Dayne Beams, Scott Pendlebury, Steele Sidebottom, Adam Treloar, Taylor Adams, Will Hoskin-Elliot, Jordan de Goey, Brodie Grundy – never before has a side had a midfield of this calibre.
It is hard to fathom with the strict salary cap implemented in today’s modern game that a side could have so many A-grade midfielders in the line-up, yet this is something that Collingwood and its coach Nathan Buckley have been able to achieve. This has been through effective list management processes and making the club an attractive place to be.
Those who dislike Collingwood will often point to champion trios of the past with examples such as Michael Voss, Simon Black and Jason Akermanis – or Chris Judd, Ben Cousins and Daniel Kerr provided. The debate is not which team has the best trio or quartet of midfielders in the history of the game, it is who has the best overall midfield.
No examples of the past have ever had a midfielder-ruckman hybrid the calibre of Grundy in the line-up either, all of which furthers the case that this is the best midfield line-up ever to be composed.
There is such a heavy level luxury and Rolls-Royce-esque quality in the Collingwood midfield, this provides players like De Goey the ability to play in the forward line and put goals on the scoreboard.
There may have been some basis for the debate of this not being the best midfield before, but now wish the re-addition of Beams, there is no doubt this will be the best midfield ever seen for the coming season in 2019. Beams just adds even further class to an already star-studded midfield.
The issue could arise where there are too many quality players, or midfielders potentially, pushed out of the side due to the abundance of premium quality midfielders in the side.
This is a very handy issue for Buckley to have, and his team will be the envy of all other sides next year.
Whether this eventuates to on-field success or not is another topic of interest, as the Magpies will still be well in need of more key-position players. I am unsure whether Jordan Roughead’s acquisition will help the cause any further, but time will tell.
Aus in Engerland
Guest
I have a few problems with your analysis and opinion. You mention the big three of Brisbane and WC (both clearly better than the Pies biggest three) and then use the argument that it is all about the FULL midfield setup, but then don't even consider the extras for those 2 teams. Lappin, Power, Pike, Hart to Brisbane and Cox, Fletcher, Embley, Braun to WC it matches the additions to the Pies easily. You also state 'No examples of the past have ever had a midfielder-ruckman hybrid the calibre of Grundy in the line-up either'. Ummmmm Dean Cox anyone? The man who re-invented the ruck role and became the model on which all hybrid midfielder rucks are based. Both of those midfields also got the best of their players at their peak at the same time. Collingwood haven't. Some are still improving but Beams and Pendles best is 5 years ago. They aren't rubbish by any stretch, but they aren't what they were 5-7 years ago either. I for one would take either of those other two 7-8 man midfield rotations over the Pies of today. Any day. And not by a little bit either.
Lroy
Guest
Best ever midfield got outworked 3 times by the supposedly poor Eagles midfield.. If this is the best midfield you've seen then Id hazard a guess you havent been watching footy very long... (that is not intended to be an insult). I think any one of 4 Eagles premiership sides is better than the one you listed, and we dont even begin to talk about the Lions 3 peat side, which was the best football side bar none that I ever saw. Carltons mosquito fleet from 79-82 would be right up there and I have to begrudgingly admit the Swans midfield from that 05-06 period were no slouches either along with the Crows side of that era who inexplicably managed to not even make a grand final. Any number of Hawthorn midfields from the 1983-1991 period. McLoud's Crows were pretty good back in 97-98 as well. North Melbourne 75-77 had a dual Brownlow medal winner in it. That's not to say this Pies side aren't good players, but when you talk about the ''best of all time'' they need to have won a couple of flags and have a few Brownlow medal winners amongst them to even be in the conversation IMO.
Pumping Dougie
Roar Guru
Spot on Macca
Pumping Dougie
Roar Guru
Realistically I'd rate Collingwood's 2019 midfield about on par with GWS' 2016-18 midfield. Both have deep talent but haven't achieved group success yet and are therefore not even in the conversation of all time great midfields. Who would you rather: Kelly, Ward, Shiel, Mumford/Lobb, Scully, Whitfield, Coniglio, Griffin, Greene, Taranto, Hopper and Deledio? Or Grndy, Pendles, De Gooey, Sidebottom, Beams, Adams, Treloar, Cripps? Pretty even I'd say. The Doggies 2016 midfield of Bontempelli, Libber, Macrae, Dahlhaus, Hunter, JJ, Daniel, Dunkley, McLean, Picken, Clay Smith and Roughead/Boyd was better, tougher and more effective than both! ????
