Jason Akermanis - How to bring down Collingwood

[BulldogBelle]

Ohh my is it the calm before another storm, Aker loves us again...

How to bring down Collingwood (http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/how-to-bring-down-collingwood/story-e6frf9ox-1225912976591)
Jason Akermanis | Herald Sun | September 01, 2010

TO THOSE cynics who think I'd love nothing more than see my old club go down in a burning heap, and out of the finals in straight sets: you are sadly mistaken.

Not only will I be barracking for the Bulldogs on Saturday night, I believe they can cause one of the great upsets by beating red-hot favourite Collingwood.

Yes, Collingwood beat the Dogs twice this season, but finals can be a different ball game. Just ask the Geelong and Carlton players who played in the 1994 second semi-final at Waverley.

Carlton was unbackable after the Cats lost good defender Michael Mansfield to the tribunal and then announced on the morning of the game that its midfield treasure trove - Mark Bairstow, Paul Couch and Garry Hocking - would miss the game.

It helped that Gary Ablett Sr kicked six goals, but a couple of relative unknowns - Liam Pickering and Aaron Lord - played blinders to help get the Cats home by 33 points. Geelong diehards still regard it as one of the club's great wins, and one of coach Malcolm Blight's greatest motivational pre-game speeches.

Click HERE (http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/how-to-bring-down-collingwood/story-e6frf9ox-1225912976591) to read the remainder of the article...

[Hotdog60]

Dare I say it.

Sounds feasible.

[LostDoggy]

Is Aker bipolar or something?

[Rocco Jones]

Is Aker bipolar or something?

Pretty close to the mark perhaps. I love playing amateur psychologist.

As a kid he had his father walk out on him and chronic acne. I think he has a few issues with 'being loved'. Seems a good family man with his wife and kids but really paranoid/doubting everyone else. Seems like the type of guy who is loved by a few and disliked/hated by the rest.

[Stefcep]

Collingwood strength is their coach, who has been able to get the best from a team of mostly plodders. Player for player they are weaker than both Geelong and St Kilda, and we can match them. The difference between us and them is that 1. They have a belief and culture that they belong playing in Grand Finals and 2. They play as a team and do the one percenters.

This season we have lacked the belief that we belong, as a genuine flag contender. We have crumbled to dust on the big stage, just when there were expectations that we could win.. When I look at some of our wins of the past when we beat more fancied opponents, no-one gave us a hope. Being expected to lose will hopefully take some pressure off the boys.

[comrade]

Well, now Hooper will never get picked!

[Stefcep]

Pretty close to the mark perhaps. I love playing amateur psychologist.

As a kid he had his father walk out on him and chronic acne. I think he has a few issues with 'being loved'. Seems a good family man with his wife and kids but really paranoid/doubting everyone else. Seems like the type of guy who is loved by a few and disliked/hated by the rest.

I think his father walking out probably has a lot to do with it. I reckon he fears being abandoned and rejected, and his extrovert public persona is just a facade to hide the insecurity. In that light, its not that surprising that he reacted the way he did when he was rejected by Matthews, the Lions and then us.

[Stefcep]

"Eade doesn't like to be reactive, "

This is spot on by Aker. Even when Geelong had kicked 12 straight, Eade kept the same game plan. Last season, against Collingwood, Malthouse chose to flood the back when we had possession, wait for the turnover and then countered quickly. They were up by 40 points at quarter time. Eade just kept doing more of the same.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Agree with the posts above regarding Aker and his insecurities.

It's a pretty good article and I agree with all of it. The comments about Eade, Harbrow and Boyd/Cross/Picken are all right. Murphy to Davis is even a nice suggestion. Murph is smart enough to be able to hurt Neon on the rebound, where he rarely chases.

Interesting bit about Hooper too. It's frustrating that the MC didn't decide to give the kid a game prior to this to see if he could offer us anything. About two months ago (or so), I mentioned that I wanted us to have a clear view on our list and who could what roles. Unfortunately, we haven't done that.

I do hope that Eade and co are prepared to alter game plans etc. This is one thing he really struggles with, he doesn't make enough changes.

