WELL GET THEM NEXT TIME by Whispering Jack

I was one of those who held high hopes for a Melbourne win over Collingwood because I believed the Demons are emerging and, as such is due to take further steps forward against a team I was not convinced about: one that had beaten only teams in the bottom half of the competition. A win would have broken the club's eight year losing streak against the Magpies and whilst, the Pies prevailed in the end and every defeat hurts, I believe that the team has their measure and will get them next time which happens to be in the return game in Round 18, so barring a major run with injuries, pencil in the date Saturday 1 August, 2015.

My hopes for a win were shattered for a number of reasons but the main ones were the performance of inaugural Neale Daniher Trophy winner (and a worthy one at that) of Travis Cloke who has hitherto struggled for accuracy in front of goal this season but against Melbourne, goaled with every one of his seven shots at the big sticks. He monstered Tom McDonald in the early play and continued to be a major danger up forward for Collingwood. A few weeks ago, I heard his coach Nathan Buckley whining about how little protection Cloke gets from the umpires but on Queens Birthday, they treated him like a king. Players were being pulled off the ball in ruck and marking contests all around the ground but it didnt seem to worry the umpires until the ball got into the vicinity of Cloke who was leaning back on Lynden Dunn and suddenly, it was time for the whistle to blow.

The other area where Melbourne lapsed badly was in the turnover count. According to the statisticians, Collingwood scored 84 points from Melbourne turnovers while the Dees scored 23 from Pies turnovers a differential of 61 points in a four goal-game. Thats disappointing in anyones language but turnovers happen, its part of the time and young teams have to learn to deal with the pressure of a match. In many aspects, it was a case of Melbourne taking the game on and playing high risk football rather than the dreary pedestrian stuff we saw last year when the team kicked only three goals for the game and if youre doing that, then mistakes will happen and, as time goes on, a developing team will reduce the turnovers as it matures. But you really cant take the brain fades that result in opposition goals. Lynden Dunns short kick in and Jack Fitzpatricks tunnel ball throw were two examples that are true coach killers and are simply unacceptable (as were a couple of umpiring brain fades but you cant do much about that other than your coach risking a fine and publicly stating something to the effect that he wishes Jesse Hogan got the same protection from the umpires as does Cloke).

There was also a lot made of the fact that Collingwoods Adam Oxley was allowed to roam the back half unattended and Melbourne seemed to constantly kick in his direction where the numbers dictated that he was going to win the ball more often than not. I simply didnt get that Paul Roos was unable to change things with the simple move necessary to cover that situation but I for one, got sick of seeing number 43 mark it on his own time and again. It was almost as if our one avenue to goal was through Oxley and if you are going to have a go at a player for tunnel balling the pill through goals and giving away six points, then the coach who allows an unattended opposition player to save several times more through his inaction has a lot to answer for (as do I for ending a sentence with a preposition).

The pity of the defeat was that it overshadowed and possibly hid the fact that the Melbourne midfield showed definite signs of emerging out of the third world that it has inhabited for those eight or so years of darkness and it started with the ruckwork of Max Gawn who, unlike others tried in this department over those years, is actually good at the craft of giving his on ballers first use and as a result Bernie Vince, Nathan Jones and Jack Viney won the day over a very accomplished AFL midfield led by some handy types in Pendlebury, Swan and Sidebottom for starters. Melbourne lost a bit after half time with the injury and subbing off of Aaron vandenBerg and the discomfort of Viney with a corked calf (and lets hope thats all was) and probably tired in this division in the final quarter. But the main thing was that because they were getting drive from the midfield and were prepared to run and move the ball with a little more speed than normal, they were able to come back a few times when we thought they were gone. And they will only get better next week with the inclusion of Dom Tyson and possibly the debut of young ball magnet Alex Neal-Bullen who has been tearing it up at Casey.

Speaking of tearing, the team missed Christian Salem who did the other hamstring at training on Saturday and continues to miss the pace of Dean Kent or the other hyphen JKH. Collingwood had close to its best team on the park and got through the game unscathed. Everything went its way but that doesn't happen every week.

We'll get them next time.

