Knights game plan of moving the ball quickly and taking risks, Essendon do have the ability to open games up when the planets are aligned — or when their opposition refuses to apply pressure.

Pressure football is perhaps one of our biggest assets when we’re switched on.  Essendon have shown a tendency to come unravelled when the heat is applied, as demonstrated in our NAB Cup meeting when we benefited greatly from Essendon turnovers.  In regards to pace, Jaxson Barham was a revelation last week and has come into the side just in time to counter Essendon’s leg speed.  Outside of pace, Barham will also go a long way to applying the sort of pressure I just spoke of.

I can comfortably say that on paper we have the forward and back lines covered, but the middle of the ground will be interesting.  Essendon got the better of us in the clearance department during the pre-season and I expect a better showing this time around.

Jobe Watson is an excellent extractor and has carved us up in the past, whilst Jason Winderlich has been in a purple patch after nearly being forced into retirement.  Winderlich’s speed and ability overhead could be a worry; Toovey shapes as a possible match-up if retained, but may also get given the job on Watson if we choose to man him up.  Watson is always an interesting one, as he’s been known to burn the ball by foot and as such often gets left unchecked.

Scott Pendlebury was brilliant on Friday night and fortunately for us, Andrew Welsh will not be available for Essendon to perform another shut-down job.  Pendlebury was a match winner with his clearance work against the Lions and shapes as a key player for us heading into Saturday.

Josh Fraser is in considerably better form than David Hille, although Hille often comes away with the points when these two meet.  If Fraser isn’t provided with support, he’ll be going on his fourth game in a row playing as a lone ruck and the question has to be asked as to whether the current setup is sustainable for much longer.  Cameron Wood played his best game for the year in the VFL last weekend and may come into consideration; although a straight swap between Leigh Brown and Chris Bryan is also a possibility.

I’ll say this every week until it ceases to occur, but we must not relinquish the middle of the ground so willingly.  In all of our games we have done this for a quarter or more and during those times we have been punished.  If we do this once again on Saturday, we run the risk of allowing Essendon’s pace and game plan to pay dividends.  We don’t want the Dons getting their tails up in a free flowing game in front of 90,000 people.  We need to make them stop, start and second guess, forcing their current crop of players to resort to Plan B — which basically involves handing the ball over to the opposition.

Essendon can be a difficult team to assess, as their best and worst are leagues apart.  They were not at all impressive against Fremantle, Port Adelaide and North Melbourne, but I rated their performance against Carlton.  Regardless of the general consensus on where Essendon is at, expect them to have a real dip come Saturday.

We should expect the same – and more – of our boys.

Action Jaxson Wins Rising Star…

If we had to guess who our first rising star nominee for 2009 was going to be, I think most would have had their money on Dayne Beams.  It would have been a logical bet too, if not for a stand out performance on debut from Ricky’s Boy, Jaxson Barham.

Barham came into the side after a relatively impressive showing at VFL level, where his tenacity and work rate was a feature.  Despite Friday night’s game against Brisbane being a critical one, the selectors backed Barham in and had their faith rewarded when Jaxson put in a performance that went a long way to getting us over the line.

In slippery conditions, Barham amassed 28 disposals, 6 marks, 6 inside 50’s and an outstanding 9 tackles — all whilst providing us with some of his well-noted dash.  In a game where desperation was pivotal, Barham set the standard from start to finish, getting in and under and making himself prominent at stoppages.

It wasn’t a performance without shortcomings, as Barham’s disposal could have been better on multiple occasions.  Barham’s disposal has been well documented as being an aspect of his game that requires work, but I think we can reserve our judgement when taking into account the conditions and pressure of Friday night’s encounter.

Whilst his kicking will undoubtedly be flagged as an area requiring improvement, nobody can question Barham’s work ethic and after just one game we have already reaped rewards from his more positive attributes.  Whilst Barham will take away a rising star nomination from his very first outing, what he will cherish as even more valuable will be the experience of playing a run-with role on Brisbane star Luke Power.

Whilst Barham didn’t silence Power, he went a long way to nullifying his influence on the contest by breaking even statistically — something that nobody would have expected heading in.  With Essendon next up, Barham’s pace and defensive work will be extremely valuable.

Jaxson has carried the tag of Ricky’s Boy even before being drafted to the club, and whilst we are likely to still affectionately refer to him as such, if he keeps chalking up performances like Friday night then he’ll undoubtedly forge a piece of Collingwood history entirely his own.

Congratulations Jaxson Barham, Rising Star for Round 4, 2009.