[Scraggers]

Is Aker bipolar or something?

His hair is ... does that count ??

[Desipura]

A real Jekyll and Hyde is Aker

[comrade]

I think it might have gone something like this....

Book Publisher: "Aker, our research shows that people think you're being a dick and are less likely to buy your book, or at least wait until it's selling for $3.95 in a dump bin outside Aldi"

Aker: "Right. I can fix this for now with a fluffy article, and just before the book is about to launch I'll make some comment on the radio about one of my ex team mates being a drug addicted homo"

Book Publisher: "Perfect, but does it have to be on MTR? No one listens to that shit hole station"

[Mantis]

This is spot on by Aker. Even when Geelong had kicked 12 straight, Eade kept the same game plan. Last season, against Collingwood, Malthouse chose to flood the back when we had possession, wait for the turnover and then countered quickly. They were up by 40 points at quarter time. Eade just kept doing more of the same.

Could this have been a test to find out how the players would react when they were under siege?

It's very easy to throw numbers behind the ball to cover over any cracks, but a true test is to keep the faith and watch how the players react in this type of situation.

[LostDoggy]

The cynic in me says....what's he up to? The more compassionate me, thinks, well, maybe he does have some issues and perhaps is bipolar? He is actually making some sense here re the footy, but I wonder what his motives are? Hard not to question anything he says or does now, isn't it?

[Topdog]

I can't believe he has actually gone and thought something out and put it to paper instead of just the first random thought that came into his head.

I actually like most of the suggestions except for Lake forward.

[Murphy'sLore]

Maybe it's reverse psychology - he thinks if he puts this cunning plan in the paper, Rocket will be guaranteed to do the opposite.

Mind you, Rocket is probably guaranteed to do the opposite anyway.

[Dazza]

I actually quite like this idea. We have been great with getting the contested ball for most of the season so I couldn't see why it wouldn't work. Collingwood play off their half back flank so we really need to shut down their runners.

[Mantis]

I actually like most of the suggestions except for Lake forward.

If Morris was playing I would be playing Lake up forward.

He would own Maxwell.

[Sedat]

I think it might have gone something like this....

Book Publisher: "Aker, our research shows that people think you're being a dick and are less likely to buy your book, or at least wait until it's selling for $3.95 in a dump bin outside Aldi"

Aker: "Right. I can fix this for now with a fluffy article, and just before the book is about to launch I'll make some comment on the radio about one of my ex team mates being a drug addicted homo"

Book Publisher: "Perfect, but does it have to be on MTR? No one listens to that shit hole station"

This.

Aker has written the obligatory fluff piece because he has spent the best part of 6 weeks writing hate-fueled bile, and his reputation out in the football world has suffered accordingly. He needs to counteract the notion that he is a bitter ex footballer who nobody takes seriously any more, hence the appearance of said feel-good piece.

The hate-fueled bile will resurface very soon, about a day before his book is released. Aker thinks we must have all recently arrived in one of those boats that Tony Abbott wants to stop.

[LostDoggy]

Well, now Hooper will never get picked!

Maybe not this year, but 2011 we should see Hoops, Patrick "Petal" Rose and hopefully Marcovich elevated to the senior list.

And if you disagree.
Get to a Willy game and see how good they are, and the potential that they can give.
;)

[chef]

Maybe not this year, but 2011 we should see Hoops, Patrick "Petal" Rose and hopefully Marcovich elevated to the senior list.

And if you disagree.
Get to a Willy game and see how good they are, and the potential that they can give.
;)

Markovic is already on the main list.

[The Coon Dog]

Maybe not this year, but 2011 we should see Hoops, Patrick "Petal" Rose and hopefully Marcovich elevated to the senior list.

And if you disagree.
Get to a Willy game and see how good they are, and the potential that they can give.
;)

Markovic is already on the senior list.

[chef]

Snap.

[Greystache]

Maybe not this year, but 2011 we should see Hoops, Patrick "Petal" Rose and hopefully Marcovich elevated to the senior list.

And if you disagree.
Get to a Willy game and see how good they are, and the potential that they can give.
;)

Markovic is on the senior list already, he just won't be much longer.