MATCH REPORT..subtitled..can anyone lend us a ruckman?

[ed healey]

To set the scene,it is 3pm in WA a much more convenient time to watch footy than last weeks 9am.
Its 42 degrees outside and i am happy to be under the air con and watching the CLUB.
Essendon had lost again but Carlton fluked a win so it was an even round so far as my hates go.Fridge is chocka so lets go.
1st qtr.
McKee actually grabbed first bounce and kicked us forward but Hawks worked it forward 4 pies fumbled the ball so Chick picked it up ,passed to Barlow and we are a goal down.
Soon we were 3 goals down Chick is killing Clement,pies go forward a bit but cannot find a target.
Half way thru the qtr things changed.
Cummings started leading and players started kicking to him he goals from passes by Buckley,and Nick davis.seems happy to be playing on rookie Campbell as he is too good for him.
Then a great tackle by leon davis gets him a free and he goals then Betheras takes a strong mark and goals and we hit the front.
Didak and Clement had a dirty qtr they would like to forget.
2nd qtr.
We had a bit of momentum going and it even rubbed off on Mckee as he got a pas after Cloke took a strong mark and Mckee went for a dash and a few bounces and hit a leading Cummings on the tit GOAL.
Hawks are getting out of defence too easily but then MM decide we can do a flood too and the Hawks struggled with this for a while,it was good hard footy,nobody giving an inch.
Tarrant had a few chances but couldnt hold the marks,i fear he needs to put another dimention besides leading to his game as he is struggling in the pack situations.
Boofa and the Neon both hit Cummings on the tit for 2 more goals which should have been 3 as he missed the next shot that boofa passed him.20 seconds to half time Lockyer hanballed backwards into the hawks goal squre for the obligatory turnover and they goaled to make it 6 points up at half time.
Buckley,Cummings,Both Davis boys Wakelin and Cloke all had good halfs.
3rd qtr
McKee took the ball from the bounce again like in qtr 1 and betheras got the footy and goaled but umpire strikes back said he ran too far,very dubious and costly umpy mistake.
we peppered the forward half but a lot of wayward passing caused a series of turnovers.Licka and Wakes were solid in defence.
Tarrant got his first kick and hit Cummings on tit but a point only.
Then once again Lockyer handballed into Hawks goalsquare and they goaled again!
leon did another brilliant tackle and set up Cummings who was leading and marking well but he missed again.
Betheras was on fire at the time and got it to Steiner who kicked a strong goal,that seemed to boost Steiners confidence as he was strong at the footy got it to snow white shaw and he goaled.
9points up and looking good at 3/4 time.
final qtr
betheras was going well but wanted to do too much at times and was caught out running too far again and hawks got it to Chick who was a realpest all day and he goaled.
Comedy capers then started.
McKee stood still and Rehn jumped all over him,Rehn got the free and Chick goaled again.
next bounce McKe took possession and got it to Bucks who found Brodie who goaled.
next bounce McKee left the ground for the first time in his life and Rehn got the free and they got a point from Crawford then a goal to Cox.
The pies had stopped looking for Cummings or he stopped leading ,its hard to tell on the telly.
tarrant led and marked but was reluctant to have a shot and sprayed it for a turnover,after 2 minutes play he got it againn and had a shot but shocking effort.
game over
hawks looked too fit and committed when it counted in the final qtr.
centre clearances were 18-6 their way,that and Clemnets inability to stop Chick were the deciding factors.
it was an improved effort but still nowhere near good enough.
prognosis,
that system of play will not win a lot of games especially with so many losing centre breaks.
Cummings...would he have done so well against Hay?we will find out,but i doubt it.
Molloy,ObRee,Fraser,Ant etc have to come in.
Of the young brigade i think only Cloke is sure of his spot.
Didak was caught out a few times as was Shaw being too slow to dispose of the ball.
really rapt in Neons game
my votes
2.Nick and leon davis,Cummings,Buckley.
1.Holland and Wakelin.

Posiadly,Richards,Kinnear all seem just below this level at the moment .Its the options and time they take to make them that is against them at the moment.
GOD give us a ruckman!!
Amen.

[Black_White]

Good review Ed, look forward to the next 22+ over the year.

-Craig

We Are Collingwood and you're NOT!!

[Dr Alf Andrews]

"Hawks too fit and committed" probably sums it up.

I thought it was a pretty good hit-out myself. Collingwood completely controlled the game from midway through the first quarter until 3-quarter time. They did enough to show they are in for a great season.

As for those "too fit and committed Hawks" ... well, what can you say? They gave it their absolute best shot. They showed us all their tricks. They gave their supporters multiple orgasms. And they managed to beat a Collingwood-Williamstown hybrid team that wasn't even trying by two and a half goals. Ah, well. The poor old Hawkers need the members. So good luck to 'em, I say.

floreat pica
**************
My Ph.D. thesis, "Football: the People's Game?" is now available for viewing and/or downloading at http://alf.magpies.net

[cobood]

Thanks for the report Ed... great work.....

BE LOUD...BE PROUD
(September.... we WILL be there)

[London Dave]

Cool report Ed, dunno about your time complaints though, try 'watching' at 5 am or something!!!!! Sounds like you got your fridge technique sorted though.

Nice add on Alf...has something been put into the Melb water? you are sounding optimistic!

[stik35]

Good Report Ed.
We actually played better than I'd expected after last week.
As you pointed out, we are missing a few important players.
We really suffered at the centre bounces - McKee was ineffective
to put it mildly.
A lot of the time the ball was kicked far too high for Tarrant to mark.
Leon really impressed me with his running and tackling.
That goal by Betheras should have stood.
I thought another goal- can't remember who kicked it - Cummings?
should have been paid but the Umpire called it a point.
The Hawks seemed to get free kicks for things which we missed out on (So what's new?).
Cummings did pretty well as a focal point up forward.
For some reason a few of the players - Nick Davis being one of
them - seemed reluctant to have a shot at goal and mucked up
causing turnovers.
These were my impressions of the game.
The Hawks seemed quick and fit but we gave them a good contest for at least 2 quarters.

[Greg J]

Some game highlights, you might have missed.

When Holland had a set shot at goal, and kicked a point, I yelled "Trade him to Freemantle!", which got a few chuckles from the (quick and the) faithful around me.

I tried giving Chick the "Dave Allen". The "Dave Allen" involves pretending to pick your nose with one of your knuckles. But I do not think anyone noticed.

Rule 1. Barrack for Collingwood
Rule 2. See rule 1.
Rule 3. There is no rule 3.

CARN DE PIES!
Greg J

[Brown26]

I think it was clear that MM has a checklist of what players he wanted to see could do what, ie. can Leon Davis play on the ball?

Answer, yes, answered by three quarter time, so he didn't play there in the last. If we really wanted to win, why didn't Buckley and Burns start in the centre after 3 qrter time? cause MM wanted to see how the other guys went.

btw, I didn't think McKee played that poorly in the 2nd and 3rd quarters, remember Hill and Richards played a bit too, esp end of teh 1st q. Remember they were playing against Rehn too, he's no chump.


Pies for Premiers 2002, 3, 4, 5, 6....