Beetle

Rivers Lever Melksham Viney Brayshaw Sparrow

Just got home after a skilful of [censored] and a succulent Vietnamese meal in Victoria Street. Tough grind but outstanding performance. The Tiges played out of their skin in the first half and everything went their way. I said to my mate at half time they’d be lucky to maintain the pace given the flooding/pressure style of play they were running with and it proved to be the case. Gawn after a quiet first half was immense. When he didn’t thump it forward he literally pushed Soldo aside and kicked it our way every time. We need to become a team that wins it forward from centre clearance no matter which way it happens. When we lose those we start to [censored] the bed with the pressure it puts on the backline. Viney, another immense game. Sheer will and determination. Harry Petty I doubted you as a forward but not longer (for now). He looked dangerous every time we went forward. Richmond even doubled teamed him at almost every marking contest yet it didn’t matter. Keep the moustache off too champion. Anyway, great win, great score line, I’m [censored]…..and I’m ready for bed. Night.

Gawn Viney Petty JVR Rivers Petracca

On the way home and think we didn’t play that badly. We had moments of brilliance which was pleasing to see. We just don’t respond well to teams with pace, especially those that rebound quickly. May and Lever simply look like deers in headlights at the moment when the ball comes on quickly and hits the ground. The forward line still needs work I’m just not sure how to work it. While Brown didn’t do a lot and got subbed, he straightens us up. He also takes the best key back which today allowed JVR to step up. Petty down back is just so important. I’ll take the win and hope like hell Oliver returns soon. Sadly we are unconvincing right now.

I think Johnny says it best…

Our first pick this year (Dockers first rounder) needs to be a quality inside bull for this reason. Give me mids for our first three picks please. But at least one has to be an inside ball winning beast.

I dunno…..I had him pretty high up in my votes at quarter time. 👀

The amount of high intensity running he did on the ground post game that i witnessed, he must have been close to playing on Monday. I was amazed how well he was travelling. I’d put good money on him playing given the ten days between games. Bloke even admitted to slipping out of the hospital for a run against doctors orders while cooped up in hospital. Wouldn’t be surprised if he ran 10km bare assed in a hospital gown while pulling a drip stand with him.

@A F you are spot on with your crowd analysis. I have never attended a game with a quieter 80k plus attendance. Mates who watched the game at home say the crowd sounded insane on TV akin to a final so I suspect some channel 7 audio foul play. We were clearly outnumbered (as expected) but our supporters were as good as I’ve heard all year. I’m pretty vocal and emotionally invested so it’s often hard for me to personally get a gauge. I think the Big Freeze beanies also give a bit of a false indication if the crowd ratio given the sea of blue throughout the ground. BUT I will say that is the best behaved Collingwood crowd I’ve experienced in years. I got the feeling they were pretty content with how they were travelling going into the game so weren’t overly phased by the outcome one way or another. Last year on the other hand was absolutely feral.

Literally managed to salvage my mate who went into anaphylaxis from some misguided staff ingredient advise surrounding a Mongolian beef on Victoria street, with some Christian Salem highlights from today.

Salem Viney Rivers Tomlinson Hunter Petracca If you don’t give votes to Riv you’re off your head. He was immense.

I’m in the MCC and am absolutely rabid. We were all over them and deserved a 6 goal win. Who cares. Pint city into Vietnamese on Victoria Street Wooooooo. Go you mighty Demons!!

Oh no, we’d better watch out for faux tough guy and self appointed club enforcer Branden Maynard then. 🙄

Unfortunately had to put my boy Digby down suddenly last Thursday night. Most beautiful soul you’ll ever meet. Devastated.

Is there some form of biblical cross zone strategy he can introduce? At least the bloke was able to rise in the face of adversity.

If someone can please explain to me what Viney’s role was in the first half that’d be great. if he was ‘supposedly’ tagging Brayshaw with 2 stats v Brayshaws 16 then that is a monumental coaching fail. Oliver out and you send our number 2 contended ball winner to a tag when Harmes is in the team? Jesus Christ.

The real concern is we are (on form) a chance to drop the next 3 games, which would result in 5 losses in a row. Hysterical maybe…but the threat is real.

Max can maybe have a look at himself for playing the “victim” on his haunches after he loses a contest or doesn’t agree with a decision. It sets a tone.

Our supporters are so insipid even the boos were drowned out by the 400 freo supporters there today.

I missed our players being sucked into the marking contest with no one at ground level…..thank god this trait has come back.

Blame the ups all you want. Fact is the midfield have gone to sleep again and we haven’t had it past the halfway mark this qtr.

We cannot handle pressure. It’s as simple as that.

Could? It’s got the brisbane game written all over it.

We can’t handle the hot ball. Stock standard Melbourne.

The bloke is a jet and has basically single handedly carried that side for well over over 5 years. So no.