Luke Darcy Says Hawthorn Players Will Have Nightmares After Preliminary Final Loss To Collingwood Post by: Ronny Lerner 26 September, 2011 - 9:53 AM

(The Slattery Media Group)

Former Western Bulldogs champ Luke Darcy has told Triple M’s Hot Breakfast that Hawthorn players will have nightmares following their heartbreaking three-point loss to Collingwood in Friday night’s titanic preliminary final at the MCG.

Darce is in a position of authority on the matter given he was involved in the Doggies’ shattering two-point loss to Adelaide in their 1997 grand final qualifier after leading by 22 points at three-quarter time.

And players such as Luke Hodge, Paul Puopolo, Cyril Rioli and Brendan Whitecross will be affected more so after missing relatively straightforward shots on goal throughout the match, according to Darce.

Listen to what Darce and Eddie had to say about epic preliminary final (3m 49s):

“There’ll be Hawthorn players having nightmares about ‘why did I miss that shot?’,” Luke told Triple M’s Hot Breakfast.

“Luke Hodge missed one he’ll always kick, Puopolo misses one and they stay with you for 15 years, you just think ‘if only I had have done that’.”

Collingwood president Eddie McGuire admitted he thought all could have been lost for his Magpies when the Hawks extended their lead to 21 points six minutes into the third quarter.

“When they got 21 points up I thought if they get the next goal we’re shot,” Eddie said.

“Luckily they didn’t and we were able to get going again but a couple of times there in that last quarter it was just on, on, on.”

“And then of course when Buddy kicked that goal I looked up and I thought there’s still three-and-a-half minutes (left), there’s time for another goal. If they get it it’s all over and if we get it we’re still a chance.”

Darce also thinks that Collingwood’s get-out-jail victory could be the catalyst for a much-improved performance in the grand final against Geelong.

“I look at Collingwood and I think there’s probably six or eight players who have played the worst game they’ve played for the year and you get out of jail and often that means you get this great wake-up call and you unleash the next week in a grand final,” Darce said.

“We haven’t seen Dale Thomas fumble for two years and he had three or four moments, Sharrod Wellingham fumbled, Nick Maxwell’s first three quarters (he) really struggled and then his last quarter was just incredible.”

Will Collingwood be shocked into gear this week following its close shave against Hawthorn?

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