| - Captain Scott Pendlebury came of age in his new role. He was restricted to only three touches in the first quarter. His next three yielded 30 to go with his 11 inside 50s, 10 tackles and nine clearances. A machine-like performance from a player who set the two sides apart with his ball use, decision making and clear head under duress. - Dane Swan’s 16 disposals was his lowest return since - get this - round 20, 2008. Incredibly, it was only the fourth time he has returned less than 20 disposals in 121 games since the start of 2009. Much of this can be attributed to the amount of time he spent in attack compared with his usual on-ball role. These stats speak volumes of his consistency and appetite for the Sherrin. - Brent Macaffer claims another victim. The Caff went to Sydney gun Kieren Jack and shut him out of the game, holding him to just 14 disposals while winning 13 of his own. To put that into perspective, Jack had won less than 16 disposals only three times in his last 50 games. | - One of the reasons Clinton Young was so keenly sought after by the Collingwood recruiters at the end of 2012 was his raking left boot that did so much damage during his time at Hawthorn. In only his fourth senior game at Pieland, Young let his feet do the talking. He used the ball 17 times at 88.2 per cent efficiency and took the ball out of the defensive 50 five times in the process. - Collingwood’s winning ways in the Harbour City continue. Since 2003, the Magpies have won 10 of their 13 games at Homebush and have lost just one of their last 10 encounters at the ground. "Captain Scott Pendlebury came of age in his new role. He was restricted to only three touches in the first quarter. His next three yielded 30 to go with his 11 inside 50s, 10 tackles and nine clearances." |
| 1. Buddy shows signs of life The focal point heading into the game, Franklin showed a big improvement on last week's quiet debut against Greater Western Sydney. He still looks a little underdone, but he kicked two goals, including a booming left-foot effort from around 55 metres. He was unable to really influence the match when it was in the balance in the final term, but he did enough to show there is still plenty of magic left in his legs. 2. Zero and two With both sides suffering poor round one defeats, the blowtorch was going to be applied to whoever lost on Saturday night. It turns out that will be the Swans. Talked up as premiership favourites entering the season, there is still plenty of time for them to right the ledger. But another loss in their tough road trip to meet the Crows in Adelaide will have the critics at their door. 3. White Pie and a new Blood Jesse White produced his best season in the AFL for the Swans in 2013 before being squeezed out following Franklin's arrival. He missed the opening-round loss to Fremantle with a calf problem, but recovered to take on his old side, although he endured a very quiet night. Tom Derickx also made his maiden appearance for the Swans. With Shane Mumford now plying his trade across town at the Giants, Derickx – who earned just two games for Richmond last season – has an opportunity to join the long list of recycled players to forge a career in Sydney. His was also an inauspicious beginning, however, and he will be under pressure to retain his place if Lewis Roberts-Thomson (groin) returns to full fitness. | 4. Pies' new skipper relishing his role In his first year as Collingwood captain, Scott Pendlebury appears tailor-made for the leadership role. He lifted his output the further the game progressed, ending the night with 33 touches, 10 tackles, 10 inside 50s and nine clearances to play a key role in a victory that shows there is plenty of life in the Pies' season. 5. Maxwell's milestone a day to remember Not always considered among the competition's elite defenders outside of his club, Nick Maxwell has quietly put together an outstanding career at the Pies. A skipper for five seasons, including leading them to their 2010 flag, he stepped down at the start of this year as Scott Pendlebury took over. Rookie-listed back in 2003, Maxwell chalked up game No.200 against the Swans. Not always considered among the competition's elite defenders outside of his club, Nick Maxwell has quietly put together an outstanding career at the Pies. A skipper for five seasons, including leading them to their 2010 flag, he stepped down at the start of this year as Scott Pendlebury took over. Rookie-listed back in 2003, Maxwell chalked up game No.200 against the Swans.
