You know what I’ve seen regularly in the last week and expect to see more of in the next week (and beyond)?
Collingwood supporters lauding our 2018 performance in stopping Richmond from winning four flags in a row.
Let’s ignore there is no guarantee that Richmond would’ve won the flag in 2018 against a strong West Coast side, or if they had won the flag in 2018, that 2019–20 would’ve unfolded exactly the same.
And let’s just ignore Collingwood’s 2018 grand final assault, leading the game for all but 100 seconds, only to lose another one in spectacularly tragic Collingwoodian fashion.
Let’s ignore all that.
Instead, let’s retrospectively celebrate a 2018 preliminary final victory for stopping a hypothetical from existing.
Lauding 2018 in any form isn’t a celebration of triumph, but a celebration of the most arrogant conceit – that Collingwood in some way means something.
It doesn’t.
When Collingwood stopped Melbourne from winning four in a row in 1958, it meant something.
The Demons were a powerhouse who’d convincingly won flags in 1955 (by 28 points), 1956 (by 73 points), and 1957 (61 points), and were expected to easily win the 1958 grand final. Collingwood stopped them by winning the flag themselves. Brilliant. They deserve their accolades.
Richmond’s won three flags from the last four seasons. That’s truly laudatory. Well done, Tiges.
Jack Riewoldt. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
But, farcically, thank God Collingwood stopped them winning four from four because of some preliminary final three years ago.
Here is our platform for celebration, value, and relevance.
Here is our only shout out to the world.
Here is us trying to convince ourselves we matter.
By the same logic, we might as well celebrate stopping Carlton winning four in a row by knocking them out in 1980s first semi-final. Carlton won flags in 1979, 1981, and 1982.
It’s the most frivolous triumph.
Some will say we need to protect our records – our four-peat 1927 – 1930. I’m all for that if we can do what we did in 1958.
Otherwise?
We’re trying to impose meaning on the meaningless.
In my lifetime of supporting Collingwood, we have always espoused ourselves as the biggest and the greatest club in the country.
Well, maybe.
Decades ago.
But the landscape’s changed since then.
Several clubs have more members.
Two clubs have more flags.
Many clubs have been more successful in AFL history.
In the last four years, Richmond’s surpassed what Collingwood’s done in the last 62 years.
Some will counter that football’s about more than flags.
It’s not.
Who won the 1984 flag? Essendon. Who won the 1963 flag? Geelong. Who won the 1940 flag? Melbourne.
But I could not tell you how much profit clubs made in those years, their members, or who might’ve drawn what interpretation from a preliminary final.
History remembers clubs for just one thing: flags.
History documents and exalts the victors.
That’s the truth in sport. seasons, tournaments, championships, et al, they all culminate with producing a single victor.
We remember and celebrate champions.
In terms of being a successful club, Collingwood has fallen woefully behind.
The next counter will be that Collingwood’s played lots of finals, and would I rather support a club who gives themselves every chance of snaring a flag, or somebody like St Kilda?
Well, with no disrespect intended to the Saints, but why is stature only gained by comparing Collingwood to the least-successful Victorian club?
Surely the benchmark is the best.
When Novak Djokovic emerged on the tennis scene, did he aspire to be like Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, or did he console himself that he was better than whoever was ranked 100th?
As pro-wrestling legend Ric Flair says, ‘To be the man, you’ve got to beat the man.’
History’s great. And it should be treasured. It should be revered. Collingwood’s history is storied and full of achievements. Well done, Pies.
But it means nothing in dealing with the now.
This trumpeting of grandeur built on meaningless asides only distracts this club from seeing where they stand in the grand scheme of the competition, what they need to address, and how they need to move forward.
People will think this is an overreaction. Or misinterpretation. Or an old guy yelling at clouds.
But how many other clubs do you see using some minor finals win as a grand accomplishment? Or some aside, like membership figures or profits, as a qualification of how good they are? Or the state of their facilities compared to other clubs? Or some grasp at history to find present-day relevance?
Collingwood reminds me of that retired athlete who lives in the glories of their past, and trots out yesteryear’s successes to find validation in an empty present.
They pat themselves on the back for existing, use their history as a crutch, and lasso in those irrelevancies to find worth.
Why would you ever need to go above and beyond when you keep finding reasons to tell yourself you’re great anyway?
Nic
Guest
Triggered a contract extension by turning up and playing some games....if it needed to be triggered by getting a kick.....seeya!
2dogz
Roar Rookie
You wouldn’t take up the opportunity to coach the side you played for? Even if you weren’t ready?
Pieman
Guest
Im not saying this in an" i told you so "way. Im not gloating over what ive written in the past ....but a long time ago i had disbelief with succesion plan during what couldve been a genuine mini era for the pies. Unstopable Ego ed thought he knew better, Buckley needed to coach elsewhere not with the club he played for. And way too soon after his playing days. Also his demeanor as a player at times a total lack of humility showed clearly he wouldnt be what ego ed wanted him to be....a premiership coach. I think buckley is done , he wouldve been better served to say no to ego ed at the time but his own ego got the better of him. 9 years later here we are.
V
Guest
The equation for me is simple....9 years of buckley and maguire zero flags. = fail Too much talk...i agree , the club is totally distracted with ego eds many other diversions. This isnt a business this is a football club. I Understand you need money but collingwood isnt here to heighten ego eds profile, and thats how he sees it. If he is collingwood through and through he would resign ...thats the best outcome for the club. Sack the board sack buckley and new president. No flags until then....like ive said before , Stuart Dews Gold Coast will win a flag before these guys do for pies. Maybe they should chase Sam Mitchel as coach and Ben Brown ...Cox should move on , Treloar apparently is too hard to coach, that translates into, we need a new coach.
