If anyone saw Collingwood play tonight they would have seen a hard, tough, committed, intense brand of footy which made Port Adelaide think twice and dumbfound them and put them under all sorts of pressure. Collingwood played all night with a high intensity and the Port players couldn't cope with the ferocity of the Magpies

Port Adelaide are clearly the better side in terms of class and talent. But Collingwood nearly always play desperate, determined football. Collingwood has now shown several times this season that if you're hard enough and want to win enough on a given day, well guess what, you'll bloody win! The constant in Collingwood's three wins over West Coast, Geelong and Port Adelaide is simply sheer hard work. Collingwood is a very average side in my opinion but at least they always have a dip.

So what's the point of all of that? The point is that Carlton plays the game the opposite way. Carlton, like Collingwood is also an average side but the difference is that we play with no intensity, no commitment, no toughness. We look disjointed and disinterested. We lack vigour and energy. Collingwood have been displaying everything that we have not been displaying in terms of a sheer will to win the footy. They have some very ordinary players but these players all know how to play with a high intensity and desperation for the cause. Carlton is as weak and feeble and fragile as they come.

Carlton and Collingwood for all intents and purposes are pretty similar I reckon in terms of playing lists and talent levels. But only one of these sides plays every week as if their lives depended on it. Only one of these sides has a sheer will to win, a real determination about their footy and a never-say-die attitude about their footy. Only one of these sides plays with any real heart or passion. And this fellas is the most galling thing in my mind about Carlton this season. If you lose playing like Collingwood have well you put your hands up and say you were beaten by a better side on the day. It's when you're like us and don't look like you've truly given everything that I get pissed off because you wonder what might have been.

So Collingwood should be our example. There's no reason why we look insipid and they look inspired. We can play at the same levels of intensity and desperation as they can and I want it to start tomorrow. I'll argue with anyone that had we shown a bit more in terms of effort and character generally this season we'd be better off than 2.5/13 wins. You know why? Because, as Collingwood are showing, talent and class isn't the factor that it once was. The right attitude, right committment, intensity, determination and whatever word you want to use, these things prevail ultimately over any class or talent levels. There has been ample proof of that this season not just from Collingwood but other sides as well.

We need to play like Collingwood in terms of dedication to the cause. We need to start NOW. If we lose every game for the rest of the year doing it then so be it. But at least we'll have had a crack. We're better than what we're playing I have no doubt about that. But we have to show our desperation and will to win and I gurantee you we would win some games. It really is as simple as wanting to win more than the opposition on a given day. Our players should look at the Pies and start to act tomorrow.

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Formerly Blues-Back2003.

They're midfield is extremely accountable.

Pagan would ask our players to be accountable, but they aren't

There is also a massive difference in terms of backlines. The pies would have one of the best backlines in the comp.

While I agree with everything you said Blues2005 there is something you missed. Collingwood play as a team and work for each other, run, chase and do all the 1%....

Carlton lacks the biggest ingredient of them all - passion and heart...

Collingwood have players that set the tone....

Collingwood should be our example Eddie Betts. Andrew Walker .. Jarrad Waite... go play like Buckley, Licuria Burns...

See thats where you dont get it BB2005.. and thats why youre idealistic and not realistic. Which brings us back to you dont get the big picture so youre wrong.

who is our Buckley???
Look at the build???
Hes a Terminator Robot!!! 'Welcome to the Jungle' blaring loud when he plays...

They have players that set the tone.. we have softcocks who go through the motions...

Their midfield work hard.. ours doesnt!!!

Yes theyre shit but theyre led..

were shit but we arent led...

Youre comparing fruits .. but theyre apples and oranges.
who of their midfielders doesnt defend???

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Aren't they already our role model? They aren't going anywhere with that team and could conceiveably be down where we are in 3 years.

Buckley missed 11 games Synbad! Who set the tone then? Rocca? Nah he's out too. Fraser? Nah. Burns? Nah he was nearly dropped. Well Synbad?

What's wrong with Kouta's build? Kouta's a man mountain too. Admittedly not as much of a natural leader as Buckley but why can't Kouta inspire?

I'm realistic Synbad but I'm not defeatist like you Synbad. You pass yourself off as some sort of wise doomsdayer. Anyone who doesn't follow you is not realistic, you're the path to wisdom Synbad. Everyone that doesn't agree with you is wrong.

Who sets the tone when Buckley was out Synbad? Well? They beat Geelong and WCE without Buckley and Rocca! Who set the tone then Synbad?

What's wrong with our 'Terminator Robot' Kouta?

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Formerly Blues-Back2003.

Its not just about "on field tone" its about "off field tone".

I dont know, but I bet Buckley didn't disappear from the face of the Earth during his 11 weeks away from the game. I bet he was around the Lexus Centre setting an example for his team during his re-hab.

Our Leadership group need to do this around our club. Like being the first on the track and the last off, assisting young players with extra skills sessions, or helping O'hAilpin with goalkicking practice.

