The Collingwood juggernaut rocks on.
Unfortunately, it’s the Collingwood hype juggernaut.
Within a single quarter of the grand final being played, people began texting me that it would’ve been a better grand final had Tom Papley been penalised for a push in the back against Darcy Moore in the Sydney-Collingwood preliminary final, implying then Collingwood would’ve won, and would’ve offered Geelong a tougher contest in the grand final.
By the end of the match, people were openly posting this sentiment on social media. Memes started making appearances – picture of the Papley-Moore contest, with Moore (being pushed forward) being labelled “a good AFL grand final” and Papley being labelled “Sydney”.
Here we are again in Collingwoodland: despite the facts, despite the indelible historical record, we can all walk away and console ourselves for being just about the most important club in the competition.
Even when we’re not.
Why do we do this? Why does the rank and file persist with this narrative?
Another example is the 2018 preliminary final, when Collingwood trounced Richmond, but then lost to West Coast in the Grand Final. However, Richmond won flags in 2017, 2019, and 2020. Thankfully, we stopped Richmond’s four-peat, even though at this stage they were only going for back to back.
We even go the double whammy in 2018: not only did we stop Richmond’s four-peat, we were also robbed in the Grand Final itself because Brayden Maynard wasn’t paid a free kick for being blocked.
If only.
It’s the Collingwood lament: “If only [insert lament].”
At Collingwood, we must be about the most unfortunate club to grace any competitive sport because there are so many reasons for failure, and so many pseudo celebrations for all the glorious hypotheticals. We cling to these myths as if we’re prescient, and speak of them with infallible certainty.
The truth is if Collingwood overcame Sydney in the preliminary final, we don’t know how they would’ve fared against Geelong in the Grand Final. The Pies might’ve won, might’ve lost narrowly, might’ve been smashed, or might’ve been smashed by even more than the margin the Swans suffered.
(Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
The absolute truth that we can exalt is that this year, Geelong are a very good team, and they played a near-faultless Grand Final. Congratulations to the Cats. They’re worthy winners.
Go back to the Richmond fallacy, we don’t know what would’ve happened had the Tigers overcome the Pies in the 2018 preliminary final. They might’ve lost to West Coast, might’ve beaten them, or might’ve smashed them. Who knows how Richmond might’ve come up in 2019 if they’d gone back to back 2017–18?
We can theorise, speculate, and outright fictionalise, but the reality that remains is we just don’t know, so assigning any importance to Collingwood in situations like this is just an exercise in black and white martyrdom.
Blaming umpiring decisions – such as the Maynard block, or the Papley push (and there’s a litany of these that adorn Collingwood failures) – only excuses the real culprit: just not being good enough on the day.
I laud Craig McRae for his language and positioning in press conferences following the qualifying final loss and the preliminary final loss, but that attitude has to permeate through anybody and everybody associated with Collingwood.
(Photo by Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Fans will defend their stance. They’ll espouse Collingwood as being the greatest, being on the right path (after just one season), and that if not for a little luck, we could be more successful – if not ultimately successful this year.
When there are so many qualifications on self-image, you have to wonder how distorted that self-image becomes. And, once distorted, how does that impact the collective psychology of the club moving forward?
Why take responsibility for a loss (and thus address the real issues) if it’s as easy as blaming an umpiring decision? Or attributing the failure to a single incident (e.g. Anthony Rocca’s point in 2002), or an external factor (e.g. Phil Carman’s suspension in 1977)?
Why find that edge to go above and beyond in the pursuit of ultimate glory when you’re celebrated for some hypothetical achievement (that can never be proven)?
In my reality, Geelong were too good for Sydney, and both were too good for Collingwood this year – they both beat Collingwood in finals, and they both beat Collingwood during the home-and-away season.
That’s all there is to it.
If Collingwood are to move forward into a successful new era, it’s time they did so without all the unwarranted hyperbole and speculative ballast.
It’s the only way to get better.
ChrisH
Roar Rookie
Gotta say, even as a Swan, it was great to see Stanley - the most maligned ruckman in decades - get his reward. I like those sort of stories Stanley, Stengle, Scott, Rohan...
ChrisH
Roar Rookie
Nicely said, Les. I'm astounded how people seem to think that changing one moment that all the subsequent moments will stay the same. It's not just the Pies fans. Dimma wouldn't shut up about *that* goal/behind. Regards the Papley push, who's to know that if Moore had received the free, if his kick wouldn't be intercepted by a Swan and slammed thru for a goal. And the Grand Final... no one was going to get within 10 goals of those Cats in that mood. Pies fans say "Look at the QF!" Yeah? When a very nervous Geelong (who had a terrible QF record) played one of their worst games in 4 months and still won? How much would they have won by if they were in the same frame of mind they were in the GF?!! Also, I think you did well to not mention Wayne Harmes. That to me is the defining Collingwood "What if?" moment. Maybe that's when that mindset really took root. It does seem like Pies fans are the masters of the "What if?" hypotheticals. And McRae didn't help talking about umpiring, the Swans short kicks, and the SCG. It was his only real blemish on an extraordinary year.
Chanon
Roar Rookie
Why is that knackaz & you would think after this latest episode the Pies should run a tight ship. Maybe that’s why they are being so hard on your X factor gun De Goey but for the wrong reasons. He has ADHD not sure a strict clause will work. He seems like a pretty harmless individual just a young bloke having fun.
