An off-season sabbatical to the birthplace of the Renaissance is symbolic of Nathan Buckley’s enlightenment.
So long defined by his footballing frustrations, many would have predicted a tortured summer for the Pies coach, haunted by visions of Dom Sheed’s sealer and thoughts of what might have been.
Instead, a three-month Italian holiday in the wake of a grand final heartbreaker is the latest sign of a man reborn.
And yet, it wasn’t so easy to separate Buckley from his one-time discontented footballing bio as the curtain fell on September’s epic decider.
The enduring image of the mentor – head in hands as the final siren blared – fit snugly into the tragic Buckley footballing narrative.
After all, he had graced this grand stage before.
Twice as a Collingwood player – and in spite of his best efforts – Buckley had left the big dance licking his wounds.
This one promised to be different and, in one fundamental way, it was.
Buckley lost again, but he didn’t lose angry.
Anger seemingly borne of an unrealised footballing entitlement, for it wasn’t meant to be this way.
Buckley’s 1992 coming-out party – featuring a best-on-ground performance in Port Adelaide’s SANFL grand final win and a league best and fairest – should have been the precursor to Buckley’s inevitable AFL coronation.
Looking back at photos of the day, a beaming Buckley radiates youthful exuberance. There he was, triumphant with the football world at his feet.
And then – after a cameo in Brisbane – he chose to play for Collingwood, the biggest club in the land.
The kink in the plan was two-fold.
Most obvious was that he joined a declining outfit that robbed him of regular finals football during the first half of his black-and-white stay.
But no less galling was that in doing so, he spurned future premiership powerhouses, the Lions and Kangaroos – a fact he was rudely reminded of every time he confronted these all-conquering foes.
And we saw less of the smiling Nathan.
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Seemingly frustrated by his footballing lot, Buckley exuded coolness. He was hard to embrace, even when the football world was ready to wrap its arms around him.
His heroic Norm Smith Medal-winning performance in Collingwood’s agonising grand final loss to the Lions in 2002 is perhaps best remembered for Buckley disdainfully stuffing the medal in his sock.
And then his playing career ended just as Collingwood’s golden run began.
The awkward Eddie McGuire-orchestrated coaching handover from Mick Malthouse that followed did little to improve Buckley’s demeanour.
Collingwood’s consecutive grand final appearances – and 2010 premiership glory – coupled with Malthouse’s messy exit, cast Buckley as gate-crasher.
He inherited Malthouse’s team, but not the premiership-fortified love his players felt for his predecessor.
Buckley then spent six humbling years in the football wilderness, barely surviving and seldom smiling.
Nathan Buckley (AAP Image/Julian Smith)
He often appeared puzzled by his plight, as if wondering how a game he had long mastered as a player could betray him as a coach.
And then he changed.
He grew a beard and joked with reporters. He smiled more, a happy smile with just a hint of the beaming young man from that Adelaide premiership dais of yesteryear.
The relief of last year’s contract extension – which came at the crossroads – surely played a part in this sunnier disposition.
But it’s more than that.
It’s that rare form of enlightenment, borne of confronting one’s own footballing mortality.
Humbled but unbroken, Buckley is now free to enjoy because there’s nothing left to fear.
In any event, he gets it now, he gets it all.
That was plain to see in the uber-natural way he consoled the cheersquad member after the torn banner episode, and then the errant Collingwood runner on grand final day.
And now, this extended off-season European vacation.
Not only that, but his team is good and getting better.
Having run out of it as a player and so nearly during his first incarnation as coach, time is finally on Buckley’s side – a magical 2018 season has ensured that.
Most importantly, the players love him, just like their predecessors loved Malthouse.
One only need hear Travis Varcoe tell SEN, “If you wanted to be like someone, that’s where you want to head” to appreciate the depth of feeling for the Pies coach within the dressing room.
It would be wrong to say in Buckley’s case that it’s now more about the journey than the destination. For a premiership would be more fulfilling now than had it arrived as the divine footballing right it once seemed.
But the journey is certainly far richer for Buckley’s renaissance.
Nathan Buckley remains forever Collingwood, but no longer just black and white.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
A fair comment Cat. Something we will never know of course is what would have happened if Eddie just let Bucks go coach North and kept Mick. Would we have beaten the Cats in 2011 without the distraction of it being Mick's final game? Probably not. Would we have slid regardless with Mick? Who knows. Would we have ended up with Bucks anyway after he had a stint with North? Maybe. Just like any decisions in the heat of the game, everything changes after it. Maynard could have been given the free for the block from Rioli and the Pies could easily have still lost. A moment can change everything - just ask Steven Milne with that bounce.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Seems he ended up with the Crows Chris?
