Pre-Match. Pies v. Hawks. All comments.

[Donny]

Saturday. MCG. 4.35

Collingwood v. Hawthorn.

Forward Dan McStay will play his first AFL game in 302 days after successfully completing his rehabilitation from an ACL rupture sustained during pre-season.

Jeremy Howe will also return after being sidelined with a neural issue, while Lachlan Sullivan also comes into the side.

Lachie Schultz (concussion), Harvey Harrison (managed) and Billy Frampton (omitted) are the three players to make way.

Frampton, Finlay Macrae and Jack Bytel will be the three emergencies

Let's hear ya !!

[What'sinaname]

I'll be staggered if we're within 4 goals at full time. We are two ships passing each other on the ladder. They're on the way up and we're on the way down.

Even at our best, the Hawks trouble us. We're close to at our worst right now.

[dalyc]

Using David’s form ladder, Pies by 60.

[Haff]

Pretty pessimistic. We were better last week but the Hawks were better still.
Cox and Howe back.
Markov and Schultz (protocol) out. Howe plays back and Cox/Cameron resting fwd.

4 point win or 6 goal loss for mine…

[Leggie]

Yep. Got this one. Us by 32 points.

[Jezza]

Hawks by 5 goals.

Bogey team and we're badly out of form at the moment.

[sourav04]

A lot of people need to temper their expectations. There is absolutely no way we are winning this game.

[Piesnchess]

Stuff the pessimism, I cannot see us losing four in a row, under Fly. McStay ,Cox, Howe, in will make big difference I reckon them an Krooge will have big games. This is D Day for us, a line above the line in the sand, our last shot in the locker, if we are not fired up for this one, we never will be. Lose, an its over, rack the cue for this season, win and its game on, we stay in the hunt for Finals. I dont buy this bogey team stuff, each match is different. I reckon the boys will finally play as we can, and should. Woods by 8 points, in a dour, grim match.

[lazzadesilva]

Yes, I will temper my expectations. I now think we will win by 15 points! Pretty simple assignment really, if we want to play finals and defend our flag, we need to win. On the odds of probability, it’s our turn to win and we will.

[David]

Using David’s form ladder, Pies by 60.

For what it's worth, I do expect us to win comfortably.

[qldmagpie67]

Listening to Buckley in SEN today he made some good points about where we’re at
Firstly he said continuity has been an issue.
He said mix and match in the midfield leads to players losing there opponent too often and young players losing concentration on the job at hand putting the defence under relentless pressure
Then he said we’re expecting too much from our aging veterans.
He said we’re expecting them to carry the load for inexperienced players when their own form has been slightly off.
Overall he said if we hadn’t had the chopping and changing each week we would be a in a little better position (he didn’t say top 4 or anything like that)

Whilst I agree with what he says I still feel our biggest issue is our system of zone. We are getting picked apart by opposition teams who are playing kick mark until a team mate gets clear in a dangerous position then they go bang.
The other big issue is our forward 50 defensive pressure has dropped off the charts.
Last year we averaged 11.7 tackles per game inside our forward 50. This year it’s been 6.3 but the last 4 weeks it’s under 4 per game. We aren’t keeping the ball locked inside our attacking 50 creating multiple chances like we did.
Lastly our style of manic pressure takes a physical toll. Young players are t used to it and our older players are a year older and even if they’ve dropped off by 5% that’s enough to make a difference . Our pressure rating quarter to quarter goes up and down more than a brides nightie.
One quarter it’s 200+ the next it’s 160
We can’t maintain the effort across 4 quarters.
We need to either change our style and go man on man across the entire field or we find a way to maintain manic pressure for 4 quarters

[RudeBoy]

We actually played very well for most of the Cats game, and could have won if we hadn't allowed those 3 goals in 3 minutes at the start.

I expect Howe and McStay to come into our side, which should help rectify our current lack of marking power. However, the main key to getting a win will be a big improvement in centre clearances, where we allowed the Cats to dominate. We already have our 'A' grade midfield in Naicos, Pendles, Crisp and JDG, so it's up to them to lift their game. It must be a structural problem, in terms of the way they are positioning themselves at centre bounces, so hopefully our coaching staff can identify the problem and rectify it this week.

In: Howe, McStay

Out: Markov, Schultz (inj)

Harrison to be the sub.

Seriously, we should blow the Dorks away.

[woodys_world69]

Howe in and goes down back.

Moore to Forward line with Mcstay
Dean back in.

Hawthorn by 47 points

[qldmagpie67]

Rudeboy I basically agree but I think Dean needs to come in.
He’s young and makes the odd error but he’s a far better option than Nonle or Markov long term.
I don’t know if they’ll play McStay. Fly seemed adamant last week we would follow the original program which was 40% game time game 1 60/70% game time game 2. I don’t think you can take a player in expecting him to be only able to play 60/70% game time. If we got a game ending injury it throws up all sorts of rotation issues.
I think waiting one more week won’t change our season

[Dark Beanie]

Dean went off injured in the 3rd quarter of the VFL.
Looked like a hit to the head during a marking contest.

Wait for injury report but doubt he will play this weekend.