Collingwood

[GVGjr]

Wow. That is spectacularly unfair on Addison. His intent is unquestionable and his improvement continues at pace. I agree with most of what you say, but I think it's incorrect to point the finger at a guy like Dylan, who would know exactly where he fits in the pecking order.

Consistency of performance is what I'm after from Addison and I do believe that is his issue.
I'm not knocking his commitment because he's terrific in that area but he certainly isn't getting a regular game like Toovey and yet Addison has him covered physically. Toovey proves to me that coaches will stick with players despite some flaws if they perform to a consistent level most weeks. If the top side can find a regular spot for Toovey, Addison needs to aim to become a regular senior player with us.

[Desipura]

Toovey is extremely quick, coming off half back he burnt off his opponents. In fact their whole backline has pace and strength, a lethal combination.

[Topdog]

How was it tough? Play Carlton Richmond Essendon twice. Which club travels less than collingwood.

Geelong, Saints and Bulldogs twice. Essendon travelled less.

[Before I Die]

By saying your mates came up with 5 players from todays game, because they have the best football dept in the league, we might as well just shut up shop in that case.....btw, my pick was Jolly.

I don't follow your logic here. My point about the difficulty in picking the Norm Smith medallist was that no player really stood out, there was no single match winner. What Collingwood have is the best game plan with a complete buy in by all players. That game plane has been devised by their football department and the committment of the players has similarly been developed by their football department. That doesn't mean we can't learn from it, or extend it, or develop a better plan. I just think the argument that Collingwood won because they had youth is a bit simplistic. Last week St Kilda could have just as easily won and they certainly haven't been bringing in young players.

BTW the picks were Swan, Jolly, Pendelbury, N. Brown and Thomas.

[mighty_west]

I don't follow your logic here. My point about the difficulty in picking the Norm Smith medallist was that no player really stood out, there was no single match winner. What Collingwood have is the best game plan with a complete buy in by all players. That game plane has been devised by their football department and the committment of the players has similarly been developed by their football department. That doesn't mean we can't learn from it, or extend it, or develop a better plan. I just think the argument that Collingwood won because they had youth is a bit simplistic. Last week St Kilda could have just as easily won and they certainly haven't been bringing in young players.

BTW the picks were Swan, Jolly, Pendelbury, N. Brown and Thomas.

I believe playing more kids or giving kids a better run at it can create a better & more healthy depth within a club, therefor given that clubs best chance of success, and not always falling into a trap of playing the same old same olds, just because they have notched up their games tally, there is no reason why Reid & Goldsack & Brown have swept right past Everitt for example, last year & the year before especially Reid & Goldsack & Toovey have been whipping boys for Pies supporters [but getting every opportunity], fast forward to this year and are now Premiership players, Nathan Brown was able to have enough experience to dislodge arguable their best key defender & most experienced to play a shut down role on Reiwoldt in a Grand Final!! we kept falling in a trap of playing injured players not fit enough to justify been given games, and that started in round one with our captain.

Bringing in depth players, but actually giving them games, because if they were drafted in to be required in case of injury [Markovic a classic case], so that if Williams and or Lake went down during finals, he wouldn't be thrown in the deep end when we need 22 players that can make a difference, and not just make up a number on the ground.

[Before I Die]

It seems the answer is now at hand. We need more History of War scholars on our coaching panel. GVGjr I seem to recall that this may be your area of expertise.


Romans inspired Pies' game plan
Link

Oh yeh, and money helps. Here is a quote from Eddie.

"You look at the years of going to Arizona when people laughed at us. We got the Westpac Centre and people laughed at us and we had lots of coaches and people laughed at us, but you’ve got to stick to your convictions. You’ve got to keep the plan in place and hope that you’re on the right course".

[LostDoggy]

Geelong, Saints and Bulldogs twice. Essendon travelled less.

So only 1 side travels less. Even playing those good sides twice it's not a tough draw considering they spent the last 3 months basically at the g and play those crap side a lot.

[The Underdog]

It seems the answer is now at hand. We need more History of War scholars on our coaching panel. GVGjr I seem to recall that this may be your area of expertise.


Romans inspired Pies' game plan
Link

Oh yeh, and money helps. Here is a quote from Eddie.

