*sigh*

[MagpieMark]

Oh well, Hawthorn MAY have played better than us BUT with some totally biased help from the white maggots. I don't know if anybody else agrees but i think we were totally crucifed at critical times. How many goals did they get from soft free kicks ?

[AlfAndrews]

We certainly were crucified. But that doesn't excuse the last quarter fade out.

But didn't Shawry play well. And that goal by Neon right at the end was a gem.

I was thinking during that comeback late in the 3rd quarter, just how well Collingwood can play when their confidence is up. But as soon as a few things start to go wrong they revert to bumbling embarrassing incompetence.

What about Anthony Rocca's bone-cruncher on Tarrant.
And THAT Lockyer kick out.

As you so eloquently put it ... *sigh*

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**floreat pica**

[ytry4]

So Alf,

Are you admitting that Neon DOES have good skills??? Anyway, once he gets used to the pace of the game and does work in the gym to get himself into shape, he will be the forward pocket goal-sneak we are looking for... much like Farmer, but performing on a more consistent basis (I hope).

Also, doesn't Tarrant look the goods? He will only get better and, hopefully, will be a genuine superstar if all goes according to plan...

And Rhyce Shaw looked real good for a first-gamer didn't he?

Things are definitely looking good for the future.

But the problem I have is Malthouse... We don't seem to have a good forward set-up. Maybe it's the players not following instructions or it's the coach, but at times, we had nothing to kick to except Tarrant, and most of the times he was outnumbered! What do you guys think about Malthouse?

[This message has been edited by ytry4 (edited 24 June 2000).]

[AlfAndrews]

ytry4

I'm giving him (Leon Davis) credit where it's due. It doesn't alter my observations of his lack of disposal skills in past weeks. I guess he's just very young and needs more experience under pressure. I hope he becomes a super-star. He is one player who does seem to be improving with every game.

As for Malty. I'm no expert on coaching or tactics, so my views are probably a bit simplistic. But I really don't think we are suffering from bad coaching. I respect Malthouse's record in the West and I'd hate to see us go the Richmond route of sacking coaches as a knee-jerk reaction.

The forward set-up is our biggest nightmare. A fully fit and in-form Sav would give Malthouse a lot more to work with, but you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. I think some creative recruiting during the summer is our only hope. We'll struggle to kick a winning score again this season.

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**floreat pica**

[MagpieMark]

yeah you summed it up totally Alf, when the going gets tough we just stuff it up.

Neon played brilliantly in patches and his goal was unreal.
What are we going to do with sav ?

[Broadie]

Ytry4 - you beat me to it on noting Alf's "giving credit where it's due".

In all honesty, Sav did not play BADLY on Friday. When you've got both Dunstall and Brereton saying that he's leading really well (in fact they openly told Golden Tonsils Bruce that he was WRONG to criticise Sav - has anyone told Bruce he's wrong before?) then you've got to realise just how bad the kicking to our forwards was. The fact that Tarrant took 11 grabs is testament to the way he can bend himself backwords to meet almost any kick.

I'm just depressed that we're all back to noting the highlights as the form of 2 youngsters, whereas earlier this year we were even critical in our analysis of some wins (Alf even managed that last week!).

Shawry was GREAT - anyone else hear MM on the radio heaping praise on the lad's abilities and leadership? Don't hear of too many 18 year olds being talked of as future captains by their coach.

[Spidergirl]

Obviously when any chance at the finals comes along Collingwood shake in their boots and stuff it up!

#8 RoCkS
Go RiCkS!

[rash]

I have been critical of Sav on this list but I must sympathise with him this week. The delivery into the forward line was pathetic. Poor old Sav was leading well but the kicks to him were over his head or the player with the ball just ignored him and bombed into the forward line. I could see that he was getting frustrated. It would not be fair on Sav if he gets dropped next week. Is there a chance that the other players want him out so they ignore his leads? Just a thought.

Cheers

[Greg J]

One of the umpires (29, I think) was spelt D-O-R-E, but pronounced DORK (well I was pronouncing it that way). They were shocking and it was good to see (and hear) the faithful let them know it.

Also, it was good to get a bit of atmosphere going when we kicked four goals, in ten minutes, in the third quarter. If the lads had've sustained that effort, we barrackers would have really shaken the roof (and the everything else at Colostomy). But alas, we were far to quiet for the rest of the game.

Special mention goes to the guys standing at the back of the Official cheer squad. They never shut up the entire game and never gave an inch to the Hawk supporter scum that were in great numbers (and voice) beside them.

Thanks Joffa for wording us up on where to sit. We took advantage of it, and had prime seats to the left of the cheer squad. Did you sit there, or go back and stay at the other end? It is not the same without a few beers at the Cricketers Arms before hand is it, luckily I met up with you at all? Pity you had to go to work straight after the game, else you would have seen us in the Locker Room after the game. Not that was a strange experience, I tell you. A nightclub at a football stadium. We were already ordering our drinks as the Hawks theme song started blaring out! Then we watched people dance in their club colours, and get progressively pissed, then dance again (but less steady).

As for the game, well ... we need a quality midfield.

Willow seemed to break free a bit more this week, and we really missed Richo in the second half.

Tarrant was a winner, but I think he started in defense. We started with a really small forward line. But this was just initially. Tarrant soon brought his forward down to our forward line. I guessed it (the small forward set up) was us trying to negate their defense running off Tarrant and the Roccas. Was Tarrant flattened off the ball? In the second quarter I could see he was down (at the Lonsdale end) and there was a scuffle, but the game went on. What happened?

We need another tall quality defender. For the past month or so we are beign punished by a mid size forward being matched up against one of our small size defenders. What's wrong with Kinnear? He was doing the job earlier on.

Neon Leon did good. He takes such little steps though.

Shawy looked the goods, he displayed poise, which is something we do not often see in our 50 gamers let alone our first gamers.

Late in the first quarter, Sav started to slip just in front of me. He retained his feet, but his movement was restricted immediately afterwards. Up to this point he was leading well. When he went off a couple minutes later, for the rest of that quarter, and all the second Collingwood had no forward line. In the first quarter Sav was weaving his way through three Hawthorn players to contest each mark (and he boght the ball to ground each time) but we never had a single crumber, not once.

How was Licuria's disposal this week. He got a bath in defense (by Dixon?) but seemd to get the ball a bit when in the midfield.