This can’t be easy for Nathan Buckley. He seems like a nice fella, albeit he is one of the world’s most prominent FIGJAMs. Right up there with Elon Musk and Gwyneth Paltrow.
Nobody deserves this. Nobody deserves what? You might ask. Well, getting accidentally shown up every single week by Craig McRae.
Buckley has to sit and watch as the bones of his Collingwood list plays intoxicating, fast, aggressive footy. Not only does he have to watch it, he has to break it down on TV as well, right after everyone has finished (again) and is basking in the afterglow.
And this is after McRae beat him in two grand finals as a player.
However, the fact that Collingwood is winning and winning like they are still doesn’t have me convinced. In a season where genuine excellence is in short supply, however, nobody should have anybody convinced.
In fact, I would peg them as the second favourite for the premiership as of today.
But it doesn’t change the fact that the bottom end of this list is not excellent. Their team yesterday included recycled players like Oleg Markov, Tom Mitchell, and Billy Frampton.
They didn’t have a true key forward, depending on how you rate Brody Mihocek. And they only have one gun key back in Darcy Moore, who might have to play in the ruck if they don’t start getting some players back soon.
So, how have Nathan Buckley’s boys gone from being in a dour, loveless marriage to having a new bull who wrote a kama sutra book? Well, as has been written 100 times, McRae has released the shackles.
In 2020, Nathan Buckley’s last full season as the Pies’ head coach, they ranked dead last in the competition for metres gained, 10th in inside 50s 14th in score involvements, and 14th in shots all while kicking less than 6 goals per game (with abbreviated games).
This season the Pies are fifth in metres gained, first in inside 50s, third in score involvements, and 6th in shots all while kicking just under 14 goals per game.
Nick Daicos of the Magpies celebrates a goal. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
What is remarkable is that the list is largely the same. Of the players who played on Anzac Day, 16 of the 23 were on the Collingwood list when Buckley bid adieu to the club.
The seven new additions are: Nick Daicos, Billy Frampton, Bobby Hill, Ash Johnson, Nathan Kreuger, Oleg Markov, and Tom Mitchell. None of those players, bar one notable exception, is a real needle mover.
In fact, by my count, the Pies had five certain, and at most eight genuinely elite players on the field on Anzac Day (The Daicos’, Moore, Sidebottom, Pendlebury, De Goey, Crisp and maybe Maynard).
That needle mover is obviously Nick Daicos. He is possibly already the best player in the competition and prompted me to whether you’d rather have Daicos or Jeremy Cameron for the rest of the season. I think it’s Cameron because of positional value and his preternatural size and speed, but it isn’t a slam dunk.
Adding Daicos to this Pies team has been like adding some new character to a middling TV show and helping it explode into the stratosphere. Kind of the anti-Meryl Streep in Big Little Lies. Think Fleabag when the hot priest came in for season 2. It took a show that was just okay and propelled it into excellence.
But even he, the number one player in the AFL in disposals, kicks, effective disposals and metres gained – an extraordinary high wire act to be sure – is a good enough answer for what was once (and arguably still is) a middling list without a genuine alpha key forward.
Yesterday they didn’t even have a ruckman. In my view, other than at the poles of excellent or terrible, the ruck does not matter. If you have one of the middle 10-12 ruck situations in the AFL you will be fine and more depends on the midfielders than anything else.
But yesterday, the Pies trotted Billy Frampton out as the number 1 ruck against Draper and Phillips, the duo that just worked Brodie Grundy like a speed bag.
The Pies were terrible and the Bombers were excellent at the position, and yet the clearances were basically even.
Then, despite having no ruckman, when the game was there to be won the Pies were +16 in inside 50s and +34 in disposals as they completely owned the ball and the game on their way to a quarter that they won by 41 points.
So, with all of that said, what are we supposed to make of Collingwood?
This would be the least impressive list since Richmond in 2017 to win the premiership. By my count, the Tigers had either 4 or 5 elite players in that 2017 premiership team depending on how you defined Dylan Grimes in 2017.
Collingwood coach Craig McRae. (Photo by Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
But that Richmond side revolutionised the game, applying extreme heat on the ball carrier and embraced the imperfection of the game in such a way that the whole was greater than the sum of its parts. The anti-Carlton, if you will.
That has to be the Collingwood blueprint.
When the game was there to be won yesterday Collingwood attacked the corridor and were able to improve their inside 50 entries markedly. They played that last quarter like they were the embodiment of a tidal wave, picking up energy with every metre of turf they chewed up.
That is their innovation, taking the best of what that Richmond side did but while also dominating clearances and showing an incredible ability at winning time to transition the ball from D50 into game winning positions. They won’t win all of the games where they find themselves in a losing position at three-quarter time, but the belief that they can could be enough to potentially propel them to a premiership.
That, especially, can’t be easy for Nathan Buckley.
Dean
Roar Rookie
He is your typical keyboard warrior. Glad there are other nice people on here, we have our disagreements over footy but we are all passionate about our teams. Won't be engaging with him ever again, not worth my time or anybody else's.
