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Collingwood is the biggest sporting club in the land, let alone the AFL, yet the Magpies are sneaking under the radar in 2014.
Hawthorn and Geelong are drawing deserved praise for their usual magnificent football, Port are the fast and ferocious darlings of the competition, Gold Coast aren’t far behind, and Melbourne has been the feel-good story a couple of times, with fans finally seeing the light.
Richmond and Carlton have copped the headlines for the wrong reasons, as is always the case when performance doesn’t match expectation.
But the Pies are quietly going about their business, and are on track to plays finals for a stunning ninth consecutive season. They have mastered the art of perennially contending without bottoming out.
The year couldn’t have started any worse, Freo humiliating them by 70 points in a standalone Friday match to kick off the season. Yet this result has gone down as an aberration for both sides. It’s worth pointing out Collingwood were missing up to eight of their best line-up.
We looked at guys like Tom Langdon and Jack Frost playing down back, and wondered how the Pies were going to make anything of their year with no-names like these getting a game.
Now, both are an integral part of the side. Langdon always puts himself in the right position, whether to defend or attack, and makes smart decisions with ball in hand, while Frost has rarely been beaten in a one-on-one contest, taking on some of the best key forwards in the game.
Nick Maxwell’s know-how has of course been valuable, as he has defied age to find career-best form. Alan Toovey is another old hand who deals in effectiveness and no-nonsense. Marley Williams and Alex Fasolo will provide the rebound class, and Lachie Keefe will get the job done in the other key defensive post more often than not.
The greatest credit to Collingwood’s coaches and their developing players is that the Magpie’s best 22 is not currently easy to name. Pressure for spots at the bottom end is a prerequisite for sides with top-four ambitions.
We know the top end of their list, especially in the midfield, is one of the best around.
Scott Pendlebury is the second-best player in the league, Dane Swan has been a possession-gathering machine for almost a decade, and Dayne Beams has overtaken Swan in both impact and importance.
The support cast, led by Steele Sidebottom, Heritier Lumumba and tagger Brent Macaffer can be dangerous and destructive on their day. Clinton Young and Jarryd Blair offer experience and hardy backing, allowing youngsters to come in and flourish around them.
Luke Ball is feeling the pinch of 12 years working at the coal-face, but still has a role to play. With the likes of Sam Dwyer, Josh Thomas, Taylor Adams, Ben Sinclair, Ben Kennedy nipping at his heels, the foundations for the future are strong.
Brodie Grundy continues to impress as the number one ruck only three weeks out of his teenage years. What a beauty he’s going to be. His aggression is a key factor in the success he’s having.
Travis Cloke is still the most feared power forward in the competition, albeit being challenged for supremacy by Tom Hawkins. Cloke’s kicking has been off, and a player of his ability can’t afford to go goalless four times in seven matches. It’s a good sign for the Pies that they’ve been able to find themselves in the top four without any significant impact from him.
The return of Ben Reid will help Cloke enormously, and the All-Australian centre-half-back from 2011 should slot straight into a key forward post. A superb judge of the ball, and excellent contested mark, he will draw both the ball and opposition defenders, enabling the Pie midfield to get the footy to Cloke one-out more often.
Jamie Elliott is making a case to be considered the most dangerous small forward in the league, and what sets him apart is his marking ability. Blessed with sure hands, a powerful leap and canny goal sense, he’s hard to stop and brings dynamism to the forward line.
Jesse White has added a dimension, and is probably better on the ground but worse in the air than people think. Tyson Goldsack is the grizzled veteran whose every tackle hits harder than the one before, but doesn’t want for scoreboard impact either.
The Pies will start favourite in every game from after their bye through to Round 14, when they could well be facing Hawthorn having put together 10 wins in a row, and a top-four spot all but locked up. It could well be a top-of-the-table clash.
Everyone loves to hate on Collingwood, but even the biggest clubs deserve due credit and respect. The Pies are going to challenge for the flag… again.