In Black and White Magazine

Collingwood News

Collingwood’s In Black and White magazine has been a regular staple of the Magpie experience for over 50 years.
The first edition was published ahead of the 1960 season, with the tagline ‘Officially printed for the convenience of Members and Supporters by the Collingwood Football Club’, and was originally known as the Collingwood Football Club Newsletter.
Published on Saturday 19 March 1960, the first edition previewed Collingwood’s second intra-club practice match of the season, and featured updates on individual performances in the first practice match, injury and holiday news, as well as a piece titled ‘The Ideal League Footballer’.
The quality of the paper and the format of the magazine has evolved over the past 54 years, developing into a hardcover, full colour publication in 1998.
Collingwood began to publish a yearbook edition of In Black and White at the end of the 2008 season.
Since 2013, a pre-season and yearbook edition have been published each year.

August 1959: The earliest Collingwood newsletter in the club’s possession.	February 1960: Titled the Collingwood Football Club Newsletter, it is an A4-sized newsletter, four pages long and is printed in standard paper in black and white. It provides general information to the club’s members about the season to follow, pays tribute to retired players and also flags some up coming social events for members, such as the Members’ Snooker Tournament.
February 1969 (Vol. 9, No. 2, Price: 10c): At the beginning of 1969, the Collingwood Football Club Newsletter changed format, from the A4 size to a smaller A5 booklet. A similar design was maintained with a basic black and white print on regular paper. The newsletter’s content also remained similar with general information about the previous and upcoming season, news about member events as well as a handful of advertisements.	March 1974 (Vol. 14, No. 3, Price: 10c): While the Newsletter remained similar from 1969 through to the mid 1970s, in 1974, the front cover took on a different design, with the usual opening story replaced by a Magpie logo that took up the entire cover. Content of the newsletter remained much the same with the addition of photographs, where previous editions were largely made up of written content with the occasional cartoon.
May 1975 (Vol. 1, No. 4, Price: 20c): In May of 1975, the Collingwood Football Club Newsletter became Magpie Mail and then went from the pocket size A5 to more of a broadsheet A3 size. With this came the addition of green print, rather than just black and white. This edition included more photographs and advertisements, breaking up the club stories, and was eight pages long.	May 1979 (Vol. 1, No. 2, Price: 20c): In 1979, the newsletter reverted back to black and white while maintaining the larger A3 size. The title changed again, this time to In Black and White, which remains to this day. Content remained similar, covering topics like general club updates, player profiles and advertising social events for members such as lawn bowls and snooker.
May/June 1980 (Vol. 2, No. 4, Price: 20c): In 1980, there was a return back to the smaller A5 layout printed in black and white. The content, however, remained the same, with columns such as the coach’s report featuring throughout most of the newsletters to date.	April 1982 (Vol. 4, No. 3, Price: 50c ($6.00 per year): In 1982, the magazine returned to its original A4 size, this time on glossy paper. The cover design changed with this shift, featuring a slightly different header, though the name remained the same. This publication also introduced a centrefold image collage. The feature of the collage for this edition was photos from the pre-season training.
December 1982 (Vol. 4, No. 11): By the end of 1982, the cover design of In Black and White had changed again. The glossy black and white A4 newsletter now had a bolder title and a lot more content spanning over 16 pages.	November 1983 (Vol. 5, No. 11): The 1980s witnessed yet another change in the design of In Black and White, this time trialling colour photographs for the front page. This appeared to be a one off, though, with the publication printing only in black and white for the next few years.
November 1985 (Vol. 7, No. 1): In 1985, the design changed again, returning to its A3 size. This edition very much resembled a newspaper layout, containing in-depth stories about players past and present with accompanying photographs .There was a also a page dedicated to ‘Members say” where comments from a number of supporters were featured.	November 1987 (Price: $3.00): The June 1987 edition marked the change to colour printing for good for the cover of In Black and White. While still the A3 glossy, this 1987 edition contained even more content than previous newsletters, reaching 20 pages in length. Some new features in the version included a centrefold colour poster of an individual player, photos from member events and a list of statistics from individual games.
November 1988 (Price: $3.00): This edition maintained a similar design to the 1987 editions, but it returned to the A4 size – the size In Black and White has remained at ever since. Much of the content included inside remained similar to that seen in 1987, including the centrefold colour image, coaches report and player profiles as well as general club and member news.	Magpies 1995 Player Year Book (Price: $9.95): For several years during the 1980s and 1990s, the club published a player yearbook, containing profiles, photos and statistics for all players on the list that season.
June 1998 (No. 2, Price: $4.95): In Black and White underwent a dramatic change in its design, layout and content in 1998. It now resembled a glossy magazine, being printed entirely in colour, and took on a much more elaborate graphically designed format. This edition contained several photographs, comprehensive written features as well as an ‘I Was There When’ section looking back at a historical moment in the club’s history.	December 2001 (No. 16, Price: $4.95): The special edition 2001 yearbook took on a similar format to the 1995 Player Yearbook. It contained in-depth player interviews as well as an overview of the season that was.
April 2003 (No. 21, Price: $5.95): Throughout the first decade of the 21st Century, the layout, content and design of In Black and White remained much the same. The April 2003 edition reverted back to a more basic front cover design, though, and the publication’s title design changed slightly.	August 2005 (No. 28, Price: $5.95): The edition of August 2005 illustrates the slight change in the design of the publication title. Much like previous editions, there is a centrefold poster image of a player, features on certain players that are accompanied by an in-depth article as well as a historical feature, titled ‘honouring the greats’.
December 2010 (No. 44, Price: $9.95): The 2010 In Black and White yearbook was a special souvenir edition dedicated to Collingwood’s 15th premiership. It provided an overview of the season, with round by round statistics and game descriptions. Also included were profiles of each player and their season as well as photos and written features following the Grand Final win over St Kilda.	December 2011 (No. 47, Price: $9.95): During season 2011, Black and White underwent a slight change in its design. The content of the 2011 yearbook edition saw a shift towards a lot more visual content, compared with previous publications. As had become the norm with yearbook editions, there was a large focus on player reviews and again an inclusion of game-by-game overviews and statistics from the season just past.

Collingwood 2015 List

Collingwood News

Collingwood’s list for 2015 is now finalised following the completion of the Rookie Draft.
The Magpies will enter the new season with 39 players on their senior list with one nominated rookie, Jack Frost.
Frost is one of six players on the club’s rookie list.
American Mason Cox, an international rookie, sits outside the rookie list as a Category B rookie (Category B rookies are explained below).

