I’m watching Melbourne Collingwood from last year on foxtel. Preseason can alter truths on players, so it’s good to get a look at reality before the season starts. Some observations;

Melbournes game plan seems to work when there is intensity from all players around the ground. The intensity was there in this game, would be great to see it for 22 rounds.

Umpiring was terrible. Even the commentators were saying how bad a run Melbourne were getting.

Peterd is pound for pound one of the best body on body players I have seen. The way he out positions and out bodies defenders for a bloke his size is unbelievable. Will be a star.

Bartram is a reliable back pocket player. Doesn’t get beaten one on one, and reliable with disposal.

Scully is a poor kick. The worst kick at Melbourne. Runs all day and gets into great positions, but he really needs to improve this to be a decent AFL player.

Grimes is a gun

Warnock has a place with the right matchup

Newton is terrible. If he is playing to provide ruck relief, it is a mistake. He does not come anywhere near competing at centre bounces, and offers nothing when the ball hits the ground, is in the air or up forward, I would rather play a big man down and plan on loosing the ruck contests, with another runner at the ruckmans feet.

McDonald will be a massive loss. Hardest worker on the ground, I have never seen a player with so many second and third efforts.

Moloney and Jones are best 22 until the kids grow up. They work hard and have the size and strength needed at ALF level. Others won’t be able to provide this for another few years.

Dunn is a smart footballer.

Jamer is a star. The work he does at ground level and clearances doesn’t get the recognition that it deserves. Easily top two rucks in the comp, could make a case for the best.

Bail is a player, I didn’t have him in my best 22, but that has changed after watching this.

Frawley is a player to build a team around

Harry O’Brian is a [censored]

I’m watching Melbourne Collingwood from last year on foxtel. Preseason can alter truths on players, so it’s good to get a look at reality before the season starts. Some observations;

Melbournes game plan seems to work when there is intensity from all players around the ground. The intensity was there in this game, would be great to see it for 22 rounds.

Umpiring was terrible. Even the commentators were saying how bad a run Melbourne were getting.

Peterd is pound for pound one of the best body on body players I have seen. The way he out positions and out bodies defenders for a bloke his size is unbelievable. Will be a star.

Bartram is a reliable back pocket player. Doesn’t get beaten one on one, and reliable with disposal.

Scully is a poor kick. The worst kick at Melbourne. Runs all day and gets into great positions, but he really needs to improve this to be a decent AFL player.

Grimes is a gun

Warnock has a place with the right matchup

Newton is terrible. If he is playing to provide ruck relief, it is a mistake. He does not come anywhere near competing at centre bounces, and offers nothing when the ball hits the ground, is in the air or up forward, I would rather play a big man down and plan on loosing the ruck contests, with another runner at the ruckmans feet.

McDonald will be a massive loss. Hardest worker on the ground, I have never seen a player with so many second and third efforts.

Moloney and Jones are best 22 until the kids grow up. They work hard and have the size and strength needed at ALF level. Others won’t be able to provide this for another few years.

Dunn is a smart footballer.

Jamer is a star. The work he does at ground level and clearances doesn’t get the recognition that it deserves. Easily top two rucks in the comp, could make a case for the best.

Bail is a player, I didn’t have him in my best 22, but that has changed after watching this.

Frawley is a player to build a team around

Harry O’Brian is a [censored]

We were $ 15 on Sportsbet before this game started $ 15 Big ones.....i was so close to paying off my house!!!!

But you know what?? i still love this game because it showed we are going to make it if the club continues to improve.

$15....oh the pain...

This was, IMO, one of the best games in 2010.

I have watched the last five minutes on youtube several times, and each time my heart is racing, even though I know the outcome.

The fact that we managed to basically match Collingwood twice last season shows what we are capable of, and makes me very exciting for the coming years.

Go Dees! B)

Scully is a poor kick. The worst kick at Melbourne. Runs all day and gets into great positions, but he really needs to improve this to be a decent AFL player.

Yep, that's a fair comment.

It was Round 2. 2. Last year.

It's been almost 12 months. To use the present tense (i.e. Scully is a poor kick, not Scully was a poor kick) is a tad unfair if you're basing it on that game.

Yep, that's a fair comment.

It was Round 2. 2. Last year.

It's been almost 12 months. To use the present tense (i.e. Scully is a poor kick, not Scully was a poor kick) is a tad unfair if you're basing it on that game.

It is a bit unfair but IMO he is still behind Trengove in the kicking department.

I have a gut feeling Trengove will be the better player in five years time.

Scully is a poor kick. The worst kick at Melbourne. Runs all day and gets into great positions, but he really needs to improve this to be a decent AFL player.

Good one.

The second match was much better imo.

Both of these matches showcased a team that wanted to win more than its opposition, but it just didn't know how to get across the line. These two games also defined Collingwood in 2010: good teams don't lose close matches, especially against bottom-8 teams.

