Collingwood 2014: My one-eyed-pie season review

Another year gone, and those of us who bleed black and white are feeling a bit down. But that’s the thing about footy.

No matter where you’re at, there’s always hope for the future. So here’s my one-eyed-pie season review, as well as a look at what the future might hold for this famous footy club.

Overview
A promising start ultimately led to disappointment for the Magpies in 2014. After a Round 1 belting at the hands of Fremantle, the Pies jumped out to an 8-3 record at the halfway mark of the year, and looked well placed to reach a ninth straight finals series and even push for the top four.

A well-documented fall from grace followed, with an unprecedented injury run cruelling any chance of a late-season revival. Ultimately, Collingwood finished in 11th place on the ladder with an 11-11 record, and the unenviable percentage of 94.10.

Top 10
Consistent performers were few and far between for the Magpies in 2014, with some down on form and others ruined by injury.

1. Scott Pendlebury – In his first year as skipper, the champion didn’t disappoint. While not his best season by his own lofty standards, Pendles’ class again shone through. A lock for AA selection.
2. Dayne Beams – Returning from a season ruined by injury, Beams reminded us of his silky skills and hardness around the ball. A true A-grader of the competition.
3. Steele Sidebottom – Despite his midseason suspension, Sidey had probably his most consistent year to date, playing loose off half back and on a wing. Will vie with Pendles and Beams for Copeland honours.
4. Jamie Elliot – If last year was his breakout year, this is the year Elliot showed he will be a permanent fixture in the Magpie forward line for many years to come. An excitement machine.
5. Heritier Lumumba – A consistent performer, Lumumba was relied upon heavily to provide run and carry through the middle of the ground, and he delivered admirably week after week.
6. Brent Macaffer – Had a breakout year, becoming one of the competition’s premier run-with players. Sadly, he will miss the majority of 2015 to a second ACL injury.
7. Travis Cloke – While certainly a sub-standard year for him, Clokey still kicked 39 goals and played a crucial role bringing the ball to ground in the forward line. Frustratingly, he was far from his best.
8. Jack Frost – The only Pies player to feature in all 22 games, Frost showed incredible maturity and endurance in holding down the key defensive post. Should only improve with another preseason.
9. Tyson Goldsack – A pivotal player in almost every magpie win. His forward pressure when up and going is second to none.
10. Tom Langdon – Plays with poise and cool-headedness that belie his young age. A standout debut year.

Stiff to miss: Dane Swan, Luke Ball, Alan Toovey and Nick Maxwell.

Breakout players
The clear standouts are two players I have already mentioned: Jack Frost and Tom Langdon. The pair took only a few games to establish themselves as crucial cogs in the Collingwood back half, and both look to have bright futures.

Jarrod Witts too had a breakout year, playing 20 games and looking good both in the ruck and up forward. Still has a fair way to go in his development, but pleasingly he has shown all the signs of becoming a dangerous ruck/forward in the David Hale mould. His contested marking was one of the rare highlights for Pies fans in the last few games of the year.

Finally there’s Tim Broomhead, who in just eight games showed a huge amount of promise. His bursting speed and keen goal sense make him a dangerous small forward, but he can also be a down and dirty player who I expect will be pushing for midfield time as early as next year.

Out the door
With the retirements of Nick Maxwell, Luke Ball, Quinten Lynch, and Ben Hudson, Collingwood doesn’t technically need to cut anyone. But they likely will, and for mine the first cabs off the rank are Marty Clarke, Caolan Mooney and Peter Yagmoor.

Clarke played only one senior game this year, despite the raft of injuries among magpie stocks. With so many young players pushing for selection, it is hard to see him getting a game next year.

Another Irishman who looks set to pack his bags, Mooney has now completed his third year on the rookie list and has just six senior games to his name, none in 2014. Yagmoor too seems unlikely to take the next step, after languishing on the rookie list for a few years. May get one more year, but more likely he will depart.

Next year
If my reading is correct, 2015 will see Buckley drive even more aggressively towards playing youth. The decision to cut Luke Ball despite the Macaffer injury is testament to that. While midfield guns Pendlebury and Beams aren’t going anywhere, Swan and Sidebottom could find themselves playing predominantly forward or back, as has already begun to happen. Players like Adams, Thomas, Kennedy and Freeman (yet to debut) will need to step up and fill the void.

Who needs to have a good 2015?
There were a lot of under-performers in 2014 who will be looking for redemption next year. Here are the ones who need to bounce back the hardest.

Dane Swan – Though not an objectively bad year, Swanny was way down on the immense output we have come to expect from the superstar. Let’s hope he returns to his best in 2015.
Jesse White – Started the year well but dropped away significantly. Will get games in 2015, but needs to quickly prove that he deserves a permanent place in the forward line and/or the ruck.
Brodie Grundy – After an eye-catching debut year, Grundy stagnated in 2014. He’s still a very young player, and should improve with another preseason under his belt.
Alex Fasolo – Affected by injuries and form in 2014. His foray down back proved less than a success, and he only showed glimpses of the talent we know he has. Due for a true breakout year.
Paul Seedsman – Patches of good form dotted his 2014, but at other times Seedo went missing badly. His run and long kick remain great weapons, but he needs to find some consistency.
Josh Thomas – One of the most promising young midfielders leading into this year, Thomas failed to deliver on expectations, though admittedly he has injury partly to blame.
Sam Dwyer – A revelation in 2013, Dwyer dropped off the pace a bit this year. Good in patches, but never looked dangerous. Remains to be seen if he can maintain his place on Buckley’s new-look young list going forward.

At the trade table
While 2014 exposed holes in every area of the ground, forward line firepower remains the Pies’ biggest weakness. Jesse White did not live up to preseason hopes, Cloke, Fasolo and Blair were all below their best, and Ben Reid was barely on the park. Elliot had a great year, and Broomhead looks like he has the goods, but the Pies are still agonisingly low on quality tall forward options. The question is whether the Pies will go after another recycled tall in the Lynch/White mould, or try their luck at the draft. Personally, I’m betting on the latter.

Other than that, the Pies may look to bring in some more mature players who can fill the on-field leadership void left by the retirements of Nick Maxwell and Luke Ball.

The draft
Buckley has made it clear that he is trying to build a list for sustained success. He’s brought in five top-20 draft picks in the last two years, as well as Taylor Adams, a previous pick 13. With this year’s draft being spruiked as one of the deepest in recent times, the trend seems set to continue, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Pies once again trade aggressively into the top end of the draft.

Its 11th placed finish will give the Magpies pick eight (barring any compensation picks before then, such as for Melbourne if James Frawley departs).

While it seems unlikely, the Pies will be desperately hoping Darcy Moore – a talented key position prospect whom Collingwood have first access to via the father-son rule – slips past its first round pick and they can snare him with their second round selection, leaving pick eight free for another high-end draftee.

The outlook
Most pundits have the Pies dropping again next year, or at best treading water outside the top eight And truthfully on current form, it’s hard to argue. But Collingwood’s best is still very good, and can threaten all but the very top sides.

The challenge for Bucks is to capture that form and get his side back into finals without compromising his youth first policy. For what it’s worth, I believe he can do it, and that the Pies will finish around seventh or eighth next year. I’m counting down already.