> Watch Mick Malthouse address the mediaCOLLINGWOOD coach Mick Malthouse says his side received a reality check on the eve of their finals campaign with their three-point win over Adelaide at the MCG.
The Pies struggled to combat a Adelaide side which led at every change before recording their 17th win of the season to cement top position on the ladder for the first time since 1977.
Submit your 3, 2, 1 votes in the three-point wi
Since Collingwood drew with Melbourne in round 12 it has won nine consecutive games - the first time the Magpie have accomplished this since their premiership year of 1990.
But despite the feat, Malthouse paid tribute to Neil Craig’s men and said his side would learn plenty of lessons from the Crows’ style of football with the finals fast approaching.
“It wasn’t working for us because I reckon we were too cute, we just thought that the player with the ball was going to do more than he was able to do,” he said.
Malthouse was relieved that inaccuracy in front of goal didn’t cost Collingwood the four points, with his side kicking 3.13 in the second half to give the Crows a sniff of an upset victory.
“My estimation is that we had about eight set shots, and that doesn’t count the ones the boys thought they could kick like Sav Rocca - but unfortunately they’re about 10 yards shy,” he said.
> Watch the team sing the song after the win??“It is a very easy punch through, so not only is there the eight but there might be another four or five that our abilities got mixed up with our distances.”
The Collingwood coach said he was wary of an Adelaide side which had troubled the Pies in the past, with the last two matches between the sides decided by an average margin of just four points.
> Watch Sharrod Wellingham speak to CTV in the rooms??“It was earmarked in my diary as going to be a game that will go to the wire,” he said.
“This game was always going to be a game that Neil Craig doesn’t allow his players to play dead.”
The Collingwood hierarchy is sure to have more headaches at the selection table after impressive performances by Josh Fraser and Paul Medhurst in the VFL.
After Fraser finished with five goals and Medhurst collected 32-possessions in a best on ground performance, Malthouse said he would consider the pair for the blockbuster clash against Hawthorn next Saturday afternoon at the MCG.