Collingwood’s 2015 Playing List *Denotes rookie listed players
Tall defenders: Nathan Brown, Jack Frost, Lachlan Keeffe, Jonathon Marsh
Small/medium defenders: Tony Armstrong*, Tom Langdon, Michael Manteit*, Brayden Maynard, Adam Oxley, Jackson Ramsay, Matthew Scharenberg, Paul Seedsman, Ben Sinclair, Alan Toovey, Marley Williams
Midfielders: Taylor Adams, Jarryd Blair, Jordan De Goey, Matthew Goodyear, Nathan Freeman, Ben Kennedy, Brent Macaffer, Scott Pendlebury, Steele Sidebottom, Dane Swan, Josh Thomas, Clinton Young
Tall forwards: Travis Cloke, Corey Gault*, Jesse White
Small/medium forwards: Brenden Abbott*, Tim Broomhead, Sam Dwyer, Jamie Elliott, Alex Fasolo, Patrick Karnezis
Ruckmen: Brodie Grundy, Jarrod Witts
Utilities: Tyson Goldsack, Darcy Moore, Ben Reid

List Profile
Most experienced player: Dane Swan (236 games)
Players to have played 200 games or more: Dane Swan, Travis Cloke
Oldest player: Dane Swan (30 years and 283 days)
Youngest player: Brayden Maynard (18 years and 76 days)
Tallest player: Mason Cox (211cm)
Smallest player: Jarryd Blair/Ben Kennedy (174cm)
Players without senior experience: Brenden Abbott*, Jordan De Goey, Nathan Freeman, Matthew Goodyear, Michael Manteit*, Jonathon Marsh, Brayden Maynard, Darcy Moore, Matthew Scharenberg
2010 premiership players: Jarryd Blair, Nathan Brown, Travis Cloke, Tyson Goldsack, Brent Macaffer, Scott Pendlebury, Ben Reid, Steele Sidebottom, Dane Swan, Alan Toovey

List Changes

IN: Brenden Abbott (Claremont) Mason Cox (international rookie) Jack Crisp (Brisbane) Jordan De Goey (Oakleigh U18) Matthew Goodyear (Calder U18) Levi Greenwood (North Melbourne) Michael Manteit (Sandringham U18) Brayden Maynard (Sandringham U18) Darcy Moore (Oakleigh U18) Travis Varcoe (Geelong)

OUT: Luke Ball (retired) Dayne Beams (traded) Marty Clarke (retired) Ben Hudson (retired) Heritier Lumumba (traded) Quinten Lynch (retired) Kyle Martin (retired) Nick Maxwell (retired) Caolan Mooney (delisted) Peter Yagmoor (delisted)

Category B Rookies explained
In addition to these six rookie-listed players, each club can include up to three additional players (now referred to as Category B rookies) on its Rookie List provided the player either:

• has not registered in an Australian Football competition for three years immediately before inclusion on the Rookie List;
• is an international player, meaning he is not an Australian citizen and has not lived in Australia for a substantial period;
• is a former NSW Scholarship player with that club;
• is a former International Scholarship player with that club;
• is a rookie Zone Selection for clubs based in NSW or Queensland.

Collingwood TV Guide 2015

Round 1
Date	Home v Away	Venue	AEDT	TV
Sat, Apr 4	Brisbane v Collingwood	Gabba	7.20pm	7mate
Round 2
Date	Home v Away	Venue	AEST	TV
Sat, Apr 11	Collingwood v Adelaide	Etihad	4.35pm	Foxtel
Round 3
Date	Home v Away	Venue	AEST	TV
Fri, Apr 17	Collingwood v St Kilda	MCG	7.50pm	7mate
Round 4
Date	Home v Away	Venue	AEST	TV
Sat, Apr 25	Essendon v Collingwood	MCG	2.40pm	7mate
Round 5
Date	Home v Away	Venue	AEST	TV
Fri, May 1	Carlton v Collingwood	MCG	7.50pm	7mate
Round 6
Date	Home v Away	Venue	AEST	TV
Fri, May 8	Collingwood v Geelong	MCG	7.50pm	7mate
Round 7
Date	Home v Away	Venue	AEST	TV
Sun, May 17	Richmond v Collingwood	MCG	3.20pm	7mate
Round 8
Date	Home v Away	Venue	AEST	TV
Sat, May 23	Gold Coast v Collingwood	Metricon	4.35pm	Foxtel
Round 9
Date	Home v Away	Venue	AEST	TV
Sun, May 31	Collingwood v North Melbourne	MCG	3.20pm	7mate
Round 10
Date	Home v Away	Venue	AEST	TV
Mon, Jun 8	Melbourne v Collingwood	MCG	3.20pm	7mate
Round 11
Date	Home v Away	Venue	AEST	TV
Sun, Jun 14	Collingwood v GWS Giants	MCG	1.10pm	Foxtel
Round 12
Date	Home v Away	Venue	AEST	TV
	Bye
Round 13
Date	Home v Away	Venue	AEST	TV
Thur, Jun 25	Fremantle v Collingwood	Patersons	8.10pm	7mate
Round 14
Date	Home v Away	Venue	AEST	TV
Fri, Jul 3	Collingwood v Hawthorn	MCG	7.50pm	7mate
Round 15
Date	Home v Away	Venue	AEST	TV
Thur, Jul 9	Port Adelaide v Collingwood	Adelaide	7.50pm	7mate
Round 16
Date	Home v Away	Venue	AEST	TV
Sat, Jul 18	Collingwood v West Coast	Etihad	4.35pm	Foxtel
Round 17
Date	Home v Away	Venue	AEST	TV
Sun, Jul 26	Western Bulldogs v Collingwood	Etihad	1.10pm	Foxtel
Round 18
Date	Home v Away	Venue	AEST	TV
Sat, Aug 1	Collingwood v Melbourne	MCG	2.10pm	Foxtel
Round 19
Date	Home v Away	Venue	AEST	TV
Sat, Aug 8	Collingwood v Carlton	MCG	1.45pm	7mate
Round 20
Date	Home v Away	Venue	AEST	TV
Fri, Aug 14	Sydney v Collingwood	SCG	7.50pm	7mate
Round 21
Date	Home v Away	Venue	AEST	TV
Sat, Aug 22	Collingwood v Richmond	MCG	1.45pm	7mate
Round 22
Date	Home v Away	Venue	AEST	TV
Fri, Aug 28	Geelong v Collingwood	MCG	7.50pm	7mate
Round 23
Date	Home v Away	Venue	AEST	TV
Fri, Sept 4 or Sun, Sept 6	Collingwood v Essendon	MCG	TBC	TBC

Pies' Picks 2014 Draft

Pick 5: Jordan De Goey Oakleigh Chargers Age 18 187cm 82kg Defender/midfielder A competitive and versatile medium defender/midfielder. Strong overhead and in one-on-one contests. Good decision-maker by hand and foot. Provided a spark up forward by booting three goals in the Oakleigh Chargers' Grand Final win, playing mainly forward. Makes the most of his opportunities. List Manager Derek Hine: "He plays 360 degrees, makes really good decisions and plays forward, back and midfield. He can play forward in his own right. His exposure to the elite pathway system has also been light so (there’s) plenty of scope."

Pick 9: Darcy Moore Oakleigh Chargers Age 18 199cm 93kg Forward/defender Tall forward or defender with excellent closing speed and natural leap. Strong overhead mark.The son of Collingwood great and two-time Brownlow medallist Peter Moore. Moore boasts excellent closing speed, a natural leap, strong marking ability over his head and smarts around goal. List Manager Derek Hine: "It's early days but it's not surprising the way he has attacked the system. He has been terrific in the way he has approached earning the respect of the playing group. He is healthy but we have to work out whether he goes forward or back."

