Oh Well

(20/7) This is what following Collingwood is all about. Last week we were unbeatable...this week....

Collingwood looked like an out of form 'old boys' team yesterday and were deservedly beaten by the 'new boys' in a one sided thrashing. Our main shortcoming was our inability to pick up the loose ball. Port players were everywhere, it seemed like there were 40 of them on the ground. Everytime the ball went to ground Port came away with it, Collingwood's crumbing was seemingly non-existant.

The game was lost all over the ground, you couldn't point your finger at any one area and say 'that was it'. Port had more desperation and it was evident from the first bounce to the final siren. I've heard that it was poor disposal that was our main problem, but that's not right, it was our inability to pick up the loose ball - Port got it nearly every time. Centre clearances were won by Port 90% of the time and that was indicative of the result whenever the ball was in contention.

The game was lost on the ground, we won 70% of the marking contests, but that didn't help a lot as the ball was mainly contested at ground level.

What makes this defeat so difficult to accept is that came at the hands of Port Adelaide, that cocky new team that seems to think it has some claim to our Magpie name and our colours just because they had them in another league.

What is obvious is that the team need our support, they need to know that we still believe. Please give them your support.

Collingwood announce their return to form!

(13/7) Collingwood took the opportunity of a rare home ground appearance to announce their return to form yesterday with an annihilation of Fremantle by 100 points. With a team that (at last) resembled the team of the early rounds of this season, Collingwood outscored Fremantle in every quarter, overwhelmingly in the last, to inflict on Fremantle it's worst loss ever.

The game also saw the return to form of Sav and Anthony Rocca and Robbie Ahmat, with the Rocca brothers kicking a combined 13 goals (Sav 9, Anthony 4). Although Sav was back in there taking the hard marks, the game was also notable for the improvement by the mid-fielders in the quality of their delivery to the forwards.

As predicted, the centre line was unstoppable. Nathan Buckley was best on ground with 43 possessions, more than he's ever had before (including SANFL and junior football). The ball was continually being swept down the ground to the forwards who were then converting the possessions into scores.

Seven players had 20 possessions or more (Buckley 43, Russell 29, Williams 26, Brown 22, Wright 21, Crosisca 21, Crow 20) and with four of those playing in defence (Brown, Wright, Crosisca and Crow), it's surprising that Fremantle managed the score that they did.

Collingwood will now continue Port Adelaide's education by reinforcing the lesson handed out at the MCG in round 1 when they meet next week at Football Park.

Oh what a feeling...

Rocca's Out...Rocca's In!! - This Week's Shaw Shuffle

(11/7) Once again Collingwood's frontline has undergone a major change as Tony Shaw tries to find a combination that will work. Sav Rocca has been dropped to the seconds and Anthony brought back to man the forward flank. Simon Prestigiacomo is to get a run at full forward with Mark Richardson at centre half forward. It's a long shot, a strange combination, and a sign that Tony Shaw is willing to try radical changes in order to find a winning combination.

The selection from the centre to the back is what I've been waiting for for weeks, It looks like something out of a dream team and shows Collingwood's depth in that area. Buckley, Williams and Ahmat across the centre! It must be the fastest and most talented centre line seen in the game for a long time. And look at the line up down the back - Brown, Crosisca, Watson at half back and if the ball gets past that line-up it's met by Wright, Michael and Scotty Crow on the last line of defence. Fremantle will deserve every score they get.

I still have a nagging feeling though, that we should have stuck with our original winning line-ups, accept a few losses if we must, but let the team settle as a unit and give it a chance to find consistency, but Tony Shaw has been one of my heroes for as long as I can remember and I'm willing to trust that he knows, better than anyone else, what needs to be done.

Pies fail in Brisbane

(29/6) Collingwood lost their 5th consecutive game last night when they were beaten by an in form Brisbane at the Gabba.

Brisbane made the most of a four goal breeze in the 1st quarter and kicked 5.8 while holding the Magpies scoreless. With the aid of inaccurate kicking for goal by the Lions, Collingwood steadily chipped away at that 38 point margin, reducing it to 5 points after a 5 goals in 10 minutes burst midway through the last quarter, but they weren't able to hold a rallying Brisbane at the end and went down by 15 points.

Collingwood looked as if they were worried by the constant pressure from Brisbane, they had trouble clearing the ball from packs and wasted many of the possessions they did gain, through hurried and inaccurate passing and hand-balling.

Buckley and Williams performed well all night as did Gavin Crosisca and Mal Michael on the back line, but once again the Magpies lacked a focal point on the forward line and repeatedly foundered at centre half forward.

The highlight of the game was the kickout from full back by Nathan Buckley to Paul Williams who then ran 30 metres and bombed from the centre square for the goal of the night. That goal must have come close to beating the 9 second kickout to goal record.

