Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final Adelaide 5.2 8.7 11.12 14.13 97 Collingwood 1.6 5.7 8.7 10.9 69
The game
I sit down to watch the replay with more than a little reluctance. There has been little joy this year and I already know that this game will not add to my meagre cup.
The game is made of millimetres. Collingwood had the first entry into F50, the first set shot, marked the kickout and recorded the second F50. The ball came back out, Reid got his fingertips on the ball but not enough to cause it to deviate, a couple of possessions and Adelaide had scored a goal.
From the reset, Collingwood had another I50 and marked twice inside F50, finally taking a shot from about 35m. But it seems they had not done their homework; Treloar scored the Pies' third behind.
These beginnings are often crucial. Successful forward forays build confidence; misses chip away at it.
A couple of lapses and Adelaide had their second goal. For the second week in a row, the opponents were able to jump out to an early lead. It can't possibly be in the planning. Surely the coaches would be saying stuff like, "Make sure you maintain possession early. We'll live without much scoring in the first quarter, but whatever you do, don't let them get the jump on us again."
I haven't seen a lot of this year's footy, but it seems to me that, after 150 years, Collingwood players still have not learnt that the gentle game we call footy is played in winter; and in the southern states where footy began - the natural home of footy - in winter it often rains, the grounds can get slippery, especially in the evenings. An attempted pass inside D50 to Grundy who slipped over resulted in Adelaide's third goal. Chip, chip.
It wasn't that Collingwood was playing so badly. They had numerous good passages, many solid forward thrusts. But they kept breaking down in one way or another. Three or four players would successfully move the ball on, but the fifth or sixth attempt would result in a turnover. Or there would be unrealistic attempts: Grundy marks outside 50. No one so far has hit the target from as near as 35m, but he's going to attempt to kick from 60. Unsurprisingly, the ball was punched through from the goal square. The commentators noted that the ball was not carrying. How dim are the players? Even if they are, what are the coaches doing?
With most of the quarter gone, the scoreline was a disappointing 0.5 to 5.1.
Finally, after an enterprising piece of play in which he was involved more than once, Taylor Adams kicked a goal on the run from about 35.
We were denied a perfectly symmetrical score at QT, but it was near enough.
And that was the game right there, pretty much. For the rest of the game, Adelaide kicked 9.11 to Collingwood's 9.3. Reprising a habit that's been with Collingwood for as long as I can remember, inaccuracy in front of goal undermined (chip, chip) competitive performances further up field.
In the final quarter, Collingwood had opportunities but failed to capitalise. Many of their kicks into F50 were garbage. They finally scored when the kick went over the back of a pack and Levi Greenwood was first to pounce. That doesn't really speak of system. The Pies contrived another opportunity from the reset, but Crisp lacked poise and rushed his shot which went wide. Collingwood had 7 consecutive I50s for a single goal.
Positives
Lots of players played well at times.
There's still room for improvement.
Late in the final quarter, the Pies were still an outside chance of catching up.
Negatives
Players slipping over.
Players taking too long to get started.
There is still far too much distance between good performances and bad; our form is fundamentally patchy. Further, players aren't growing together. Early in the year (if my memory has not deserted me completely - maybe I'm thinking of last year), Crisp was playing outstanding footy (no, that doesn't sound like this year). Lately, it has been Treloar. But we don't see them gelling, all on the same page.
The wrap
The football may be frustrating but at least it's no longer unwatchable. It's competitive, but still a long way from the hope of finals action. This year is over - was over long ago. Next year? Just wind back to the preseason games. That's a two-edged sword. We did not fulfill the promise. On the other hand, next year, perhaps ...
We'll probably get sucked in, just like we did this year.
Sources, Notes, Footnotes, References
http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_match_statistics?mid=6312
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