Pick 30: Brayden Maynard Sandringham Age 18 186cm 88kg Defender Left footer with powerful kick, excellent evasive skills and rarely beaten one on one. With his father Peter a member of Glenelg's Hall of Fame in South Australia, Maynard comes with good footy pedigree. He's a tough player who builds his game around the contested side. Probably best suited to a half-back role. List Manager Derek Hine: "He has played mainly off half-back but in his last couple of games this year were in the midfield. He's an elite kick and although he doesn't test high for endurance he doesn't play that way, running to the right spots. I would be surprised if he didn't play some footy next year. He is the grandson of former Fitzroy footballer and coach Graham Campbell."

Pick 48: Matthew Goodyear Calder Age 18 185cm 77kg Midfielder Extremely athletic medium midfielder with elite speed and endurance. Prolific ball winner at the Cannons and had a taste of the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships playing in three matches, averaging 13 disposals in limited game time. His drive and rebound from half-back as well as through the midfield often breaks the game open. List Manager Derek Hine: "He has been able to come in and play at the highest level when the game is at its hottest. He has some work to do on his kicking but his speed/endurance combination and his ability to move laterally is impressive."

Collingwood Stadium

REAL FOOTY

Collingwood have revealed an ambitious long-term plan to build their own stadium and have already explored options for a new ground as the club announced another year of multimillion-dollar profits.
With limits on where and how profits can be spent on their players and football department, and with the club's newly expanded home facilities on the Yarra almost complete, the Magpies are canvassing options for further investment in the club.
One possibility in the long term is to copy the big European soccer clubs that buttress their financial futures by owning their own stadiums.
Building a new home ground would doubtless strike significant difficulties with the AFL and MCC for the long-term contractual commitment with the MCG where Collingwood presently plays home games.
Collingwood announced a $2 million profit for this year, which came after a write-down of more than $3 million of the new expanded Westpac Centre for administration and football and for the community facilities.
The club's underlying operating profit for the year was well in excess of $5 million.
This year's profit included $1.3 million from the sale of the Beach Hotel, which was sold two years ago but finally resolved this year.
Chief executive Gary Pert said the club had adopted a similar philosophy to La Liga giants Barcelona FC on how to handle their financial strength and ongoing profits once all football and administration costs were covered.
"We are strategically committed that we will use the profits to keep the costs of membership and membership services down. We had a cost freeze on membership last year and a small increase this year, but nowhere near the increase in cost to us," he said.
"It is a Barcelona model. Basically, what Barcelona does is say, 'We are going to make big money out of sponsorships and generate great revenues from all our commercial deals and that is done to keep your membership costs down'."
However, Pert said consideration had already been given to options for investing in the club once the community centre was paid off and that owning their own stadium was one option.
"I know what that [next option for investment] is and it is substantial," he said. "We can't do it now because we have money committed there, but it potentially shifts what the club is once we do it."
When asked if building and owning a stadium was among the club's plans, Pert agreed it was a serious consideration.
"We would love to have our own stadium. And, no, it is not beyond the realm of possibility; we have looked at options," he said.
"That would be our ideal - to have our own stadium - and we have explored it. It's not in the short term but it would be our ideal though. I don't think [a return to] Victoria Park works ... it wouldn't give us the land and scope. I can't say where it would be, but you don't need to buy the land, there are so many joint-venture partners, private equity and stuff. It's not pie in the sky."
One issue the AFL have confronted following the ground rationalisation of the past few decades is that clubs have struggled to demonstrate their identity at grounds and to distinguish their "match-day experience" from other matches as all games - at least for Melbourne clubs - are played at the same two grounds.
Geelong remains unique among Victorian teams in having their own stadium.
Last year, Collingwood declared a $16 million profit, but that included one-off grants from the government of more than $11 million for the redevelopment of the Westpac Centre and the construction of a community centre there and further write-downs.
Pert said the AFL's experiment with the fixture this year had financially hurt the club with the large number of Sunday games a problem and, in particular, the Carlton Sunday twilight fixture that was so unpopular the low attendance had cost the club about $750,000.
The club's football expenses were down $400,000 on 2013 and Pert said the club was budgeting to be down close to the soft cap on football department spending next year but was still likely to have to pay some level of "tax".
For the first time the club listed in the annual report the revenue-sharing and equalisation payments they make to the AFL, noting outgoings of $893,000 this year.
"People think revenue sharing starts next year, but that is the $893,000 from gate receipts that we gave to the AFL this year. Last year, it was $848,000," Pert said.

Collingwood 2014 Financials

Collingwood News The Collingwood Football Club has announced a net profit of $2,017,992 for the financial year ending October 31, 2014. The result is the 14th consecutive profit Collingwood has recorded and was largely generated off the back of record membership of over 80,000 (80,793) – a new club and AFL record. The club carries no debt and its net asset position sits at $37,085,589. Collingwood President Eddie McGuire said the profit reflected the all-important contribution members make and years of strategic planning and work to create a football club capable of standing on its own two feet, year after year. “I’m very proud. Our members continue to stand behind their football club and never has that support been more important because every cent comes back to Collingwood. Membership is the only area the AFL can’t touch,” McGuire said. “We exist in an increasingly difficult environment and in that environment we remain not only independent and in control of our future but prosperous, able to uphold, through the many philanthropic causes we support and serve, our commitment to the greater social good. “The need to be financially healthy and independent is a must. We know that to provide our players, coaches and staff with the best opportunities to succeed we must continue to invest wisely and to do that, on our terms, we must continue to produce results like the one we produced this year. “Without outstanding support from our members and corporate partners, and strong leadership, things could have been very different.” Collingwood Chief Executive Gary Pert said the result would enable the club to continue to invest in the football program and ways in which it can provide better experiences and create more value for members. “This is a very strong result created in the face of some significant challenges,” Pert said. “We didn’t play finals and the consequences of an experimental fixture had a considerable impact on us and yet we remained profitable and robust, which is really significant because our investment in the club’s two key stakeholders, the players and fans, has to continue. “We became a more efficient operation in 2014. This streamlining, coupled with the invaluable support of our members and corporate partners, meant we were able to continue to strengthen our football program. “While we have had to address the impact of the AFL’s recently introduced football department spending cap, we have been able to bolster the program in the areas of player welfare and skill acquisition. “Our commitment to improving our service and returns to members has also been able to grow, with a further investment in the relationship through the club’s own media channels planned. “This is a result that demonstrates how important it is to be strong off the field so that you can be strong on it.” The Collingwood annual general meeting for the 2014 season will be held on February 12, 2015, at Melbourne Park. Full details of the AGM will be communicated to members. Highlights of Collingwood’s 2014 financial year include: Net operating profit of $2,017,992 Total revenue of $76,819,714 Record membership 80,793 Net assets $37,085,589 Collingwood carries no debt

