Was really impressed with toumpas today, what a lot of people don't realise is in addition to gathering 20 odd touches he also tagged steele Sidebottom and did a bloody good job of it!

I know he made some silly mistakes, like most players today, but his overall performance was quite good. Seems to be improving each week...

Hes slowly building and he will be a nice player, maybe even very good.

First game I've seen live in ages and I'm glad I did. What I noticed is that when we made errors was that it was it was amazingly obvious that it was going to happen, as there were no options upfield, and the close options were closed up, forcing us in to either a very difficult kick or a handball to someone stationary. I thought we lost today not due to poor skills but because we don't instinctively mobilise for attack when we cause turnovers. When we went long, 43 for Collingwood (Oxley?) picked us off. That makes the skills look poor but I think its more of an effect than the cause. Jimmy T is the biggest victim of this.

Thought Aidan Riley was good. Don't know how much of the ball he saw but he was clean with it and menacing without.

Thought Benny Newton added nothing. Riley and Matt Jones are both ahead of him for mine.

That Fitzy throw was the most amazing thing I have ever seen in a footy game. WTAF? Was clearly a panicked action, but, wow.

Travis Cloke is a way better player than I thought. We had no answer.

The Collingwood supporters around me don't know the rules (calling "ball" on literally every single tackle) and the MFC supporters around me aren't up with the nuances of the modern game, with their "just kick it" calls and muttering whenever a chain of handballs started; even though they generally lead to something good.

Out: M Jones, A Riley, Fitzpatrick

In: Dawes, Tyson, ANB

Out: M Jones, A Riley, Fitzpatrick

In: Dawes, Tyson, ANB

Dawes to do what exactly?

Off the back of today's game, I have confidence that we're more of an 8 win team rather than a 6 win team.

The result was disappointing but performance was encouraging. So many little areas to tighten up on, but we (a) scored goals in bunches without having to scrap one or two a quarter, and (b) fought back from a potential shellacking twice. Chin up boys. A lot of upside from that. Plus it was pretty entertaining, except for the final score. Can't say that about a lot of games in the last X years.

Dawes to do what exactly?

book-end, witches hat?

When Cloke is on, he's near unstoppable. Today he was on. Haven't seen every Pies game this season but it was surely his best so far. We were unlucky in that sense.

Dawes to do what exactly?

book-end, witches hat?

So based off the post match presser it sounds like Daniel Cross should've manned up with Oxley as he was the free down our end?

If his not listening to team instructions to rack up easy possessions instead then it costed us the game.

Fair chance Viney might have fractured his leg again.

Was really impressed with toumpas today, what a lot of people don't realise is in addition to gathering 20 odd touches he also tagged steele Sidebottom and did a bloody good job of it!

I know he made some silly mistakes, like most players today, but his overall performance was quite good. Seems to be improving each week...

No... he didn't. Cross tagged Sidebottom.

Fair chance Viney might have fractured his leg again.

Yep - I was wondering about that... anything from the club?

No... he didn't. Cross tagged Sidebottom.

Does that mean Toumps was the spare who should've taken Oxley

Does that mean Toumps was the spare who should've taken Oxley

No he wasn't. He played in the backline on a number of opponents. Anyways, not to be a hater, I don't think today was a step up for him at all. He turned it over way too many times. It's all between the ears.

So refreshing listening to Roos & Buckley & then Tom McDonald. Buckley thought our midfield won the day & yes Oxley should have Been manned up.....the instructions were given....not followed. So easy for angry supporters to blame the coach...weak really. McDonald was filthy on himself .....basically said it was his worse game ever & guess what....it happens. Too many silly mistakes....but loads of effort & we're slowly getting some players back .....so hopefully we put in a winning performance next week.

.but loads of effort & we're slowly getting some players back .....

Not if we lose Vanders and Viney we aren't

Anyone know if the Saints got any injuries on the weekend, or is our opponent going to be lucky as hell like every other week?

Not if we lose Vanders and Viney we aren't

Anyone know if the Saints got any injuries on the weekend, or is our opponent going to be lucky as hell like every other week?

