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Despite playing finals footy for the last eight years and winning the flag in 2010, Collingwood’s forward line has always been weak – until now.
Collingwood is experiencing a rapid change in game plan, culture and personnel, and in the process the club has lost a lot of experience and leadership.
But it has also gained something the club hasn’t enjoyed for a very long time – a forward line worthy of fear.
Most clubs would give their left arm for a 196-centimetre, 108kg power forward like Travis Cloke. The contested marking-beast with a booming, if not always accurate, left boot is the kind of player you can build a forward line around – the only problem is Collingwood never has.
Cloke initially played alongside Anthony Rocca but by then Rocca was already in the twilight of his career and only showing glimpses of his former dominance.
A young upstart named Jack Anthony was a flash in the pan replacement for Rocca. He wasn’t a traditional big forward but he showed some early promise and was accurate in front of the big sticks.
Unfortunately Anthony was never a reliable foil for Cloke and eventually he lost his spot to a promising man-mountain in Chris Dawes.
Collingwood’s premiership forward line consisted of Cloke, Dawes and a part-time ruckman in Leigh Brown. While the trio worked well enough together, it was never a dominant combination.
All three big men were inconsistent in form and accuracy. It could be argued the 2010 premiership was won despite Collingwood’s weak forward structure.
And it has gone from bad to worse since, with Leigh Brown retiring and Chris Dawes traded away after failing to build on his early potential.
In 2013, Collingwood’s replacement for Dawes, Quentin Lynch, proved his best days were behind him and his body just wasn’t up to it.
For years the failings of Collingwood’s big forwards have been covered up by a game plan that was designed to keep the ball tied up in the forward line and a big spread of goal kickers.
Medium-sized forwards like Paul Medhurst and Alan Didak joined crumbers like Leon Davis and midfielders such as Scott Pendlebury, Dane Swan and Dale Thomas to pick up the slack.
Collingwood has always been searching for a dynamic forward structure that can rely on some dominant big men and 2014 might just be the year that delivers.
One of the shining lights for the Pies last year was Ben Reid’s performance up forward. Drafted at pick eight as a top forward prospect in 2006, Reid made his name down back after failing to make an impact in the forward line.
But the All-Australian has matured since then and at the age of 24 he showed last year he has what it takes to dominate in the forward 50.
The recruitment of Jesse White is the perfect final ingredient for the Pies up forward. White has had an inconsistent career but he has just enjoyed his best season to date and he has exactly what Collingwood needs – the ability to play a solid support role up forward and in the ruck.
He also has rare athleticism and agility for his 197-centimetre frame so he won’t be a liability when the ball hits the ground.
The combination of Cloke’s power and Reid’s mobility with White’s height and speed is a scary proposition for any team. It’s hard to think of any backline that has the personnel to manage all three of them.
It looks even more dangerous when you add Collingwood’s small and medium forwards into the mix. Jamie Elliot’s solid hands, Sam Dwyer’s class, Alex Fasolo’s bag of tricks and Ben Kennedy’s speed will be a handful.
For the first time in a long time, Collingwood has a powerful, dynamic and flexible forward structure that can take it up to any team.
Collingwood is certainly in a state of change but rumours of its imminent slide down the ladder may have been greatly overstated.
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