REAL FOOTY
Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley has conceded that many of his players have been guilty of trying to win premierships on talent alone in the past few years.
In an indicator that the Pies need to work harder, Buckley said the coaching staff had explored the notion that closer bonds must be formed between players and that they could no longer rely on just their playing ability to achieve the ultimate success in 2013.
Collingwood will begin its quest for a second flag in four years when it takes on North Melbourne a week on Sunday - but will do it without Dale Thomas after the club on Thursday all but ruled out the star midfielder for round one.
Captain Nick Maxwell and premiership ruckman Darren Jolly both said this week they believe the current Collingwood list is the most talented and deepest they have seen in their time at the club.
It is an appraisal shared by many, but Buckley said the Pies would need more than talent to outlast the AFL's other highly rated teams such as Hawthorn, Sydney and West Coast.
Sydney was lauded last season for winning the premiership on the back of its ''bloods'' culture, which centres around team unity, rather than a superior list.
''The days of this group of players thinking they can go out on the football field expecting that talent is just going to get the job done, they are long gone,'' Buckley told the players at the club's season launch. ''The competition is fierce, it's tough and it's tight. We've done the work, and we are prepared and we are ready.
''But what we have explored is the fact that, yes, we have a deep list, we have a talented list … but it's not about talent for us.
''In the end, it's going to be the bonds between the individuals that play, the bonds that are developed and have been developed through pre-season.''
The Magpies had received AFL permission to play Thomas in a VFL practice match this weekend but decided to hold him back for one more week as he continues his recovery from ankle surgery.
Thomas, who did not play in the NAB Cup, will now wait until Thursday for a game against the Australian Institute of Sport side - the curtain-raiser before the Carlton-Richmond blockbuster at the MCG.
''That's the week of round one, that's the Thursday and we play Sunday, so I don't think he's going to play first-up [against North] having had no preparation over the summer,'' Magpies director of football Geoff Walsh said.
Collingwood remains confident defender Ben Reid (knee) can play the season opener.
And veteran Jolly is ''very confident'' of playing against the Roos.
Jolly revealed on Thursday that there was concern after the club's final pre-season game against Geelong last Friday that he had suffered lung damage from a heavy knock to the back.
''It's all good now … I will look after this week and be ready to go next week,'' Jolly said.
Half-forward Tyson Goldsack will play in the VFL hitout on Friday as he comes back from ankle surgery.
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