In defence of the much-maligned Nick Maxwell

By Tom Dibble / Roar Rookie

An excerpt from former Geelong defender and three-time premiership player Matthew Scarlett’s autobiography spread like wildfire through the sporting world last year, echoing the sentiments of thousands.

“At three-quarter time, my already dark mood worsened. Collingwood captain Nick Maxwell wandered close to our huddle and started mouthing off. It wasn’t the sledging that bothered me, it was the fact he was the one delivering it. None of our players had any respect for Maxwell. We hated how he was being compared to Tom Harley. It was simply wrong.”

This week, Scott Pendlebury was named as the new captain of the Collingwood Football Club, ending Nick Maxwell’s five-year reign.

Many people are saying ‘about time’.

But why? Why was Maxwell’s captaincy so widely criticised?

Was it because he isn’t the match-winning midfielder that Gary Ablett Jr is? Is it because people thought that there was a better option who could take on the job?

What we do know, or at least what I know, is that the choice to replace the retired Scott Burns with Nick Maxwell was the right one, given the circumstances.

Leaders, including Nathan Buckley, James Clement and Paul Licuria had recently retired and there was no obvious, outstanding replacement available to lead the club.

With Eddie McGuire gunning for a premiership, the captaincy could have been handed to Tarkyn Lockyear or Shane O’Bree for a year or two, but this was only a short-term solution – one that had been tried the year before with the aforementioned Burns.

It had to be someone younger. In the end, Nick Maxwell was chosen.

Selected at No.15 in the 2002 draft, Maxwell had become a solid performer for Collingwood. But he was no superstar, and many criticised the appointment.

Still, Maxwell was effective. In 2009, his first season as captain, Collingwood finished fourth on the ladder before losing to Geelong, who went on to win the premiership, by 73 points in the preliminary final.

Maxwell earned All-Australian honours that year, capping off a good season for both him and the club.

The 2010 season was the club’s best in 20 years. Led by Maxwell and an increasingly formidable midfield, Collingwood and its forward press became almost impossible to beat, going on to win the grand final replay by 56 points.

At the end of the game Maxwell held the premiership cup aloft, and at that moment the entire sporting world could not say a word against him. How can you slander a man who’d done what even Nathan Buckley couldn’t?

Until the last hurdle, Collingwood enjoyed an almost blemish-free season in 2011.

They were beaten only by Geelong during the regular season and were widely regarded as the best team in the competition by quite a margin. But, alas, they failed in the premiership decider.

In 2012 and 2013, Maxwell’s captaincy continued, criticised by the public but never by the club.

But this year, after three grand finals and a flag in five seasons in charge, Maxwell and the club have decided that it’s time to pass on the baton to the now mature and ready Scott Pendlebury.

Pendlebury is a marquee player – a player that you could build an entire list around.

Kids wear his number on their backs. They want to be him. They want to make time slow down, as Pendlebury seems to have the ability to do.

The same cannot be said about Maxwell.

No one tries to emulate the lanky defender. He doesn’t win the ball out of the centre and drill it to Travis Cloke. He doesn’t get the glory. But that doesn’t mean that he should be respected any less.

In you were to compare him to another player, it would be, to Matthew Scarlett’s distaste, Tom Harley.

Self-sacrificing tall defenders who wouldn’t be in the top 10 players at their respective clubs, both Harley and Maxwell demanded respect from their players – and in the end, that’s what matters the most.

If this season is to be Nick Maxwell’s last, as he has hinted that it might be, then I encourage all who love football to show him some respect when the end finally comes.

He’s earned it.

The Crowd Says:

2014-02-20T02:49:09+00:00

Gecko

Guest


Some players are gentlemen who turn nasty when they cross the white line. Scarlett was nasty both sides of the white line. Scarlett and some of the writers above need to focus less on Maxwell's football talent and more on his character. That's what got him the captaincy, that's what enabled him to handle unique personalities like Shaw, Harry O and Dane Swan. It was Maxwell, more than any other Collingwood player in the past 5 years who instilled team orientation into his team while Pendlebury was being groomed. The flip side of the 'lack of accountability' mentioned above is that Maxwell had a role to peel off and play 3rd man up in aerial contests. He did this fearlessly, unselfishly and with excellent game-reading ability. The above qualities helped Maxwell lead the Pies to a flag. He should rightfully be compared to Tom Harley.

