A nice little victory over the Lions relaxes a few Pies supporters at the weekend I presume. Finals are all but secured and we’re looking to build the next few weeks. A few players due back to reinforce some positions (that were rather well filled) but we’ll all feel better having some experience back at the same time. Must have been a fair dinkum corked thigh! It’d be nice to have Tyson back as a bigger body too. We’ll see what happens in the next couple of weeks I suppose.
LISTEN: ANIMAL ENCLOSURE AFL RD 21 PODCAST
We could’ve kicked straighter but 31 points was enough to do away with Brisbane and we even relaxed a little toward the end of the match. De Goey’s return was welcomed and he produced a nice little bag of 4 goals and missed a couple as well. Good to see. He really lifts the boys down that end too. Lead out, contested marks. I like it. His awareness is also amazing. He seems to know where the goals and everyone around him are and what to do about them. Mihocek plays bigger than reality too and is also aware of the big sticks. He snared himself 3 goals and Stephenson is ever consisten grabbing 2.
Adams was our leading possession getter with 33 and the usual suspects Pendlebury and Sidebottom used it each 28 times but looked like they were saving some. Sier has come in and done the job he was asked to do. 3 games in he looks like he’s been around forever. I’m liking him so far. He will only get better and exposure that may not have happened will help with development. Not only of Sier but plenty of the young blokes are getting games they might not have played had our list of injuries not been as long as the Great Wall… It’ll only improve them in the long run.
Magden looks decent so far as well. Under the circumstances. Ideally you would bring him in when our back line is near its strongest so the pressure on him is minimal. Not when our back line has been decimated and 6 new blokes are making it up as they go. They’re all doing well. Langdon has been playing like he’s a foot taller than he really is. It’s hard to be upset at individuals. They each do their job 90 per cent of the time. There are a few silly mistakes but veterans can make those so we can’t be too harsh on a inexperienced back end. All in all they have been doing the job.
There must have been some issues with the boundary line moving around in the pocket at one end of the ground. I reckon the ball was out by about 4 feet and it was allowed to carry on in one instance. Don’t know what was going on there. Some of advantage calls came well later than is normal up that end as well. Who knows?
No goals for Hoskin-Elliot! That’s unusual. Cox. Zero. He should be kicking minimum 2-3 a game. Grundy fought hard against a decent opponent in Martin and got the best of it in the end if only barely. More hit outs, less possessions. You decide.
Port Adelaide next week. They looked good against the Eagles early but faded fast. Let’s get into them! Cement our place in this year’s finals. Maybe squeeze a top 4 spot. Go Pies!!
ROUND 21
COLLINGWOOD 1.3 5.7 11.14 14.20 (104)
BRISBANE 3.4 5.4 8.4 11.7 (73)
GOALS
Collingwood: De Goey 4, Mihocek 3, Stephenson 2, Mayne 2, Varcoe, Sier, Thomas
Brisbane Lions: Hipwood 3, McStay 2, Robinson 2, Taylor 2, Cutler, Beams
BEST
Collingwood: De Goey, Adams, Grundy, Sidebottom, Sier, Pendlebury, Greenwood
Brisbane Lions: Beams, Hodge, Berry, Witherden, Hipwood, Martin
INJURIES
Collingwood: Nil
Brisbane Lions: Gardiner (dislocated right shoulder)
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Rosebury, Williamson, Glouftsis
Official crowd: 33,390 at Etihad Stadium