Pies Have Had Enough Of Blockbusters - Malthouse
Sydney Morning Herald
Tuesday June 10, 2008
Melbourne 13.17 (95)
Collingwood 17.14 (116)COLLINGWOOD coach Michael Malthouse has questioned the number of blockbuster games his club plays, suggesting other clubs get more of a lift from them than do the Magpies. He also intimated he might suggest to his club there was no value for Collingwood in playing the Queen's Birthday clash against Melbourne. Answering a post- match question on whether he felt the Magpies suffered "blockbuster fatigue", Malthouse said he would be "putting my thoughts about the draw to the club". "Yes, there are occasions, I suppose ... by playing at the MCG, it's the home of football, massive occasion for one side, should be the same for us, should be. But you can't keep telling players that," Malthouse said. "There's got to be a respite somewhere where they can play football without the added pressure of, we're playing Geelong, we're playing West Coast, we're playing Brisbane and we're playing North Melbourne and it meant everything to the eight. "We come here wanting to win the game of footy, it's simply Queen's Birthday weekend. And we're playing Melbourne, who believe this is the be-all and end-all game of the universe. I think that's the thing our blokes put up with and fortunately come out the other side with four points. I'll certainly consider my thoughts about what I'll put to the club about this game. It's what's best for our football club and what's best for our team. Not that we get anything out of this game. We get nothing out of this game." In a feisty post-match press conference after his side did just enough to hold off a determined Melbourne by 21 points in front of 59,548 at the MCG, Malthouse went on to give a backhander to the Demons, questioning how they use the emotion of a big occasion match to inspire them. "That is not a performance of a bottom side, that is not a performance of a side that's been beaten by 60, 70 and 80 points from time to time," he said. "I don't want to say we played poorly, because that does Melbourne an injustice. There's no way we played as well as what we had, but I still get bemused by sides that find more in one game of the year."Demons coach Dean Bailey had a similar view, suggesting his side should be up every week."Emotion and passion and those sorts of things should be there every week, every time you play for the club," he said. * Paul Gardner has announced that he's standing down as chairman of Melbourne - and endorsed the Demons' 1991 Brownlow Medal winner Jim Stynes as his successor, AAP reports.
© 2008 Sydney Morning Herald
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