Melbourne 3.1.19 9.1.55 13.4.82 13.7.85

Collingwood 7.1.43 11.3.69 15.4.94 17.8.110

Goals

Melbourne Howe 3 Garlett N Jones Vince 2 Brayshaw

Collingwood Cloke 7 Blair Elliott 3 Broomhead Fasolo Seedsman Swan

Best

Melbourne Jones Vince Brayshaw Viney Cross Jetta

Collingwood Cloke Oxley Pendlebury Swan Elliott Blair Williams

Changes

Melbourne Nil

Collingwood Nil

Injuries

Melbourne Viney (corked calf) vandenBerg (leg)

Collingwood Nil

Substitutions

Melbourne Matt Jones replaced Aaron vandenBerg (leg) at half-time

Collingwood Ben Kennedy replaced Paul Seedsman in the third quarter

Reports

MelbourneNil

Collingwood Nil

Umpires Stevic Kamolins Pannell

Official Crowd 66,120 at the MCG

Really disappointed in the coaching staff today.

The players were brilliant, yes Ftiz and Dunn had brain explosions and Watts could've been harder with the mark.

But for the first time I can remember we lost this match in the coaching box.

When we had an even number of players in the forward line, we moved the ball with confidence knowing we'll have a contest. Scored multiple goals in a row.

As soon as Buckley put an extra back, we passed sideways and when we did kick long up forward their extra Oxely marked. Our scoring dried up.

Worst game Roos and co have coached and I'm a Roos fan.

Very disappointed. Missed opportunity.

Outcoached and out conditioned.

Roos should always man up the loose guy in defence as it always gives opposition solid rebound.

No idea why we can't even run out quarters when we have had Misson for years now. Opponents are always conditioned much better.

Players did everything they could

Lost in the coaches box.

Got a red hot Garlett waiting for anything to hit the ground, yet we leave Oxley on his own to mark everything.

He should've been manned up, or lined up and smashed.

Apart from that I was happy enough with the overall effort.

Lost in the coaches box.

Got a red hot Garlett waiting for anything to hit the ground, yet we leave Oxley on his own to mark everything.

He should've been manned up, or lined up and smashed.

Apart from that I was happy enough with the overall effort.

Agree totally, I hope Goodwin had nothing to do with the tactics today.

We lost game with stupid turnovers, gave soft goals to them and a few very poor umpiring decisions, nothing to do with Roo's.

Lost in team selection on thursday night and the outcoached today.

Paul Roos why the [censored] did you just let Oxley roam around as a loose man in defence for the whole game!? Don't blame that [censored] on the past or players being scarred! Time to put your hand up and take responsibility for today!

Watts was fantastic today.

Matt Jones...thanks for your services. Enjoy Casey.

We lost game with stupid turnovers, gave soft goals to them and a few very poor umpiring decisions, nothing to do with Roo's.

Watch the replay, and see how many times Oxley marks on his own in our 50.

Watching fat Eddie walk Danners over to the Collingwood fans at the end of the game was hard to watch, didnt like it one bit

Disappointed with the loss, and allowing the loose man across half back hurt us, but I can't fault the team or the direction we are heading in.

Our midfield stood up today. Vince, Jones, Cross, Viney, Brayshaw were all excellent. Toumpas had 20 touches and, while he still panics a little with the ball in his hands, he is slowly gaining in confidence. Big Gawny was great in the ruck and is more mobile than Spencer and Jamar and after a poor start Wattsy was better as well.

We were sunk by Cloke and a quiet day from both Hogan and, to an extent, Garlett.

Our bottom few players out there today didn't do enough either. Newton and Riley has minimal impact and M. Jones offered little when he came on.

Hopefully Vanders is fit for next week, we regain Tyson and beat the Saints.

effort was good from most.

Brayshaw immense.

Bernie immense.

N. Jones immense.

Oxley, sadly, allowed to be immense.

Hogan double teamed, which will happen his whole career so our plays need to learn to block for him etc.

Gawn will be our ruck men for the next 8 years, people who want him gone are idiots.

Big game against saints next week, we are both on 3 wins, one of us will be on 4. Game on.

What was the attendance?

