This team is special

[Mike]

When did we last score 20 goals or more against the Hawks?

Round 22, 1981

When did we last beat the Hawks by 54 points or more?

Round 5, 1995 - and before that, Round 20, 1983.

When has a recruit (Johnson) kicked 3 goals in 1 qtr in his debut game - I don't know, but not very often.

When have 3 recruits kicked a total of 6 goals between them (Johnson 3, Adkins 2, Fraser) in the same game in their debut for any team - I would guess never.

Lets see if the journos are ready to accept that this team might just be something special - somehow I doubt it.

[Newelly]

remember how sheedy taught a bunch of youngsters to eat, sh!t and play football in `93. Well Malthouse has a similarly or even more talented bunch at his disposal this year. A flag is only a season or two away.

[peps_12]

Mike, we kicked the crap out of the hawks by 86 points at Waverley at the end of '98.

[Mike]

Not only did I forget the 1998 hawkthrash - we didn't even play Hawthorn in Round 20, 1983 - we beat Sydney by 62.

It was Round 22, 1981 when we beat Hawthorn by 73 points

I can't blame the heat as it was cool and overcast here on Monday, I think the game must have been too much for me.

[Broadie]

Mike, I don't want to throwa dampemer on things, but aren't we getting a little carried away?

My caution stems from 96 /97/ 98 when we sat at 6-2 at Rd 8, yet finished in the bottom 6 each season.

As for goal-kicking performances of recruits on debut, I can only assume you want to examine when THREE recruits have contributed. Otherwise, a few where 7+ have been kicked by a single recruit on debut includes Coleman, Cummings, Salmon (I don't know why I can only recall the Essendon ones)...I'm sure there are others.

Having said that, I'll shouting myself hoarse from the Northern stand today...and FINALLY watching a win (of the 15 matches I've been to in the past 2 seasons, only 2 have been wins....maybe I should stay away more often for the benefit of the club)

[Newelly]

well not quite the bottom six in 1997

10th just out of the bottom six or maybe that was 96 but either way. As for ya record broadie i've lived in perth all my life have seen almost all the pies matches over here since 87 onwards (from the berth of the eagles) missed the last time they won over here in 1992 tho and flown over to melbourne to watch them play but are still yet to see the pies win a match maybe someone can pass round the hat to buy me a win for collingwood in perth? i`m feeling it shouldn't be too far off but the pies don't play over here this year anyway.

[Mike]

I have to admit Broadie that my post was made while in a state of post-match euphoria and was not overly objective.

But you're correct in assuming that what I was saying was that the way virtually all our recruits playing in their debut match combined to help carry the day was, in my memory, unprecedented and indicated a depth to the team that we haven't seen for a long time.

What impressed me this week was the switch. Our recruits were quieter, but our experienced players stood tall under constant pressure to come from behind.

Next week will be very telling. Although we've only won 1 of our last 4 games against Adelaide, our history is 10 wins, 4 losses. Our recent history against Hawthorn is a little more even, 7 wins and 7 losses since 1990. These two teams do not carry the bogy that Carlton does.

Since 1990 we've won 4 and lost 13 games against Carlton and we've only won 1 of the last 11, we go into the match at a psychological disadvantage at a time when Carlton are in-form and confident. This match will be harder and more revealing than Anzac Day against Essendon and I think will truly show our depth and will be the barometer for the rest of the season.

[Broadie]

Mike,

True to my word, I could barely speak Sunday Night & Monday. This was a magnificent effort by a true team (as many others have pointed out in different forums already).

A note of caution for Sunday (and I'll be there again - hoping my "loser jinx" has been reversed for the new century): if we can get wiuthin 3 goals of Carlton, we will have done very well. I want a win withall my heart, but my head wants to keep faith in the GRADUAL improvemetn of our young-guns.

Even though Willo, Bucks & Sav scored all but 1 goal for Sunday, it was the fact that young guys like Lica, Lockyer, Kinnear, Johnson, Adkins, Fraser & co could hold their own that enabled the senior players to play where they did (FORWARD, rather than "centre-back") and play as well as they did. The telling factor in any team is not your top 10 players, but whether or not the bottom 10 can put enough pressure on the opposition to make them focus on neating the WHOLE team, not just 3 - 5 players.

Here's hoping for another night of gargling Aspro-clears this Sunday (I thoroughly recommend it to cure "footy-throat")