When Geelong lost to Collingwood in Round 19 last year, great full-back Matthew Scarlett thought it was something the Cats had done: “We were despicable,” he exclaimed.
Immediately after the preliminary final, however, he realised it wasn’t his team’s fault. Its time was up.
Collingwood descended on the MCG like a swarm of piranhas, stripping the Cats’ carcass in 120 minutes, as if four seasons of greatness had never existed.
“It felt like they had three or four extra players out there …they just swarm you. I’ve never seen anything like that,” said a shell-shocked Scarlett.
Any player thrashed in a final knows that awful feeling. Scarlett felt like Martin Amis’s world weary-author: “It was like a game when you lost the rhythm of dominance and you never moved freely but always in reply.”
Mark Thompson watched helplessly as his champion side had the life compressed out of it and later announced, dark-eyed, exhausted and ready to retire, that Collingwood were the new “superteam”.
Thompson had no energy left to confront their rise, and his job was done.
During their time the Geelong players resembled majestic knights. They were unbeatable one-on-one, opponents’ hands sliding off the sleek armour and their steeds’ muscular flanks. High-impact collisions caused a little wobble from which they quickly regained their composure, to complete the brutal but mesmerising task of empire building.
Inevitably an opponent arrived capable of ending its reign: the men-boys of Malthouse.
A machine ten years in the making. Its gallant prototypes were seen in 2002 and 2003, and in 2008 and 2009, finding significant weaknesses in classier opposition but eventually, like their 1970s and 80s forebears, found wanting.
The modern incarnation, however, couldn’t be turned away – it attacked with the ferocity of a barbarian horde and the organisation of a Roman legion. The Geelong players soon found themselves dismounted, confused and clanking about on the sinking turf at the mercy of these boy scout assassins.
In its bleak eras Collingwood lacked quality on-ballers and small forwards. In his first full year as coach Leigh Matthews commented to me, a diminutive first year player, in what I thought was a promising aside, that it was no secret the club needed a fast rover.
Collingwood now have players like Brad Dick coming out of their ears; more little men than they know what to do with. And then they go and add a prison-hardened talent hell-bent on AFL redemption like Andrew Krakouer. Apparently there are more to come.
Leon Davis, Shane O’Bree, Tarkyn Lockyer, Paul Medhurst and others all played their roles but were not required on the ultimate day. Their existence isn’t noted on that vast framed Premiership board adorned with photos of the 22 Smiling Ones (18 year-old-rookie Jarryd Blair looking like all his birthdays have come at once) that sits in the windows of AFL Shop franchises.
Collingwood have perfected the art of the non-specialist. Backs are playing up forward, forwards down back, defenders attack and goalkickers defend, and everyone’s taking shots at goal (amazingly, most miss – the Premiers had the worst goal conversion rate with 49%).
“Professional bench warmer”, once an insult, now applies to some of their match winners, who engage in short intense efforts at varied tasks.
And it’s not pretty. Their forward line against Carlton resembled an Auskick session with the entire squad of both teams seemingly camped around the ball. Inevitably, out of the seething mass a little Collingwood leg would poke its way out to kick at goal.
Nor are its champions typical: Scott Pendlebury looks like a porn star but plays with a sublime minimalism, and the oustanding player of the competition, Dane Swan, moves as if metal buckets are tied to his feet. The flashy stylists Dale Thomas, Alan Didak and Steele Sidebottom are also capable of brutal defence.
Malthouse’s penchant for military strategy is matched by a strong paternal instinct that characterised his distant predecessor Tom Hafey, whose Hard Yakka sponsored teams followed that ethos to numerous Grand Finals (but also to exhaustion).
Of course if Lenny Hayes’ kick in that first Grand Final had veered to the left instead of the right St Kilda would be premiers. Who knows what would have happened then at Magpieland – a bloodletting on the order of Emperor Eddie, the destruction of the players’ self belief?
That didn’t happen, and after winning their second Grand Final in five months, the Collingwood kids are again sitting pretty.
And the frightening thing for the other clubs is they don’t look at all battle weary.
They seem completely unaffected by the drama of it all. During their annual pilgrimage to the Grand Canyon they resembled a Christian youth group, not the champion team of an elite contact sport.
Impressive novice James Hird recently proclaimed that coaching is not rocket science. Perhaps not, but it has taken a grand master like Malthouse a whole decade to brew something special.
