erbenz
Club Legend
Last Time We Met
It was glorious. The people's Brownlow, Matt Priddas, had 42 touches, 12 clearances, and a dozen or more questionable slow-motion analyses of the dozen or more of his disposals that were questionably effective, while Gaff and Shuey ran amok. Old man Butler started racking up the numbers the started a career (Redacted due to injury) resurgence, while Scott Lycett and Jacky Darls kicked four goals. Temporarily, we thought we were on the cusp of a new era, but then we got belted in the second half by Essendon and Short-Steppell Heppell getting cheapies off the half back like a VAFA clubbies' veteran and it was back to square one.
Tellingly, the only highlight of going to that Bombers/Eagles game with my Bombers supporting game was eating a parma and watching the growing capitulation of Collingwood's season against Brisbane (albeit due to a set of highly unfortunate knee and soft tissue injuries (#pray4caff, #pray4schorenberg, #pray4Reid, #pray4thatw***erElliot and Tony Armstrong being allowed to play not just one but two professional games of Football at VFL and AFL level in one day). We tried to walk into the G that evening to watch them get beaten up their golden boy Beam's future team in Brisbane, but alas we settled to watch their less faithful supporters question Bucks on the way to the Richmond Station Punt Road entrance.
Where Are We Now (Form and Off-Field Form)
Well, as we all know, aside from a little blip in the wet and wild Blundstone National Wildlife Park on a Day that the rest of the country was warned off coming to Tasmania to watch the footy because of soft, evasive short people that go BOOM(err...), and a Chewbacca like creature known only as "Goldy," the Eagles have been travelling rather well, beating most of their challengers fairly well and negotiating the difficult emotional terrain that former long-time assistant's Phil Walsh's sudden and tragic exit from the AFL. In a pleasant surprise, our club, players and supporters handled the most significant match (against Adelaide) beautifully and the boys now transition from this unexpectedly emotionally difficult 2 week stretch into a period where 5 of the next 7 games are against current top 8 teams and we are bound to be found out for better or for ill.
Collingwood haven't actually being going too bad either, displaying some very solid form early in the season, except for losing their last three. They are entering the phase that we're about to come into, negotiating top 8 contenders and it seems appropriate that just as we approach our crossroads, we come to a Collingwood that has fallen short against the very best (Hawthorn, Fremantle) yet more disappointingly, has lacked the poise to handle teams it had displayed the poise and smarts to counter (Port). Also Taylor Adams did a piss poor version of a heimlich manoeuvre on Justin Westhoff and Luke Ball had no choice but to give the talented former giant a couple of weeks off.
In short, it's 2nd vs 7th, but if we looked at the match three weeks ago it would've struck us as a danger game then and it should still stick out as a danger game now.
Injuries/Who is Out (Selection)
The Eagles have gone in unchanged, and are only unwillingly missing four listed players from their best 22: Mackenzie ("Worst Run of My Life"/Knee), Brown (Knee 2.0), Waters (a retired person's boat floating on Watery Shoulder), and Butler (Hip got amputated). These are all Defenders, but the Eagles recruiting specialises in finding slow, decent ball users who are missing bones and ligaments so we've got plenty of depth in this area PLUS MCGOVERN.
Collingwood, to be honest, who cares about those campaigners, but Adams is out with suspension, while Elliot, Broomhead and Goldsack are all missing you could argue that only an in-form Elliot would pose the most threat to the Eagles.
Who is In
For us, these bloody legends have stuck fat as I mentioned above.
For Collingwood, this is who has come in
In all seriousness, Ben Kennedy is a really handy small forward and an upgrade on Elliot in his current form, while Greenwood will add some midfield depth and Seedsman adds a shit tonne of run and dash out of the backline meaning we may have to contain both Oxley and Seedsman; though it's just as likely that the Seed will take the green vest as he has in recent weeks. Marley Williams is a best 22 player and will have been missed.
Strategy
In recent times Buckley has adopted a shoot-out mentality against the Eagles but with our midfield on a collective can of energy drink and confidence at the moment it's likely that Gaff, Shuey and Priddis (the three heroes from the last game against the Pies at Subi) will come under supreme attention, though it remains to be seen if the Pies can account for the other midfielders.
The Pies forward line may cause us some problems if Cloke gets off the leash, but given the collectively down week the Defense had in an otherwise comprehensive Adelaide win, I'd be disappointed if Jesse White, Fasolo and Blair got the better of our mids (though Blair does have a knack of playing decent footy against us god knows how).
Our forward line-up will probably depend strongly on whether Toovey has the form to go with Darling and whether Brown or Frost take Kennedy. I suspect they'll put the more experienced Brown on Kennedy early with Frost to take Sinkers/Naitanui (the latter being a good match up for Frost's raw athleticism), while Hill, Cripps and the resting mids will need to account for the likes Seedsman, Williams and Oxley.
Tip
Contrary to my arrogant showboating I'm actually very worried about this game due to the Pies being down for the last three weeks and I think they're due a really strong showing, but also feel like we're due for a win against the Pies in Melbourne. Brain says Eagles by 18, guts feels like it'll be another nail-biter.
