Football Nation
Team: Collingwood
Coach: Nathan Buckley
Player Losses:
Retired: Chris Tarrant
Delisted: Paul Cribbin, Daniel Farmer, Shae McNamara, Lachlan Smith, Trent Stubbs, Luke Rounds, Cameron Wood, Simon Buckley, Jonathan Ceglar, Kirk Ugle, Peter Yagmoor
Traded: Sharrod Wellingham (West Coast), Chris Dawes (Melbourne), Tom Young (Western Bulldogs)
Free Agency: None
Player Additions:
Traded: Jordan Russell (Carlton)
Free Agency: Quinten Lynch (West Coast Eagles), Clinton Young (Hawthorn)
Category Two Rookies: Ben Richmond
National Draft: Brodie Grundy, Ben Kennedy, Tim Broomhead, Jackson Ramsay, Marley Williams (promoted rookie)
Rookie Draft: Kyle Martin (Frankston), Sam Dwyer (Port Melbourne), Adam Oxley (Redland), Jack Frost (Williamstown), Ben Hudson (Brisbane Lions), Peter Yagmoor (Collingwood), Ben Richmond (former AIS basketball player)
Pre-season Draft: None
Last Year’s Finish: 4th (16-6-0)
This year’s prediction: Top 2 would be the aim but realistically a top 4 finish is on the cards.
Three things you need to know:
1. Round 2 - This will be the most looked-forward to Carlton/Collingwood match since the 1981 Grand Final. It’s the master versus the apprentice; Buckley against Malthouse. Expect a 90,000 strong crowd at the MCG.
2. A tougher schedule - The Magpies play North Melbourne, Hawthorn, Carlton, Essendon & Sydney twice, a tough ask as all of these sides will be challenging for a finals spot. Collingwood however only play interstate 5 times and also have 14 matches at the MCG, a big advantage for September.
3. Expect more youngsters to get game time this year - The likes of Seedsman, Elliott, Sinclair, Keeffe and Witts will be regular names on the squad list. One to look out for is Josh Thomas, who VFL-watchers have been big on.
Will make the finals if:
All of their players play to their best. This list is one of the best in the competition and will be challenging come September.
Will be doomed if:
All of Beams, Swan, Pendlebury and Cloke are out injured or suspended for long periods of the season. The recruitment of Lynch, Clinton Young and Russell has added some depth and it would take a Chernobyl-like meltdown to stop this team from making the finals.
Best player(s):
Dayne Beams - He missed the 2011 Grand Final due to a mix of niggling injuries and poor form but came out all guns blazing in 2012 and won the Copeland Trophy. It’s hard to believe that he has only played 83 games.
Dane Swan - The Brownlow Medallist had a mixed 2012. He amassed an unimaginable amount of disposals for the season but the media was on his back all throughout. Was ridiculed for his so-called lack of effectiveness when disposing of the ball and also missed two games due to a club suspension for arriving at training after he had been drinking. Also his interest in football waned towards the end of the season. Will be looking to get back on track in 2013.
Scott Pendlebury - The consummate professional, there is never a match where Pendlebury goes in half-hearted. Missed some matches in the middle of the year after cracking his tibia against Gold Coast and didn’t look quite the same when he came back. Will be back to his best in 2013.
Travis Cloke - Possibly Collingwood’s most vital player, Cloke failed to live up to the standards he set for himself in 2011 but still had a fantastic season, once again leading the competition for contested marks and still kicked 59 goals. The arrival of Quinten Lynch will only help him in 2013.
Player on the rise:
Steele Sidebottom - Started the 2012 season on fire before somewhat fading away. He will follow in the footsteps of fellow 2008 draftee Dayne Beams in having a break-out season. Will be very close to, if not an elite midfielder by the end of this season.
Player on the way down:
Alan Didak - As much as it pains me to say this, Didak won’t lend much to Collingwood this season apart from his leadership skills. Has shown signs he is slowing down and hasn’t been at his best since the 2010 Grand Final Replay. Luckily, a replacement has been found in Jamie Elliott.
General Comment:
Coach Nathan Buckley will be looking to take this highly-talented squad two steps further in 2013 and it is certainly achievable. The mix of experience and youth in the team is exciting and will guarantee Collingwood as a contender for years to come.
The losses of Wellingham and Dawes have been combated by the additions of Lynch, Young and Russell. Newly-drafted ruckman Brodie Grundy also looks ready to play in what should be Darren Jolly’s last season.
Expect to see Collingwood on the second-last weekend of September and maybe even that gloried Saturday a week later.
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