Thursday Fallout: Depleted Pies’ “terrific plan” against wasteful Hawks

Collingwood and Hawthorn shared the points in a 93-93 draw at the MCG to kick off Round 8.

Craig McRae’s Magpies were without Scott Pendlebury, Jeremy Howe, Tim Membrey and Beau McCreery and looked weakened on paper.

But they were accurate and efficient, kicking 15.3, and almost pulled off the perfect plan.

However, Sam Mitchell’s Hawks will feel like that was one that got away.

Normally when you have 10 more scoring shots (28-18) and 28 more inside 50s (62-34) you win a game. And comfortably.

The weight of numbers could have caved in on the Pies but their defensive base stood up, their pressure was high and their counter-attack game was lethal, especially early.

It tells us, once again, that they are incredibly well coached by McRae.

David King and Kane Cornes saw the weight of numbers differently though.

“They fact they (Collingwood) were so accurate and so brilliant with their efficiency going in meant they were going to have a low number (of inside 50 entries),” King said on SEN’s Fireball.

“What would you prefer? Would you prefer the high strike rate of goals per entry? Or the volume of inside 50s?”

Cornes replied: “Or Hawthorn kick accurately. They were 6.6 from set shots and Collingwood were 10.1.

“That’s probably where the difference lies. It was a dominant display on the stat sheet from Hawthorn in pretty much all facets.

“Contested footy they smacked them (134-105), ground balls they smacked them (90-66), inside 50s they smacked them, clearances they smacked them (39-23), in all facets.

“I’m not taking anything away from Collingwood.”

King feels the Pies’ plan almost worked a treat despite losing centre clearances 19-5.

“This is where the stats can lie and you can believe whatever you want to believe,” he added.

“But in terms of the plan they put in place it worked with aplomb.

“They got smacked out of the middle and the back six did a great job to hold up. There are numbers in there if you really want to look and say it was an outstanding performance by the back six, a great performance by the crumbers in the forward 50, and a terrific plan not to expose turnover ball through the middle of the ground.

“The numbers are what the numbers are but don’t subscribe to all of them.”

Despite Collingwood’s apparent shortcomings from a personnel point of view, they were coached to win and their style almost allowed them to.

Does that mean they can genuinely contend with a full complement of players? They’ll always put themselves in a position to win games of footy.

It’s just whether or not they have the class to beat the top echelon of teams in cut-throat finals.

As for Hawthorn, Mitchell will likely be seething that they missed the four points here. A wasteful start cost them and they were trying to claw back a margin for most of the night.

But their game is in good order and it’s unlikely that we’ll see them that untidy again. 

There were some gilt-edged chances and decisions throughout. There was a potential holding the ball for Nick Watson on Billy Frampton. Arguably a free kick, perhaps not.

But the Pies were awarded a 50-metre penalty against Cam Mackenzie which allowed Steele Sidebottom to kick an easy goal. Mackenzie was never going to interfere with Sidebottom. That decision lacked common sense. 

A draw leaves a strange feeling. Cue the extra-time conversations on talkback today, but shouldn’t we just leave it as is…?

Andrew Slevison