2014-02-04T10:30:29+00:00

SteveOL

Roar Pro


Maxwell has quietly donated $100 per year to my daughter over the last few years in her efforts to raise money for the RSPCA Million Paws Walk. He is a salt-of-the-earth gentleman. In terms of his footy, Maxwell was selected in the 2009 All-Australian side on the half back flank. He was no hack but unfortunately I think the game has passed him by. Still, he'll remain a favourite in this house. Generous, selfless and a preeeeeemiership skipper.

2014-02-02T11:29:46+00:00

Shmick

Guest


Maxwell's determination and leadership saves the first grand final in 2010 for Collingwood. It's what he's done his whole career - sacrificing himself for the good of his team. That's why he was captain. Simple.

2014-02-02T11:15:37+00:00

The Big Fish

Guest


Wow. If those stats are right then puts another twist on this lttle debate.

2014-02-02T09:49:48+00:00

Hayley Wildes

Roar Pro


Maxwell loved to talk, but he was never a great footballer. I'd prefer a captain that leads by example.

2014-02-02T09:48:17+00:00

Ian

Guest


More kicks, more marks, more handballs, more defence punches, more all australian appearences than Harley for the same amount of games. How good a player you are has nothing to do with captaincy. Maxies draft position by the way was in the rookie draft. Scarlett tells half the story which is typical both old St Joey's boys and Falcons which is where the agro comes from. Poor coaching to let Heath get dragged back, Buckley should have moved him to the wing. Heath has ADD thus his verbalising. We are all diffferent.

2014-02-02T07:52:32+00:00

Bob

Guest


Mark Bickley was not a great player either, but he captained Adelaide well and contributed his part. Maxwell the same. ...Yeah. I reckon it's just because Nick Maxwell has one of those faces that grate on people. Love to hate.

2014-02-02T06:39:16+00:00

Floreat Pica

Guest


Yet at the start of 2010 most commentators were writing-off Collingwood's chances to make the 8.. surely a captain deserves some credit for the attitude of the players, and as far as I know, no-one inside the club has ever spoken poorly of Maxwell- even those who left unsatisfied.

2014-02-02T06:26:59+00:00

Alicesprings

Guest


Harley over Maxwell and day of the week, however I am bias as a Geelong member! No doubt a brilliant leader on and off the field. Ordinary player at best, surprised he went so high in the draft! He would have struggled to make the best 22 if not for his leadership. Why didn't Pendles get the captaincy 2 or 3yrs back??

2014-02-02T05:47:29+00:00

Plainsman

Guest


The comments reveal a difference of ideas on the role of a captain. People seem to forget that Maxwell is a Backman. His job is to bark orders and organise the defence. As for Heath Shaw as a Pies tragic all I can say is that GWS can have him. He was a pretentious git who caused more problems than he solved. Maxwell and O'Brien et al did a sterling job for the pies. It is the right time for Pendles to takeover but he takes over a team that has been ably led by an effective player and team leader.

2014-02-02T03:55:43+00:00

matt.nolan

Roar Rookie


There is a simple reason he's much maligned, it's because he's a very average footballer that's got the best out of himself. No one disputes the fact he's a premiership captain but he is still a spud every time I watch him play. Never accountable, too busy barking instructions instead of leading by example, I agree with Chaos - Harley 10 times out of 10 and I don't follow either side.

2014-02-02T02:59:13+00:00

Chaos

Guest


Look on paper he has fantastic credentials, however I have always thought Maxwell was a bit of a traffic controller waving his arms and yelling to the troops rather then a lead by example leader. In last few years he has been found out when teams force him to play on an opponent (usually quick) rather then allow him to be third man in. This paralleled with Heath Shaw being dragged back to the goal square and not being allowed to run from halfback. Hence their arguments and Collingwoods defensive frailties. For the record I would pick Tom Harley ten times out of ten over Maxwell. Note: I don't support either Pies or Cats.

2014-02-02T01:54:05+00:00

Footyfact

Guest


He is a Premiership Captain, has been selected as an All -Australian, and has Captained one of the biggest clubs in the country for 5 years. These are the facts, not biased opinions. No need to say any more.

2014-02-01T23:34:13+00:00

Shwayne

Guest


A duck could have captained the 2010 pies and still won. The problem with Maxwell is that he is a mediocre footballer, panics under pressure situations and is unable to engage in man to man coverage - just ask Heath Shaw!

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