VFL Player Report: Round 2, 2009

ROUND 2: COLLINGWOOD VS. WILLIAMSTOWN

Chris Bryan: Was played as a permanent forward and persevered all day, looking like our only viable target in the third quarter.  Suffered from having poor delivery for a majority of the day and with Williamstown dominating the play, he wasn’t provided with a lot of opportunities.  Could have ended the day with four goals or more had delivery been better and had he kicked a fraction straighter on a few long set shots.

Chris Dawes: There has been a notable improvement in his work ethic, as he seems more determined and most importantly invested in the game.  His hands were a little better this week, as he held onto just about every mark that came his way when he was in the box seat — most of which were chest marks on the lead where he was closely checked.  His highlight came in the third, where he showed some good agility to get around his man after being tucked against the boundary, snapping truly whilst being pressured by a player on either side.  His second efforts were good and he looks to get team mates involved; which was a rare quality yesterday.

Brad Dick: Ending the day with four goals, most would think he had a good day at the office.  He was lively early, but rarely sighted thereafter.  I’m a little concerned about his disposal, as we’ve heard so much about how good his foot skills are but I’m yet to really see them on display.  For some perspective, over the course of the entire game I would say that Dick’s direct involvement probably amounted to less than a quarter’s worth of football.

Danny Stanley: Always applied himself, although yesterday wouldn’t be a day for him to remember.  He wasn’t provided a lot of time on the ball, although probably got a bit more than last week.  Out of our players who got a run through the middle, he was our most convincing when winning the ball, a highlight being a bustling centre clearance and bullet pass to a leading Chris Bryan — unfortunately these moments were few and far between.

Ryan Cook: A day to forget for Cook as he fell back into bad habits.  His kicking was haphazard and hopeful at best and he didn’t really impose himself in any contested situations — which was made even worse considering it was a day where we needed our more developed players to lead by example.  Looked unsure when in possession and having pressure applied, he shouldn’t trouble the selectors this week.

Cameron Wood: I thought Wood improved a lot upon last week and went a long way to silencing those who say he just isn’t interested.  He won some very good taps in the ruck that went to clear advantage, on more than one occasion he got it down to a player on the move for a clean take away.  He pushed back in defence often and held some good marks, although he could still do with having slightly stronger hands.  The positive was he read the flight of the ball well and took just about every mark with his arms fully extended, leaving the opposition no alternative but to chop.

Lachlan Keeffe: He’s obviously still a way off before coming into senior consideration, but I’m liking the early signs.  He won a few good taps and has a dip, although was largely ineffectual around the ground.  The most promising thing about Keeffe is his size and attitude, once he fills out completely he’ll have the body and mindset to impose himself on more contests.

Ben Reid: Was a bit better this week than last, which I suppose is all we can ask for while we try to turn him into a CHB.  He was opposed to Ayce Cordy for a large portion of the game and prevented him from having any real impact; which is a credit to Reid considering Williamstown’s dominance.  Used the ball fairly well and spotted up targets coming out of defence, although his complete lack of a right side – either by foot or hand – is a bit of a concern.  Took some very good marks across the half-back line, a few them being contested.

Scott Reed: His day started brilliantly with a nice running goal from 40+ out, but it turned into a nightmare soon after.  Reed was carved up by his direct opponent; he stood Matthew Little in the second half and Little ended the day with four goals.  Our lack of pressure up field meant that our defenders got exposed quite badly and our lack of options down back meant a lot of responsibility was lumped onto our most inexperienced shoulders.  He was again tentative in a few situations, but that can hopefully be corrected with further physical development.

Anthony Corrie: He was better than last week, which isn’t saying much considering how bad he was in round one.  He did play a slightly more team oriented game and rather than just picking up touches on the empty far wing, he worked down back to try and help mop up.  He is still susceptible to brain fades and acts of selfishness; but these facets weren’t quite as prominent yesterday.  I have doubts over whether we can ever expect reliable disposal from him, although I hope he proves me wrong.

Toby Thoolen: Was a bit more involved than he was last week, but once again he probably only did one or two convincing things.  Had a few opportunities to really influence a contest in the air, where he could have not only spoiled but either marked or smashed the ball out of the hot zone, yet resorted to what I could only describe as a tentative, dinky palm down of sorts.  He also has a long load up on his kick, is aware of it and as such has a tendency to panic when not gifted space.

Tristan Francis: Was given a run through the middle and spent a fair bit of time down back.  Didn’t have any real impact in the middle, but worked hard down back.  He has a nice burst of pace which he uses well to get out of trouble, managing to get free a few times on a day when we were more often than not getting caught.  It was a day where it was hard to judge any of the younger guys too critically, as there was no adequate support from team mates all day long.

