When Nathan Buckley took over in 2012, Collingwood had just been in a grand final. Fast forward five years and the Pies have only played in two finals series, with embarrassing exits both times.
This season shapes a make-or-break year for Nathan Buckley’s coaching reign and a huge test for this Collingwood list.
Has the ‘mini rebuild’ worked or failed at the biggest club in the land?
Defence
The Collingwood defence has been a big talking point of the pre-season, brought on by losing senior defender Nathan Brown, who played 16 games last year, and Jack Frost, who looked promising before stagnating in 2016.
Another issue is star Ben Reid’s injuries. He has only managed 26 games in his last three seasons, although 17 of those came last year, so he may finally be getting his body right. Regardless, the fact that their defensive set up depends on an injury prone, soon to be 28-year-old, is a major issue.
The team welcome back Lachie Keeffe, who returns from a two-year hiatus for performance-enhancing drugs. He should slot straight back into a weakened defensive six considering how much promise he showed prior to the ban.
One would think the Pies’ defence will be exposed and taken advantage of, which will hold them back in 2017.
Midfield
The strength of this football team, the Pies have one of the deepest midfields in the game.
However, as good as they look on paper, Collingwood ranked 15th in clearances per game last year. And it doesn’t seem they’ve addressed this in the offseason when you consider that their only recruit in the midfield, Daniel Wells, is an outside runner.
Collingwood will be hoping that young players like Jordan De Goey and James Aish, who were both taken in the top ten in their respective draft years, will help improve their ability around the contest.
They also ranked 14th in uncontested possessions per game last season, which is a sign of either a lack of fitness or desire. Frankly, they go hand in hand.
Buckley needs to solve these two problems or else his midfield will again look good on paper but not on the field in 2017.
Forward
Another big point of discussion for this team is their attack and whether they have enough weapons to consistently kick winning scores.
The injury curse hit the Pies forward line last year, with Jamie Elliot – their best forward in 2014 and 2015 – sidelined for the entire season.
The talented but injury-plagued Alex Fasolo only managed 12 games and former star forward Travis Cloke lost all form and found himself traded to the Bulldogs. Chris Mayne was brought into the club to fill the void left by Cloke, however he isn’t a number one or even number two forward for any finals team, which leaves us to ponder exactly why he was recruited.
Key forward Jesse White is too inconsistent to be a focal point for a finals team, meaning the majority of scoring will rely on small forwards like Elliot, Fasolo and Jarryd Blair.
For Collingwood to be successful on the scoreboard their midfielders need to contribute as well. If the team can play to the small forwards strength, then they are more than capable of kicking winning totals most weeks.
Summary
Collingwood are one of the most interesting teams this season, but the hype, much like the last four seasons, is overdone. The midfield is talented and also bats deep, however their defence makes it highly unlikely that they will play finals in 2017.
To make the eight, the midfield needs to dominate pretty much every game. That’s a tough ask when you consider there are a lot of other good midfields in the league, and that they struggled to defend when the ball went the other way last year.
This season could be Nathan Buckley’s last as the head coach of the Collingwood Football Club.
Collingwood Magpies
Best 22:
FB: Brayden Maynard, Lachie Keefe, Lynden Dunn
CHB: Jeremy Howe, Ben Reid, Travis Varcoe
C: Steele Sidebottom, Scott Pendlebury, James Aish
CHF: Daniel Wells, Jesse White, Alex Fasolo
FF: Jamie Elliot, Darcy Moore, Chris Mayne
F: Brodie Grundy, Adam Treloar, Taylor Adams
IC: Jack Crisp, Jordan De Goey, Levi Greenwood, Josh Smith
Don Freo
Guest
William, as you dismiss Mayne as a number 1 or number 2 forward and ponder why he was recruited, you might consider what he offered at Freo. He was never 1 or 2 forward but was always in the top 10 in B&F. Mayne has been in the top tacklers list across the AFL year in year out. His work ethic and leadership will pay off in spades. Despite recent goal kicking yips, he is still a regular 20 to 30 goal a season player. That's not bad for a man whose main call is forward line pressure. The Pies will be top 8 this year.
Copeland
Guest
There is really nothing to suggest that Collingwood will be capable of improving its on-field performance during 2017, and with several other clubs on the rise, Pies supporters are facing a bleak future with a bottom six finish highly likely. Although the powerhouse Collingwood sides of 2010/2011 included a number of players who were not exactly elite in terms of skill level, such as Leroy Brown, Nathan Brown, Luke Ball, Dawes, Macaffer and Maxwell, these players were still highly effective contributors, within a team that had spirit and played to a definitive game plan. Six years on with recruitment having been fixated primarily on midfield players at the expense of forwards/backs, with the exception of Grundy and Moore, the skill level and more importantly capacity of the team to perform as a cohesive unit seems sadly lacking. The recent addition of hacks like Dunn and Mayne smacks of sheer desperation.
Horrie
Guest
A year of further decline and distress beckons for the Pies. A bottom third finish (14th) and coaching resignations will mark a poor year. The Pies have not had a coherent game plan beyond a 'kick it to me' style. The midfield beyond the great champ -Pendles- is mid table at best and then only because it has the support of an excellent young ruckman. Wells is a great addition, provided he remains fit and plays 16+games - not a rolled gold bet. The backline was decimated in the off season and adding Dunne does not help. The forward line is a puzzle and will rely on Moore fast tracking his development and the smalls having stand out years. The recruitment of Mayne on big dollars was a strange decision.
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
That's the same as what I have them finishing, Will!
William Cornwill
Roar Guru
However you came up with the reference that they had no forward line.. They have no star key forwards and will hence rely on the smalls which is a dangerous thing to do. I have them finishing 12th.
K
Guest
Moore's natural progression and a fit Reid will be crucial for Collingwood. You undersell Wells as an outside runner - he absolutely has the ability to win his own ball in congestion. Their backline though looks week. Reid is a star but fragile, Dunn is a battler who's appears almost shot and Keefe showed promise two years ago. Howe and Varcoe are great going forward but not sure they offer much defensively. Do Langdon and Oxley fit into the mix down back?
Ian Morrison
Guest
So, by your analysis, Collingwood has no baclkine, no forward line and a dodgy midfield. Put your "money where your mouth is" and tell me where you predict they will finish. I think you are selling a lot of their players a little short. The forward line has the ability to kick good scores regularly and the strength of the defence, as with every club, will be critical. If they can keep the majority of their best backs on the field regularly, they will be ok, there is talent there. The mids are the equal of any in the competition and will be fine. I understand your point about running both ways being essential and have no argument with you there, it's critical. I believe they are a good chance for the eight, so your prediction please.
I hate pies
Guest
A good summary. Collingwood's forward line is a big concern when their best forward is a goal sneak. Alex Fasolo could be the best medium lead up forward in the game if he was third string behind a couple of big units. Alas, he has Darcy Moore and not much else. Moore will be an out and out star in time. The midfield is overrated in my opinion. Pendlebury is astonishingly good, but it falls away from there. Treloar looks good but can't kick, Adams is mediocre and Sidebottom is a wingman. Wells is superb when fit, but he needs someone to get the ball for him. Actually, pretty much the whole Collingwood midfield is an "outside" midfield. I'm tipping 10th - 12th for the Pies. They'll have some improvement from this year, but St Kilda and Melbourne are going straight past them in the development race.
Sam Bunn
Roar Rookie
I agree with the midfield comments, the pies midfield has looked impressive on paper during Buckley's entire tenure, without necessarily performing to expectations on the field. We were killed in the clearances last season, Well's tore us to shreds in the middle of the ground when the pies played North, perhaps a good sign for the future!