Notes from the game: 2016 Round 23 Hawthorn

The Pies lose by a single point to the reigning three-time premiers.

Team            Q1      Q2      Q3      Q4      Final
Hawthorn        2.4     7.7     13.8    17.10   112
Collingwood     4.2     9.6     11.8    17.9    111 

MCG, Attendance: 52968

Perspective

Had you offered me a 1-point loss going in to this game, I would have taken it in a heartbeat. I'd been dreading this match since I first saw the fixture at the start of the year.

That said, on the day, this was a game of what might have been.

I know that in the past I have said that if we kick 100+ points, play well and still lose, I'll wear it with good grace, but ... crumbs! So close!

The game

Collingwood wasn't just in this game; for much of the time it owned it. I'm pretty sure I saw somewhere that Collingwood led for 71% of the time.

The moment

So how did we lose this game? With a 2:23 to go, Treloar snaps on his left foot to put the Pies a goal up. So how did we lose this game?! It breaks this tragic's heart. How can you not defend that lead?!

The tactic?

You'd think that Hawthorn would go into panic mode. Instead, the Footy Bogan believes they lulled us into a false sense of insouciance. No, we're not at all concerned. It's only a game after all. You win; we win; it doesn't make much difference.

And they caught us napping. Who'd expect first-gamer Fitzpatrick - a makeshift, unimpressive, fill-in ruckman, called up when Ceglar went down in the West Coast game - to kick a bomb from inside the centre square?

And still the Hawks played as if the result was unimportant, casually rushing the ball over for a point as if there were a 30-point margin between the teams.

What a heart break!

I think I would have preferred to lose by 60!

Reality

Of course it's a foolish way to look at the game. Yes, it gives commentators the opportunity to fossick around for colourful adjectives and little-used verbs (like fossick), but games like this - much like the first 2010 GF - are made of 80 minutes, not just the last 3. Collingwood could have converted better and/or avoided several clangers (one would have been enough).

A 1-point result doesn't mean too much. Collingwood have done this before. Against Hawthorn, too.

The wrap

I suppose those with short memories (like me) will argue (as I did) that if we can be competitive against the competition powerhouse, the future looks bright. They could add that this year we beat the teams that finished in second place (Geelong), fourth (GWS) and sixth (WCE), and came close to beating seventh (Western Bulldogs) twice.

They'll point to the players we were unable to field through injury and or drug-related suspension.

Dream on. Next year there will be other reasons.

Sources, Notes, Footnotes, References

http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_match_statistics?mid=6361