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There’s being a lot of talk of the pressure on Nathan Buckley being extinguished – partially at least – I’ll have to disagree with that view.
At the time of writing, Collingwood have of 43 of 45 available for selection.
Add to that this current midfield not at full strength are matching or beating teams around the contest and is gaining popularity within in the media.
On Monday, Dermott Brereton labelled it as a top three midfield in the current landscape and there are two to come in that add significantly to the structure. Enter Daniel Wells and Jordan Degoey.
Wells gives outside running and his disposal efficiency is regarded as silky and not many would disagree.
Degoey is an inside bull and will add extra grunt Taylor Adams style and that would leave Levi Greenwood to spend time forward to impact – as he did last Friday night, his forward pressure was top shelf.
Let’s look at this year’s numbers from the games against last year’s two grand finalists to back up the reverence on this midfield:
Against the Dogs:
Contested ball: 161 vs 135
Clearances: 42 vs 26
Hitouts: 50 vs 25
Against the Swans:
Contested: 162 vs 161
Clearances: 40 vs 40
Hitouts: 45 vs 48
Those are heady numbers against teams that pride themselves on their coal face ability.
No doubt Sydney fielded a young team, but those players almost dragged them over line.
Collingwood’s first quarter, apart from the lack of conversion, has to be some sort of record. Kicking through centre traffic with pinpoint accuracy was running at 90 plus per cent, resulting in 23 forward 50s, versus just two.
This is the footy that Buckley wants his team to produce, and make no mistake they were playing for each other – it was visually so. Then to be headed and still get the points in the opposition’s back yard tells us that they believed and delivered – as a group. Externally it looks like the group are collectively buying into the coach’s theorem on game style.
You could argue – and you wouldn’t los -e that the forward set up does not enjoy the same admiration from the media as the midfield currently.
That, my friends, is the challenge that Nathan is facing to get confidence and consistency forward of the centre square. Right now it looks like the defence is holding up in the three games so far and it could not be argued that the coaching staff do have some influence in that.
Good form and in some parts devastating form added to a healthy list surely raises the pressure on Nathan now, there is nowhere to hide and no excuses to be made.
Should the list stay reasonably healthy this will prove once and for all Buckley’s ability (or lack of) to coach.
The players are available and they seem to believe in their coach, assistant coaches and footy department.
Buckley’s knowledge is not in dispute – what has been debated is his ability to get his chargers to jump on the bus. I for one have been critical of his connection or disconnection if you will – emotionally with his players.
He wants the list to play a certain way rather than harness each individuals strengths for the team – ala Mick Malthouse, Alastair Clarkson or Luke Beveridge.
This year there is no room for error given the favourable list availability and so far the way the group is playing, it looks different than last year, it looks (externally at least) that he seems to be engaging with his chargers more positively and seems to be taking advantage of each players strengths.
Given only three rounds have been completed, praise of this current group may be premature. That said it does not eliminate the fact the pressure is really on now, he has no excuses, nowhere to hide.
We will know by August – or earlier – if the champion player can truly lead his men from the coaching box.
Should he fail the critics will gleefully send a rendition or two of “I told you so”.
Should he succeed, and make no mistake that means finals, then you could argue that the club and the coach have just had luck that resembles walking under a ladder while stepping on a black cat on Friday the 13th ever since the door hit Mick on his way out at the Holden centre.
Bucks, I hope you got nerves of steel because now more than ever in your coaching career the pressure is on
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