After years in contention for the flag, season 2013 will probably go down as the year in which Collingwood’s premiership window all but shut in front of their eyes.
For most of the year, Nathan Buckley came under the spotlight for not keeping Collingwood in the top four, when they clearly had the talent and the squad to do so.
This was reflected in the club’s elimination final exit to Port Adelaide, its’ earliest elimination from the finals since 2006.
Amidst the disappointment of a failed bid for a record-equalling 16th flag, there were still some flashes of brilliance from the Collingwood players and team overall.
What went right
Collingwood were once again regular finalists, reaching the playoffs for the eighth consecutive year but finishing outside the top four for the first time since 2008.
They regularly stayed in the top eight, and never (bar for the final two games of their season) lost consecutive matches during the regular season.
They also had two victories over the old enemy (Carlton), and also enjoyed a narrow victory over Geelong, a team they have not lost against since the 2011 Grand Final.
They also defeated Essendon and Sydney in consecutive weeks, those two victories showing the great potential the Pies had in performing on the big stage.
What went wrong
The Pies suffered eight losses in 2013, their most in a single season since 2008.
Among the losses included an embarrassing 46-point loss to Essendon, where the Pies were blown off the park, and a seven-point loss to the Suns on the Gold Coast.
There were also heavy losses to Hawthorn (twice) and the Sydney Swans, the latter coming on the Friday night stage in a controversial match marred by a racism incident involving their former captain, Adam Goodes.
That loss also caused the Pies to finish only one round outside of the eight, when they were 11th after round nine (though they climbed back into it the following round).
Never during any stage of the season did the Pies place higher than fifth on the ladder; a sign that their premiership window is about to shut after so many years in contention.
The future
Coach Buckley responded to the Pies’ meek exit from the finals by axing seasoned campaigners Darren Jolly, Alan Didak and Andrew Krakouer, and there could be more players headed for the exit door, namely Dale Thomas, who struggled to get a game this year.
If this year was an indication, then it could take up to four or five years for the Pies to once again contend at the back end of the season.
They have not missed the finals since 2005 but that eight-year long finals streak could be about to come to a shuddering halt.
Questions the fans will want answered in 2014
– How many more players will leave Collingwood?
– Was the decision by Buckley to sack Jolly, Didak and Krakouer right?
– What needs to change at Collingwood if they are to contend again in 2014?
And last but not least…
– Can the Pies continue to make the finals next year onwards?
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