MThe decision was incorrect - but they need to be cut some slack...it was pretty hot in the oven in the last 15 minutes. Those last 10 were pretty intense. Mistakes are gonna be made ...and unfortunately those mistakes favoured the eagles.
Will stand corrected, but thought the DOOB was a call that required more discretion, given that (I think) it was the only one called all day. And the 50m was also a bit pathetic.
Those 2 calls change momentum, they affect the match more.
However, all that being said Collingwood got 2 quick ones at the start of the 4th Q. If they ‘dug deep’ at that point and got a 3rd, they “ice”that match. They didn’t’ and the rest is history.
And - as identified by Buckley - little things will haunt some players. DeGoey’s checkside option for a point when he had time and space to do a less selfish drop punt, was interesting to say the least.
And (I think Drubbing identified this) Maynard carrying on after ‘the block decision’ - whilst justified - was not something you should be doing when you are a point up with a few minutes to go in a GF.
But, to me, Collingwood lost that game when they went defensive at about the 10 minute mark of the last quarter, and they started kicking it backwards & sideways. They needed to keep attacking, and they took the foot off the pedal. Unfortunately we see Freo do this a heck of a lot, and it has cost us many games in the past.
In fact, I’d argue that switch in focus costs more games than it wins. And, I reckon its the switch to defensive/protecting the lead play, is something good teams look for when they are behind, and invariably step their attack mode up a gear.
Somewhere thered be a stat to prove or disprove this, but I reckon Collingwood added “1” to the tally yesterday...