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| THE MEDIA | |
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Collingwood has opened its account for 2014 and left premiership fancies Sydney still winless after a 20-point Magpie victory at ANZ Stadium on Saturday night. Lance Franklin indicated there is plenty of life left in his $10 million legs, kicking two goals for the Swans including a trademark left-foot cannon on the run from 55m in the third term. But the Pies continued their love affair with Sydney's Olympic stadium, winning 12.17 (89) to 10.9 (69) for their ninth triumph in their past 10 trips to the venue. The result eliminates any pressure on coach Nathan Buckley ahead of next week's clash with Geelong, with the Swans now under the pump and facing a trip to Adelaide next up to meet the Crows. Collingwood skipper Scott Pendlebury lifted after half-time to be best on ground with 33 touches, 10 tackles and nine clearances, ably supported by Dayne Beams and Heritier Lumumba. Jamie Elliott kicked a game-high three goals and Brent Macaffer blanketed Kieren Jack. Buckley only rated his team a "five or six out of 10", but was nonetheless thrilled with the way it bounced back from last week's 70-point mauling against Fremantle. "It was a stronger defensive performance," he said. "I think we saw elements we’ve been working on through the pre-season tonight that we missed in the last three quarters of the Freo game. "To get the win is clearly what we're looking for, but the actual way we played and structured up was really pleasing as well." Dan Hannebery bounced back from a quiet performance in week one, finishing with 29 possessions, backed up by Ben McGlynn and Josh Kennedy, with Franklin their only multiple goalkicker. The Swans were left to rue some terrible entries into their forward line before being overrun and out-enthused by the visitors. "(The game) was lost with a bit of polish going forward," coach John Longmire said. "We didn't have the polish we wanted going forward, particularly in the second half, and didn't use the ball when we had it. "Towards the back end of the game that's what cost us. "We blazed away too many times and didn't use the extra number and really kicked it back to them too many times." Franklin got off to a rough start, finishing second best in a number of early marking duels with Jack Frost and caught holding the ball the first time he touched the Sherrin. But he battled on, taking a strong contested mark on the wing, and then had his first key contribution when he got on the end of a McGlynn pass and nailed the set shot from around 45m. In the third term he then had his best moment in his new colours, receiving a pass from Luke Parker and kicking truly on the run from 55m in a vintage moment that brought the Swans within four points. He faded in the final term but it was still an improvement for the superstar key forward. The game got off to a terrific start, with one-on-one contests all over the ground amid the type of intensity you would expect from two teams desperate to open their accounts for 2014. Elliott got things underway with an opportunistic goal, but the home side responded through Sam Reid, Dane Rampe and Nick Malceski to take an 11-point lead into quarter-time. Two quick goals to open the second term gave the Swans a 23-point edge as they tried to seize control, but the Pies bounced back strongly and could have been in front if they'd taken more of their chances. Hannebery then slotted his first on the run and leapt high into Franklin's arms, a 'Kodak moment' for all the media coverage that followed confirmation of the midfielder's prang in his good mate's Mercedes. Franklin then slotted his first goal with a booming set shot and was met by a sea of teammates, with Ryan O'Keefe first on the scene in another poignant moment following the unsubstantiated rumour of their training-ground dust-up. The Pies then sprung into life, kicking four straight goals across the second and third terms to suddenly earn a double-digit lead. Franklin's moment of magic closed the gap once more and he then set up Harry Cunningham as the match moved towards a nail-biting conclusion, the visitors leading by three points at the final change. From there it was all the Pies as they claimed an important victory early in the new campaign. Scott Pendlebury underlined his ascension to the Collingwood captaincy with a starring role in his side's important 20-point win over the Sydney Swans at ANZ Stadium. Taking over from Nick Maxwell at the start of the year, Pendlebury was quiet early on Saturday night, ending the opening term with just three touches. He still did his best to make an impact, landing five first-quarter tackles, but his production after the first break was nothing short of exceptional. Facing a 23-point deficit early in the second term, Pendlebury managed to elevate his game to a stunning level to will his side across the line and avoid a 0-2 start to the year. By full-time his stat line read 33 possessions, 16 of them contested, 10 tackles, 10 marks and nine clearances. "I thought the leadership across the board was quite strong when we were challenged," Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley said afterwards. "The point was made after the game about a weight lifting off the shoulders with a more positive performance and positive result. "When we were down on