SUPERFOOTY THE PIES have lauded a fan-friendly 2015 fixture after the AFL’s Sunday night experiment against Carlton shredded $750,000 from their bottom line. Collingwood has announced a $2.017 million profit for the 2014 season, a figure that included a $2.5 million drop in match-day and membership revenue. The Pies’ association with the Beach Hotel finally ended after they sold it for $1.3 million, with $3.064 million of depreciation on their Westpac facilities also reducing the size of their profit. The AFL used the Pies as the centrepiece of their aborted Sunday night experiment, with just 40,936 watching a June game that was the worst MCG attendance between the arch-rivals since 1921. “It is another strong result for us. We finished 11th and were still profitable and it is a testament to the members and the support they give to the club,’’ Pert said. “Our gate receipts were quite a bit what we budgeted for. We had already dropped our numbers when the fixture came out and even then we didn’t hit those. “I would suggest the (Collingwood-Carlton) game cost us around $700,000 to $750,000. Not only in gate receipts but our corporate events too. This one was totally out of kilter with anything we have had.” Six of Collingwood’s nine night games in 2015 are on Friday, with two on Thursdays but no Sunday night games. The Pies this year contributed $893,165 to AFL revenue sharing through the gate levy and will next year pay a $500,000 revenue tax and about $200,000 in the footy department spending tax. And while a review of the business has slashed some costs this year they have also hired a new skill acquisition coach and a second welfare manager. The Pies actually spent $450,000 less on their footy department this year but are unlikely to get under the footy department tax which hits 75 cents on the dollar by 2016. “Our ambition is to get as close to that target as we can without compromising our strategy in any way,’’ Pert said. “We are not going to compromise recruiting and the footy program and we believe if we run things tightly we can go pretty close to the soft cap targets without feeling any compromise.” Collingwood has announced a net profit of $2,017,992 for the financial year ending October 31, 2014.

2015 Preview: Collingwood

THE ROAR - Sam Aldridge

Last season
Nathan Buckley continued his dismantling of the Ratpack sending Heath Shaw to GWS to cast his influence over the youth of tomorrow. Dale Thomas missed Mick Malthouse too much so he made his way to rivals Carlton and the Pies traded hard to get Jesse White from Sydney. The season started well with the Pies sitting in fourth after Round 12.
Winning 3 out of the last 11 games saw Collingwood come crashing down as they finished in 11th. The highlight was the emergence of first year late draft pick Tom Langdon, who looked like a seasoned defender before fatigue set in. Jack Frost and Jarrod Witts also established themselves in the best 22, but Collingwood will see the season as a lost opportunity.

Next season
Nick Maxwell and Luke Ball retired and Hertier Lumumba made his way to Melbourne during trade week. The Pies secured Kangaroo’s Best and Fairest Levi Greenwood along with Geelong premiership player Travis Varcoe through trades while being forced to use their number nine draft pick to bring in father/son selection Darcy Moore.
The Pies also managed to outbid the workplace of Mason Cox, who comes over from Oklahoma State University. Collingwood will be out for revenge in 2015 aiming to keep their injury list low.
Varcoe and Greenwood boost an already star-studded midfield and their young defence will have benefitted from an extra pre-season. This is one of the harder teams to predict but I expect the Pies to sit between seventh to 10th, with too much reliance on Cloke and a young defence taking its toll before season’s end.

Who to watch out for
Travis Cloke had a poor year by his standards last season, only kicking 39 goals. With extra midfield options through trades and natural progression, and Marley Williams playing a full season off half back, expect the delivery to improve and Cloke to have a greater influence on matches.
Jarryd Blair had a statistically down season last year. With Beams gone he will assume more responsibility expecting him to slot into a small forward/pinch-hitting midfielder role, returning to the form he displayed from 2010 to 2013.

Needs a big year
Jesse White came across from Sydney to play the tall forward role supporting Travis Cloke. He managed 18 games and 20 goals in 2014, but the Pies were hoping he could be utilised as a focal point taking defenders away from Cloke. White will need to demand more of the ball this season which will either boost his goal tally or boost that of Cloke’s.

Best 22
FB: Toovey, Brown, Frost
HB: Langdon, Reid, Williams
C: Varcoe, Greenwood, Pendlebury
HF: Sidebottom, Cloke, Blair
FF: Elliott, White, Goldsack
R: Grundy, Swan, MacCaffer
I: Witts, Fasolo, Young, Thomas

Neil Balme New Football Manager

REAL FOOTY

Geelong football boss Neil Balme will make a return to Collingwood to head up its football department, replacing Rodney Eade, who has joined Gold Coast as senior coach.
Balme has been on a rolling, open-ended contract at Geelong and so was not strictly poached by Collingwood.
Balme agreed he was moving to Collingwood at an important time for coach Nathan Buckley, with whom his good relationship has endured, and he admitted working with Buckley was a factor in his decision.
He stressed that his decision was in no way a reflection on his relationship with Chris Scott, who he praised as an excellent coach to work with.
"I've known 'Bucks' for a long time and he is someone I have the highest personal and professional regard for," Balme said.
"We share a lot of common ground in terms of our thinking on the game and to take on the challenge of building something substantial and, hopefully, pretty successful with him is of real appeal. I had a wonderful time with Geelong but the time to move on had arrived."
It is understood Balme, who worked as Collingwood's football operations manager from 1998 until 2006, has been offered a significant pay rise to return to the Pies.
Balme left the Magpies after a review conducted by a former SAS soldier, whose tenure at the club was short-lived.
Balme's role at Geelong will be taken up by Steve Hocking, who has been with the club since 2004, much of that time as football operations manager. Balme will stay with the Cats until after this year's draft.
"We thank Neil for his outstanding contribution to the club over the past eight years and at the same time welcome Steve as our new head of football," Cats CEO Brian Cook told the club's website.
"Steve has been instrumental in our success over the past decade and has played a key leadership role in both football and at our club. The transition to Steve will be made much simpler by the fact that he has been so involved in our operations at all levels for so long."
Cook said Balme's decision to leave the club was not a surprise, as Balme had kept the club updated throughout his discussions with the Pies.
Given Collingwood's demand for compensation from Gold Coast for losing Eade, the prospect of Geelong asking for something similar from the Pies for Balme's departure was raised at Monday's press conference.
However Cook revealed Balme was not under an ongoing contract with the Cats, and therefore the idea of compensation was "not relevant" and would not be discussed with Collingwood.
Although sad to lose him, Cook said Balme went with Geelong's blessing.
Balme's only requirement is to give the club four weeks notice, which he will do by helping the Cats through the upcoming draft period - something he stressed was important to him.
Hocking will watch over Balme's shoulder and continue his development through that period.
Cook also revealed the club was close to officially announcing two new key appointments in the club's fitness department.

Collingwood: An Analysis

SUPERFOOTY - David King

COLLINGWOOD is on the slide.
Coach Nathan Buckley has refined the game style, the list and the culture — and the Pies have progressively tumbled down the ladder.
Winning 17 games in 2012, 14 in 2013 and after a disappointing 11 wins last season the natives are getting restless.
Make no mistake, this is Buckley’s club now and the premise that Collingwood was taking one step backwards to ensure two steps forward in the next three seasons is under the microscope.
Collingwood is an iconic brand, possibly the biggest trademark in Australian sport, but that hasn’t helped it with recruitment or retention. Who was the last key signing to the Magpies? The perception outside of the club is they meet with plenty, but sign none.

PROS
THE Magpies’ biggest asset throughout this season was their harassment pressure. The thirst to force the opposition into turnover was evident and was the most common reason they won games. Collingwood had a 5-5 record against top-eight teams and in all five victories they out-pressured their opponents and won the turnover battle.
The uncovering of depth was pleasing for Buckley as Lachlan Keefe, Jack Frost, Jarrod Witts, Tom Langdon and Brodie Grundy were forced ahead of time to shoulder the load. They played 94 games between them this year as a down payment on their development, while Ben Reid, Nathan Brown, Paul Seedsman and Nick Maxwell struggled to get on the park.

