Pies?

[Dry Rot]

Of the top 4 , they thrashed the Cats, pushed us and have the measure of the Swans but they also can look very ordinary.

What do you make of them now?

[ledge]

They are like Nth Melb, fire up for big games then exhausted the next.

[LostDoggy]

They are like Nth Melb, fire up for big games then exhausted the next.

Except their excuse is 'block buster fatigue' :rolleyes:

They're always a tricky team to play because you don't know which team is going to turn up, but they've only beaten the Cats and Swans so far really, and I don't see them being a big threat come September...but you never know, I guess.

[G-Mo77]

I didn't see them as a big threat last year either and they were 5 points from making a Grand Final. They'll be in the finals and be a tough opponent for anyone.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

I didn't see them as a big threat last year either and they were 5 points from making a Grand Final. They'll be in the finals and be a tough opponent for anyone.

Sums up Collingwood and perhaps more to the point, Malthouse.

Pies don't have the best list going around (Although they have some very good players) and have a few noticeable flaws, but Malthouse really seems to draw the best out of them. For some reason, they drop games they should win against lower ranked sides. Been their major problem the last few seasons. Unlucky they've had injuries/suspensions this year, because they're better than what their standing suggests IMO.

Certainly capable of beating and pushing any side in the competition, on any given day at any given venue. Arguably play better away from home, and we all know they're very good at the MCG.

Still think they lack 2-3 quality players, especially with Clement retiring, which is why if Cats/Dogs/Hawks are able to spread the load and get a reasonable contribution from the 22, they should win, as there's a bit of an edge in talent & depth.

Still, they can't be underestimated. Last years Finals series proved that, they can play anywhere and always seem to lift for the bigger games.

[LostDoggy]

With 3 extra players most weeks they get a huge advantage.

[Sedat]

^^
Ernie - 100% on the money.

They are also cut no favours with their brutal travel schedule most seasons - occasionally they are even forced to travel a couple of train stops from Jolimont to Spencer St just to play a game of football :rolleyes:

It's more a match-up issue for them - they match up very well against Sydney and Geelong, who happen to be in the top 4 this year. We've beaten them 4-5 times in a row now, including a final in which they were heavilty favoured to dispense with us prior to the game. The Hawks similarly have little trouble beating them as well. In the finals last yar they beat up on Sydney, drew with a West Coast side who were ravaged by injury and short-changed off the bench by playing clearly unfit players in the side, and then pushed Geelong in the prelim. Good efforts one and all but against teams they regularly match up well on.

On the flipside, if Collingwood finish 5th they would not want a side like Carlton to sneak into 8th - will be curtains for them.

[LostDoggy]

Alot of Pies supporters I speak to would love to have a crack at us in September but I just don't get it???

Of all the top sides, we've probably got the best recent record against them.
We're 5 from the last 6 (and the loss was the game Murph did his knee).

We seem to match up very well.

They couldn't have played any better than they did against us this year and they still came up short (I don't buy the injury excuses - we lost Williams and even though Rocca got injured, they still got 2 goals from him).

Anyway, I'll be more than happy to ruin another September for them (after they bundle the Cats out):)

[craigsahibee]

Except their excuse is 'block buster fatigue' :rolleyes:

They're always a tricky team to play because you don't know which team is going to turn up, but they've only beaten the Cats and Swans so far really, and I don't see them being a big threat come September...but you never know, I guess.

I find it hilarious that Malthouse questioned why Melbourne were able to get theselves "up" for big games against Collingwood, yet struggle against other "lower" ranked sides. Was he just deflecting again to take the spotlight off his own sides inept performance.

How then do you explain Collingwood's performances against the higher ranked teams such as us, Geelong and Sydney yet fail against the lower ranked teams like Carlton and Brisbane.

Have a look at your own scrapheap Malthouse before unleashing your misguided opinions on the rest of us.

Why must you be like Big Head Ed and feel the need to comment about other clubs that are of no cocern to you?

[ledge]

I find it hilarious that Malthouse questioned why Melbourne were able to get theselves "up" for big games against Collingwood, yet struggle against other "lower" ranked sides. Was he just deflecting again to take the spotlight off his own sides inept performance.

How then do you explain Collingwood's performances against the higher ranked teams such as us, Geelong and Sydney yet fail against the lower ranked teams like Carlton and Brisbane.

Have a look at your own scrapheap Malthouse before unleashing your misguided opinions on the rest of us.

Why must you be like Big Head Ed and feel the need to comment about other clubs that are of no cocern to you?

Any chance you could post this to him, i think its perfect, even he couldnt spin that one around!

[The Pie Man]

^^
Ernie - 100% on the money.

They are also cut no favours with their brutal travel schedule most seasons - occasionally they are even forced to travel a couple of train stops from Jolimont to Spencer St just to play a game of football :rolleyes:

It's more a match-up issue for them - they match up very well against Sydney and Geelong, who happen to be in the top 4 this year. We've beaten them 4-5 times in a row now, including a final in which they were heavilty favoured to dispense with us prior to the game. The Hawks similarly have little trouble beating them as well. In the finals last yar they beat up on Sydney, drew with a West Coast side who were ravaged by injury and short-changed off the bench by playing clearly unfit players in the side, and then pushed Geelong in the prelim. Good efforts one and all but against teams they regularly match up well on.

On the flipside, if Collingwood finish 5th they would not want a side like Carlton to sneak into 8th - will be curtains for them.

Geez that'd be funny

Like last year, they reached the prelim and damn nearly made the GF from the bottom half of the 8 - noone with the double chance will want to play them in the 2nd week of the finals. Will be interesting to watch St Kilda run around for the next 2 months as well.

[LostDoggy]

Actually I thought we were lucky to get away with the win against Collingwood. They are a lot better team than I originally credited them. Fourth spot will come down to Sydney, Adelaide or Collingwood. Adelaide are dropping, Sydney have a really hard schedule for the rest of the year and Collingwood have found some form - I expect them to finish fourth.

This will mean that Collingwood will take on Geelong in the first final doesn't it? Doggies play Hawthorn.

If we win we - go into a preliminary final and if Collingwood win - so do they. What will be the following match up from there - not so good with the finals structure:o

[Sedat]

Actually I thought we were lucky to get away with the win against Collingwood. They are a lot better team than I originally credited them. Fourth spot will come down to Sydney, Adelaide or Collingwood. Adelaide are dropping, Sydney have a really hard schedule for the rest of the year and Collingwood have found some form - I expect them to finish fourth.
Collingwood don't have a 5th gear. They work extremely hard in games but rarely pile on bursts of goals - in basically 20 minutes either side of 3/4 time, we wiped Collingwood off the floor kicking 8 goals out of 9. We did it to them last year in the 2nd half at the Dome and also did it after 1/4 time in the final in 2006. Their style of play keeps them in most contests but they generally don't blow teams away in short bursts of power football - I reckon Geelong, Hawthorn and the Dogs are the only 3 teams in 2008 that are genuinely capable of raising their games to a level that the other teams cannot compete with.