Leigh Matthews has warned against the inevitable speculation that Collingwood’s 2010 premiership will lead to a series of flags for the Magpies.
Matthews, who coached the club to their 1990 title and also led Brisbane Lions to their three-peat in 2001-03, said it was too early to start talking about a Collingwood dynasty.
“That is said after every premiership victory and occasionally you’re right,” Matthews told Channel Seven’s “AFL Game Day” on Sunday.
“Dynasties are a retrospective view. You don’t look forward to a dynasty, you look back and say ‘yeah, that’s now been a dynasty’.
“Geelong’s been a dynasty (premiers 2007 and 2009), the Lions was a dynasty.”
Collingwood’s Mick Malthouse, 57, on Saturday became the oldest premiership coach in VFL/AFL history. The three-time premiership mentor has one more season in charge of the Magpies before handing over to his assistant Nathan Buckley, the former club captain.
“I’m ready to go again next year,” Malthouse said post-match.
“I’ll give everything I can next year.
“We designed this side some years ago. We’ve designed it around getting it up into a position to be a good side in a new competition.
“We think we’ve got a really good, young list that will hold Collingwood up for a long time.”
As Buckley pointed out on Saturday night, the Magpies have a younger team than the 1993 “Baby Bombers”.
The oldest player in Saturday’s premiership side was Ben Johnson, 29.
President Eddie McGuire boasted of the courage shown by small forward Alan Didak who tore a shoulder muscle in round 21 and missed only one week before returning, producing a brilliant smother and goal on the run during Saturday’s grand final replay.
“He played through a finals series including two red-hot grand finals with an injury that would put most people on work cover for a year,” McGuire told an estimated 20,000 fans at a family day at Gosch’s Paddock near the MCG.
While Malthouse has been praised for his box-formation defensive strategy based on Roman legions, the master coach admits time waits for no man.
“This game plan will succumb at some stage as well … It won’t last, because someone else will come up with something else,” he said.
Collingwood’s Scott Pendlebury said simply having a youthful playing group wouldn’t be enough to keep the Magpies ahead of the pack in 2011.
“We’ve got a young side … but you’ve got to be hungry to win these games,” the Norm Smith Medallist said on Sunday.
“If the boys have that same hunger going into next year, it’s going to be a good year.”
Consecutive premierships would be a great way to go out for Malthouse, particularly as another flag next year would lift Collingwood’s tally to 16, equalling arch rivals Carlton and Essendon.
Ross Lyon, who coached St Kilda to three grand finals in 2009 and 2010 for a 12-point loss, a draw and a 56-point defeat, says the battle continues.
“We’re not just going to fade away here. We’re going to do the work,” he said.
TAB Sportsbet has installed Collingwood as $3.00 favourites for the 2011 premiership with St Kilda second-ranked at $4.50.
Hawthorn, who have announced Sam Mitchell has stepped down as captain and Luke Hodge will take over, are third pick at $7.00 and Geelong are at $8.00.
Stephen
Guest
I watched the interview with Leigh Matthews and your headline is a bit of a beat up. His comments simply referred to the fact that forecasts of dynasties are often made hastily and that it is a truism that you can't talk about a dynasty until you've got one. They weren't directed at Collingwood in particular and didn't imply that they couldn't win a few premierships in the next few years. By the way, it seems the term dynasty is cheapened if you only have to win two premierships to qualify! That's not the same as Brisbane, let alone Collinwood in the 1930s or Melbourne in the post-War period.
amazonfan
Roar Guru
Absolutely not! Why should non-Collingwood fans respect this win, and celebrate accordingly? I accept that you deserved to win (you were the best for the year) but please don't expect me to be happy for you! :D
Redb
Roar Guru
How good will ANZAC Day be in 2012 - Hird v Buckley.
Richard
Roar Guru
Congratulations on your even handedness. You are right. I too am looking forward to seeing Hird at Essendon again. Good young team with good leadership and a return of pride should see Essendon returning to the powerhouse they should be. "Keep your sunnyside up". Can't wait! Only seven months to go until ANZAC Day!
Richard
Roar Guru
Ho ho ho Ben. That's what I like. A sense of humour. Ho Ho Ho. :-)
Redb
Roar Guru
Carlscum? I doubt it.
Ben
Guest
I agree, Carlton will be a force in a few years
Redb
Roar Guru
I've had to change them several times already. :) I posted elsewhere they were the best team of 2010, deserved it. The other super power will be back, watch this space. :-)
Richard
Roar Guru
Fair enough. Roll on ANZAC Day!