CONS
THE Collingwood midfield is overrated. They’re a midfield without damage, they fire blanks.
They have two major problems: they cannot win enough contested possessions at clearances and when in possession they cannot hit targets.
Collingwood ranked 14th for contested possessions last season, 15th for clearances and, most concerning, 17th for disposal differential against their opposition. They average 30 fewer possessions than their direct opponent every week.
Collingwood’s kicking efficiency is the second worst in the competition. Put simply, Collingwood cannot win enough ball and, if they do, they cannot keep it.
Are Steele Sidebottom and Jarryd Blair ready and capable of relaunching this midfield back among the competitions best?
The Pies can’t score. They averaged a meagre 80 points a game, but an alarming 66 points for the last two months of the home-and-away season.
Their forward 50 is a mess. Travis Cloke has gone from marquee to mediocre and the hysteria surrounding his classification as “above average” not “elite” in the Champion Data Prospectus last off-season will only be matched by its “average” (at best) rating next publication I’m sure.
Cloke has lost his contested marking supremacy only taking 32 this season which is well down on his yearly average of 73 over the past four years. He commanded marquee money and hasn’t delivered his end of the bargain.
What is Jesse White’s role? Can the Pies afford to use Jamie Elliott in the midfield when he’s their most productive forward 50 option?
When Dayne Beams exited, so too did the dream of a Scott Pendlebury-led premiership. Beams was the Pies’ best clearance player, inside-50 distributor and goalscoring midfielder with 20-plus goals again this year.
Pendlebury is a must-watch in the next 12-24 months as his monitoring of all decisions and planning is deeper than most players.
If Pendlebury was of the belief that Collingwood wasn’t on the path to premiership success at 27 years of age next season, then exercising his free agency options may be a consideration.
Buckley couldn’t afford to lose Beams, but Pendlebury’s departure would be a significant nail in his coaching coffin.

Draw: 2015 Home and Away

Collingwood News
 
Collingwood will enjoy a string of matches at the home of football against some of its oldest rivals when season 2015 rolls around.
Ten of its 14 games at the MCG will be against Carlton, Essendon, Geelong, Melbourne and Richmond.
What’s more, the Magpies will only leave Melbourne once after 9 July, and four of their five matches outside Victoria will be shown in prime time.

Collingwood's 2015 Home and Away Fixture
Round	Date	Match	Venue	Time
1	Sat 4 Apr	Brisbane v Collingwood	Gabba	6:20 PM
2	Sat 11 Apr	Collingwood v Adelaide	Etihad	4:35 PM
3	Fri 17 Apr	Collingwood v St Kilda	MCG	7:50 PM
4	Sat 25 Apr	Essendon v Collingwood	MCG	2:40 PM
5	Fri 1 May	Carlton v Collingwood	MCG	7:50 PM
6	Fri 8 May	Collingwood v Geelong	MCG	7:50 PM
7	Sun 17 May	Richmond v Collingwood	MCG	3:20 PM
8	Sat 23 May	Gold Coast v Collingwood	Metricon	4:35 PM
9	Sat 31 May	Collingwood v North Melbourne	MCG	3:20 PM
10	Mon 8 Jun	Melbourne v Collingwood	MCG	3:20 PM
11	Sun 14 Jun	Collingwood v GWS	MCG	1:10 PM
12		BYE
13	Thurs 25 Jun	Fremantle v Collingwood	Patersons	6:10 PM
14	Fri 3 Jul	Collingwood v Hawthorn	MCG	7:50 PM
15	Thurs 9 Jul	Port Adelaide v Collingwood	Adelaide	7:20 PM
16	Sat 18 Jul	Collingwood v West Coast Eagles	Etihad	4:35 PM
17	Sun 26 Jul	Western Bulldogs v Collingwood	Etihad	1:10 PM
18	Sat 1 Aug	Collingwood v Melbourne	MCG	2:10 PM
19	Sat 8 Aug	Collingwood v Carlton	MCG	1:45 PM
20	Fri 14 Aug	Sydney v Collingwood	SCG	7:50 PM
21	Sat 22 Aug	Collingwood v Richmond	MCG	1:45 PM
22	Fri 28 Aug	Geelong v Collingwood	MCG	7:50 PM
23	TBC	Collingwood v Essendon	MCG	TBC

Note: All times are local to the city in which the game will be played.

2015 fixture breakdown

Who do we play twice?
Collingwood will meet Carlton, Essendon, Geelong, Melbourne and Richmond twice in season 2015. Combined, the Pies have played the five clubs a total of 1,135 times since 1897. It means you can expect some huge MCG crowds and plenty of high intensity football.

Did you know?
The Magpies will meet the Blues for the 250th time when the game’s most traditional rivals gather at the MCG on Friday 1 May.

When was the last time we started a season outside Victoria?
Many of today’s Collingwood players weren’t even born when their club last kicked off a campaign on interstate soil.
The year was 1990, and the match was played on 1 April – 9,134 days prior to Collingwood’s 2015 season opener against Brisbane at the Gabba.
It was the Magpies who were made to look like fools, going down to West Coast by 46 points at Subiaco Oval.
Worse was to come for debutant Tony Francis who copped a six week suspension for kicking Eagle Murray Rance.
Few would have guessed that Francis and his Magpies would be saluting on the MCG on Grand Final day later that year.

Who do we play outside Victoria?
Collingwood will leave Victoria five times during the 2015 home and away season, with two games in Queensland and one in South Australia, Western Australia and New South Wales. The Pies will also be travelling to Tasmania for the first time since 2001 to kick off the NAB Challenge against Hawthorn on 26 February.

When did we last play Sydney at the SCG?
More than 15 years will have elapsed when the Magpies run out onto the Sydney Cricket Ground in round 20. You have to wind the clock back to round four of season 2000 to track down the last meeting between the two clubs at the famous venue.
It was a match worth remembering, too.
With just a minute remaining, both teams were level on 100 points apiece. Sydney’s Wayne Schwass lined up a set shot from just outside the 50m arc. The wingman’s kick made it right to the goal line where it was touched by Simon Prestigiacomo. The behind meant the Swans led by a point.
But those who know the SCG will remember that the ground isn’t quite the size of the MCG. It’s 12.6 metres shorter in length than it’s Melbourne cousin, meaning it’s a little easier to transfer the ball from one end to the other.
Nathan Buckley, who was a thumping kick no matter what ground he was playing on, made good use of the smaller ground, posting the ball just short of the centre circle from the kick in.
Paul Licuria swooped on the crumbs, breaking away from Ben Mathews and finding Anthony Rocca loose inside 50. Ironically, both had played on the ground together during their early years in red and white.
Rocca, who to that stage of his career had kicked 94 goals and 84 behinds, coolly soaked up the pressure before slotting his third goal of the night to put Collingwood in front with a mere 16 seconds left on the clock.
The young Magpies hit the boundary line and took the remaining time off the time clock to hang on to a five-point win. It was the fourth win from as many starts under new coach Mick Malthouse. Unfortunately, just three more would follow in the remaining 18 weeks.
The venue, established in 1848, also played host to Collingwood’s 2000th VFL/AFL game as well as Tony Lockett’s record-breaking 1300th goal against the Black and White.
What does next year’s trip have in store?