“What to do now?” the other coaches must be asking themselves.
“How to prevent a Collingwood empire and wipe the smiles off those precocious faces?”
Perhaps the only hope for the rest of the competition is if Nathan Buckley next year replicates the performance of the last Magpie champion to coach at the club: Tony Shaw.
Sherrin-Burley-Faulkner
Guest
Collingwood will have just on 70,000 members this year, the break up would be interesting, they have sold out before the season started, all their GF members package, which were all over $1000 each, but OTOH they have included 3 game menberships. Collingwood won grand finals in 1927/28/29/30, but interestingly lost 1920/22/25/26, and at a meeting at the Collingwood Town Hall in March 1927 the committee was put under enormous pressure to end the 7 year premiership ‘drought’. In a remarkable response, the committee sacked the in-form Charlie Tyson as captain and player, and gave the captaincy to Syd Coventry. Charlie Tyson was recruited from Kalgoolie/Boulder in WA, and in fact during the 1890′s and early part of last century the Goldfields league was considered for a time the strongest in Australia, even stronger/or on par with the VFL. Of course, goldfield money helped with this, and many great Victorian footballers moved over to WA, but also many people who worked the WA gold mines moved there from the goldfields in Victoria, and gold fields footy in Victoria was very strong
Dingo
Guest
Let's talk about an empire once it has been established. Weren't we talking about Geelong being the greatest team ever just last year? They had played in 3 grand finals and won 2, Brisbane before them had won 3 from 4 (an empire), Collingwierd has won 1 from 1. Reality check please.
shaken
Roar Rookie
I'm with you AF. Injuries to Swan, Jolly, Pendlebury, Dawes or Thomas and the game can completely change. There is also the interesting sub-plot of Malthouse being courted by other clubs in the second half of the year. Could it become a distraction? They are leading out of the straight in the Melbourne Cup. But, there is still a long, long way to go.
amazonfan
Roar Guru
Edit: I missed the word 'hardly'. :D I can not believe it! I thought you were saying they would rank amongst the greatest of all times. Ah well, my point is still that it's all very well to talk of an empire, however they have just one flag, and they are not certain to make it two (or three or four.)
amazonfan
Roar Guru
I agree with much of what you said, save for one thing' 'This magpie team will hardly rank amongst the greatest of all times.' Collingwood came extremely close to losing last year; yes, they are playing amazing football at the moment, however it is a long season, and anything could happen. They are no certainties to win the flag. In 2008, Geelong finished on top of the ladder after the home & away season with 21 wins and a % of 161.84. Next best was Hawthorn which had 17 wins and a % of 131.85. Geelong were awesome, and they were certainly among the all-time great teams, however their failure to win the flag tarnishes their status. Regarding Collingwood, they are the justified favourites to win the flag, however it is a extremely long season, and anybody can win the flag. The 2011 premiership cup is still up for grabs, and like Geelong in 2008 (or St Kilda in 2009), Collingwood's results at the moment does not mean that they will win the flag. I'm a Melbourne supporter, and I will fully admit that Collingwood is most likely to win the premiership, but I won't declare them premiers until the final siren sounds on the 1st of October. :D
shaken
Roar Rookie
The one thing Collingwood have in its favour is the clear lack of any other team hitting a peak in their cycle. St Kilda are in clear decline. Geelong, while seemingly better than last year, are still a team on the way back down. Good Hawthorn are great, but bad Hawthorn can be terrible. Carlton, Western Bulldogs, Freo and Sydney are all thereabouts, but a long way off their best. This magpie team will hardly rank amongst the greatest of all times, but they are quite fortunate to peak at a time when the rest of the competition is so even. Perhaps they will get a good run at it for a few years. Or at least until the Suns start to hit their straps?
ruckrover
Guest
Sad to say Collingwood will be very hard to beat. BUT - what a ripsnorter of a game by the Blues and the Bombers!!!!!!! Geez Australian Rules Football at its best is exhilirating, not much in other sports could compare with that match. Wish there were more games like that.
