Last week Dan Lonergan wrote an article about how it was time for Collingwood to rebuild. In fact the Pies have been rebuilding since Nathan Buckley took over as coach.
He has already put his stamp on the list, clearing out a number of senior players in order to create his own culture and legacy following the Malthouse era. But will it be a success?
Following the traditional Queen’s Birthday fixture against the hapless Demons, Collinwood found themselves 8-3 and pundits were spruiking their top four chances, but it proved to be a false dawn.
Over the next nine rounds the Pies would crash back to earth with a thud and disappointing results against the likes of the Bulldogs and Gold Coast would see them splutter to 10-10. They look certain to miss the finals for the first time in nearly a decade.
Clearly this is no longer the 2010 Magpies. Buckley has brought in five top-20 draftees in the past two seasons. Despite what Lonergan wrote, the winds of change have been blowing for some time as the Pies realised they needed to reload with a fresh group for their next premiership assault.
Unlike the draft, which has been a consistent conveyer belt of talent into the club thanks to some excellent scouting and player development, their free trade acquisitions have been nothing short of horrid.
But look at the Magpies list and you realise the amount of youth on its books. With Dane Swan, Heritier Lumumba, Clinton Young and Luke Ball the only players over 28 at the start of next season likely to be at the club, suddenly pruning the list further becomes difficult.
With Nick Maxwell retiring, Quentin Lynch and Marty Clarke’s time in the AFL has finished. Peter Yagmoor and the people’s beard Ben Hudson can be culled from the rookie list. But now it gets a little tricky.
Collingwood won’t be a top-four contender next year but more than likely will improve on results from 2014 and find themselves in the bottom half of the eight, so where does that leave Luke Ball?
A combative warrior who has willed himself to every contest for 12 seasons, does he have another year left to give? If so is it in Collingwood’s interest to keep him playing for a final season if they won’t make a significant dent in September?
In his favour is the weekend knee injury to Brent Macaffer, which will sideline him until 2015. Does this open the door for Ball to become the Pies’ tagger? With all the young Collingwood midfielders still learning their craft, I doubt there is a better role model than Ball and would like to see him given another year.
Swan and the fortunate Young have another year to run on contracts, otherwise I feel the latter might have been sent packing while Lumumba still has good football ahead of him.
So does Collingwood have much room to trade? Obviously free agent Tyson Goldsack is at loggerheads with the club – rightly so given the reported $450,000 a season deal he is chasing.
No defensive forward is worth that, particularly with Goldsack’s form being patchy at best this season. I would suggest parting ways with Goldsack and taking the likely second or third round selection free agency would provide.
Buckley should have one thing on his mind come this year’s AFL draft and it must be a tall forward. With Darcy Moore coming on board along with Nathan Brown, Jack Frost and Lachie Keefe, the Pies have an abundance of tall backs but appear stretched up forward.
Travis Cloke is still the lone ranger and despite the attempted quick fixes of Lynch and Jessie White, the Pies can no longer depend on Ben Reid – whose body continually lets him down.
Could Buckley look to try and pry a tall from one of the expansion clubs? Surely it would be madness to attempt a third free agency acquisition in the forward/ruckman position trying to find another Leigh Brown.
If he was brave enough surely someone like Stefan Martin would be a perfect fit up forward, though no doubt cap space might be an issue. But history suggests the Pies do a lot better developing their own talent then poaching from other clubs.
The Pies need to stay the course and continue to recruit as much top draft end talent as possible.
Collingwood, despite the recent spate of injuries, has potentially a very good young list at its disposal. However Buckley needs to ensure that all these new recruits buy into his game style. When they don’t play with aggression and hunger the difference between their best and worst can be chalk and cheese.
Potential can be a very dirty word in football and the next two years will be make or break in terms of how much longer Buckley stays at the helm of Australia’s biggest club.
Gecko
Guest
But what rhymes with Newman Both Trombone, and what are these rumours based on?
Axle an the guru
Guest
No worries shmick we wont play him because he has not don a preseason but we will make someone else play two games for the wknd?
Shmick
Guest
2014 is the year that Collingwood will bottom out. That's this year. There's no way they will have 25+ injuries in 2015, and their list has a lot of upside after the last 3 years of rebuilding. If GWS and Gold Coast are expected to challenge for the flag by 2016, I see no reason why an equally young list at Collingwood, with all those high draft picks, cannot do the same.
Shmick
Guest
Not true at all. Karnezis has not had a pre season. Everyone seems to forget this. Buckley has consistently said that he rates this player highly, but needs him to spend 2014 in the VFL and hit the next pre-seaon with everything, with a view to playing AFL in 2015.
Don Freo
Guest
Something interesting about Karnesis that two clubs both ranked him when they picked him but neither can bring themselves to play him. Attitude? Softness? Self?
Don Freo
Guest
You've already said that one. Did you get anyone to support the silliness then? The kind of Magpie supporter I'm talking about. I bet Eddie would love to sell on memberships like yours.
Bosk
Roar Rookie
Much as I would love to see Nafan fail purely so the blame lies squarely with Eddie for replacing Mick with his wife, its ridiculous to critique Collingwood's season without taking into account their shocking run of injuries right from the get go, and the amount of youth they've been forced to field particularly in their backline. Which is not to say I believe Nafan is capable of coaching his way out of a paper bag, but you're absolutely right in suggesting the rebuilt essentially began not long after Bucks took the reigns. Of course we must also remind ourselves that if the very strong rumors are to be believed the strength of the 2011 side the present outfit is often compared with benefited enormously from something which rhymes with Newman Both Trombone.