How many times will we play the Preliminary Finalists of 2014?
There will be just one meeting with each of the Swans, Hawks, Power and Roos.

How many night games will we play? How often will we feature on Friday night footy?
Nine of Collingwood’s 21 confirmed home and away games will be played at night, while a further three will be twilight matches. Six of the nine night games will be played on a Friday night and two will be on Thursday nights outside Victoria.

We’re playing Melbourne and Richmond twice? When did that last happen?
It’s been a while since these stars aligned. Collingwood has not met Melbourne twice in a home and away season since 2010, while it last played Richmond twice in 2007.
In fact, the Pies have squared off twice in the one year against the Dees just three times (2007, 2009 and 2010) since 1997, while they have met the Tigers twice just once in the past 10 years.
It’ll be a rare opportunity for the Magpies to wear the black shorts into battle. As Melbourne is generally the home team on the Queen’s Birthday, the match will be just Collingwood’s fourth home game against the Demons this century.

I can’t put my finger on it, but it looks like something’s missing…
If you thought the fixture lacked a familiar venue, you were right. Stadium Australia, currently known as ANZ Stadium, has hosted at least one game (13 in total) between Collingwood and Sydney since 2003. Of these 13, the Magpies have won 10, and all bar one since 2006.

Where will Etihad Stadium come into play?
Collingwood has been drawn to play three home and away matches at the Docklands Stadium in 2015. It has not played more than three games at the venue in the one year since 2011.

Which networks will be broadcasting our matches?
Of the 21 confirmed matches, 15 will be shown on Channel Seven and six on Fox Footy.

Why is our match against Essendon in round 23 listed as TBC?
The time and date of the match against Essendon at the MCG in round 23 will be determined in the final quarter of the season. Since 2009, the AFL has only confirmed the schedule for the final round with a handful of weeks remaining, rewarding the sides that are best placed to launch a tilt at the premiership each season.

2015 Pre-Season Draw

Collingwood News

Collingwood will return to Tasmania for the first time in over a decade when the club faces reigning premiers Hawthorn in its opening match-up of the 2015 NAB Challenge.
The match, scheduled for February 26, represents Collingwood’s first trip to the Southern isle since March 2001, when the side suffered an 18-point defeat at the hands of Melbourne during a rain-drenched pre-season clash at North Hobart Oval.
Hawthorn stands as a stern test for the youthful Magpies, presenting an exciting, early challenge for Collingwood’s litany of emerging stars, including Jamie Elliott, Taylor Adams and Tim Broomhead, in a pivotal marker in side’s preparation for the 2015 AFL season.
Collingwood’s two top 10 selections from the 2014 National Draft are also likely to feature in black and white for the first time, including athletic father-son pick Darcy Moore, in addition to fellow off-season recruits Travis Varcoe, Levi Greenwood and Jack Crisp.
Having travelled to Wangaratta during 2014, Bendigo will be the next regional Victorian city to experience Collingwood live in action when the side heads north to face Carlton in its second pre-season hit out on March 15.
The clash ensures the swift return of elite level football to the proud football region, and offers a piece of neat symmetry, given Collingwood featured in Bendigo’s final ever VFL match in August this year.
The Black and White pre-season campaign will then reach its conclusion in the more familiar surrounds of Etihad Stadium, with Western Bulldogs standing as the club’s final opponent before taking on Brisbane during round one of the 2015 home and away season.
The AFL has announced that club members with game access will be entitled to attend NAB Challenge matches free of charge.

2015 NAB Challenge
Game One Hawthorn v Collingwood Aurora Stadium Hobart Thursday 26 February 7.10pm	Game Two Collingwood v Carlton Queen Elizabeth Oval Bendigo Sunday 15 March 4.40pm	Game Three Western Bulldogs v Collingwood Etihad Stadium Melbourne Saturday 21 March 7.10pm

2015 Draw: Round 1

Collingwood News

Collingwood will take on Dayne Beams and his new Brisbane teammates in the first round of the 2015 season.
Beams, who was traded to the Lions after a request to return to his home state last month, will line up against his old Magpie teammates on Saturday 4 April at the Gabba.
The Magpies won't be short on motivation, having suffered a disasterous 67-point loss and several injuries to key players when they last met the Lions in round 21, 2014.
It will be the first time Collingwood has begun the home and away season at a venue outside Victoria since 1990, when it lost to the West Coast Eagles by 46 points at Subiaco Oval.
Fortunately, the loss was not a portent of things to come. The Magpies famously took out their 14th premiership against Essendon 189 days later.
The season will open at the MCG on 2 April when Carlton and Richmond kick off proceedings.
The AFL will unveil the complete fixture for 2015 on Thursday October 30.

ROUND 1, 2015
Thursday, April 2
Carlton v Richmond (MCG)

Saturday, April 4
Melbourne v Gold Coast Suns (MCG)
Sydney Swans v Essendon (ANZ)
Brisbane Lions v Collingwood (GABBA)
Western Bulldogs v West Coast Eagles (ES)

Sunday, April 5
St Kilda v GWS Giants (ES)
Adelaide v North Melbourne (AO)
Fremantle v Port Adelaide (PS)

Monday, April 6
Hawthorn v Geelong Cats (MCG)

Three New Faces

Collingwood News

Collingwood today completed a five-way trade that will see three players arrive at the Westpac Centre and a top five draft selection pass into the club’s possession in exchange for Dayne Beams and Heritier Lumumba.
North Melbourne’s Levi Greenwood, Geelong’s Travis Varcoe and Brisbane’s Jack Crisp have become Magpies and pick five in next month’s National Draft has become Collingwood’s second top 10 selection. The deal is completed with Beams and a fourth round pick (No. 67) moving to the Lions, Lumumba crossing to Melbourne and Mitch Clark leaving the Demons for Geelong.
The deal meets Collingwood’s immediate needs and furthers the club’s strategic aim of continuing to invest in the draft.
Collingwood emerges with two inside midfielders (Greenwood and Crisp), a line-breaking premiership player (Varcoe) and access to two top 10 national draft picks for the second consecutive year. The club has already invested pick No. 9 in the upcoming draft on under 18 All-Australian father-son prospect Darcy Moore.
Collingwood chose Matthew Scharenberg (No. 6) and Nathan Freeman (No. 10) in 2013 and selected Brodie Grundy (No. 18), Ben Kennedy (No. 19) and Tim Broomhead (No. 20) in 2012.
Once the 2014 national draft is over, and with Taylor Adams (No. 13 for GWS in 2011 before being traded to the Westpac Centre in 2013) included in the group, Collingwood will have introduced eight first round draft picks to its squad over the last three years.
The acquisition of Greenwood (74 matches), Varcoe (138 matches) and Crisp (18 matches) deepens the Collingwood midfield and offsets the loss of experience through the departures of Beams (110 matches) and Lumumba (199 matches).
Greenwood enjoyed a breakout season with the Kangaroos this year and finished one vote shy of winning the Syd Barker Medal. Playing 22 matches, the 25 year-old ranked among the side’s leading players in a host of statistical categories, including disposals per game (2nd – 25), inside 50s per game (2nd – 4.2), total clearances (3rd – 89), marks per game (4th – 5.4) and total tackles (4th – 107).
Crisp played the last six matches of Brisbane’s season and averaged almost 20 possessions and a goal across that run while Varcoe is a two-time premiership player who has shone on the biggest stage.
“With Dayne and Heritier leaving, our objective was to make sure the team remained in a position to play finals in 2015 while continuing to build a critical mass of elite talent. I think we have achieved that,” Collingwood’s General Manager of List Management, Derek Hine, said.
“Levi Greenwood is a hard-nosed midfielder who moved into serious centre square company this year. Travis Varcoe has speed, carry, a fine kick and big game success in his repertoire and we managed to get hold of Jack Crisp who is an emerging 190cm midfielder with good speed and endurance, a good inside game and a developing outside game.
“On top of that, we will be heading to the draft with two selections inside the top eight.”
Collingwood Director of Football, Rodney Eade, thanked Beams and Lumumba for their significant contributions to the club, notably their roles in the 2010 premiership.
The charismatic Lumumba forged a 10 year career in black and white out of a chance he took to chase, at his own expense, a place on the club’s rookie list. The 27 year-old became a constant in the senior side for the best part of eight years and has accepted the security of a long term deal with the Demons.
Beams sought a transfer back to his native Queensland for family reasons. The 24 year-old mid-fielder joined Collingwood as a second round draftee in 2008, made his debut in 2009, played in the 2010 premiership as a flanker and blossomed into an A-grade midfielder under coach Nathan Buckley in 2012, when he won the Copeland Trophy and an All-Australian jumper.
“Collingwood was good for Heritier and Dayne and they were good for Collingwood,” Eade said.
“They leave with records to be proud of and the club’s best wishes.”
Collingwood will take picks No. 5, No. 8 (Darcy Moore), No. 30 and No. 48 to the November 27 National Draft which will be held on the Gold Coast.