Liam Quinn
Roar Pro
Does anyone else think that the introduction of the AFL's semi-Free Agency system will extend Collingwood's dominance? It's a common thing to see players in the NBA or NFL (salary-capped leagues) sign players, especially veterans, for less money so that they fit under the cap, which is made up for by the promise of Premiership glory. Look at the way teams like the Lakers, Spurs, Mavericks, Patriots, Colts, and others have been able to be legitimate championship contenders for since the 2000. If Collingwood wins again this year - which they appear on track to do - players would be willing to take less money at late stages in their career, to capture an elusive premiership. Collingwood would know this, and will use all of their financial clout and top notch club set up to lure these sort of players into the fold.
Renster
Guest
Agree with Woodsman. The most memorable ridiculous comment on Collingwood last year was Sheedy declaring that the Pies didn't have enough class to win a premiership... then some months later is talking about targeting Swan, Pendlebury and Daisy Thomas for GWS, declaring them 'superstars'!! Leigh Matthews once observed that your football reputation often lags months behind your actual performance... We're all geniuses in hindsight, of course. But where the Pies have obviously done amazingly well is in their recruiting and training. Six ex-rookies in the GF team... (Not including Darren Jolly)... that's unbelievable. Where they have done really well is that their recruiting has targeted the right sort of players to play to their game plan. Accordingly they have targeted players who kick well and have fast leg speed. This is where other teams will struggle to catch up to the Pies for a year or two... they haven't been recruiting or training to the Collingwood-style game plan.
woodsman
Guest
It wasn't the media talking it up until after the Geelong Prelim. Collingwood was ranked 7th for the flag at the start of 2010. Even leading into finals constant articles from experts decried their lack of 'true talent' or 'elite players'. Some nonce at the HS even compared them to a thrashing bull against Geelong's pedigreed bull-fighter as he knew hardly any names. Completely agree with Renster above, several teams in the last decade have come agonisingly close to Premiership immortality and fallen short. In each case the winning team was overly exalted and deified while the losing team relegated to instant failure. Just this year it seems the pundits are right.. ;p
woodsman
Guest
ah, the old 'what if'.. Had the umpire correctly called S.Milne's double hands in Harry O's back for a mark and goal shortly before this, the Saints would have similarly lost the game. In a different story the Saints deserved a flag, a story that started with 2009.
The_Wookie
Roar Guru
those "smug" carlton supporters will tell you that the 95 premiership falls into a period that they were not penalised for by the AFL. The massive fines in 2001, were for the period 1998-2001, during which carlton did not win a flag. Unlike Essendons 93 premiership which most definitely did come under the salary cap breach for which they were fined $800,000.
amazonfan
Roar Guru
"Those smug Blues supporters boasting about their 16 premierships forgot to mention that their club stole at least one by cheating on the salary cap." So Carlton are alone? Essendon never cheated (1993?), Collingwood have been saints? Even my beloved Demons have been less than honest. Carlton has no more stolen a flag than any other club, and to argue that they have is hypocritical and dishonest.
amazonfan
Roar Guru
When you say Brisbane 'probably pinched 2001', are you saying they didn't deserve to win?
Stevo
Guest
If my memory serve me correct Collingwood were only half a game (but less percentage) clear of 2nd at 2010's home and away conclusion. Man I'd hate to see the hysteria if Collingwood had've finished 2 games clear just like StKilda of 2009. Perhaps 3 games clear like Geelongs 2007. All hell would've broken loose if the so called mighty magies had done a Geelong of 2008 and finish 4 games clear. Good on em for winning the premiership and all in 2010 but talks of an empire? Sorry guys I just don't see it yet.
Rob McLean
Guest
Funnily enough, if it's any form of financial benefit, I'll accept it Andrew. Look me up on Facebook, I'll send you a postal address ;)
Redb
Roar Guru
On that much we can agree.
TW
Guest
Behind the scenes Collingwood has two factors going for it, which may keep it at the top longer than usual. A very wealthy football department that now outspends the other clubs - Particularly the bottom clubs. A good set up with a wholly owned reserves team which appears to be a plus. Geelong has the same set up. (The Eagles and Dockers are currently moving heaven and earth to get reserve teams in the WAFL.)
Richard
Roar Guru
It was the salary cap as much as anything else which weakened that great Essendon side of the turn of the century. Which reminds me. Those smug Blues supporters boasting about their 16 premierships forgot to mention that their club stole at least one by cheating on the salary cap.
James
Guest
Martin Amis quoted in a football article. That's Gold. Well done.