Slow start, penalties are costly
GEELONG VFL coach Shane O’Bree was left to lament a horror first quarter and four 50m penalties for his side’s four-point loss to Collingwood at Olympic Park yesterday.
Jamaine Jones was penalised against Jarryd Blair for infringing the mark late in the final term, gifting the veteran onballer a shot at goal from the goal line that he converted to put the Pies in front by four points.
Only half an hour earlier, the home side boasted a 29-point margin when Andrew Galluci kicked his fourth of the third term for the black-and-white.
But O’Bree said he was confident at the final change that his side was still a winning chance.
“I thought we really controlled the game in the second half,” he said. “That got us in the game and probably should have won is the game in the end.
“I thought we battled really well in the third quarter, probably should have kept them to a couple of goals less.
“At 29 points at three-quarter time, the way we were running in the third quarter, I was still confident we could finish the game off well.”
Five unanswered goals, including a classy finish from Quinton Narkle in his first game back from an ACL injury, saw the Cats hit the front by a point with not long left.
But a fourth 50m penalty saw Collingwood regain the lead and hold on for the narrow win.
“They kill you — a bit undisciplined and then sometimes it’s the umpires knowing the rules,” O’Bree said.
“That hurts you a bit and deflates the team, but we’ve got to take more care and be harder on each other when that sort of stuff happens.”
But O’Bree said there were positives to take out of the game, including the returns of Lincoln McCarthy (three goals), Narkle and Sam Simpson.
“I thought they all showed glimpses of what they’re good at and the finishing touches, that will come over the next couple of weeks,” he said.
“I was really happy with those boys, the way they got through the game, hunted the ball and used the ball.
“The good thing is we didn’t go into our shell and worked our way back through it.
“They’re the games you lose by 10 goals because (you think) it’s too hard. Our boys all year have shown their determination and will to get back into the contest.
“Today we had five guys playing their first game for a long time and first game for the club, so your system breaks down a little bit there because they’re not confident in it or don’t know it as well as the other guys.
“That was pleasing, to get those guys through a game of football and confident.
“Overall I was pretty happy, just one that got away I suppose.”
Charlie Constable finished the game on the bench after suffering concussion in the middle part of the game.