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"Hence you will not say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks"?

Winston Churchill

I can tell you he points fingers on turnovers better than anybody else, just a shame his aerobic capacity can't match his finger pointing capacity.

buckley sets the tone eben when he is missing...
Want to know how Buckley fills in his week days BB2005??
Well he goes to watch as many games as he can and watches his opponents.. and contributes to the strategies...(three games a week live!!!)
Is this guy a fair dinkum player or what???
Our blokes might go to the VFL to watch their co players maybe 2 or 3 times a year....

defeatest???
No... im just not a General Custer type like you..... and im not into dreaming ...
You have to be able to read the signs....

WERE SICK!!!!... that wont change by feeding the chooks...

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Clement and Burns are the leaders in the absence of Rocca and Buckley. Clement is an absolute gun who sets them up and is so professional (Craig Bradley like).
The pies dont have any passengers and have the passion and are a team. We are a bunch of footballers who kick and handpass. No 1%ers and no spirit. We had some last year but it has all gone now.
Walker, Waite and Carrazzo shine not because of there obvious talent but there desire and willingness to have a crack.

But why have the spirit and 1%ers gone mikey? Is it any coincidence that when they were on show last season we won 10 games and when they have very rarely been on show this season we've actually looked like a half decent side??

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Formerly Blues-Back2003.

BB2005... just take a close look at the Collingwood senior players and how they arent afraid to get their hands dirty.. then watch how their kids follow them to battle.
then watch our senior players and how our kids follow them./..

You have no captian of your ship??? well its not going to get top its destination.

not only do we have no captain.. we have no first mate or second mate... or any kind of mate..

Just players running out there each week.. a rabble!!!
Just hope these blokes disappear and our kids get the experience they need and start doing it for themselves.

Youre talking about last year???

Well last year we had a heap of rejects come in on their last chance and they played like it.. the thing about rejects is theyre rejects fir a reason.. of course one or two will make it through.. the majority will fall over.
Especially when there is no guidance and the leaders arent pulling the playing list through as a team.

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Well Blues2005,

I dont really know. We won the Wiz Fizz cup and in the first 6 rounds of the season we had injuries and suspensions and some excuses. But we won 2 drew 1 and lost 3. We tried hard and were competitive in all those games and were a little inaccurate and lacked a little class.
Then suddenly against Rich and Geelong we absolutely fell in a heap. Forgot to encourage, run to support, tackle, smother, pick up our men and basic things like that.
We got the 'structure' back with Thornton, Livo and that did not help. Shuffled the deck chairs and nothing is working.
In the space of a few months we have fallen into an abyss.
Is it the coach?
Lack of confidence and form?
Poor selections?
Lazy players?

Probably all of the above to some extent. I know we will get good draft picks and most likely a priority pick but I am worried that if talented youngsters come into the current environment they wont develop. We really need to make a stand and get something for the year. Maybe not win to many but show a little and do the basic simple things well and the players show some enterprise and encoragement.
Collingwood lost by 1 point last week and showed plenty. There response tonight was not to drop away but to put in even more. That is spirit. When things dont go your way to keep persevering.

I am a little concerned that Pagan is a 1 track sort of coach who just relies on a method and just sticks to that.

Looks like Collingwood will end up with 7 or 8 wins.

I've heard that is a recipe for disaster.

Apparently there is no way they could possibly win a premiership anytime soon. The only way is to bottom out.

What a waste of a year for Collingwood.

They are just going to be floating around in mediocrity for years and years now with no hope at all.

Their members should be very dissapointed.

Sounds stupid doesn't it.

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I can hear the tone Jarusa....it's the tone of mediocrity!

What you are saying is play one on one footy BB2005.Bloody good idea BB.Nothing original,but plain oldstyle footy.Judd,Cousins and Fletcher are there keys.Line em up with Kouta,Campo and Stevens.I reckon our three can take there three.Attack there heart and watch em crumble.To many TCers have far to much respect for the Weagles.There good,but not that good..........Effen shits me up the wall that so many TCers are running scared.Always going on about our players being weak.Too many of you guys have strained heart muscles.Im telling you,we aint that bad,and if we really have a go,there's a big upset on the cards.Hell guys,how good did the Weagles look in the Wizzer ? Looked far from unbeatable to me.I tell ya,apply the pressure to there heart,and they will unravel.I actually feel confident !

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All my dangerous friends

way to steal my idea and reproduce it, B2005

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Love Cricket? Love me

Well the first half was more like it, our intensity and pressure was good and guess what Synbad, we didn't have Nathan Buckley out there today!

How can it turn so shit so quickly?

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Formerly Blues-Back2003.

I thought it sounded familiar.

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SIDE BY SIDE
COOOOOLLLLLIIIINGWOOOOOOOD

Too bad we lost by 80 plus points in a half of football (when they put their foot on the pedal)....otherwise you have a point....a damn good one...!!!....

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