Pumping Dougie
Roar Guru
Yep, way way better IAP - and you're forgetting to include Joel Corey, plus Stevie J and Paul Chapman who, like De Gooey, are dangerous forwards who could swing through the middle. For a start, they won a couple of premierships, so that puts them in a conversation most of this current Collingwood crop don't belong in. But the most glaring quality difference between these champion Cats and the current pedestrian Magpies (apart from the ultimate performance measure) is the exquisite balance between inside mids, extractors, taggers, tag-shakers, aggressors, hard nuts, pace, skill, disposal, marking, versatility, verve, defensive pressure, line breakers and goal-kickers. The Geelong group possesses 6 blokes - Ling, Selwood, Bartel, Ablett, Chappy and Stevie J - who routinely lifted their game to match-winning levels when the game was in the balance and are all-time greats. Corey, Ottens and Kelly were excellent too.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
we will see Mr moose
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Cheers Mark. I get narky with nuff nuffs though like most do when faced with their inane criticism
Doctor Rotcod
Roar Rookie
Someone mentioned Rowan Jones. I reckon he'd be about the only player who could kick the ball forward fifty metres and contest the mark from his own kick.
Papa Joe
Roar Rookie
Yeah Rob - this sort of article is good to bring back fond (or otherwise) memories of times past - thanks Ayden (even if few agree with your thesis).
Rob
Guest
My memory of that day is hazy at best. I remember starting drinking at 11am, waking up in a pub toilet after passing out at about 8pm... And somewhere in the middle the lions being about 70 points up and beginning their celebrations 2 mins into the last 1/4 giving collingwood the chance to kick a swag of easy meaningless goals at the end of the match.
Rob
Guest
Fair point haha - but where's Carlton's midfield... Despite the few years with Judd they this season became statisticaly the worst team since 2000 so logic says they should have one just as good due to high draft picks. Same for Gold Coast.
Mark
Roar Rookie
^^^What he said.
Mark
Roar Rookie
I must say Peter, you are the most objective Pies supporter I have ever seen. Always very balanced in your comments. West Coast midfield were exceptional in this years GF, however (and I am somewhat bias) I have never witnessed an AFL midfield quartet to match Cox, Judd, Cousins and Kerr. Just shades Brisbane’s midfield from the early 2000s IMO.
J.T. Delacroix
Guest
Maybe one day, Pete. But I wouldn’t know what to say. Where does one start? Collingwood is grouse? I dunno. Simple yes, but never easy.
aydosv
Roar Rookie
Thanks Peter - I knew this would get a lot of heated debate and interest.
Slane
Guest
I reckon spending a decade on the bottom of the ladder will let a team do that...
Papa Joe
Roar Rookie
Round 19 2003 - Lions 8.0 to the Pies 1.0 at qtr time, though it only ended up a 40 point win. But at quarter time, there was a surreal deathly silence across the MCG - which I will always remember. As a Pies home fixture against an out-of-town team, the crowd was about 95% Pie supporters. My memory may be getting a little shaky, but I think the Pies got the first goal. I didn't get to the reprise of the 2003 GF six weeks later, only the disappointing 2004 GF (for Lions supporters anyway).
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Beams finished 8th in the Brownlow with 18 votes James this year. I get your point he is aging but he's just had a ripping season in a side near the bottom...
adam
Guest
Cool story, but to say "No examples of the past have ever had a midfielder-ruckman hybrid the calibre of Grundy" is a joke. You forget one of the games best that made that postion exactly what your calling it hybrid. DEAN COX!!! Want to impress me? Win a GF outside your home ground whilst flying interstate
Jesse
Guest
Sandi, Barlow, Mundy, Neale, Hill, Fyfe and the Crowls tag was alright when they were all on the park too.