Jimmy Woods
Roar Rookie
If unfounded then would expect the club to put the issue to bed. Perhaps it’s the ruthless win at all cost streak the premise of the article says our club has lacked, so if that’s the case then welcome to a new world order. But I’m keeping Treloar and would sack 10 ahead of him + the assistant coaches & work on presidential succession.
Pieman
Guest
No he wont
Ken Woodworth
Guest
This is spot on. I 100% agree with everything in this article. What has the club done in recent years. Nowhere near as much as a lot of other clubs.
The Brazilian
Roar Rookie
Yeah, fair enough. A coach scorned perhaps. Sad if that's his motivation.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
That ‘difficult to coach sometimes’ part of it has come solely from Matt Rendell who is filthy on the Pies for sacking him so I'll wait and see on that. Rendell is enjoying his 5 minutes of fame and loving the attention.
Ray Williams
Roar Rookie
Hi Peter, I’ll remain positive as I always have, agree it is a little mind blowing when our team is so closed about what is happening and at the same time I appreciate Social media can be a minefield of tales that don’t mean much at all. Having grown up across the road from Victoria Park as a kid you learn a lot about a ‘club’ and what it means to be a supporter of this team, I do wish today’s younger supporters could feel as I do. Stay strong.
The Brazilian
Roar Rookie
What's with the alleged claim that Treloar can be 'difficult to coach sometimes'? Surely the coaches need to adapt to meet the needs of such a wide range of personalities that make up a team. Is it a bogus claim or an inappropriate response from someone at the Pies when put under pressure? I fear for this bloke's mental state if things go further south. Maybe there is still room for him across at Punt Road, close enough for him to poke his tongue out at those responsible for this mess though the back ended contract would be a huge concern, for any club.
The Brazilian
Roar Rookie
Yeah, I get it. Funny bugger.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Just messing around with your Roar name Brazilian.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Keep the faith Ray, it is infectious. I need it at the moment as right now I am a bit disenchanted with the Pies. This messy Treloar situation is ugly. Hopefully when the club can speak about it it is explained and understandable. I have been one of the clubs biggest defenders in here but right now I wonder if we are poised for a big fall resulting in a new coach and yes even a new presidency in 2021. The irony of course is Bucks may well go on and coach a premiership elsewhere.
Ray Williams
Roar Rookie
Totally correct on the heartache and plenty of post game pub visits along the way in the early days which were often times to drown myself. I hope again to see the flag and GF cup in a magpies hand. Perhaps there is a way. I sort of thought they’d chase someone like Crouch for next year. I’ll keep my eyes open, my heart strong and continue to wish for the ever elusive flag. Bring on 2021
Vercetti1986'
Roar Rookie
It is a pretty tough job being a Saints supporter. Decades of failure and lack of success on-field mean you really need to be committed. I have stuck around to support them though and I will never give up hope even though things can look very bleak at times. Hopefully this decade will be different. I think I heard though a lot of Collingwood players from the 1970 GF never got over it and it mentally destroyed them. Not sure if there is any truth to that but it wouldn't surprise me. The Saints have made a grand final in every decade since the 1960s, barring the 80s. They were hanging by a thread in the 1980s and it is quite surprising they survived it. Could easily have gone the way of poor Fitzroy. Yes, 2009 and 2010 were missed opportunies but so was 2004 and 2005, when they didn't even make the grand final. Collingwood were the best team all year in 2010 and deserved to be premiers. The standard of football was much better 10 years ago than today and I reckon the Geelong, St Kilda and Collingwood sides of 2009-2011 would wipe the floor with today's comp. I am hopeful Ratten will be our next premiership coach. He just seems to know what he is doing and is making the most of his 2nd chance. We just need a bit of luck to go our way for once and I hope this year was not a false dawn like Melbourne in 2018.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Saints ironically get even worse luck than the Pies Vercetti. The Matty Scarlett toe poke and then the Milne bounce. In that first 2010 GF I thought when Goddard took the screamer and calmy slotted the goal we were gone. When Lenny Hayes got that kick forward and Milne had Ben Johnson completely done it was a matter of a centimetre maybe that the ball went the wrong way for him. Could he have got it? We will never know. The Pies got out of jail in that first GF but I remember being really confident we would win the replay. Saints under Ratten looking so much better and seems you will have another chance soon.
2dogz
Roar Rookie
Pete’s never been wrong before.
Vercetti1986'
Roar Rookie
27 grand final defeats? That is astounding but at least you have won 15 and lived to see two in 90′ and 2010. That Collingwood 1960s team should have at least one flag in either 64 or 66 or better yet in 1970. That would have been a very difficult grand final loss to process. St Kilda have played in 8 for one win in 1966. A bit like a poor man’s Collingwood with that record, especially when they should have won in 1971′, 1997 and 2009 or 2010. Surely they will have to win one soon? We live in the age where Richmond and the Bulldogs have won flags in recent years. I will die a happy man if I live to just see one St Kilda premiership in my lifetime.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
You’ve got one heartache up on me Ray. I was too young for 1970 but have had 77,79,80,81, 2002,2003,2018…playing in one third of all Grand finals the competition has ever had is incredible but going W15- L27 in GF’s is not great! Win-Loss GF’s The bad Collingwood 15-27 St Kilda 1-7 Sydney 5-12 The good Hawthorn 13-6 Melbourne 12-5 The average Richmond 13-12 Essendon 16-14 Carlton 16-13 West Coast 4-3 North 4-5