Levi Greenwood D.O.B: 19/02/1989 Position: Midfielder Games: 74 Recruited from: Port Adelaide/North Melbourne Draft: Pick No. 32, 2007 National Draft Height: 181cm Weight: 87kg	Travis Varcoe D.O.B: 10/4/1988 Position: Midfielder Games: 138 Recruited from: Central District (SA)/Geelong Draft: Pick No. 15, 2005 National Draft Height: 180cm Weight: 82kg	Jack Crisp D.O.B: 2/10/1993 Position: Midfielder Games: 18 Recruited from: Murray Bushrangers/Brisbane Draft: Pick No. 40, 2012 Rookie Draft Height: 190cm Weight: 89kg

Darcy Moore

Collingwood News

He has been one of the hottest draft prospects of season 2014, and now Darcy Moore is a Magpie.

Key facts
The son of Collingwood great and two-time Brownlow medallist Peter Moore, Darcy could be developed at either end of the ground having excelled as a tall forward and key defender this year. Boasting excellent closing speed, a natural leap, strong marking ability over his head and smarts around goal, Moore stands at an imposing 199cm.

Key 2014 TAC Cup Statistics (13 games, 15 goals; averages in brackets):
Disposals: 145 (11.2) Marks: 68 (5.2) Tackles: 19 (1.5) Inside 50s: 25 (1.9) Score Assists: 14 (1.1) Marks Inside 50: 26 (2.0) Tackles Inside 50: 11 (0.8) Rebound 50s: 14 (1.1) Marks from Opposition Kicks: 16 (1.2) Contested Marks: 27 (2.1) Spoils: 29 (2.2) Bounces: 0 (0.0) Smothers: 3 (0.2)

Key 2014 VFL Statistics (1 game, 0 goals; averages in brackets):
Disposals: 8 (8.0) Marks: 1 (1.0) Tackles: 2 (2.0) Inside 50s: 2 (2.0) Score Assists: 0 (0.0) Marks Inside 50: 0 (0.0) Tackles Inside 50: 0 (0.0) Rebound 50s: 2 (2.0) Contested Marks: 0 (0.0) Spoils: 5 (5.0) Bounces: 0 (0.0) Smothers: 1 (1.0)

What they say about Darcy Moore
“There is no doubt he’s got leadership written all over him and I think you will see he will end up being an AFL captain one day, for sure.  When you compare him against the boys that they talking about (as potential No. 1 picks) in (Patrick) McCartin and (Peter) Wright and so forth, in my eyes from what I have seen in the TAC Cup this year, I think he is better than those guys. If it was my choice in a pick of those guys, I’d certainly be picking Darcy Moore every day,” – Mark Smart, Oakleigh Chargers regional manager, Herald Sun, 6 October 2014.

“He is just a very competitive player and I think he is very proud of his performances and there is no doubt he reads the ball very well in flight, where he has able to defend strongly or mark the ball. His athleticism enables him to get back on to the ball quickly and get involved in the next contest. He’s got exceptional leg speed for his height and athleticism so he can play in both areas of the ground. It will be interesting to see where he forges his career because he is very capable at playing either end,” – Mark Smart, Oakleigh Chargers regional manager, Herald Sun, 6 October 2014.

“Here are a few things you might not know about Darcy Moore. He was school captain at Carey Grammar last year, and is a few subjects into a commerce degree. He has no idea what he would like to do in the future but can imagine himself working for a not-for-profit organisation. He likes literature, the arts, he's just become an uncle and he spent eight weeks in the United States at the end of last year, staying with a sister-in-law at Venice Beach, skiing with his father in Colorado and spending Christmas in New York with one of his three sisters,” – Emma Quayle, The Age, 5 October 2014.

"You'd have to be impressed by what you see. He captained the Oakleigh Chargers that won the (2014) TAC Cup Grand Final and played at centre-half forward – the toughest place out on the ground. You can't find guys of that size, that athleticism (and have) the clean hands, the lovely kick. He can play both ends of the ground, he's a fine young leader, I think he's got all the attributes to be a star down the track,” – AFL draft expert Kevin Sheehan, SEN 1116, 30 September 2014.

“He's a really mature guy but he's also got the ability to be one of the lads as well. He finds that balance really well. He's been one that's led from the front in terms of putting the team first. He's got a great ability to put that stuff aside and focus in on the team and the job, which is a credit to him,” Oakleigh Chargers coach Mick Stinear, The Age, 21 September 2014.

“You can see the (Jack) Viney situation at Melbourne where he's been able to come in and work and do bits and pieces and play, and he's in year 12. The fact that Darcy will be out of year 12, if he's coming under strong consideration by that period of time, will be massively beneficial, particularly given his size,” – Collingwood General Manager of List Management Derek Hine, collingwoodfc.com.au, 12 September 2012.

What he says
“I've got a certain degree of certainty, and a lot of teammates who have to wait another six or seven weeks to find out what's going to happen to them. I need to keep reminding myself that I'm privileged to be in this position. That's the way I've looked at it in the last month-and-a-half, and I'll always be looking at it that way,” – The Age, 5 October 2014.

"We don’t play favourites, but there’s one particular jumper I’d love to wear and it would be pretty romantic, but we’ll just see what happens. The drawn Grand Final (in 2010), I was getting as excited as anyone else when they won that premiership. Certainly it still flows through my veins and goes through my head,” – AFL Media, 2 October 2014.