Vanders is certain to miss, still waiting on the rumours about Viney. He ran out the game ok so if he has in fact got a fractured leg then he is one tough cookie.

If he was alert it would have been an easy mark, terrible effort.

ah, something else to add to the dossier - Watts is not "alert"!

Well spotted Bikkie - those half-lidded eyes, dopey sluggish movement round the ball, snail-slow reflexes: dumb as a block of wood, of course! Sheesh, when will Roos get it?!!

I only watched the third quarter and bits and pieces of the others. I live overseas and thus had work, this really is one day on the calendar where I really miss living in Australia.

1. Gus was absolutely scintillating in that third quarter and was apparently just as good in the second? Boy oh boy. Thanks Chip!

2. I laughed when Fitzy kicked a regulation goal and Bruce exclaimed "I can see him playing 150 games of AFL." Nek minnit, tunnel ball. I like Fitzy but 150 is a lot of games. He has a long way to go. He beat Jesse White though.

3. I'm pretty sure 21 touches is a career high for Toumpas. Yeah he is a bit weak in the contest and yeah he should take the game on a bit more, but he's improving. His first kick, most players would have kicked it out on the full. But it was pinpoint. Not many players can do that. I can see a bit to work with.

4. Travis Cloke. How the heck does he manage to kick 7.0? I swear to God he did the exact same thing to us a few years back (on Rivers). And Tarrant before him. What is it with wayward Collingwood forwards killing us every [censored] time.

5. Bernie Vince is one of the most underrated players in the competition. Gets the ball, attacks the ball, tags, kicks goals. Good clubman. What's not to love? Thanks Col!

It was great to see Watts get angry at Varcoe and having to be lifted off by team mates!

Hope that aggression comes out more in future.

Thought vanders was a big loss today.

Matt Jones, love he tries hard but doesn't have the presence and skill of vanders..

Disappointed to have lost, but a decent response after the week before.

Same old story though: indecision, turnovers, poor skills/execution - including from some of our better players. Seems like Viney gives away a goal a match with a miskick. But, slowly but surely, there's improvement in there. Let's not forget we only managed 3 goals in this round last year.

At the moment though, we just don't have the depth to have players out: Salem, Tyson, maybe Dawes, have the ability to make a difference, but then throw in likely starters like Kent, JKH, Frost, etc., not to mention Petracca and Trengove. Feel that it's those last 4 or 5 players picked who are the difference between being more seriously competitive, and being frustratingly close. Not to mention, those bottom 4 or 5, really expose the 4 or 5 just above them, and then it just all falls in a heap.

OK Kalli I had a look at the latest injury list and if you look at top 22 players out injured for the top teams, well I will stand by my "rubbish" statement. The Hawks, Freo, The Pies yes they have a few out, not many would be in the top 22 and a lot are in test mode, that is missed a week or so but ready to come back when necessary.

garbage

I only watched the third quarter and bits and pieces of the others. I live overseas and thus had work, this really is one day on the calendar where I really miss living in Australia.

1. Gus was absolutely scintillating in that third quarter and was apparently just as good in the second? Boy oh boy. Thanks Chip!

2. I laughed when Fitzy kicked a regulation goal and Bruce exclaimed "I can see him playing 150 games of AFL." Nek minnit, tunnel ball. I like Fitzy but 150 is a lot of games. He has a long way to go. He beat Jesse White though.

3. I'm pretty sure 21 touches is a career high for Toumpas. Yeah he is a bit weak in the contest and yeah he should take the game on a bit more, but he's improving. His first kick, most players would have kicked it out on the full. But it was pinpoint. Not many players can do that. I can see a bit to work with.

4. Travis Cloke. How the heck does he manage to kick 7.0? I swear to God he did the exact same thing to us a few years back (on Rivers). And Tarrant before him. What is it with wayward Collingwood forwards killing us every [censored] time.

5. Bernie Vince is one of the most underrated players in the competition. Gets the ball, attacks the ball, tags, kicks goals. Good clubman. What's not to love? Thanks Col!

Do you live on Philip Island?

Hes slowly building and he will be a nice player, maybe even very good.

Do you think he might be able to speed up a little I don't have a lot of years to wait.