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It'll be difficult, but not impossible.
1. Play the psychological game. Collingwood coming off two losses you'd expect will be fired up, and Swans should try and counter it. I think Roos and the players should talk down our chances (in public) as often as possible eg we'll be happy to get within 6 goals of a champion team like Collingwood, etc etc. I think a few of the C'wood boys are arrogant enough to fall for it and get a little complacent.
2. Every member of the team, all over the park, has got to put in 100% effort: run hard, pressure, tackle, block, shepherd, dive for the loose ball. We have to prepare ourselves for a real dog-fight. Forget any illusions about playing with fancy skill and attacking flair - because the Pies play a high work-rate pressure game and as we've seen in the past, when the pressure's on our skills quickly go out the window.
3. Jason Ball to dominate the ruck - this is the Pies biggest weakness. Now all we have to do is take advantage of the glut of possession.
4. BBB's due a big one! But even if he doesn't produce a swag of goals he can prove a great decoy. The goal-kicking form of O'Loughlin, Schneider and Davis last week means that we don't have to rely on Bazza, and as long as the opposition crowds defenders on him it gives a bit of extra space for the other three.
The biggest threat to our hopes is the way the Collingwood forwards lead and mark. Watching Hawthorn's forwards and David Neitz make our defenders look clueless with their leading is a real worry for this game. Hopefully Roos and the coaching team can come up with some ideas from watching how the Essendon defence (which was without key players though still very strong) kept Tarrant, Rocca, Williams and Didak quiet.
So there you go: the Swans do all the above, and we win by two goals. How's that for fearless optimism?!
1. Play the psychological game. Collingwood coming off two losses you'd expect will be fired up, and Swans should try and counter it. I think Roos and the players should talk down our chances (in public) as often as possible eg we'll be happy to get within 6 goals of a champion team like Collingwood, etc etc. I think a few of the C'wood boys are arrogant enough to fall for it and get a little complacent.
2. Every member of the team, all over the park, has got to put in 100% effort: run hard, pressure, tackle, block, shepherd, dive for the loose ball. We have to prepare ourselves for a real dog-fight. Forget any illusions about playing with fancy skill and attacking flair - because the Pies play a high work-rate pressure game and as we've seen in the past, when the pressure's on our skills quickly go out the window.
3. Jason Ball to dominate the ruck - this is the Pies biggest weakness. Now all we have to do is take advantage of the glut of possession.
4. BBB's due a big one! But even if he doesn't produce a swag of goals he can prove a great decoy. The goal-kicking form of O'Loughlin, Schneider and Davis last week means that we don't have to rely on Bazza, and as long as the opposition crowds defenders on him it gives a bit of extra space for the other three.
The biggest threat to our hopes is the way the Collingwood forwards lead and mark. Watching Hawthorn's forwards and David Neitz make our defenders look clueless with their leading is a real worry for this game. Hopefully Roos and the coaching team can come up with some ideas from watching how the Essendon defence (which was without key players though still very strong) kept Tarrant, Rocca, Williams and Didak quiet.
So there you go: the Swans do all the above, and we win by two goals. How's that for fearless optimism?!
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