I find it rather strange/mildly amusing thinking about the criticisms leveled at Bennell for being "soft". After watching this match the other night (this being the game in which Bennell did his now famous withdraw from the contest and feign cramp move), I noticed that prior to Bennell's "choke", everyone's hero and next captain, Grimes actually pulled out of a MUCH softer contest on the Collingwood forward line. No-one seems to have ever said anything about it, yet it was a move that led directly to a Collingwood goal! I must admit that I only noticed it watching the replay of this game and missed it when it happened.

In Bennell's favour, he was (and still is) a small and at the time, relatively inexperienced player who was faced with the prospect of two or three charging Collingwood defenders and a couple of Dees forwards steamrolling him as he ran to take a mark with the flight of the ball - as it turns out, they were not as close as he thought, but close enough to spook him as he obviously caught sight of them out of the corner of his eye.

Thankfully both players have since made amends several times over.

Edited March 24, 201114 yr by hardtack

Scully is a poor kick. The worst kick at Melbourne. Runs all day and gets into great positions, but he really needs to improve this to be a decent AFL player.

I agree with most of your observations, but this one strikes me as unfair. R.2 2010 was only Scully's second game at the top level, and most observers acknowledge that he got better as the season progressed. IMO his kicking became less rushed, and definitely improved over the season. There is still room for improvement, but it is unreasonable to state that he is the worst kick at the Club. By the way, he also dropped a couple of straight-forward chest marks in that match .... again, more to do IMO with his inexperience playing against men, than fundamental flaws in his skill-set.

Edited March 24, 201114 yr by Deeoldfart

I agree with most of your observations, but this one strikes me as unfair. R.2 2010 was only Scully's second game at the top level, and most observers acknowledge that he got better as the season progressed. IMO his kicking became less rushed, and definitely improved over the season. There is still room for improvement, but it is unreasonable to state that he is the worst kick at the Club. By the way, he also dropped a couple of straight-forward chest marks in that match .... again, more to do IMO with his inexperience playing against men, than fundamental flaws in his skill-set.

I agree, I felt that Trengove settled into the pace of the game quicker, but Scully just felt the pressure a bit more and coughed it up a few times in this game early in the year. The WB game was where we saw what he was capable of, but in this game it was a case (for a lot of the younger players) that when the heat was on a few errors crept in. That said, the senior players made plenty of errors themselves; Joel Mac, Bate, and Warnock all had critical mistakes in the final 5 minutes of play.

This game, though, still both excites and devastates me. That last plunge by Bail to Petterd, he was SO close to having a shot to win us the game after the siren and the frustration on his face tells me how much playing (and winning) for Melbourne means to him.

It's a great example of what we are capable of, but intensity is the first step. The Pies players had no time on the ball and that is why they made so many mistakes.

MAN I'M PUMPED! BRING ON SYDNEY!!!!!

Edited March 25, 201114 yr by Pates

I agree with most of your observations, but this one strikes me as unfair. R.2 2010 was only Scully's second game at the top level, and most observers acknowledge that he got better as the season progressed. IMO his kicking became less rushed, and definitely improved over the season. There is still room for improvement, but it is unreasonable to state that he is the worst kick at the Club. By the way, he also dropped a couple of straight-forward chest marks in that match .... again, more to do IMO with his inexperience playing against men, than fundamental flaws in his skill-set.

Fair point, that game was probably his worst, and he may have got better.

However I cannot think of a player at Melbourne who Scully is a better kick than. Jones and Bartram (and Bruce last year) get crucified on this forum for their disposal, but in every game that I watched last year their kicks were consistently better than Scully. I'm sure that both He and the coaches would state that this is his biggest weakness.

Scully seems to be a bit of a protected species around here. I know he is young and should improve, but watching that game, and many others from last year, the fact is he was the worst kick in the side.

the past is the past...bring on 2011!

The second match was much better imo.

Both of these matches showcased a team that wanted to win more than its opposition, but it just didn't know how to get across the line. These two games also defined Collingwood in 2010: good teams don't lose close matches, especially against bottom-8 teams.

We were lucky to be in the second match. It was a miracle we were only a couple of goals down at 1/4 time. Or 1 goal 6 to be precise.

Warnock cost us both those games. A stray handball in the first and a poor option to Jolly in the second.

Warnock cost us both those games. A stray handball in the first and a poor option to Jolly in the second.

Bit harsh to pin it on one moment in both games, but yes both those incidents prove that Warnock is both definitely depth at best.

However I cannot think of a player at Melbourne who Scully is a better kick than. Jones and Bartram (and Bruce last year) get crucified on this forum for their disposal, but in every game that I watched last year their kicks were consistently better than Scully.

Scully definitely has better disposal that Bartram, I like his (Bartram's) game but when he has the ball my heart skips a few beats because i can't be certain it'll hit the target. I agree it's probably Tom's main deficiency, at the moment but it comes with confidence and it certainly got better as the year wore on in 2010.

IMO Scullys main problem with his kicking is that they are up & under looping type deliveries .

A problem when passing to teamamates giving opponents a chance but accurate when pinging from 45 on the burst .