We have problems

As bad as last night's loss was, I'm taking it in stride. Unlike the last two weeks where Collingwood simply played poorly and lost to teams they should have beaten, last night the Pies were simply beaten by a superior team. They didn't even play badly. There's only so much you can do when your playing a team that is put bluntly, a great deal better than you. I'm not going to write too much today, but I will state a few of my thoughts on last night...

-Hawthorn had by far the three best players on the field last night and basically by themselves they destroyed Collingwood. Sam Mitchell, the Captain, 35 disposals, absolutely dominated the stoppages. Luke Hudge, the gun, 32 disposals, 10 marks, quarterbacked the Hawks to perfection. Lance Franklin, the superstar, 21 disposals, 12 marks, 8 goals 6 behinds, was the difference. Even without Franklin the Hawks would have won this game because of Hodge and Mitchell.

-Quite a few Collingwood players played well last night. Scott Pendlebury played arguably his best game as a Magpie. Read the play magnificently, disposal consitently clean and was brilliant in the air. Nick Maxwell was admirable. His third term was just about the best he's ever played. Getting in front, doing the hard stuff. Didak and Clarke got a lot of the ball and each played well. Full credit to Heath Shaw (and Malthouse for making it possible, at last) he was looking like 2007 Heath and played his best game in a long time. Props to Goldsack and Bryan for hustling all night and never giving up.

-Serious concerns about the 'old' band of Magpies. Shane O'Bree, Tarkyn Lockeyer, Ben Johnson, Ryan Lonie, Josh Fraser, Scotty Burns, Brodie Holland, Shane Wakelin. I don't think you could say that any of those guys has had a 'good' season. Of that group only Josh Fraser is really worth keeping next year you'd say. Tarkyn Lockeyer has had a rubbish season on the back of that tremendous 2007. Ben Johnson has struggled to have any impact since that sickening hit on Daniel Bell last year. Ryan Lonie and Brodie Holland are destined to play in the reserves. Shane Wakelin and Scott Burns, much as they might try, are too old. Shane O'Bree should be delisted.

-The two guys I discussed in depth in my last post - Dane Swan and Travis Cloke - played shockingly last night. Swan has to seriously re-evaluate the way he kicks a football. Last night his disposal was a disgrace. Travis was even worse. Hawthorn's key forward has 15 shots at goal. Travis had 0.

Summing up the night last night was Paul Medhurst. Against Geelong on that magical Friday night, Paul Medhurst had a meaningless set shot after the match and slotted it. Last night, he was in the same situation - and kicked it out on the full. That summed up Collingwood's season post-Geelong, and established something quite clearly - we have problems.