Post match: Pies lose thriller. All comments please.

[MatthewBoydFanClub]

We're not strong enough at the contests to win a premiership at the moment. Will the inclusion of Greenwood, Reid, Karnezis and Scharenberg change the equation? I don't think so. So for me it means at least another year of development before we can challenge for the flag. It still worries me how we go when Swan retires. How do you replace a champion when he retires?

A couple of things worried me last night. Do we have to gang tackle all the time? The ball spills out and three Freemantle players are waiting to pick the ball up. We need to have a Collingwood player waiting on the ground for the spills. Also, if we can't claim clean possession we need to lock the ball in the packs without being pinged by the umpires. To beat Freemantle you can't afford to give them any space to move the ball.

The other point is that we are missing the run and carry off half back that we had earlier in the year with Ramsay and Sinclair. Williams doesn't give us the same type of game that either of those two players give us. We desperately need at least one of those players back.

[think positive]

[Lazza]

[mudlark]

[yin-YANG]

If you are in the September mix then you should aim for a flag - why not? I remember a lot of knockers giving the 2002 team no chance of doing anything in the finals and the Pies went so close to a premiership! I went to the game in SA against Port and was rewarded by witnessing one of the finest underdog performances in a final!

Reid and Greenwood will add a lot to the team along with Grundy supporting Witts.

These are the bigger bodies and mature players that can push the pies along for a genuine crack. This week against the Hawks is a huge test. A close result against the top team will give the team real belief - a win would be massive.

I also remember when the Pies lost to the Bummers back in 1990 late in the season - it was a narrow loss - but you sensed we had a lot of improvement in the team - a flag was a real possibility! Getting smacked by the hawks the following week was tough - but after a real intense game it was the likely result. Some of us optimists still dared to dream of a flag.

Will be interesting to see how the Pies respond after a bruising encounter out west with the Hawks next week… I think we can make the finals and then we are a chance - we can do it and play a lot of kids also and give em some taste for the big time.

[GoWoodsmen]

[3rd degree]

This one hurt, we had a good crack at them, very impressed with De Goey and Crisp. Langdon really stepped up when it needed to be won and shows he is damn mentally tough. Varcoe is a great link man and really gives us heaps , he never stops trying he pulled us up when a few were dropping their bundles. Elliot had a dirty night but hung tough. Clokey was good early then dropped away. Marley and Faz both stood up, Well done to Witts really worked hard. We needed more out of our big forwards. Keep believing lads kill them glenferrie leaf blowers.

[uncanny]

Lots to like about the effort and output last night. A much closer result than the last two games against the dockers where they owned us. We are building. Looking forward to see how they go against the hawks. The extra day to prepare for this will be handy. It was a tough slog out there. Bring in Reid and Greenwood if they go alright in the VFL and give Seeds and Steele a spell in the twos to regain form.

[Piesnchess]

Until we smarten up a lot with our field kicking, out of bounds six times cost us the game really, we cant yet challenge for the flag, we must get our sloppy field kicking right, ala the piss and pooh, learn from them. !

[Lazza]

[Bob Sugar]

[roar]

Field kicking and goal kicking has improved heaps on last year and with the amount of youth in our team, I expect it to continue improving.

[jackcass]

[Lazza]

[jackcass]