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Opinion

Collingwood can still have a positive year despite the Lions loss

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2nd April, 2021
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Well, here we are again. Like any true fan, I blame myself for Collingwood’s loss last night.

I should not have tempted the sports gods last week by saying I will review each week, whether the Pies have a triumphant victory or a heart-breaking defeat. I sealed Collingwood’s fate and I apologise.

We will start with the good: Collingwood’s defence. This point will quickly become tiresome for non-Pies readers because I will continue to hold onto whatever good we have week to week and I suspect this will be repeated.

Darcy Moore was not quite the best and fairest winning saviour of the first two weeks. This is down to Joe Daniher.

Daniher is a match-up issue for Moore. Moore relies heavily on speed and athleticism. You will often see Moore sitting off opponents behind because he knows he possesses an amazing ability to make up space on the ground and in the air.

Joe Daniher possesses those traits as well and showed if you give him any room, you will not catch him. The battle between these two will be an amazing watch for the next ten years. Please sports gods, don’t smite me with injuries to these two after that comment.

Isaac Quaynor continues his rise. His first half was a perfect mix of defensive work and rebound play.

Jeremy Howe was again a dominant aerial force. Jordan Roughead and Jack Madgen were un-remarkably good in getting the job done. This is a compliment.

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Scott Pendlebury is greatness.

Scott Pendlebury of the Magpies celebrates a win

(Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Josh Daicos is electric. Give me that rose-coloured-glasses shot of his old man going off in the stands any day.

Collingwood’s pressure and intent was elite in the first quarter and a half. It could have been a blow-out but it felt like the Grim Reaper himself was hanging over whichever player kicked the ball into attack.

Countless times there was inefficient ball use going forward started to eat at Collingwood’s team confidence. It was death by a thousand crap kicks. You could feel it happening long before the Lions got close on the scoreboard.

This is when Collingwood lost. The heart-breaking goal after the siren was just the final candle on the cake Collingwood started baking much earlier in the game.

Now, the not so good. Jordan de Goey is an impact midfielder at best at this time in his career. Start him forward, leave him forward, think about a run through the middle, and then leave him forward.

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I understand the importance of these matches for De Goey to gain experience and possibly one day be that guy, but it still hurts to watch.

Will Hoskin-Elliott got De Goey’s time out of the goal square. It was probably hard to notice, right? It was pretty difficult to know the bloke was playing actually. Let’s give the bloke a go in the twos.

De Goey took Jack Crisp’s time in the middle. One of Collingwood’s best moves early in the season was barely existent last night. Crisp’s time in the middle was significantly shortened and when he got the ball, he was wasteful and hurried – a point one of my fine readers brought up last week.

Watching Crisp this year will be very interesting. I would leave him in the middle. Let’s see if it settles him.

Mason Cox was average enough to get another game as always.

I’m not quite sure what to make of the Brown boys’ game. I’m not sure if it was a positional difference or just a down game but I’m still a believer.

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I was going into last night’s game thinking this is an early crossroads game for the Pies. One dismal loss and one heartwarming reply: whichever of those two teams showed up is what we could expect from Collingwood’s season.

I’m not so sold on that notion now. With the intent and attitude of the first quarter and some magnetic board shifts, Collingwood can have a positive year. The decisions moving the ball forward seem a little more like a systematic issue. It is concerning.

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