I never thought I'd say it but I actually feel sorry for Collingwood!
long pauseI feel sorry for the players not Malthouse or Mr Ed. Can never get enough of seeing Malthouse or Ed squirming. Just love the fact "Desperate Housewives" is outrating his "Who wants to be a millionaire"
Love even more tha Jonathan Brown said "NO".
All that aside I feel sorry for the players, simple minded souls that they must be!!! :)
― Lucy Lion (Lucy Lion), Tuesday, 10 May 2005 07:09 (twenty-one years ago)
A dirty weekend for AFL heavyweights
By Ross Stapleton
The knives are out for two of the biggest clubs in the AFL and doesn't the rest of the competition love it!
“Get up you weak dog” or words to that effect with some expletives thrown in caught the headlines from the Sydney clash with Essendon on Saturday night. Over in Perth last weekend Fremantle reminded Collingwood of its new place in the AFL scheme of things with a record belting. For the two biggest clubs in Victoria, while their 2005 demise was hardly unexpected, it’s time to face up to a harsh new reality.
Essendon can’t win a final quarter of football to save them and look reasonable odds to miss the finals; while for the rest of the competition the interest isn’t whether the Magpies will be around in September, so much as can they finish bottom? For Eddie McGuire who humiliatingly oversaw the club’s last wooden spoon in his first year as president in 1999, history now threatens to repeat.
Everyone doesn’t need to be told the Magpies came close and played in two losing Grand Finals, but now they look as far away from a flag as the first year McGuire took over the presidency. At least Essendon, as always under Sheedy, is in regeneration mode – trying to remain competitive while unearthing some exciting new talent. Collingwood’s by contract is in such dire straights that McGuire is now ready to go and buy a ready made champion.
No doubt the big end of town is impressed with the swank new Lexus Centre facilities, and the club’s new MCG corporate facilities from 2006 will be something to shout about, but what about actually winning a game of football?
"Where are we as a club? We're very strong financially, we've built ourselves into world quality brand, we've got the best facilities possible, and now we have to make sure we get the best possible team out there. People say that means nothing if you're not winning games, well it means everything,” McGuire says defensively. Yet here’s the club, into its seventh season under his presidency, and he’s still talking up the brand as somehow just as vital as winning games of football – except they can’t! And how do you build a brand with also-rans? Try telling the Magpie fan in the outer that Collingwood is all the better for being a great place for the well-heeled and corporate to entertain their mates.
Under McGuire's presidendcy covering the regular home and away seasons 1999-2004 (22 rounds per season) and the first seven rounds of 2005 – Collingwood boasts a winning record of just 42.45%. It was won just 59 out of 139 games. His finals' record is far better with four wins out six, but obviously losing both Grand Finals in 2002-2003.
On the evidence of the first seven rounds of season 2005, there’s lot of optimism from rival fans that things will continue to remain grim for Collingwood, at least on the field before they get a whole lot better; and by the time they do – what year will that be?
― chrisso (chrisso), Tuesday, 10 May 2005 23:07 (twenty-one years ago)
Carlton: still feeling the effects of the Elliot legacy
Collingwood: a combination of injuries to key players and poor trading for many seasons
Essendon: have been topping up for many seasons and the new batch is very raw at the moment.
regards,
REB
― Rik E Boy (Rik E Boy), Wednesday, 11 May 2005 01:34 (twenty-one years ago)
"poor trading for many seasons"
Yep, poor trading indeed. At the moment, the Pies are looking everywhere on the list for someone that has any leg speed.
Leg speed and highly rotated skilled midfields is the key to success in 2005. And Collingwood doesn't have enough of either. Just like Carlton and Essendon...
― Bennö (Bennö), Wednesday, 11 May 2005 10:31 (twenty-one years ago)
Leg speed and highly rotated skilled midfields is the key to success in 2005.This and other Forums, prior tothe start of the season, were touting how crucial it was to have great KPP's and that without them a team would not make it.
I clearly remember the Eagles having no Tredrea, Scarlett or Fevola and would thus be cvompletely out played in all facets of the game other that Judd and Fletcher getting a few kicks.
Surprise, surprise. Still no KPP's but the team seems to be travelling reasonably well at this stage. And some of the current thinking seems to revolve around an Eagle-type setup. Strange that.
The game on Saturday Vs Saints should be a good litmus test for the issue and two pretty good teams.
No matter what happens, Eagles to stay on top and THAT should bring a couple of sobs from jase.
― Westener (Westener), Wednesday, 11 May 2005 11:35 (twenty-one years ago)