Jarryd Blair: Much like Francis, he has a real dip and managed to get his hands on the ball in the middle a fair bit early on, but wasn’t as effective as last week.  His confidence may have suffered a little when the umpires had a whistle happy period in the second and pinged him a few times for apparent high fend-offs.  Couldn’t fault his application and could have ended the day with a goal after missing narrowly on the run.

Sharrod Wellingham: Got a fair bit of the ball but did next to nothing with it.  I’m a little concerned with Wellingham as two weeks in a row he has been a passenger at VFL level; but this week there weren’t any glimpses of his talent.  A player in his position needed to impose himself a lot more on the contest yesterday, but he seemed content to just rack up meaningless stats.

Kevin Dyas: Wasn’t expecting much and that was understandably the result.  Pretty much went unnoticed with a single contested mark down back in junk time being the only instance where he made it apparent he was actually out there.  Not going to be hard on him though after an extended lay-off, so I wouldn’t be expecting anything from him until later in the year when he hopefully finds his feet.

Steele Sidebottom: A reasonably good performance given the context of the match.  He worked fairly hard and once again showed his ability to read the play by getting to good positions, but wasn’t afforded as much space as last week and with nobody working too hard for one another, his game suffered.  The biggest positive was that he was one of the rare players out there who tried to make his touches count.  With that said, I think some people may have gotten a little carried away early with describing his kicking as elite.  He does use the ball efficiently, but looks to operate over short distances for the most part.

Brent Macaffer: Continued to play a roaming role, spending a lot of time up the ground.  Similar to Sidebottom, he made a deliberate attempt to use the ball to the team’s advantage.  His application is admirable, as it seems we’re trying to develop Macaffer’s all-round game.  It’ll be a little while yet before we get a clearer indication as to what he’ll offer heading forward, but for two weeks in a row he has worked hard and been clean with the ball.

Luke Rounds: It was always going to be a tough day for anyone playing across the half-back line, where Rounds spent a lot of his time.  I didn’t notice Rounds a whole lot yesterday, but he did have a few good passages where his pace was on display.  One instance he gathered the ball and put space between him and his man very quickly, then delivered the ball perfectly for Dawes on the wing.  There’s a bit to like about him early on, think of Barham minus the maniacal tenacity and ball-winning ability but with added polish.

Related Articles: [VFL Review Round 2]

VFL Review: Collingwood Vs. Williamstown (Round 2, 2009)

The Scores

Collingwood: 4.0 / 6.2 / 10.6 / 11.9 [75]
Williamstown: 1.3 / 7.7 / 15.8 / 20.11 [131]

Goals: Dick 4, Bryan 2, Dawes 2, Corrie, Reed, Hunt.

The 10th Letter’s Best: Wood / Reid / Macaffer / Sidebottom

Things were looking good early but soon deteriorated as any semblance of teamwork went out the window and made way for sloppy individual play.  Whilst Collingwood put on a poor display both with the ball and without it, Williamstown played a committed brand of team football and the scoreboard reflected their dominance after quarter time.

We snagged the first two goals of the match after Brad Dick crumbed one off the pack in the goal square early on, followed shortly by Scott Reed kicking truly on the run from 45 metres out.  Williamstown worked their way back into the contest, with the ball spending a lot of time in their half of the ground for the next 10 minutes.

Ben Reid stood up well in defence, taking some good grabs and using the ball well.  In one passage, he marked strongly in front of his man and then picked out Macaffer with a perfect 50 metre pass down field.  Despite Williamstown owning the play, we withstood and managed to add two more goals for the quarter through Brad Dick and Chris Bryan, who was set-up nicely by Chris Dawes.

The second quarter started positively also, with Collingwood looking the better early on.  Brad Dick kicked his third from 40 out directly in front and when Corrie converted an opportunistic goal we looked in a comfortable position.  From that point on however, it was all Williamstown as they seized control of every position and proceeded to dominate.

Former Magpie Chris Egan was prominent in getting the Seagulls back into the contest, snapping two very good goals from tight angles.  As for Collingwood, we simply looked incapable of doing anything good with the ball and a lot of our players were ambling around at half-pace, placing the Williamstown ball carriers under minimal pressure.

Williamstown dominated the remainder of the second quarter and whilst benefiting from some dubious free kicks, they were simply showing more desperation and applying more pressure and were in turn rewarded more often.  At the half-time break, Williamstown had snatched an 11 point lead.

The second half played out much like the last 15 minutes before half-time.  Williamstown were simply a much better outfit and their forward line carved up our defenders, with perhaps only Reid and Francis looking somewhat serviceable.  Our midfield was well beaten at the clearances and in most stoppage situations and as a result our defenders were exposed.