Realist
Roar Rookie
No worries…..there are many here who think he should be banned for life. He must be a very, very unhappy person with no real life to spend so much time on this site, post the things that he does and treat others here in such a vile manner.
Dean
Roar Rookie
I was just agreeing with what you said and l reported his comments. I just sent a reply to you thanking you for your advice. He doesn't know how to have a reasonable and rational discussion. When he knows he is on the back foot he always goes personal. Should be banned from the site imo.
Realist
Roar Rookie
Missed your reply in the other thread. Was deleted before I could read it.
Dean
Roar Rookie
Also 12 months ago he was one of the so called journalists that said the Hawks should trade out Mitchell, O'Meara and Wingard. He just wants to be right and has a vendetta against the Hawks because someone upset the poor chap.
dargerovitch
Roar Rookie
Unbelievable b.s. from Barrett and Wilson to accuse Hawthorn of tanking. The young mids have been going ok without Mitchell and O'Meara and getting valuable experience making them develop quickly. Hawks have also NOT had a CHF since the Gunston they were counting on left unexpectedly and against Hawks' wishes , and no FF all year with Lewis injured in pre-season. The young Hawks are improving without winning and will make the eight next year .
Naughty's Headband
Roar Rookie
Bang on Doc. The Brisbane game in particular was informative. The good teams won’t let the Pies run the ball through the middle like they do and they won’t let them back in either. I still think Melbourne are the best team this year when they are up and running; they’ll control the stoppages against Collingwood so they’ll control the game.
Mervyn Mills
Roar Rookie
Buckley did not have the skills of Mcrea , I am talking about man management skill. He has all the skills in the world, except the mot important one. And that he does not know how to motivate the players he is overseeing
PeteB
Roar Rookie
It looked like Bucks let the players play with more freedom in 2018. I had the impression he was a control freak which stifled players natural abilities for most of his tenure.
Kevo
Roar Rookie
Yes first comment there is definitely valid but it's only one side of the coin and there is a lot more complexity to the situation which I won't go on about here. All I'll say is 2018 was 7 years after 2011 and Bucks came within a bees d. All coaches end up going out through the exit door, usually in a body bag, no matter who they are.
PeteB
Roar Rookie
Took over a side that had made two successive grand finals and took them backwards every year except one. What a coach starts with and where they end up is where judgement is made. Awful record.
Kevo
Roar Rookie
The chyt coaches at the Blues got wooden spoons not to grand finals, that's the difference.
Kevo
Roar Rookie
That definitely rings a bell Peter. That's why quality umpiring is crucial in big games. Tight tense games can turn on the dime of an ump's call. I've never watched the replay, nor our premiership years as well......must do it one day. Only GF Ive watched a replay was1980. My dad a Tiges supporter had the video. I watched it about 30 years later.....why did I do that????? We never got an ounce of momentum that day, although I did remember the scores started out at 2.2 a piece but it never really felt like we were on. And Pies kept kicking points.......now they're the momentum breakers......kick a goal or 2 and who knows. But Richmond's big fellas monstered us that day.... Lee, Cloke, Roach and Jimmy Jess seemed to be jumping all over the place. And KB ran amok and showed up his old team mate in Kevin Morris and Stan Magro as a bit slow on the toe. To think Tommy could have easily recruited KB from the Tiges a year or 2 earlier but Tommy said no, he felt he wanted to do the right thing by Richmond and for KB. Anyway I do remember Pies worked their butts off for that early momentum against the Eagles and deserved their lead. If they'd got another couple I think score board pressure and confidence would have really worked in their favour. But Eagles kicked those 2 just before quarter time and that was a huge game changer.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Remember the dodgy free against Grundy after we were 5 goals up?They got a goal from that and it stopped the momentum
PeteB
Roar Rookie
Buckley would fit in perfectly at the Blues. Carlton and sh.t coaches have been a great pairing this century.
Kevo
Roar Rookie
You could see the tide turning pretty much on quarter time. I felt Pies needed to get a couple of more goals on top of their early 5 because as soon as Eagles got one the momentum would shift which it did. Langdon made a minor blue in defence just before quarter time and should have found a way to put the ball out of bounds in defence but didn't. Eagles immediately capitalised and goaled and that was a significant shifting of momentum in the game.
Dean
Roar Rookie
I agree l don't think they are tanking. I would be very disappointed if they were, a top pick is good but you need more than that to succeed.
Kevo
Roar Rookie
But at least he didn't end up Carlton Pete. Then we really would have had something to feel sorry for him.
Kevo
Roar Rookie
I'd never seen him play until this year, and mainly read comments bagging him. I had very low expectations of him. He has surprised everyone I think and he's been a key recruit. Hopefully he can keep improving. The Pies brains trust have been on the ball in recent times. Hope they're on the money with McStay! Jury is still out on that one.
Kevo
Roar Rookie
I knew that one would be coming from somewhere. It's a fair and valid comment/criticism. The one difference was the blokes the Eagles brought in all played really significant roles on the day. Obviously had more depth tham the Pies and were deserved premiers. I like to give Buck's coaching career a bit more context as he tends to get bagged a bit, including from me.