Knackaz
Roar Rookie
Exactly. Grundy doesn't take near enough marks around the ground, like Max Gawn or even Tom Hickey does. A very over-rated, over-paid player. Collingwood fall for it every time ...
Greg
Roar Rookie
I have always hated the Collingwood lament, having endured the '58 to '90 era, I have heard and to some extent taken part in it. But the Buckley years hardened me to it all. The worst period I can remember is that period. The positivity injected into the Collingwood efforts this year was just bloody wonderful. Getting better can be painful if you really want it. I admired the way Justin Leppisch played football. You would have to think that someone who played on Wayne Carey, when Carey kicked five goals and Leppisch kicked four goals, would bring a positive attacking plan to The Club.
Davico
Roar Pro
Well done. Only problem with your logic is that you were not even able to bet the Pies because they were not good enough to even be there! They and their fans were too busy on the booze rabbiting on about what might have been's!! In order to win a game/fight whatever else you want to have fantasise about, you actually need to be a participant on the day.
Aransan
Roar Rookie
I quite fancied the odds of $14 and $26 for Geelong to win the first quarter in the GF by 25-32 points and 33+ and bet accordingly. I would not have taken those odds against Collingwood. Talk is cheap.
Davico
Roar Pro
So like how the Swans beat the Cats earlier in the year?? Or how, you know, the Swans beat Collingwood the week before? And 3 games before that??
Aransan
Roar Rookie
As they were in the first qualifying final?
Davico
Roar Pro
And they also could have been flogged by 150!
Kevo
Roar Rookie
No way Collingwood would have beaten Geelong on Saturday. Only chance was to beat the Cats in the qualifying final and then creating completely different routes and circumstances to the GF for both clubs. They may have then had a sniff but unlikely Cats were ever going to lose this premiership once they got their nervous start out of the way. Pies have their share of "good luck" in finals too. Barry Breen's kick in 1966 was opposite to the bounce Milne received in the 2010 drawn GF. The wheel turns. Also the drawn final against the Eagles in 1990 possibly gave the Pies an edge over Essendon who ended up with an extra long break between games. Fabulous Phil's blatant stupidity in missing the 77 GF is often spoken about. But North had out and out champion wingman and dual Brownlow medalist in Keith Greig out as well, injured. We'll never know what would have happened. A tragedy they both missed out and for the football public. Imagine seeing Snake Baker up one end taking amazing speccies and Fabulous strutting his stuff up the other. But football tragedies are just BS compared to life tragedies. Collingwood's great tragedies have been the fatal accident of Darren Millane, the car accident of Bobby Rose's son Robert who became a paraplegic and who had played for both Collingwood and Footscray, and the cowards punch that destroyed John Greening's football career and came close to costing him his life. These had huge devastating impacts on individuals and families; and obviously the club, communities and thousands of supporters affected to a much lesser level. Fly and co are on the right track. One of Fly's great strength is the strong relationship he has with his excellent coaching staff. Another is humility. Collingwood committees have come across as arrogant at times and it has cost them but I would say Rose, Hafey, Matthews, Malthouse have been integral men. Bucks, Shaw and others too. Still believe Bucks made an error in judgement at his timing with Mick. Eddie often did some great work but he stayed too long and hubris often bit him on the ass. Also as an aside I knew an old timer who was at the 1970 GF who reckons Tuddenham deliberately cleaned up McKenna. I don't think it's the case. But there had been a pay dispute earlier on the year and speculation around that. The Pies are just that sort of club.......
JOHN ALLAN
Guest
As a long suffering Saints fan, my “what if” moment occurred in 2010. If the ball had bounced more favourably for Steven Milne, there wouldn’t have been a replay & the Pies would have won one less flag. Can’t have it both ways.
Aransan
Roar Rookie
That is what this forum is about — “talk”. Should we keep our opinions to ourselves as they are just opinions? Sydney were awful but Geelong were great. It wouldn’t have taken much for Collingwood to have put in a better performance than Sydney.
JamesH
Roar Guru
Essendon and Carlton supporters could do with a bit of this perspective, Les. Nice writeup.
Naughty's Headband
Roar Rookie
It's the born to rule mentality of Collingwood that drives it.
George Apps
Roar Rookie
Not on topic, but I wonder what will become of the Collingwood stars Brodie Grundy and Jordon DeGoey contract situations. How likely is it that if DeGoey sticks to his guns and ends up elsewhere Collingwood keeps Grundy?
Davico
Roar Pro
There is a lot of would of's in there. How do we know how much that comeback took out of Collingwood. They "could" of made it closer. They "could" of bean beaten by even more. The fact is they were not able to get to the GF so we will never know. End of! All the other talk, is just that, talk!!
George Apps
Roar Rookie
He’s a hard runner but not smart with it, so he wastes too much energy. Either that or he hasn’t got a big enough tank. Collingwood in general seemed fitter this year.
Jimmy Woods
Roar Rookie
Too funny Les Zig. Of course cats deserved to win & I doubt pies would have done much better. Congratulations to all you Cats fans & bad luck Swans, you made it to GF and the rest of us didn’t. Better to have lost in love than to have never loved at all, as the saying goes. As for our history, absolutely we were were robbed in all those games and it’s the injustice that stokes our eternal flame. Bring on next year, I feel like going for a run now.
Aransan
Roar Rookie
Geelong were the best team this season by some margin. Sydney’s season came to an end at three quarter time in the preliminary final. If Collingwood had won the preliminary final I don’t believe they would have come close to beating Geelong but probably would have done better than Sydney.