2013 Analysis: Part Four

Superfooty

SNAPSHOT:
Wins: 14
Losses: 9
Draws: 0
Ladder position: 8th
%: 114

WHAT WENT RIGHT:
THE Magpies accelerated the development of Nathan Buckley’s next-generation Collingwood by pumping minutes into kids unmatched by most sides. The Pies blooded 12 players who hadn’t previously worn black and white, the equal-most introduction of new troops of any side.
And in the process they unveiled some rich talent. We all know nabbing Brodie Grundy at pick 18 was dead-set draft theft last year, while Ben Kennedy looks the goods as a polished small forward.
Josh Thomas justified Collingwood’s long-held faith in him with a sizzling season, while the class of Sam Dwyer allowed the Port Melbourne star to slot straight into the starting side and stay there – another recruiting masterstroke after every club repeatedly knocked back the 26-year-old.
On-field, the Pies seemed to peak a month too early. They pumped Essendon in a ruthless Round 19 display before strangling Sydney on a hostile ground in their best win for the season. But after that…..

WHAT WENT WRONG:
THE final month of the season will leave a sour taste in the mouths of Pies fans. They petered out with losses to Hawthorn, North Melbourne and the shock elimination finals exit at the hands of Port Adelaide. That night Buckley intensified the focus on his club with a sharp message that the Pies needed to move on from “what they had”.
Buckley stated that from now on the Magpies will be his Magpies, with six players axed two days later and Heath Shaw seemingly placed on the trade table. That followed long-time fitness guru David Buttifant and football manager Geoff Walsh walking out on the Westpac Centre, with mastermind Rocket Eade transformed into Walsh's role. Talk of culture issues have simmered all year, while the mid-season Harry O’Brien saga also put the Magpies in the headlines for the wrong reasons.
The signing of Quinten Lynch looked a boom early on before going downhill, while the Pies were genuinely stiff with injuries this year. Dayne Beams, Alex Fasolo, Clinton Young, Dale Thomas and Alan Toovey all missed the vast majority of the season – and are all in Bucks’ best 22. Things could yet get worse for the Pies with Thomas weighing up rich offers from rival clubs that could see the No. 2 draft pick walk.

BEST-AND-FAIREST:
Scott Pendlebury looks set to claim his second Copeland Trophy if he can fight off three-time winner Dane Swan. The Pies will hold their vote count on Friday, October 4.

THE LIST
ELITE: Scott Pendlebury, Dayne Beams, Travis Cloke, Dane Swan
BIG IMPROVERS: Josh Thomas, Paul Seedsman, Ben Reid
GONE: Darren Jolly, Alan Didak, Andrew Krakouer, Jordan Russell, Michael Hartley, Ben Richmond
TRADE BAIT: Heath Shaw, Harry O’Brien

WHAT THEY NEED
EXPECT some wholesale change over the summer. Bucks has already flagged a new hard-line on player behaviour, but the Pies’ shopping list doesn’t end there. They need another Ben Reid. Collingwood looked that much more potent when the reliable target was swung into attack this year, with Reid helping boot the Pies to victory against Carlton, West Coast and Essendon and bagging five goals against the Roos in Round 23.
But while that’s a nice wildcard for Buckley to play, Collingwood structurally looked a better team with Reid holding up the backline, similarly to Essendon and Jake Carlisle. The Pies also seem headed for a leadership change with Scott Pendlebury tipped to take the captaincy from Nick Maxwell.

PREMIERSHIP CLOCK
CAN a side drop on the ladder but wind forward on the premiership clock? Yes, and the Pies did exactly that this year. Despite finishing eighth and failing to win a final for the first time since 2006, the Magpies look in better shape for the long-term.
Their nucleus of stars is still ripe and the kids coming through are genuinely exciting. Throw in pick No. 9 in this year’s draft and a possible massive hole in the salary cap should Daisy walk, which could be used to lure a prized target, and the Pies could be challenging again within a couple of seasons.

CLUB LEADERS
 Kicks: Dane Swan (436)
Handballs: Scott Pendlebury (359)
Contested Possessions: Scott Pendlebury (290)
Marks: Travis Cloke (190)
Contested Marks: Travis Clke (58)
Clearances: Scott Pendlebury (128)
Inside 50s: Dane Swan (119)
Rebound 50s: Heath Shaw (82)
Frees For: Scott Pendlebury (40)
Frees Against: Nathan Brown (25)
Goals: Travis Cloke (68)
Goal Assists: Sam Dwyer (22)
Time On Ground: Travis Cloke (2476 minutes)
Players Used: 40

TEAM STATS
(total/percentage + AFL rank) 
Disposals: 378.8 avg (1st)
Contested possession: +5.5 (6th)
Tackles: 65.5 avg (7th)
Clearance differential: -0.5 (12th)
Inside 50 differential: +8 (=2nd)
Scoring % Inside 50: 48.8 per cent (11th)
Average points for: 96 (6th)
Average points against: 85 (6th)
Average winning margin: 38
Average losing margin: 32

DID YOU KNOW?
Travis Cloke was involved in 161 offensive one-on-one contests during the H&A season - 53 more than any other player in the AFL. He won 36.0 per cent of these contests - well above the AFL average.