Missed your analysis first time round BV - great read and excellent points about their tactical ethos and stoppage strategies. One point I would make however is that all forms of beating the zone involve beating them on the transition.

Quick movement of the ball leaves them unable to make it across to break up the play, i.e. stretching the defence as they move to match. A turnover leaves them stretched for obvious reasons, and finally drawing a few players out of the structure with a run into a dangerous area also has them in no-mans-land, which is the goal when trying to beat a zone defence.

How fast are their forwards?
Would we have Jamo Bower and Hendo down back or would that be too much?
Cloke, Dawes.... who is their third tall ? Paine?

'........And Laidler. My worry is when they break our press we will need speed to minimise the damage as they break forward. Loading up with tall not so quick defenders will give us an advantage in the air but the speed to get back and/or go with them on the occasions they get through will be lacking.

Need to get the mix right and not try to squeeze blokes in for the sake of it.

I'm tipping Russell and Armfield to go. And Jamison and Duigan to come back in.

Bower to stay in the side as a reward for good form.
Gibbs to move up the ground and play midfield/forward.

Based on likely teams/availability can anyone be bothered to do the ins and outs for both teams since last time we met?

Thought I'd have half a crack myself:

Us:

Out: Joseph, Duigan, Watson, Walker, Warnock, Twomey, Ellard
In: Waite, Jamison, Carazzo, Hampson, Lucas, Armfield, Touhy

assumes Jamison in, Russell out this week.


Filth:

Out: Davis, Tarrant, Wellingham(?), Krakouer, L Brown, Rounds, Johnson(?)
In: Beams, Dawes, Paine, Sinclair, Clarke, Seedsman, Shaw

Johnson and/or Wellingham may both play.

Fair to say we are much stronger, they are considerably weaker. Amazing number of changes to two top 4 teams.

Blues better win this, it will be the weakest collingwood team we have faced in last two years.

Yeah, not sure about Armfield

Russell is definitely on the outer. We should of traded him to GWS for a decent 1st round pick. JR is unfortunately not in our best 18 anymore

Jamison & Duigan for Russell & Armfield... only if MC trust their fitness and not knee jerk selection(s)

FIGJAM has tweaked the Malthouse game plan and has the Pois playing more through the middle. Maybe they're still trying to come to terms with the new style but they do seem more vulnerable from what I've seen this year.

I recon we can exploit this and have a comfortable win Friday night... 27 points

The Malthouse vs. Buckley factor will be interesting this year. Whereas Mick was good at unifying a team (with reaching the 2002/03 Grand Finals with crap lists being prime examples), Buckley has always been seen as an individual who sees himself above others. My impression is that he's more likely to be a divisive figure; contrary to that required of a coach.

The key to success for recent Collingwood teams has been their devotion to team disciplines, but I don't see quite the same level of commitment to that ethos at the moment.

Maybe it's a slow build-up for a long season, but Buckley doesn't strike me as an inspirational leader. Even when Buckley was captain of their two losing Grand Final sides, it was Malthouse who dominated the leadership of the side.