The making of a team

[cgibbo]

The making of a team.

When the Pies take on Hawthorne this afternoon, our very history is on the line. The Machines legendary 4 peat is under threat for the second this century. First the mighty Brisbane team of 2000 - 03. Despised, but still mighty. They are widely acknowledged as 'one of' the best teams of all time. And they were the only thing between us and back to back flags. A champion team indeed.... But as the history records will show, they are not the greatest of all time. Now Hawthorne are having a crack. The new 'machine' are at the threshold of joining football royalty.
Hawthorne are in my eyes, our most dreaded enemy!!
(Not our most hated though!!! #Ihatecarlton)
I dread playing them. I can’t remember beating these pricks any more then a handful of times over like the last ten years. Even right back to the glorious 1990, when they pumped us by 10 goals. They've always seemed to have the wood on us. They've dominated the competition in my lifetime, winning 12 flags since 71 and they're charging at us like a freight train as we cling precariously to second / third in the all time premiership tally. Anyone that tries to tell you that this tally doesn't mean much or doesn't count, doesn't know shit about Australian Rules Football. Or they're one of those ignorant supporters of an interstate team like Port or West Coast (But not you Freo! You suck! You’re a laughing stock! You latte sipping, scarf wearing, tree hugging, politically correct, greens voting, hipster leftards are just un Australian! Ban Australia day my ass!!) who nonchalantly declares the history of the AFL doesn't count until the year of their clubs inception. Well ask a St.Kilda or Footscray supporter how they're going with their 1 (one) premiership. Watch that glint of shame cross their eyes before they go on the attack and start their sh#t about you and all the other toothless magpie supporters. 
Well, I’m proud as f$#k that we sit so highly up the all time premiership ladder! And here we have today, the team thats had the wood on us for so long, on the verge, of not only wheeling in our spot on the all time premiership ladder, but equaling the holy grail. The four peat from the greatest football team of all time, the legendary 1927-30 Collingwood 'Machine'.
If you're reading this you know the Hawks recent form over us. And You know how good they've been. But. You also know that at the moment, they’re wounded and limping into this years finals series. Besides the GWS smashing in round 6, they've had another great year. Lucky at times for sure, but still a great year....until the last month. They'll be the first to tell you a premiership is won in September….not March, June or August.
And they’re right. However…..A premiership sure as hell can be lost in August!
If Hawthorne lose this round 23 clash they drop out of the top 4 and the odds on them winning the 2016 premiership plummet.
And the Machines legend remains its alone for at least another 4 but more likely 5 years. (Don't laugh the giants will be that good☹️)
The thing is, I don't want Hawthorne to lose todays game. I want Collingwood to win it. I want the boys to run & fight & scrap! I want them to break! And to smash! Give everything they’ve got to keep our clubs record intact. I want this record to mean as much to them as it does to us…..the people that have followed the club their entire lives. Those born and bred in the black and white. Those whose hearts swell with pride when they see Eddie going off his chops in the stands.
I want.. No I wish. I wish I could hear Swanny give a final goodbye speech before the boys run out this afternoon. Hear Swanny talk about what it means to bleed black and white. But if Swanny is too pissed or he's already smashing cans in London, I would love to hear from an old boy’ like Lou or Murray Weideman. Or maybe Gav Brown! And hear him talk to Buckley’s boys about being Collingwood. About the fight and the emotion thats in the fabric of that black and white striped jumper. The pride in the jumper and the pride in being Collingwood.
I want the Collingwood players to want to kill Hawthorne. Not in the stupid way like against North a couple of weeks ago, but in the 'hunter - killer' way that we played against Geelong, the Bulldogs, GWS, and West Coast. And the first half of the Anzac day massacre!! Wowee.
I want them to believe that they are about to play the best football of their lives! Once they put that jumper on and cross that white line.. 'Its fking on and we are gunna fkin smash em!' Sorry I get all revved up thinking about the old pre game talks we've all probably been through! The good ones though, not just the coach doing his blah blah blah every week. Some old club legend or the presidents great grand father who won a flag in 1910. Or like my legendary win back in 2001 against Robina after an awe inspiring pre game rev up by Carlton 1945 premiership player Jim Clark. We won by 20 goals. We wanted to kill them! In a hunter-killer way
If our boys can come out this Sunday & stick it up Hawthorne...To all of us, that win will be the game that saved our legendary record! We can still lay claim to the greatest team of all time…
But to the boys, it will be the win that binds them. It will be their making! The game where a lil snippet of their soul seeps into the very fabric of the jumper on their back.... Im thinking of the semi final extra time win against West Coast in 2007. That win was THE moment for the 2010 boys. (or it could have been the heartbreaking loss the week after. Who knows?)

Today will be THE moment for Buckley’s boys... & maybe Buckley himself. 

Peace out!

In the hunter - killer way boys!!

[What'sinaname]

I hope you are prepared to be disappointed. The Hawks might not equal our record, but not because of anything we do.

[HAL]

Yes I know how good they've been. Be more specific. I will play it on your soundcard.

[HAL]

[cgibbo]

Sorry for the multiple posts. Can an admin delete some?

[Culprit]

Swans will be Premiers and my money has been on them since Round 1.

[Cam]

Great speech! I hope we do as you say!

[RudeBoy]

[Piesnchess]

[yin-YANG]

I like the sentiments cgibbo… not sure about Browny as an inspirational talker though - he was called Rowdy for a reason…

The pies have lifted this year against some good teams and they are a chance - thrown in Darcy, Adams and Reid and I would be quietly confident about an upset - even with the Hawks needing to win for a chance at top 4!

I would love to see the Pies do us all proud and knock em out of the top 4 today… however ultimately I don't care who beats em -just as long as they don't win another flag for 30 years… who knows there might even be back on for a merger?

happy to see the boys give em a scare and go hunting - when we do beat em the pendulum would have swung back to us - out young team will keep it for many years - not sure if the pies are ready just yet - but would love to see it happen