Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final Collingwood 2.2 4.4 10.7 12.12 84 North 6.5 10.7 14.10 18.16 124
The game
You would think after the pathetic starts of the last two games, everyone would have been on the same page about not letting North get a jump, especially given that the Pies must have given themselves some sort of chance: North had fallen spectacularly from top position and were on a hiding to nothing. It was Boomer's record-equalling 426th game so one could anticipate that they would be itching to do well. Surely the strategy would have been to absorb the early pressure, concede as little as possible, and then re-engage once the opponents had become demoralised.
It certainly wasn't the time to give away free kicks 50m from the opponents' goal. North, having already kicked their second goal, got another opportunity without the inconvenience of contesting the centre bounce.
It's annoying
That we have to
Fight elections
For our cause.
The inconvenience--
Having to get a majority.
- Tim Rice, A New Argentina, Evita
It certainly wasn't the time for short kicks from full back that fail to reach their target. I think Howe as the designated kicker has been the successful move of the year, but this was a mistake writ large. North were gifted a goal; to add insult to injury, it came off the boot of that serial pest, L Thomas! And almost immediately after Blair had kicked a miraculous goal. Talk about undoing the good work at the other end.
Howe really did not have a good start to the evening. Everything he did seemed to go wrong. Since the game was being played predominantly in North's F50 - the Pies had entered theirs just once - he had lots of opportunities to screw up. It seems that on this night he was destined to grab every one!
With the quarter not yet half elapsed, North were ahead 34-6. The Pies were losing the centre clearances 0-6.
Collingwood's second goal required similar heroics to the first: Greenwood at 50 shapes to kick on his dominant left but there's an opponent, so he prods clumsily with his right; the ball dribbles through.
At quarter time, the score showed a symmetry of sorts: 41-14.
Unlike the previous games, Collingwood halved the middle two quarters, then kicked the first 2 goals of the final quarter, improbably trailing by a mere 11 points. At the ground, the feeling amongst Collingwood supporters was that, if we could just snaffle one more, North would break. North were definitely wobbly: even Boomer missed from close range. Moore had a chance, but it was not to be. The Roos kicked the last 4 goals of the match finishing with a scoreline that flattered them. Still, no one thought of leaving until very late in the quarter.
Often the Pies were their own worst enemies. Howe had a shocker, going for the specky in defence, failing, letting Harvey kick a goal. Their aggression was uncontrolled and they constantly gave away frees and 50m.
Positives
Not many. Collingwood contested all night - but undid good work with stupidity. Perhaps the most positive element was that they managed to get back to a point where the Roos were demonstrably - if not literally - wetting themselves.
It seems official: the Pies are no longer unwatchable.
Negatives
The usual suspects: another slow start; stupidity.
The wrap
In the last few weeks, the Pies have become competitive. That's an improvement.
But I would not advise
Pies supporters to derive
Early satisfaction from our rising star
To play in finals Pies must still go far.
- apologies to Tim Rice (She is a Diamond, Evita)
Sources, Notes, Footnotes, References
http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_match_statistics?mid=6316
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