Post Match. Pies lose to Tigers. All comments please.

[John LEWIN]

Apart from the usual bile from the psychotics who need someone to torture between drinks in order to feel good there is plenty of well observed stuff in the posts but a lot is correct though limited observation about discrete problems. An AFL list is not a magic pudding and pretending that you have 40 odd A level players all perfectly capable of filling any gap in any position or structure always ready to hand is a strange aspect of AFL culture. This crazy idea that losing a lot of your most capable resources which perform critical functions shouldn't affect performance is simply irrational but, then again, is the "footy" mentality anything but that?. A game will always be a contest between equal or unequal capabilities and in most cases the latter. Close games indicate the former so what about West Coast? Richmond had the greater abundance of capabilities, largely in the form of Lynch. Although different players, if you assign similar importance to Stephenson and assume Richmond played without Lynch the equation would have been different. Then imagine that Richmond played without Lynch and we played with Stephenson, once again the balance of capabilities would have changed significantly. I don't say we would have won but it seems to me that there is a particular effect on Collingwood's scoring capability when Stephenson Mihocek and Cox are working as complementary components of the forward line, which creates scoring and transition efficiency that tests other teams. Stepho is the magic sauce as I think Lynch is for the Tigers.

[shawthing]

Collingwood won the second half, 6.6 to 5.7. It may not seem much but I thought at half time that we were a chance to lose by 100 points. They kept at it, which is all one can sensibly demand. We simply did not have enough quality players on the park tonight.

[WarrenerraW]

It keeps going from bad to worse for our team, and each week is becoming more and more difficult to watch. Last night was a less than average performance and losing players every week is not helping our cause either.

Our game plan is lame and predicable while our set ups and structures can be figured out in less than 5 seconds. I can't see us winning anymore games from here (gold coast included). Morale must be at an all time low. I walked out in the last quarter after pendlebury stood stagnant in the centre waiting for an option, only to turn the ball over for what was eventually a goal.

That for me was the story of the night. All our hard efforts are undone by critical turnovers that result in goals. I remember in the third quarter, after we kicked an important goal saying to the guy next to me: watch this centre clearance. Grundy will tap it to richmond, they'll go forward and kick a goal; and low and behold that's what they did. Yet another opportunity to get back in the game undone by a poor tap and our midfielders misreading the play.

The sooner this year is done the better. I'm over it and can't take any more.

[Magpietothemax]

did show a lot of heart and confidence to keep at it after such a disastrous start. Don't kid yourself Rchmond weren't toying with us, they knew they had to play it out. AT end of 2nd q, getting 2 quixck goals, I was thinking that's 1/4 of 8 goal lead in 2 minutes, if you get a run on its' very possible to overhaul a lead like that in quick time.

In the end the main difference was superstar Tom Lynch.

Buckley and Pendles in interviews were surprisingly positive. I'm sure they knwo a lot of stuff we don't, they still have strong belief and taht's half the battle. REmains to be seen about the other half!

Def need to get some back. Fairlytale finals woudl be Reid, Wells, BEams, DArcy and ADams, Elliot, Aish, Greenwood, Roughhead all fit and firing for finals (STevo a given). that would make a huge difference - I can dream but hopefully at least a couple of those does happen.

Also might be worht trialling Atu in bigtime this week, just maybe is ready to add some of that young forward spark that most of the other teams have gained this year.

It's great to be a juggernaut on top of the world and breeze to a premiership, but these painful backs-to-the-wall seasons are more interesting and character-building for both club and supporters. Seems that's life most of the time.

Love your post man.
Please post more oftan. I need it for my soul.

[Pies2016]

[bokka]

did show a lot of heart and confidence to keep at it after such a disastrous start. Don't kid yourself Rchmond weren't toying with us, they knew they had to play it out. AT end of 2nd q, getting 2 quixck goals, I was thinking that's 1/4 of 8 goal lead in 2 minutes, if you get a run on its' very possible to overhaul a lead like that in quick time.

In the end the main difference was superstar Tom Lynch.

Buckley and Pendles in interviews were surprisingly positive. I'm sure they knwo a lot of stuff we don't, they still have strong belief and taht's half the battle. REmains to be seen about the other half!

Def need to get some back. Fairlytale finals woudl be Reid, Wells, BEams, DArcy and ADams, Elliot, Aish, Greenwood, Roughhead all fit and firing for finals (STevo a given). that would make a huge difference - I can dream but hopefully at least a couple of those does happen.

Also might be worht trialling Atu in bigtime this week, just maybe is ready to add some of that young forward spark that most of the other teams have gained this year.

It's great to be a juggernaut on top of the world and breeze to a premiership, but these painful backs-to-the-wall seasons are more interesting and character-building for both club and supporters. Seems that's life most of the time.

Love your post man.
Please post more oftan. I need it for my soul.

Thanks. Never got a response like that in years on bigfooty! PS great sig.

[dollygray]

I had my say yesterday, but this morning I have another idea. Bucks is not permitted to physically foot his players up the backside. So, I'm suggesting he play "Up There Cazeally" very loud before and as the team is running up the race to the arena. Surely the best and most stirring footy song ever written and sang by Mike Brady. Google the lyrics if you can't remember them. Maybe, just maybe, this will give them a bit of heart/fight. Either way, it cannot do them any harm.

[RudeBoy]

did show a lot of heart and confidence to keep at it after such a disastrous start. Don't kid yourself Rchmond weren't toying with us, they knew they had to play it out. AT end of 2nd q, getting 2 quixck goals, I was thinking that's 1/4 of 8 goal lead in 2 minutes, if you get a run on its' very possible to overhaul a lead like that in quick time.

In the end the main difference was superstar Tom Lynch.

Buckley and Pendles in interviews were surprisingly positive. I'm sure they knwo a lot of stuff we don't, they still have strong belief and taht's half the battle. REmains to be seen about the other half!

Def need to get some back. Fairlytale finals woudl be Reid, Wells, BEams, DArcy and ADams, Elliot, Aish, Greenwood, Roughhead all fit and firing for finals (STevo a given). that would make a huge difference - I can dream but hopefully at least a couple of those does happen.

Also might be worht trialling Atu in bigtime this week, just maybe is ready to add some of that young forward spark that most of the other teams have gained this year.

It's great to be a juggernaut on top of the world and breeze to a premiership, but these painful backs-to-the-wall seasons are more interesting and character-building for both club and supporters. Seems that's life most of the time.

My shrink reckons your post was the best medicine I've had for years. Keep posting mate.

[Pies2016]

[tbaker]

NO team can function on all pistons with 12 senior players out one sidelined one hour before the game. The Tigers were ratshit when they had mass injuries, remember ?? Now aside from Rance, they r all back, on deck, and firing that's how it is. Get Moore, Langdon, Dunn, Taylor adams, back in the side, and that wont happen this yr, and it would be a huge difference, but it is what it is, we are crippled, and that's the way of it.

Totally correct. Some fans expect us to perform like the top team when we have some major players out. This year's season is likely lost due to injury and suspension - we were tracking along nicely until then (not playing perfectly but doing enough to be a comfortable 2nd on the ladder).

[K]

...
Looks like they are now taking [Cotchin] out for the next three games as well.

I'd prefer they take him out of the next six games.