The Pies were lost at sea against West Coast

The Pies started with some serious heat on Friday night.

Brodie Grundy seemed to have found the elusive mongrel against the great Nic Naitanui no less. The way he and Darcy Cameron opened up was fantastic to watch. Each took what looked like even time in the middle in the first quarter and ran Naitanui off his feet.

Grundy went forward because of Cameron’s ability to hold his own in the ruck. That seemed to be an inspired strategy, but it was more than that. Grundy was playing like a man who had been told he was stealing 400 grand a year. He played like he cared about his performance, throwing his weight around. Where has this been for 12 months?

There was plenty of hunger for the contest early but Chris Mayne crucified Collingwood twice. On both of these occasions he turned the ball over, directly leading to goals. Our stomachs collectively sank.

But some hope kept flickering. Darcy Moore played forward and worked with Brody Mihocek, Grundy and Cameron. That looked dangerous. It was a good mix of size, athleticism and ability. Collingwood’s midfield was competing and getting the ball forward with purpose.

And then Jordan de Goey had his face smashed in, and worse, Jeremy Howe did what looked to be a knee.

The sinking feeling of dread came over Collingwood’s players and fans.

(Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Heart and dare quickly turned into the all too familiar strategy of booting the ball to the opposition defenders. Here Collingwood were again kicking long down the line to the advantage of opposition players.

West Coast pose potentially the best forward line in the comp. They certainly have the best group of three tall forwards in Josh Kennedy, Jack Darling and Oscar Allen. On any ordinary night, these three would be a nightmare match-up conundrum for any team.

Then you take the team’s best defender and move him forward. It was a bold strategy. But Collingwood have been crying for bold. Then you lose your second best defensive player when Jeremy Howe went down.

Coach Nathan Buckley persisted with Moore forward, and he was committed at least to a bold strategy. It was probably not the best match-up for this move but at least he was doing something.

But as the match went on, the Pies were using Brayden Maynard as the third tall defender on the best trio of tall forwards in the game. He actually did quite well. And then they used Mark Keen and Jordan Roughead. You surely have to think, ‘Let’s move Collingwood’s All Australian defenders back’.

Or at the very least, the coaches should have thought, ‘Let’s get Jack Madgen off of a wing and send him back’.

But no. Frustratingly, the dare Collingwood fans have been screaming out for was becoming Collingwood’s biggest problem. Buckley surely had to see this. He had to see this and either think, ‘Our season is shot and this is our plan going forward come hell or high water’ or bow to pressure to mix it up and think, ‘There’s your mix-up, how good was that?’

I hope he doesn’t use this game as a bail out. I valued the mix-up although it was clear that Moore needed to moved back. I value this mix-up because I’m hoping it is good for the players. I hope it inspires the minds and brings some joy back to them and give them something that they can carry forward.

(Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

In the second and third terms, the Eagles flexed their muscle. In all my doom and gloom, it is important to remember that the Eagles are quite a good team. Dom Sheed turns into Batman when he plays us. Those three goals in a row at the end of the third term are nightmare fuel.

Jeremy McGovern has leather magnet hands. Naitanui is the best ruckman in the comp by a long way when fit. They have seriously impressive depth in their depleted midfield. Tim Kelly, Andrew Gaff and Jack Redden took control and the home crowd inserted themselves in the game. They were too good.

There were more bitter-sweet changes towards the end of the game when it was already over. The Pies got the license to run and gun. Finally the shackles were off and the players seemed to thrive. I hope going forward Collingwood see plenty more of this.

Finlay Macrae looks the goods. He seemed to magically hit forward targets with what looked like aimed and measured kicks. This was absolute magic in a Pies team.

Moore is a better forward than Mason Cox but he is a better defender. Darcy Cameron is a far better player then Cox and allows Grundy to go forward. Moving Moore back and then keeping that ruck rotation can add a real positive.

Madgen can walk off the wing back to defence then right off the park. Beau McCreery looks like a genuine list clogger but he does keep on trying. Mark Keane shows signs but needs some development.

It was a legitimately better effort from the Pies but I’m battling to get this one out. Collingwood still seemed a little lost at sea and I feel kind of lost at sea as a supporter.

I have committed to writing about the Pies every round this year. This could get quite depressing. I hope at least my pain can be someone’s source of entertainment.