"You look at the years of going to Arizona when people laughed at us. We got the Westpac Centre and people laughed at us and we had lots of coaches and people laughed at us, but you’ve got to stick to your convictions. You’ve got to keep the plan in place and hope that you’re on the right course".

Who laughed at them?
Oh yes, build a giant training centre with elite facilities right near the ground you play at 75% of the time. Fools. What were they thinking?

[AndrewP6]

Who laughed at them?
Oh yes, build a giant training centre with elite facilities right near the ground you play at 75% of the time. Fools. What were they thinking?

Eddie loves embellishing things to suit his own cause...Nick did mention war after the Penultimate Final last week, maybe Mick's words are seeping into the brain..

[LostDoggy]

I'll focus on a few other learning's that we can take away from Collingwood.

Trading - Look at the way Collingwood added much needed experience in Jolly and Brown and weren't scared to cough up drafts picks.

Team selection - Collingwood weren't afraid to make the hard call on Fraser, Presti and even Leon Davis whereas as we couldn't pull the trigger on Hahn or Eagleton.
The Pies clearly appreciate and reward consistent performers even if the player isn't a star.

Recruitment and development - I want Everitt to have a look at Nathan Brown and Ben Reid who both got picked very close to him in the draft. Neither of them are stars but they are prepared to work hard and play a role.
Addison you need to have a look at what a limited player Toovey offers the Pies. He's not great but there is a consistency of performance that the coach can use.
Eade and his coaching team would do well have a look at the way Malthouse can reinvent players and define the role that he wants them to perform.

Identifying multi positional players - Malthouse pulled off a coup when he decided to back in Jolly with support from Brown. It worked out very well for them.

Handling distractions - We clearly struggled with the Akermanis antics whereas the Pies easily defended the constant focus on the whole Buckley/Malthouse changeover questions.

Club President - Big Ed doesn't get led around by the AFL on issues that he believes are important to his club like clash jumpers etc.

I don't want people to get defensive on these points but I thought the Pies were very professional during the season and there must be some lessons we can learn from that.

No need to get defensive, I think your post was correct in many ways. Collingwood haven't been afraid to drop non-performing players and give the younger ones a game - I think a lot can be learned from this. I guess most teams now will be examining the Collingwood culture etc., to see what they can take from it? Well done Pies - I'm very glad they beat the Aints!

[LostDoggy]

Something like 7 top 10 draft picks, a great run with rookies, hardly an injury and hardly if ever have to play on an indoor carpark!

[Topdog]

So only 1 side travels less. Even playing those good sides twice it's not a tough draw considering they spent the last 3 months basically at the g and play those crap side a lot.

Well I did 0 minutes research I just know for a fact that Essendon travelled less. 4 is a decent enough amount of travel. They had a harder draw than us that is for sure.

[LostDoggy]

Well I did 0 minutes research I just know for a fact that Essendon travelled less. 4 is a decent enough amount of travel. They had a harder draw than us that is for sure.

Well maybe you should do some research or improve your math. 4 is only one more than Essendons 3 the lowest and consider we had to travel 6 times, Geelong 5, Saints 6, and Carlton 5.
17 games at the MCG including the last 7 straight just before 3 finals there is not a hard draw.
Stop listening to the Malthouse or Collingwood spin.

[Mantis]

Well maybe you should do some research or improve your math. 4 is only one more than Essendons 3 the lowest and consider we had to travel 6 times, Geelong 5, Saints 6, and Carlton 5.
17 games at the MCG including the last 7 straight just before 3 finals there is not a hard draw.
Stop listening to the Malthouse or Collingwood spin.

Does that include the 2 'home' games we sold?

Collingwood are the biggest drawing team in the competition so to maximise revenue, which the AFL see as being more important than equity they play Collingwood against the other 'big 4' teams twice each season to increase attendances & revenue.

[Mantis]

Something like 7 top 10 draft picks, a great run with rookies, hardly an injury and hardly if ever have to play on an indoor carpark!

5. Didak, Thomas, Pendlebury, Reid & Brown.... They traded Tarrant to Freo for one of these top 10 picks.

They also rolled us twice on the indoor carpark.