Collingwood far cleaner with the ball.
We have too many spuds that pop their heads up when the pressure comes on.
And sometimes when it doesn't.

Bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger!!!!!!!

Watch the replay, and see how many times Oxley marks on his own in our 50.

Watch the game and count how many goals they got from direct turnovers. Oh and who was kicking it to Oxley.

What was the attendance?

68 I think

Disagree with all those blaming Roos for being 'out-coached'.

Teams leave loose men in back halves regularly. Our problem was not that we needed a man to go to Oaxley. Our problem was that we have too many players who refuse to think when the ball is in their hands...

You can't just bang it on the boot when there is a loose man back. That's under 10's stuff. How [censored] hard is it for players to think a little?

We lost the game simply because of a lack of skill and decision making from players throughout our team. That should be obvious to everyone.

Have one glance at the goals Collingwood scored from turnovers.

Fitzpatrick, Dunn, McDonald, Pederson. These players all made unbelievably embarrassing errors. Sure it's forgivable for one or two players to make one blunder a game. But when you have a handful of blokes consistently making terrible decisions and poorly executing them then you know your team is in trouble.

Effort was good. Skill and fitness just not at the standard they need to be. Those two are so heavily aligned in the modern game too.

On a separate note, and I know this is petty, but after every week Watts stands around like a senior player and chats with the senior players of the opposition. He doesn't play like a senior player. He isn't a senior player. He's miles off it and he'll struggle to be in the side if a few young blokes can get there confidence up.

Get off the ground. Feel it like it hurts. Standing around like its a wedding is pathetic if you don't bring effort.

Effort was good. Skill and fitness just not at the standard they need to be. Those two are so heavily aligned in the modern game too.

On a separate note, and I know this is petty, but after every week Watts stands around like a senior player and chats with the senior players of the opposition. He doesn't play like a senior player. He isn't a senior player. He's miles off it and he'll struggle to be in the side if a few young blokes can get there confidence up.

Get off the ground. Feel it like it hurts. Standing around like its a wedding is pathetic if you don't bring effort.

Wow! Honestly, this is an unbelievable rant....

Effort was good. Skill and fitness just not at the standard they need to be. Those two are so heavily aligned in the modern game too.

On a separate note, and I know this is petty, but after every week Watts stands around like a senior player and chats with the senior players of the opposition. He doesn't play like a senior player. He isn't a senior player. He's miles off it and he'll struggle to be in the side if a few young blokes can get there confidence up.

Get off the ground. Feel it like it hurts. Standing around like its a wedding is pathetic if you don't bring effort.

you are right, it is.

We lost the game simply because of a lack of skill and decision making from players throughout our team. That should be obvious to everyone.

Have one glance at the goals Collingwood scored from turnovers.

Fitzpatrick, Dunn, McDonald, Pederson. These players all made unbelievably embarrassing errors. Sure it's forgivable for one or two players to make one blunder a game. But when you have a handful of blokes consistently making terrible decisions and poorly executing them then you know your team is in trouble.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

We played a quarter and a half. We gave away so many stupid goals. Viney and Dunn kicking it straight to Collingwood players 20 metres out. Meanwhile, Gawn inexplicably tried to take a contested mark on the goal line instead of punching it through. That resulted in Fitzy throwing it and giving uo another stupid goal.

I can't recall Pedersen, Hogan, Fitzy or Gawn taking a contested mark either and we needed a bunch of them.

Oh and Gawn still doesn't have the tank for AFL. Not good enough.

We played a quarter and a half. We gave away so many stupid goals. Viney and Dunn kicking it straight to Collingwood players 20 metres out. Meanwhile, Gawn inexplicably tried to take a contested mark on the goal line instead of punching it through. That resulted in Fitzy throwing it and giving uo another stupid goal.

I can't recall Pedersen, Hogan, Fitzy or Gawn taking a contested mark either and we needed a bunch of them.

Oh and Gawn still doesn't have the tank for AFL. Not good enough.

wow. Gawn was very good today, fed Bernie and N. Jones and Viney numerous times when rucking. You are better than this Adam.

Goalless last quarter when we had a golden chance to smash so many hoodoos

This club just doesn't get it, do they?