Final scores were Collingwood 11.7 - 73 to Brisbane 11.22 - 88.

The buck stops here - Shaw

A disappointed Coach Tony Shaw refused to point the finger at any particular player or players and personally took responsibility for the teams ordinary performance, not only for yesterday but also for the past four weeks. He stated that the Coaching Staff needs to fully assess the situation and not so much to charge in and make drastic changes but to make those needed to get back into the hunt for the finals which he claims is still very much a viable prospect at this stage.

He highlighted the consistent performances of Buckley, Brown and Williams and when questioned about both of the Rocca brothers, he replied that again a full assessment will take place this week to justify ALL players attitudes and performances.

Collingwood lose fourth in a row

(15/6) Collingwood lost their fourth consecutive game and the second nail-biter in 2 weeks yesterday when they went down to West Coast by 16 points in a low-scoring affair at Victoria Park.

Once again the Magpies came out of the blocks firing and led the Eagles by 12 points at quarter time, but kicked themselves out of the contest with a 0.7 second quarter and were trailing by 11 points at half-time and never regained the lead.

Sav had to contest every mark with two or three West Coast players hanging off him and for the second game in 3 weeks didn't kick a goal. The Eagles also managed to take Anthony out of the contest and both Roccas spent time on the bench as Tony shaw tried to work out a forward combination that would work.

Collingwood's midfield was working well with Buckley and Williams both firing, but the ball was being turned over and lost on the forward line. Brown played another inspirational game. He and Mal Michael make a very strong combination in defence and with Gavin Crosisca to complete the line-up, would have made West Coast's scoring attempts much more difficult. Unfortunately Crosisca was missing from this week's selection.

Final scores were Collingwood 7.13 - 55 to West Coast 11.5 - 71.

I may be talking to the wrong people here, but traffic to this site has fallen by more than 50% over the last couple of weeks. I hate to think that this shows that the good time supporters are jumping off. It's now more than ever that the Pies need our support. Let's get behind them and show them that we believe in them and that we support them through the bad times too.

Richmond hold on to win by 6 points over Maggies

(6/6) Collingwood played in a classic football battle that would have made a great grand final match last night but unfortunately came out on the wrong side of things when they went down to a gutsy Richmond by 6 points. It was Sav Rocca's 100th game and Graham Wright's birthday plus it was a much needed win so you'd think they had every reason in the world to win. I think without Ahmat or Burns there weren't enough crumbers and Richmond nearly always came out with the ball when it went to ground.

Richmond led at every change, but Collingwood came back in the last quarter to take the lead by 7 points. Richmond managed to equalise and then get their nose in front by a goal. In the dying minutes Collingwood made several moves forward, and should have been able to convert one or two, but Brendan Gale single-handedly stopped every advance at the 50 metre line.

Sav kicked four including the goal of the night, a 75m. drop punt from the centre square.

Final scores Richmond 11.11 - 77 to Collingwood 10.11 - 71.

It's a strange twist that two teams that played such listless and uninspired football last week should produce the match of the season this week. Why is it that the Magpies seem to bring out the best in the opposition? We've played three 15th place holders in the last 3 weeks and have seen them all produce football that you would expect from teams at the top. Maybe its the even season or maybe it's just that the Maggies are always the team to beat. Whatever it is, it's very frustrating.

Pies Humbled by Hawks

(31/5) Collingwood lost its way at Waverley today and was handed a 53 point thrashing by Hawthorn.

Hawthorn came out of the blocks firing and had posted the first goal by the 28 second mark of the first quarter. Collingwood, on the other hand didn't score their first major until the second quarter. Hawthorn's first quarter blitz seemed to stun the Magpies who seemingly could do nothing to stop a Hawk goal spree that lasted for the whole of the first quarter and 10 minutes of the second.

The game was lost in those first 40 minutes. Hawthorn led by 48 points at the first change, but after that the game was much more even than it seemed with the Maggies scoring 8.6 to Hawthorn's 9.6 for the remaining three quarters.

I didn't see the game as it wasn't telecast here so I can't give a description, but I noticed that the familiar names were missing from the radio commentary. Buckley, Williams, Burns, AhMat, Sav...rarely mentioned. Hawthorn had somehow been able to shut these players down and that in itself is enough reason for the loss. My gut feeling is that the boys may be suffering from the glory syndrome. It doesn't matter how often the coach tells a team not to take a match for granted, if a player feels inside that this is a game that will be won, then he loses the edge. It's a hard situation to avoid for a team running high on success, but it's a lesson that must be learned. I think Richmond may have had the same lesson tonight from the 'easybeats'.

Final scores were Collingwood 8.7 - 55 to Hawthorn 16.12 - 108.

...this is a very familiar feeling, in fact it's almost comfortable (sigh).

