Pies set miss finals again .. but r on right track ? Jon A

[fractal]

http://www.news.com.au/national/collingwood-set-to-miss-finals-again-but-are-the-pies-on-the-right-track/story-e6frfkp9-1227502535570

(btw, if you ever want to read a Herald Sun protected article, in the web address, delete everything in the first Http:// ... and in the second replace 'www.heraldsun.com.au' with www.news.com.au"

Good article .. i am not a doomsayer re the fact we are winning less games etc, all for what they have done with the list, big fan of Dekka etc. I think we have a 10 year backline. Have great kids in mid, wings etc


But I have concerns. and Ando raises some concerns that I am not sure how we fix.

Ie our kicking efficiency is woeful, down in clearances, points scored, our press isn't as effective, teams are slicing through us etc

BUT my overall main concerns are as follows.

1. Our forward structure
- we really need a few true leading forwards who can get good separation and low and behold - can kick straight. Reid looks good when he has been on - last week horrible, but perhaps delivery. We need small forwards who are consistent. Fas .. oh Fas. It looks like we bombing it in, but perhaps because our forward are just not running to right place - separation.

2. Leaders - we need to develop next batch of leaders.
- Maxy has been a huge loss, as has Ball. I still haven't seen the next wave of on field leading standing up. Pendles is like butter to watch, but who are going to be the Mithchell, Selwood, Hodge, over my dead body leader?

3. Robots vs Spunk
- again I have loved Dekka trading of players with currency for great kids. But at the same time, we have gotten rid of those 'difficult' players .. but they had FLAIR, spunk.
- Heater -that grand final smother!!
- Harry - when he was on
- Beams - as much as we may 'win' out that trade, I would still keep beams vs three good but lesser players

I know the game has changed, but these guys had the Xfactor. The new players a nice, clean, good boys, won't crash a car drunk .. (then again certain players take drugs at a festival .. i digress ) .. but they don't have the heater manic RIEWOLT I DON"T CARE IF YOU ARE A CHAMPION, YOU ARE NOT FRIGGN KICKING THAT GOAL .. psychotic passion!

Are we in a good place re list - yes. But anyone thinks it is just going to happen is hiding in that happy place. (oh 2010 and most of 2011 was one happy place)

As we will be competing with GWS, St Kilda, Dogs etc who also have great young lists. But like Saints and Dogs have shown, they have fight .. something we have sorely lacked of late ...

[Cuthbert Collingwood]

1. Moore
2. Moore
3. Moore

[AN_Inkling]

Wow, what a terribly inaccurate article. A number of those stats are just plain wrong. Our scoring has gone up this year not down: