In the department of peaking early, while it's a claim we've been throwing about at Collingwood of late, there's a niggling feeling inside me that our game-plan peaked to perfection last year, catching most by surprise, unfortunately the same year a champion team was hell bent on redemption for the lapse of 2008. In hindsight, perhaps it was somewhat inevitable that their drive and hunger to redeem themselves for the pain of 2008 was going to outweigh all potential challengers when you consider their previous big-game experience. In any case, it's history now, and we all have or will come to terms with it in our own way. Hopefully some of that drive and hunger is universal.
Do you get the feeling that Collingwood's gamestyle of late has been specifically tailored by Malthouse to beat both St Kilda and Geelong? I know we beat them at the start of the year, but in retrospect for anyone who was at the game, I think most would concede they lost that game through atrocious inaccuracies on goal and essentially thinking they'd won after Roo went down in the first half.
They seem to have melded a blend of the run-and-carry that's been our achilles heal, aided by their pioneering efforts in interchange, and greatly improved basic skills when operating in floating packs. Harry O' and Didak just seem to explode out of the gates, and Darren Jolly seems superb at winning their clearances.
I believe in our team. I love the devotion they've brought to our club... Milney for saving our butts and stepping up when Nick went down, Lenny for his absolute gut lust for the contest, even everyone's ardent support in Kosi because they made a pact to stick together from the beginning is kind of endearing, and BJ for his absolute all round awesomeness, just to mention a few.
I believe come September something is really going to switch on inside them to undo some of the pain so evident on their faces after the siren last year. I also think we were not at all switched on for the Rd 16 clash this year and we'd bring an entirely different mindset next time we meet.
All that aside, I'm curious what other peoples specific thoughts on the match-ups of our game-styles are now. The contest between Collingwood and St Kilda's finest is what will keep me on the edge of my seat until it's all over, one way or another. We know we can beat Geelong if we're switched on, and it's fair to say the motivation will not be the same as it was last year for them (even if they say it is, the subconscious is a powerful force). Put simply I just don't have enough recent evidence to get my head around how we'd match up with Collingwood when both at our peak form.
To me, even though I know in so many ways its petty, nothing would be more disappointing in 2010 than Collingwood holding up the Cup, their supporters (I know many of them, great people actually, but damn the inner confidence and belief that's hard for a lifelong Sainter to match pisses me off!)... and particularly Luke Ball, ditching one club to arrive at another who go all the way the very next year.
I believe in us... not sure I did a few weeks ago, but I believe again. I suppose now I'm just looking for thoughts from those with good football minds ( and a touch of eternal Saints optimism perhaps
) to help me get my head around what might come next time these two sides meet, when and if we do.GO SAINTS ;D
).