TomC
Roar Guru
I for one don't believe that Goldsack is asking for an inflated contract to stay at the Pies. Everything I hear suggests he's very loyal to Collingwood. I think Collingwood have been trying to rebuild in recent years in the same way that Geelong have been: not by bottoming out, but by trying to phase in a sustainable number of youngsters while moving on some of the older players. They just haven't done it anywhere near as well. That is quite different from, say, the rebuild that the Western Bulldogs are undertaking where a lot of very raw players are getting a lot of games. It is different again from Melbourne's attempts to make their team more competitive through adding seasoned players before commiting more to developing youngsters in the seniors. So when someone calls for Collingwood to commit to rebuilding, they might mean something a bit different to what Collingwood are currently doing.
Gecko
Guest
Nicko, Higgins is a skilled footballer who has been let down by injury and because he's not quick enough to be an outside player and not intense enough to be an inside player. Fasolo could go the same way, never quite reaching his potential.... or if his fitness and intensity improve, he could settle down as a creative rebounder or hard-pressuring forward who pinch-hits in the midfield. Best to give him at least one more year to see if he can improve. Frawley would actually stifle the development of young guys like Frost and Keefe, because they'd get fewer games or they'd only get to play on the opposition's 2nd best tall forward. Frost and Keefe both improved this year and one, I'm sure, will be a top full back by 2016 (it's even possible we'll end up trading one of our full backs, because we've got 4 of them). Money offered to Frawley would be better spent on pinching Swans like Parker, Rampe or Bird (or maybe a Freo midfielder). Surely there'll be a few Swans looking for big offers at the end of 2014 or 2015.
Strapon1
Guest
You really do buy into the own stuff your shoveling don't you it must be good knowing your coach thinks finishing second is good enough doesn't even know how to build a list give him 2 more years and he will be chasing a move to gws or demons
Nicko
Guest
Fasolo reminds you of Higgins?...Apart from the fact that Higgins is 8 cm taller and 5 kg heavier; is quick and can kick with both feet...agree that Frawley is not worth $700, but at $600k I think he is worth it...my rationale for getting him is: Brown too injury prone and not sure whether he'll contribute to the same level ever again; frees Reid up to play as a forward; Frawley is a better player than Keefe and has 150 games more experience...both Keefe and Frost need someone alongside them that can guide...they will not reach their peak for another 5 years, in the meantime, Frawley has a role to play
Nicko
Guest
Beams is not a free agent till the end of the 2016 season...I think...Goldsack is an interesting one...yes, he is a good swingman that has a manic attack on the ball carrier...but do you want him at any price?...I think he is in the mix of possible traceable assets...
Jack
Guest
What's the go with dayne beams is he a free agent? If they lose him and goldsack they are a bottom 4 side next year considering they have already lost top tagged and top draft pick for 12 months.....,, the maguire Buckley dynasty is almost complete
Don Freo
Guest
Fasolo would fly in WA. Send him back. All he needs is to be free of the oppressive club culture that hates its own.Magpies even hate their champions.
Gecko
Guest
I agree Blair's not an A-grader and never will be, but he played a useful pressurising role in our 2010 premiership so could probably be around the edge of our best 22 for our next tilt. Maybe offer him for trade but be happy to keep him if no good trade eventuates. His workrate suggests he's a good bloke to have around the club too. Yes Fasolo is slow. Reminds me a bit of Higgins at the Bulldogs because they both have skills. Hopefully, Fasolo can get his body and mind right and kick on in a way Higgins hasn't. Could still improve so I wouldn't be trading him unless he was having probems with the coach. Can't understand why we'd need Frawley when we have so many full backs: Reid, Browne, Frost and Keefe. Better spending our money on a big-bodied midfielder, a Malceski-type rebounder or an athletic tall forward (one that has better 2nd efforts and chasing pressure than Cloke). Not sure we need Ball's leadership when we've already got Pendlebury and Sidebottom. But if we do need it, maybe Ball can be an assistant coach in 2015.
Damien
Guest
As long as they don't pay overs for him, he's certainly not worth the reported $700k he's after.
Darren
Guest
I would think if Collingwood trade out of the 1st round and another club nominates a player in the 1st round then the father/son rule can not be invoked.
Axle an the guru
Guest
I dont think Ball will go back there.
Nicko
Guest
Actually Damian, Frawley is exactly what we need...solid, all-Australian defender...someone in the back line that can guide the younger players (Frost; Keefe; Langdon; Seedsman; Marley)...would free up Ried to only think about playing up forward. Admit, Moore looks good...but only a kid...have seen plenty of chap ion 18 year olds that go nowhere...prefer to get experience ...especially, as I suspect, brown will never get back to previous form...Fasolo, it is not about injury or preseasons...he is just slow
Ian Montgomery
Roar Pro
If Collingwood traded pick 8 for a higher pick they would then still have a first round pick (1, 2 or 3) and would therefore have to use this pick to snare Darcy Moore if another side bid their first round pick, or forfeit their rights to him. Clearly he is not a top 3 pick so it would be a big call to make a play for a top 3 draft pick. If the Pies don't want Luke Ball he would make an excellent experienced midfielder to replace Lenny Hayes at the Saints!!