Lroy
Guest
Ah yes Don the Distraction has to kick in his two centers worth, you must suffer from the same disease Peter Fitzsimmons does...''social irrelevance disorder''. Social media? What are you on about you crazy man? Buckley began his career in the 90's before it was even invented, the iPhone, which kicked of all this current social media stuff (Instagram / YouTube etc)stuff wasn't even created until after he retired. Plenty of people called him Figjam. Have a guess what people call you? Rhythm's with Frog...
Spanner
Roar Rookie
I'm with you Cat - the fact that he has left the most complete athlete we have seen in our time, at full forward for years has me a bit worried. As Matty Richardson showed - imagine what carnage he would have manufactured from a wing ! Its too late now - I wonder what plans Clarkson (who CAN coach) had for him !
Chris
Guest
Maybe Jake Neade as well?
Chris
Guest
Pete, I would like to see Collingwood pick up Brodie Grundy's brother during the SSP and perhaps another forward type. Any chanceof that?
Cat
Roar Guru
I think great coaches are collaborators. Ones who don't try to do everything themselves and empower assistants to take ownership of their areas. From all accounts Buckley came in and wanted everything his way. No matter what. His way or get out. He expected players to play his way rather than playing to the strength of the players he had. Clarkson always comes up with tactics that suit the list he has. Clarkson uses his players unique skills and makes them assets instead of neutering natural skills. Ross Lyon doesn't let players 'X-factor' shine. Chris Scott can't find the balance between 'game plan' and 'flair' He teeters back and forth doing too much of one than too much of the other. The defense last year flourished (even with key injuries) because he has let Scarlo take ownership of it. In summary a great head coach is more of a man manager and looks at the big picture while entrusting and empowering his assistants to take ownership of the small details.
Cat
Roar Guru
No surprise they disappeared at exactly the same time.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
FIGJAM was used because footy social media was just taking off and that acronym seemed funny. It kept being repeated by dumb people. It was never a comment on Bucks as much as it was that mob mentality name calling.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
I think Cat is a tough woman to impress.
Lroy
Guest
Mitchel is an interesting one, the midfield really seemed to click this year with him in charge, No 1 side in contested possessions in the second half of the year in 2018.. hopefully they can keep it going in 2019. Sorry to see him go, would have been great to keep him for a few more seasons.
Lroy
Guest
Even when he became coach, old Mick won a flag in his final year, poor Bucks couldn't catch a break. Seemed like he was cursed, didn't go to the Lions and they won 3 flags, takes over the coaching job from a legend and the side has injuries, guys retire etc, he just cant get them going. Jungle drums start beating, mid season rumors he wont survive post 2017... Ironically, it was the Eagles game in 2017 at the ''G'' where he turned things around. Pies flog the Eagles, win a bunch of games in the back half of the season, he keeps his job and they carry that momentum into 2018. So like I said, everyone loves a redemption story. He has done well, wish him all the best for 2019 ;-)
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
He was chiseled from granite like Michael Voss, played footy like we all wish we could and accumulated medals like it was easy (albeit not a premiership medal, but how many great players were denied that - Robert Harvey, Robbie Flower, etc). Is it any wonder the FIGJAM name was thrown up in envy of the great man?
Lroy
Guest
Everyone loves a redemption story. Even Pies fans called Buckley FIGJAM in the beginning, so they admired him as a player, not sure they loved him as a person. He's an easy guy to dislike, in the same way nobody really likes the ''dux'' of the year at school, everyone calls him ''nerd'' behind his back right? But you have to say (me at least) he really handled himself well in the aftermath of the GF loss, as did Eddie McGuire. If a persons real character is revealed by adversity then you'd have to think the CFC is in pretty good hands at the moment. So, if they make another GF in the next few years Id be happy to cheer for them, unless they are playing my mob of course... ;-)
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
The new generation need a fair bit of loving from a mentor. I see it with my twenty something boys and their mates, it's cool again to hug your mate or tell him you love him. Blighty said he used to play in spite of Barrassi. Not sure if your fire and brimstone coach would survive the modern arena.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
You're a tough man to impress Cat. If he cops the heat for the decline on 2013-2017 then surely he can accept the plaudits of the rise in 2018 and guiding the team within a kick of a premiership? It does beg the question though as to what does constitute a great coach. It can't just be Clarkson surely. Chris Scott, Bevo, Simpson and Dimma are all one flag coaches currently. How does one define a great coach or are coaches overrated and list managers the real heroes?
User
Roar Rookie
We teach them well out west Pete. Longmuir, Mitchell, glass, cox, Teague all associated with wce.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Justin Longmuir appears the next senior coach in waiting. I'm hearing really positive things about his influence at the Holden Centre in 2018.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Thought you were baiting HTH to come back Don! You taking on True Tiger Fan in 2019?
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Sorry folk. Apparently the heavies don't like the o-word and the don't like a capital B at the end of Matty's name...so I re-posted, trying to find the offending word. I suspect Matty must have been de-listed.