Williamstown kicked eight goals for the quarter, whilst we managed to add four through Dawes, Bryan and Hunt.  Trailing by 32 points heading into the last, the game became a mere formality with the only question being the eventual deficit.  Brad Dick snapped another crumbing goal to take his total to four for the day and despite how good that might read to a stat observer, he was rarely in the contest over the course of the day.

The difference was simply team ethic, Collingwood played like a collection of individuals with no common goal.  Our players either blazed away with the ball, didn’t work hard enough to provide an option or simply ignored options when available in vain efforts to get noticed.  When not in possession, we placed minimal pressure on Williamstown and they made us pay as a result.

The end result isn’t a clear indication of the talent we have coming through, as no player is bound to stand out when the side functions as it did yesterday.  There were positive glimpses from a few of our players, most notable being Reid, Macaffer, Sidebottom and some improvement from the likes of Wood and Dawes.  Chris Bryan always gives his all and provides a contest, but playing as a permanent forward meant that he fell victim to Williamstown’s dominance further up field.

As for the players I’ve listed in our best, I would not read too much into that either.  I would say after yesterday’s performance, nobody staked a genuine claim for the senior side.  The players I have listed were the ones who I believed showed some team ethic and at least worked to be involved throughout the course of the match, as opposed to when it suited them.  In a game like yesterday where it was hard to find any clear stand-outs, you can only reward players who at least show some application.

In the end, I was disappointed with the way our side operated collectively but in some ways it’s to be expected when you have a side filled with players trying to stake a claim.  On the other hand, I was impressed with the way Williamstown played.  They obviously have some talent from the Western Bulldogs doing the rounds – particularly one Guy O’Keefe who carved us up – but regardless they played like a team with pride for the jumper.

In closing, I’d like to make a special mention to the Williamstown supporters.  It was good to see a gathering of vocal Seagulls supporters wearing the blue and gold — suburban football still has a heartbeat.

Related Articles: [VFL Player Report Round 2]

Match Review: Collingwood Vs. Brisbane (Round 4, 2009)

The Scores

Collingwood: 2.4 / 7.6 / 9.10 / 13.12 [90]
Brisbane: 6.2 / 9.4 / 10.8 / 10.13 [73]

Goals

Collingwood: Medhurst 4, Davis 3, Lockyer 2, Anthony, Cloke, Swan, Thomas.
Brisbane: Brown 2, Dalziell 2, Selwood 2, Adcock, Clark, Notting, Rischitelli.

The 10th Letter’s Best: Pendlebury / Cox / Medhurst / Lockyer / Prestigiacomo / Barham

Facing the threat of falling to 1-3 after the first month of football, there was a lot more at stake on Friday night than what most supporters would have expected before the start of the season.  With the Lions looking to consolidate upon a good start to the year, both sides had a lot to play for and when the heavens opened up prior to bounce down it was clear that whoever triumphed was going to be made to earn it.

The first surprise of the night was that there were no late surprises at the selection table, as we went with the original team as announced – which was quite top heavy – in what was going to be a wet weather contest.  Given we decided against bringing back one of Wood or Bryan to support Fraser, Leigh Brown was always going to hold his place; but the selection of Anthony Rocca in such conditions had me concerned.

It looked like it was going to be a long night for Collingwood in the first quarter, as Brisbane adjusted to the conditions a lot better and worked as a unit a lot more effectively.  Adcock tore us apart, as the conditions suited players who had a predisposition for the hard stuff.  We also relinquished the corridor and Brisbane made us pay, moving the ball quickly through the centre of the ground and as a result providing some good service to their forwards — namely Brown.

When Brisbane were awarded a 50 metre penalty right on the quarter time siren, Selwood kicked truly to give the Lions a 22 point buffer.  Considering the wet conditions, a four goal deficit was essentially more like six or more and our early inability to move the ball with any potency meant that it was going to be a long way back.

We exchanged goals with the Lions throughout most of the second quarter, but our application over the entire field had improved significantly as we finally began to settle.  We were destroyed in the clearance department in the first term, but finally managed to wrestle back some dominance within the middle through the efforts of Pendlebury and Swan.

Prestigiacomo was moved onto Brown in an effort to curb his early influence, whilst Harry O’Brien was matched up against the dangerous – and often underrated – Daniel Bradshaw.  We got the match-ups right, as neither of Brisbane’s key forwards would kick a goal for the rest of the match.  Shannon Cox was arguably our best player in the first half, getting his hands on the ball regularly and using it well in what were trying conditions.

