2013 Analysis: Part One

 AFL

Summary: Started the season as a big chance for the flag (at least according to the AFL Media pundits) but ended up finishing eighth after a meek surrender to Port Adelaide at the MCG in the elimination final. The Pies had their moments, such as beating Geelong at the MCG and the Swans in Sydney, but on the flip side, never strung more than three wins in a row for the season.

What worked: Travis Cloke kicked 64 goals to come second in the Coleman Medal and enjoyed not carrying the baggage of a difficult season the year before where his contractual status was a constant distraction.

What failed: The rest of the forward line. Collingwood brought Quinten Lynch across from West Coast but he kicked just nine goals from 18 matches and he missed the elimination final through injury. The Pies switched key defender Ben Reid to the forward line later with some success, but he was kept goalless in the elimination final.

Surprise packet: Sam Dwyer stepped in and played 20 games as part of Collingwood's midfield rotation. At 27, Dwyer was another shining example of clubs trawling the state leagues for players mature of mind and body who can step straight in to meet the demands of the AFL.

Disappointment: Injuries cruelled Collingwood in 2013 and in hindsight, kept the club from making a serious assault on the premiership. Last year's best and fairest Dayne Beams didn’t play until round 15 because of a quad injury, important rebounding defender Alan Toovey played just five games before wrecking his knee, while prized Hawthorn recruit Clinton Young managed just two outings for his new club because of his troublesome hamstrings.

MVP: Scott Pendlebury

Best rookie/first year player: Sam Dwyer

Best win: Round 2: Collingwood 17.15 (117) d Carlton 15.10 (100)

Low point: Gold Coast is coming, make no mistake, but the Pies still would have penciled in a win over the fledgling club at the start of the season. However they trailed for most of the round 17 clash at Metricon Stadium before losing by seven points. The next week, they trailed Greater Western Sydney for nearly three quarters at the MCG before finally overcoming the other expansion club.

What needs to improve: Without regulars such as Johnson, Toovey and Reid, the Collingwood backline was in a state of flux for much of the year. Opponents put plenty of work into Heath Shaw's rebound, while Nick Maxwell's best might be behind him. So pencil in the Magpie defence as an area for attention over the summer.

Who's done: Darren Jolly, Ben Johnson, Alan Didak, Jordan Russell, Andrew Krakouer, Ben Richmond (rookie), Michael Hartley (rookie). Apart from Johnson who retired, all were delisted.

What they need: The Pies used 40 players this year, a remarkable figure, and would be pleased with the contribution made by several of their first-year players. But if the Quinten Lynch recruitment didn't quite work to their satisfaction, they may hunt for another key forward to compliment Cloke and send Reid back to defence where he plays his best footy.

Luke Darcy says: "I think you'll see a few of the experienced guys moved on. Nathan Buckley's talking about cultural change – that often comes with some inconsistent results. Nick Maxwell's been great. He's won a premiership for them in the Tom Harley mould, but I think having a gun like [Pendlebury] ready to go - it's probably time to make the change."

The Roar

Collingwood: what went right?
Collingwood won it’s first two games of the season, including it’s the first showdown between Nathan Buckley and former Collingwood head coach Mick Malthouse and Carlton.
Collingwood won both encounters between the clubs, a reversal on last year’s when Carlton took the points in both the 2012 encounters. Collingwood also scored a shock victory over Geelong, despite being 26 points down at half time.
Down at the Pies, Brent Macaffer found himself back in the side after a long lay off with injury and played important shut down roles, and the pies also discovered young and highly talented ruckman Brodie Grundy, who established himself as the number one ruckman at the Pies, ahead of veteran Darren Jolly.

What went wrong?
The Pies suffered a few injuries to key player and clearly require more depth to their squad. While they certainly found a few players that have a large amount of potential, they were not capable of performing at the required level.
While the injuries are certainly major, good clubs are able to cover for injuries and unfortunately Collingwood was unable to do that this season.
Another element of Collingwood’s season that went poorly was when Collingwood lost, they lost with quiet considerable margins. Aside from the Gold Coast and North Melbourne games, where they would have been expected to win, Collingwood’s average losing margin was around 41 points.

Where to for next year?
Collingwood needs more depth across the park, as they rely on a group of players within the group to consistently get them over the line.
However, these players aren’t able to string games together often, usually due to injury. Hypothetically, if Collingwood was able to get these players fit and firing they would once again be in a great position to push for a Top four spot.
Eager to start the next season, Collingwood has already announced a list of players that were being let go by the club, including veteran ruckman Darren Jolly, as well as Andrew Krakouer, Alan Didak and former Blue Jordan Russell.
The message this list sends is loud and clear, Collingwood doesn’t care about past service to the club, or how good you may have been, if you don’t perform on the field, you aren’t being kept on the list, which probably isn’t a bad strategy to have when you still have a decent list.