the scoreboard, it requires strong leadership and resilience to focus on what's in front of you and work your way back in contest by contest. "I thought 'Pendles' exemplified that." While Pendlebury's talents across his 173-game career are well known, at the other end of the spectrum, young defender Jack Frost was lauded for his role on Swans superstar Lance Franklin. Franklin undoubtedly had his moments, kicking two goals including a stunning effort from around 55m out in the third term. But, in just his fourth career game, Frost never stopped trying and at least broke even in his duel with the decorated Swan. His effort was all the more impressive considering Nathan Brown suffered a suspected dislocated shoulder late in the third term and had to be substituted out. "'Frosty' has put a lot of work in over the last couple of years," Buckley said. "He's a young player (with) great athleticism and the thing that he needed to convince himself of was that he belonged. "He's shown a real want and belief to take the game on and take the contest on, this year even more so than 12 months ago. "He played the first two games last year as well, so he's played his third and fourth this year and clearly he's in better shape 12 months on to be able to have a real crack with the next stage of his career. "I thought it was a really strong performance from him over four quarters. "He's starting to learn the way that we want to defend and play the game." Buckley wasn't sure of the extent of the damage to Brown, saying he will know more after scans in the coming days. But it didn't look good for the defender, who injured the same shoulder he had reconstructed back in 2010. |
Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley hailed a defensive performance so strong it overrode his team's deficiencies elsewhere, in particular the efforts of fourth-gamer Jack Frost in an "exceptional" performance on Lance Franklin, as the Magpies kicked away to defeat Sydney by 20 points at ANZ Stadium on Saturday night. The Swans remain winless after two rounds, and Buckley praised the efforts of a "cobbled together" back six that held the premiership fancy to 10 goals. "We're rapt to have the win," he said. "We think we were probably a five or six out of 10, the way we played - how close we were to our optimum. Our offence has clearly got to improve, but the contest and the defence is what it was all about tonight, and we were happy with it. "Ben Sinclair's only played six games down back, Jack Frost his fourth tonight, Tom Langdon his second. We're cobbling together a mix at the moment, but if we all play our roles we're pretty good. Frosty did his exceptionally well." Buckley noted Frost's athleticism and closing speed, both evident in keeping Franklin to two goals, despite the former Hawk improving on his underwhelming debut with the Swans. "The thing he needed to convince himself of was that he belonged, as much as anything,'' Buckley said. "He's only a four-game player, but he's shown a real belief and a want to take the game on and the contest on this year, even more so than 12 months ago. "He played the first two games last year as well. Clearly he's in better shape 12 months on with those experiences, the ups and downs, to be able to have a real crack at the next stage of his career. I thought it was a really strong performance from him over four quarters." Buckley also praised Nick Maxwell's contribution in holding up when the Magpies needed him, and his replacement as captain, Scott Pendlebury, who had just three possessions to quarter-time but finished with 33, including eight clearances and 10 inside-50s. "When we were down on the scoreboard it requires strong leadership and resilience to be able to focus on what's in front of you and work your way back in, contest by contest. I thought Pendles exemplified that [and] Dayne Beams through the middle was excellent." The Magpies lost Nathan Brown to a dislocated shoulder in a third-quarter marking contest with Franklin, and Buckley said scans would determine the seriousness of the injury. He noted that when Collingwood is under fire as a club, as the Magpies were after a round-one capitulation to Fremantle, it invariably seems to run into Sydney. Despite spilling easy marks, missing easy targets and struggling to choose the right tempo, he felt the team's leadership across the board and contributions at some stage from every player got it home. Swans coach John Longmire bemoaned a lack of polish and an inability for the second week running to stop the opposition from running away from them late in the game. "Towards the back end of the game, that's what cost us. We blazed away and really kicked it back to them too many times," he said. "We've got to make sure we play the footy we want to play." Gary Rohan was subbed out of the game after experiencing shooting pain in the leg he broke so horrifically in 2012, which Longmire admitted remained an ongoing issue. "He's got some nervy stuff in his leg, which is what happens after such a serious break. Any time he gets a hit there he gets a bit of nervy stuff shooting down his leg, which is apparently not unusual. It may happen a few times to him." COLLINGWOOD’S love affair with ANZ Stadium has continued with the Magpies overturning a 23-point second quarter deficit to score an AFL win over the Sydney Swans. The Magpies made it nine wins from their last