After exchanging goals for most of the quarter, Collingwood finally managed to string a couple together late in the second quarter through Dane Swan and Travis Cloke — who kicked truly after the half-time siren.  At the major break, we had reduced the lead to just 10 points and the momentum had definitely swung in our favour.

We were only a minute into the third quarter when the Paul Medhurst show commenced.  Medders took a strong contested mark in front of Jason Roe and converted from a difficult angle 40 metres out.  Just over a minute later, Paul Medhurst received the ball in the other pocket and snapped a freakish goal that put Collingwood in front for the first time of the night.

The next 17 minutes were an arm wrestle, with both teams fighting for the ball but receiving little to no reward on the scoreboard.  Brisbane were dealt a cruel blow when Jamie Charman – who was their primary ruckman – was helped from the ground with a knee injury.  They would also lose Jed Adcock not long after with an ankle injury, whilst Collingwood had some injury woes of their own when Medhurst came off with concussion after an unfortunate head clash.

Rischitelli broke the deadlock after marking strongly and converting from virtually point blank range.  The three quarter time siren sounded with Brisbane holding a four point lead, but all the signs suggested that we would run the game out a lot better than the Lions.

The final quarter kicked off and it was the man of the hour, Paul Medhurst, who put the Pies in front once more after kicking his fourth and best goal from another freakish snap.  The goal was made even more freakish by the fact that he was still suffering from concussion and unsure as to his surroundings.  It was Friday night, Collingwood were a few points in front of Brisbane in the final quarter at the Gabba, everybody knew this except the person who put us into our winning position — after his heroics, Medders was taken from the field.

The tussle between the two sides continued, but Brisbane were visibly running out of puff.  Leon Davis emerged as our new hero, kicking two goals in the final term to take his tally to three for the night, whilst Tarkyn Lockyer chipped in to kick his second.  Brisbane were valiant, but fell victim to fatigue, injuries and the immense pressure that our boys applied from the second quarter onwards.  As the final siren sounded, Collingwood had chalked up a respectable win in a tough encounter interstate, victorious by 17 points.

Scott Pendlebury was a clear best on ground in what was a brilliant performance, finishing the night with 35 possessions, 8 marks, 6 tackles and 10 clearances.  When we were heading into this match, I was fearful of Simon Black playing another blinder against us, but as it turned out it was Pendles who put in a performance that was on par with the efforts we’ve grown accustomed to seeing from the Brisbane champion when our two sides meet.

Our first gamer in Jaxson Barham was fantastic and would have been a definite for this week’s rising star award had he have used the ball a bit better.  With that said, given the conditions and the importance of the match, Barham was instrumental in getting us over the line.  His work rate is incredible, his tackling a highlight and his pace a welcome addition to the side.  Barham finished the night with 28 disposals and a game high of 9 tackles.

Anthony Rocca got through the game unscathed and whilst not influential, he got involved in a few passages.  Pebbles certainly needs some more match fitness but I’ll reserve my judgement on where he’s currently at considering it wasn’t a night for key forwards — no better example being Brown only kicking two for the night and Bradshaw being held goalless.

Which brings me to my next chunk of praise: Prestigiacomo and O’Brien.  Whilst O’Brien was perhaps lucky not to be penalised on one or two occasions, both he and Presti were absolutely superb last night, quelling the influence of Brisbane’s formidable forward pair.  Shannon Cox played a vital role in providing rebound out of defence, made even more valuable due to the absence of Heath Shaw.  On top of that, Cox also won quite a few clearances from stoppages, his clean hands being a valuable asset in a night when ball handling was at a premium.

Josh Fraser played a lone hand in the ruck and once again put in an admirable performance.  His job was made a little easier when Charman was taken from the ground, but he deserves an honourable mention all the same.  Leon Davis stood up when required, kicking three vital goals whilst picking up 18 possessions.  Dane Swan was a little quieter than usual, but some of his efforts out of the middle and his strong marking all over the ground went a long way to securing our victory.

Last night could be considered our first real victory for the year, one which we can take some well deserved pride in.  Whilst our performance was not without flaws – most notably another poor start – the grit and determination required to not only claw ourselves back into the game but to win cannot be overlooked.

Brisbane are a side who I rate and you can draw some parallels with where both our sides are currently at in regards to development.  Our matches are never clear cut, always competitive and given the history of the two clubs there is always a sense of pride and extra incentive when we come up against one another.  Coming away from a road trip to Brisbane with a victory is always a good thing.

It wasn’t one of those flawless performances where everything clicks and the percentage sky rockets, but sometimes there is more value in winning a tough, competitive match.  Considering the start we’ve had to the year, a victory like this was just what the doctor ordered.  Hopefully it will instill some more belief within the current side whilst also bringing them closer together.