PS: I'll leave this in -
It was glorious. The people's Brownlow, Matt Priddas, had 42 touches, 12 clearances, and a dozen or more questionable slow-motion analyses of the dozen or more of his disposals that were questionably effective, while Gaff and Shuey ran amok. Old man Butler started racking up the numbers the started a career (Redacted due to injury) resurgence, while Scott Lycett and Jacky Darls kicked four goals. Temporarily, we thought we were on the cusp of a new era, but then we got belted in the second half by Essendon and Short-Steppell Heppell getting cheapies off the half back like a VAFA clubbies' veteran and it was back to square one.
Tellingly, the only highlight of going to that Bombers/Eagles game with my Bombers supporting game was eating a parma and watching the growing capitulation of Collingwood's season against Brisbane (albeit due to a set of highly unfortunate knee and soft tissue injuries (#pray4caff, #pray4schorenberg, #pray4Reid, #pray4thatw***erElliot and Tony Armstrong being allowed to play not just one but two professional games of Football at VFL and AFL level in one day). We tried to walk into the G that evening to watch them get beaten up their golden boy Beam's future team in Brisbane, but alas we settled to watch their less faithful supporters question Bucks on the way to the Richmond Station Punt Road entrance.
Where Are We Now (Form and Off-Field Form)
Well, as we all know, aside from a little blip in the wet and wild Blundstone National Wildlife Park on a Day that the rest of the country was warned off coming to Tasmania to watch the footy because of soft, evasive short people that go BOOM(err...), and a Chewbacca like creature known only as "Goldy," the Eagles have been travelling rather well, beating most of their challengers fairly well and negotiating the difficult emotional terrain that former long-time assistant's Phil Walsh's sudden and tragic exit from the AFL. In a pleasant surprise, our club, players and supporters handled the most significant match (against Adelaide) beautifully and the boys now transition from this unexpectedly emotionally difficult 2 week stretch into a period where 5 of the next 7 games are against current top 8 teams and we are bound to be found out for better or for ill.
Collingwood haven't actually being going too bad either, displaying some very solid form early in the season, except for losing their last three. They are entering the phase that we're about to come into, negotiating top 8 contenders and it seems appropriate that just as we approach our crossroads, we come to a Collingwood that has fallen short against the very best (Hawthorn, Fremantle) yet more disappointingly, has lacked the poise to handle teams it had displayed the poise and smarts to counter (Port). Also Taylor Adams did a piss poor version of a heimlich manoeuvre on Justin Westhoff and Luke Ball had no choice but to give the talented former giant a couple of weeks off.
In short, it's 2nd vs 7th, but if we looked at the match three weeks ago it would've struck us as a danger game then and it should still stick out as a danger game now.
Injuries/Who is Out (Selection)
The Eagles have gone in unchanged, and are only unwillingly missing four listed players from their best 22: Mackenzie ("Worst Run of My Life"/Knee), Brown (Knee 2.0), Waters (a retired person's boat floating on Watery Shoulder), and Butler (Hip got amputated). These are all Defenders, but the Eagles recruiting specialises in finding slow, decent ball users who are missing bones and ligaments so we've got plenty of depth in this area PLUS MCGOVERN.
Collingwood, to be honest, who cares about those campaigners, but Adams is out with suspension, while Elliot, Broomhead and Goldsack are all missing you could argue that only an in-form Elliot would pose the most threat to the Eagles.
Who is In
For us, these bloody legends have stuck fat as I mentioned above.
For Collingwood, this is who has come in
In all seriousness, Ben Kennedy is a really handy small forward and an upgrade on Elliot in his current form, while Greenwood will add some midfield depth and Seedsman adds a shit tonne of run and dash out of the backline meaning we may have to contain both Oxley and Seedsman; though it's just as likely that the Seed will take the green vest as he has in recent weeks. Marley Williams is a best 22 player and will have been missed.
Strategy
In recent times Buckley has adopted a shoot-out mentality against the Eagles but with our midfield on a collective can of energy drink and confidence at the moment it's likely that Gaff, Shuey and Priddis (the three heroes from the last game against the Pies at Subi) will come under supreme attention, though it remains to be seen if the Pies can account for the other midfielders.
The Pies forward line may cause us some problems if Cloke gets off the leash, but given the collectively down week the Defense had in an otherwise comprehensive Adelaide win, I'd be disappointed if Jesse White, Fasolo and Blair got the better of our mids (though Blair does have a knack of playing decent footy against us god knows how).
Our forward line-up will probably depend strongly on whether Toovey has the form to go with Darling and whether Brown or Frost take Kennedy. I suspect they'll put the more experienced Brown on Kennedy early with Frost to take Sinkers/Naitanui (the latter being a good match up for Frost's raw athleticism), while Hill, Cripps and the resting mids will need to account for the likes Seedsman, Williams and Oxley.
Tip
Contrary to my arrogant showboating I'm actually very worried about this game due to the Pies being down for the last three weeks and I think they're due a really strong showing, but also feel like we're due for a win against the Pies in Melbourne. Brain says Eagles by 18, guts feels like it'll be another nail-biter.
PS: I'll leave this in -
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