Art Sapphire
Guest
As an Essendon fan, I can't accept your generous offer. I can look on the bright side. At least we are now not the last team to have lost Collingwood in a GF.
Richard
Roar Guru
You should join us. You will enjoy the release and the great sense of wellbeing which comes from being a 'Pies supporter. When 'Pies supporters meet, young or old, meek or mild, short or tall, pretty or ugly, toothless or toothful, they have immediate respect and regard for one another. Friends for life, bonded by a common often tragic history, borne out of suffering, cemented by success. 'Pies supporters are greatly loyal to each other. You're right Art. Side by Side!
Art Sapphire
Guest
Yes, As the magpies song goes - "side by side we stick together" because all they have is each other and that's for a reason ;)
Richard
Roar Guru
No Redb. Plenty of people in Melbourne recognise how important Coillingwood success is to the AFL and how good this win for CFC is for the Comp. The strong support Collingwood receives from its fans, in good times and in bad, is the reason why Sheeds nominated Collingwood as their regular ANZAC Day opponent. Its the reason why this year like every year every club wanted a home game against Collingwood and at the MCG, why the 'Pies had to play the Bulldogs twice, and the Cats, Saints, Bombers, Blues, Hawthorn and Swans twice in a heavy season. So those who are not boring narrow-minded, myopic, one-eyed Collingwood haters will respect this win, and celebrate accordingly. The rest can suffer in their jocks.
Richard
Roar Guru
As opposed to what Art? Insufferable Saints fans?
Redb
Roar Guru
As explained last week Art, internet polls are fraught with danger, I hope you've learnt your lesson. :-)
Art Sapphire
Guest
So Art's suggestion to for the MCC to give an extra 10k tickets to the great unwashed for the GF hit the nail on the head. St Kilda probably would have won the GF if it had gone to extra-time the week before. Now we have to put up with insufferable Magpie fans.
Redb
Roar Guru
Higher TV ratings in both Sydney and Brisbane for the replay compared to the previous week for the AFL GF. Maybe the draw was not so much a turn off as many here beleived. Pity the game was not as good. Crowd was less due to the MCC members, the public would have snapped up the tickets. 93K down from 100K. so 7%. TV ratigns overall were down by 100K from the previous week, at about 2.7%. No doubt due to one sided second half and no one in Melbourne wants to watch Collingwood celebrate. So Art's AGE poll suggesting 66% were against the replay was not a good guide. Crowd and TV ratings slightly down, nowhere near 66% of disinterest/put off. :-) The AFL GF out rated the NRL GF.
Richard
Roar Guru
You are right. Its way too early to talk of dynasties. Lets just sit back and enjoy the relief and warmth of a great premiership win by a great team after a fantastic season. And while we're at it, lets take our hats off to St Kilda for a terrific season, during which they managed to overcome some big obstacles. They showed great commitment and courage and got so close - had that ball which levelled the score bounced differently last week, they would now be premiers. I'm a 'Pies supporter and believe me Pies supporters know what it feels like to lose two grand finals in a row. (During 1977-1981 the 'Pies lost three in a row and five altogether!) There is no doubt that Nick Riewoldt, Brendan Goddard, Nick Dal Santo, Lenny Hayes and some others at Moorabbin are great players and sportsmen who deserve to taste success. I'm glad the 'Pies won, but hats off to the Saints. Good luck for next year.
Redb
Roar Guru
That's meant to read base camp not cap.
amazonfan
Roar Guru
Matthews is absolutely right. People were saying in 2008 that Hawthorn would be a dynasty, however they are yet to reemerge as a serious threat. It can even be argued that Geelong underperformed, that they probably could have won three flags; although I personally don't hold to that view. Collingwood are a wonderful team, and I say that as a Demons supporter who detests them. However too many people who know better understate how difficult it to get a flag. To win an AFL premiership must surely rank as one of the most difficult feats in all of Australian sports. I've read criticism of Malthouse that he hasn't won a flag in 16 years (until this year). The fact that he won two flags during the 90's was brilliant; that he has now won three cements his status IMO as one of the greatest coaches of all time. Most players and coaches never win a flag, and most never even reach a GF. This assumption that Collingwood will go on to dominate is premature but also underscores how difficult it is to win a flag in the modern era, and will become even more so with two additional teams.