Shaw signed until 1999

By ANTHONY MITHEN

Racism

The following is a statement released by Jeff Farmer (Melbourne), I think it speaks for itself.

"RACISM cannot be tolerated. An AFL football ground should be the most even of 'playing fields' where players are judged by their skill and determination, not by their race, or the colour of their skin.

I have to cope with racism every day of my life and I do not expect to have to do so on the football field. People need to understand what it is like to be questioned or prejudged just for doing my own thing and minding my own business.

To be called a black ------- is offensive in the extreme, as is any racist taunt. I play with people with names such as Gaspar, Grgic, Lamaro, Leoncelli, Neitz, Schwarz, Woewodin and Yze, as well as three other Aboriginal players. I cannot condone racism in any form, not just for myself, but for my team mates, the Melbourne Football Club, my family and my people".

Collingwood Fail Against Sydney

(25/5) Collingwood lost last night to the Swans by 37 points at the SCG. At quarter time with a lead of 27 points it seemed that it was just a matter of how much the Woods would win by. Sydney couldn't answer Collingwood's pace up the ground and had posted only 1.1 at the break.

The second quarter saw the Swans come out with a new spirit and they effectively blocked Collingwood's fast running game and made the Woods slog it out. Sydney won the quarter and led by 3 points at half time.

Tony Shaw took both Sav and Anthony Rocca off the ground during the second quarter, inexplicably leaving Collingwood without muscle and a focus on the forward line. Collingwood was getting the ball into its attacking zone, but had no one to receive.

The second half saw Collingwood slowly succumb to the relentless Swans and by the end of the game were showing the last quarter fade that we saw in rounds 3 and 4.

Final scores were Collingwood 11.8 - 74, Sydney 16.15 - 111

Woods Wallop Woofers

(17/5) In a hard fought and very physical game last night Collingwood continued to improve on their new hard and fast game style. Although the Bulldogs had the first two goals on the board and the lead see-sawed for the first quarter and a half, the Magpies led at every change and ran out winners by 46 points.

Once again Collingwood's mid-field and defence proved too strong for the opposition, with the ball being cleared from the back and moved down to the big forwards with a speed that the Bulldogs couldn't counter.

The big Sav kicked 5, while down at the other end Minton-Connell kicked more than half the Bulldogs total goals with 6. Collingwood champion Nathan Buckley was once again best on ground with over 30 possessions and rarely wasting one, while I reckon Romero was the best for the Bulldogs. Robbie AhMat was brilliant on the forward line, coming from nowhere and crumbing with Daicos style efficiency and effect. Gavin Brown, playing another captain's game, led a very strong defence which was instrumental in causing the high number of behinds from the Bulldogs.

Final scores were Collingwood 19.15 - 129 to the Bulldogs 11.17 - 83.

Collingwood Roll North!!

(9/5) Tonight collingwood played probably their best game so far this year and showed what they are really made of when they defeated North Melbourne 17.9 - 111 to 9.14 - 68.

Both teams played a hard physical game and it was apparent in the first quarter that the fitter side would take the game, it was just a matter of who tired first. The Collingwood mid-field was on fire again this week and North was unable to contain their relentless drive forward.

North Melbourne had an early lead of 1 point at the end of a very close, hard fought first quarter, then the Magpie charge came. At half time they led by 10 points, then a 7 goal to 4 third quarter gave them a 27 point lead at three quarter time, then to finish it off they had a 5 goal last quarter and won the game by 43 points.

Collingwood showed their depth tonight with players upping their input to cover for those who were being held. Nathan Buckley had a quieter night than usual, but Paul Williams was unstoppable and Scotty Burns showed scintillating form and was best on ground with 33 possessions 20 kicks 13 handballs and 8 marks. Down forward Sav Rocca kicked 4 and Anthony 1. Robbie Ahmat, showing brilliance, kicked 3 goals and Chris Curran and Richard Osborne both kicked 2, Damian Monkhorst also shared in the goals with 1.

Malcolm Michael, promoted from the recruits to replace Trent Hotton, played a good game in defence and showed an impressive level of skill and composure for a player making his first senior AFL appearance in such a high pressure game.

Collingwood squeeze home

(4/5) Collingwood regained the number one spot on the ladder yesterday after a 1 point victory over Adelaide.

Nathan Buckley played a match winning game for the Woods with 27 kicks, 10 marks and 8 handballs. Tony Modra looked dangerous early, kicking 3 goals in the first quarter, but Tony Shaw sent Gavin Brown to settle him down and Brown effectively stopped him, playing in front and depriving Modra of opportunities. Modra kicked 2 more for the rest of the game. Brown took a game saving mark in front of Modra in the dying seconds preventing Adelaide from snatching the game on the siren.

Collingwood played poorly and only their accuracy and determination and Adelaide's innacuracy prevented Adelaide's second ever win over Collingwood and first ever win at Victoria Park.