“Being a lifelong supporter of the club, to be able to represent it for the first time doing what I love to do was obviously a huge thing. There are a few things going on inside my head but above all I just wanted to compete and have a win, which felt great. It’s weird now; I didn’t really think about it that much. A few people were getting sentimental, you know, being on the old man’s stomping ground – the hallowed turf, as he likes to call it. It’s huge now, it’s something I’ll never forget, running on this field, how romantic, the first time playing for Collingwood on this field where it all began,” – The Club, 8 August 2014.

“I'm more comfortable up forward, just because I've done it since I was a little kid. But I love the challenge of centre-half back or full back and flipping around the situation,” – AFL Media, 20 January 2013.

“Playing AFL, however, making a conscious effort to shift my thinking from ‘how can I be successful?’ to ‘how can I serve?’ Any sort of fame will only be used to make a difference to those less fortunate and towards a cause I am truly passionate about. I will be travelling lots and getting lost,” – Darcy Moore forecasts where he will be in 10 years time in an interview with The Weekly Review on 25 February 2013.

Pendlebury Wins Third Copeland

Collingwood News

Collingwood midfielder Scott Pendlebury has capped off an outstanding first season as captain by winning his second consecutive, and third overall, E.W. Copeland Trophy at Crown’s Palladium Ballroom this evening.
Pendlebury headed off challenges from fellow on-ballers Steele Sidebottom and Dayne Beams to claim the Best and Fairest award, reaffirming his status as one of the all-time greats of the Black and White.
The 26-year old was also named as the Magpie Army Player of the Year, and received the Gavin Brown Award for leading desire indicators.
Earning his fifth All-Australian guernsey this season, Pendlebury polled 165 votes to finish 51 clear of runner-up Sidebottom (114), who claimed the R.T. Rush Trophy, with J.J. Joyce Trophy recipient Beams (112) a further two back.
Defender Heritier Lumumba (89) and Brent Macaffer (85) rounded out the top five, claiming the J.F. McHale and Jack Regan Trophy’s respectively.
Having only missed 10 games in seven seasons leading into this year, Pendlebury’s assiduous approach to preparation once again paid dividends, featuring in all but one of Collingwood’s 22 matches for the 2014 campaign.
A paragon of consistency, Pendlebury thrived in his newfound captaincy role, ranking inside the AFL’s top ten for effective disposals per game (3rd), disposals per game (6th), contested possessions per game (8th) and free-kicks for (9th).
Meanwhile, he led all Magpies in total disposals (596), contested possessions (273), disposals per game (28.4), total tackles (116) and goal assists (14), while he was equal first with Sidebottom for uncontested possessions (314).
Retiring forward Quinten Lynch was recognised for his contribution around the club with the Darren Millane Perpetual Memorial Trophy as Best Clubman and defender Tom Langdon received the Harry Collier Trophy for Best First Year Player.
Midfielder Kyle Martin secured back-to-back Joseph Wren Awards as the club’s Best VFL Player, while with 39 goals for the season, Travis Cloke earned a fifth consecutive Gordon Coventry Trophy.
The Phonse Kyne Award for services to the club was presented to the club’s trainer of 33 years, Colin Arnell.
Retiring at the conclusion of the 2014 season, Arnell is a beloved figure of Collingwood’s football staff, and is a veteran of two Premierships, seven Grand Finals, 41 finals matches and more than 1,000 training sessions.

E.W. Copeland Trophy Top Ten
1. Scott Pendlebury 165
2. Steele Sidebottom 114
3. Dayne Beams 112
4. Heritier Lumumba 89
5. Brent Macaffer 85
6. Jamie Elliott 81
7. Travis Cloke 74
8. Tyson Goldsack 61
9. Jack Frost 61
10. Jarryd Blair 59

Other Awards
Magpie Army Player of the Year - Scott Pendlebury
Darren Millane Perpetual Memorial Trophy (Best Clubman) - Quinten Lynch
Harry Collier Trophy (Best First Year Player) - Tom Langdon
Gavin Brown Award (Leading Desire Indicators) - Scott Pendlebury
Gordon Coventry Award (Leading Goal Kicker) - Travis Cloke (39)
Joseph Wren Award (Best VFL Player) - Kyle Martin
Phonse Kyne Award (Services to the Club) - Colin Arnell

2014 Premiers: HAWTHORN

HAWTHORN  25.5.35    11.9.75   16.11.107    21.11.137
SYDNEY        12.3.15     5.3.33         8.5.53        11.8.74

SCORERS
HAWTHORN: Roughead (5.1), Breust (3.1), Langford (3.0), Gunston (2.3), Hodge (2.1), Burgoyne (2.0), Puopolo (1.1), Hale (1.0), Hill (1.0), Suckling (1.0), McEvoy (0.1), Mitchell (0.1), Shiels (0.1)
SYDNEY: Franklin (4.2), Goodes (2.1), Jack (2.0), Tippett (1.1), Kennedy (1.0), McGlynn (1.0), Hannebery (0.1), Rohan (0.1)

NORM SMITH MEDAL: Luke Hodge

BEST:  Hodge, Roughead, Gibson, Lewis

OFFICIAL CROWD: 99,454 at the MCG

2014 Brownlow

REAL FOOTY

2014 Brownlow Medal results:

PLAYER	3	2	1	Votes
Matt Priddis (WC)	4	5	4	26
Nat Fyfe (Fre)	5	4	2	25
Gary Ablett (GC)	5	3	1	22
Lance Franklin (Syd)	4	4	2	22
Patrick Dangerfield (Adel)	6	1	1	21
Josh Kennedy (Syd)	5	1	4	21
Travis Boak (PA)	4	4	1	21
Joel Selwood (Geel)	2	6	3	21
Steve Johnson (Geel)	5	2	-	19
Trent Cotchin (Rich)	3	3	3	18
Dayne Beams (Coll)	3	3	1	16
Scott Pendlebury (Coll)	2	4	2	16
Brent Harvey (NM)	5	-	-	15
Callan Ward (GWS)	4	1	1	15
Jordan Lewis (Haw)	3	2	2	15
Tom Rockliff (BL)	1	5	2	15
Dyson Heppell (Ess)	3	1	3	14
Scott Thompson (Adel)	2	4	-	14
Robbie Gray (PA)	1	5	1	14
Ben Cunnington (NM)	4	-	1	13
David Mundy (Fre)	3	2	-	13
Michael Barlow (Fre)	2	3	1	13
Dion Prestia (GC)	2	2	3	13
Nathan Jones (Melb)	1	3	4	13
Dustin Martin (Rich)	-	5	3	13
Mitch Duncan (Geel)	3	1	1	12
Luke Parker (Syd)	3	1	1	12
Ben McGlynn (Syd)	2	3	-	12
Luke Hodge (Haw)	2	2	2	12
Brett Deledio (Rich)	2	2	2	12
Dom Tyson (Melb)	3	-	2	11
Dan Hannebery (Syd)	3	-	2	11
Josh Kennedy (WC)	3	1	-	11
Jarryd Roughead (Haw)	2	2	1	11
Nick Riewoldt (StK)	2	2	1	11
Rory Sloane (Adel)	2	1	2	10
Jack Macrae (WB)	2	2	-	10
Hamish Hartlett (PA)	1	3	1	10