ten games at the venue as they came from behind to record a 12.17 (89) to 10.9 (69) win on Saturday. The loss dropped Sydney to 0-2, while Collingwood improved to 1-1. Sydney led 31-8 in the second quarter, but couldn’t match Collingwood’s midfield in a hard-fought but scrappy encounter. Sparked by champion midfielders Scott Pendlebury (33 possessions) and Dayne Beams (30), the Pies kicked seven to three in the second half. The game was locked at 67-all early in the final quarter,but Collingwood kicked the last three goals of the game through Beams, Jamie Elliott and Clinton Young. It was a stirring response from a Collingwood side flogged by Fremantle in their first game, while Sydney were again overrun in the final quarter as they were by GWS in their opening game. Elliott kicked three goals and Travis Cloke and Tyson Goldsack weighed in with two apiece for the victors. Pendlebury played a superb captain’s game and was clearly best afield. “Yeah, all the boys will be rapt with that … Sydney really started quarters well and put us on the back foot and just the way we came back in the last quarter and ground it out, it was a really good win by the boys,” he said. “I was rapt for the boys, especially with Maxy’s 200th, we all love him and it was great to get a win for him.” Former captain Nick Maxwell played one of his best games in recent seasons. “It meant a lot to me, because it meant a lot to the boys. They spoke about it before the game and they really wanted to it (get the win),” Maxwell said. “Obviously I’ve been around for a long time now, I’m the oldest here and I’ve seen all the boys come through and because it meant a lot to them, it meant more to me. “I’m very proud of how they went about it, particularly after last week and to bounce back from the last couple of weeks where we’ve been kicked from pillar to post, but we know how hard we’ve worked.” Lance Franklin was Sydney’s only multiple goalkicker with two and added 16 possessions and four marks in a better effort after his quiet debut against GWS. The Swans kicked five straight goals either side of quarter-time after Elliott booted the first major of the match. Heritier Lumumba racked up 13 touches in the first quarter,which Collingwood started well before Sydney got on top to lead by 11 at the first break. The Swans outmarked the visitors 39-13 in the first quarter. The Magpies kicked four of the last six goals of the second quarter to claw their way back to within nine points at halftime. With Pendlebury becoming progressively more influential, the Pies slammed on the first three goals of the third quarter. Franklin temporarily reversed the tide with a booming 55-metre goal, but Collingwood’s own spearhead, Cloke quickly replied with a major at the other end. Collingwood kicked four goals to two in the third quarter and held a three-point lead at the final change before going on with the job. When we were down on the scoreboard, it requires strong leadership and resilience to focus on what's in front of you and work your way back in contest by contest. I thought 'Pendles' exemplified that.
Nathan Buckley
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Selected with the 15th pick of the 2003 Rookie Draft, Maxwell’s tenacity and intense drive stood him apart early as he forced his way onto the club’s senior list, making his AFL debut against Adelaide in 2004. Fast establishing his place within Collingwood’s best 22, Maxwell would become an ever-present member of a fledgling Magpie outfit, with his leadership qualities in defence seeing him earmarked as a future captain, a prophecy he would ultimately fulfil when he assumed the role following Scott Burns’ retirement in 2009. Far from being overwhelmed by the burden of leading Australia’s most storied sporting institution, Maxwell revelled in the newfound responsibility, his ascendency to the captaincy spurring him to career best form, resulting in All-Australian selection and a runner-up finish in the Copeland Trophy in 2009. Maxwell however would enjoy his finest hour 12 months later, when in perhaps the defining performance of his career, a defiant and desperate final quarter stand in the 2010 Grand Final draw ensured the Magpies would live another day. A week later, Maxwell would climb the podium at the MCG as a Collingwood immortal, hoisting aloft football’s Holy Grail as the 11th Premiership captain in the club’s VFA, VFL and AFL history. Following five seasons and 104 games as Collingwood’s on-field general, Maxwell stepped aside as captain at the start of the 2014 season, but such is the esteem with which he is held, the 30-year old remains a pivotal member of the club’s leadership group. Maxwell is one of the success stories of the AFL's rookie list scheme. Knocked back by several clubs after graduating from the TAC Cup, Maxwell worked his way onto the Collingwood rookie list via the VFL and broke through for his debut in his second season. He hasn't looked back since, and is now one of the most respected players and leaders in the game. Displays unbelievable courage at half back, and regularly intercepts opposition entries into attack with his ability to read the play. Backs himself overhead and never allows an opponent an easy kick. Lifts another notch when the finals roll around, and was one of Collingwood's best in the two Grand Finals in 2010 when he led the club to its first premiership in 20 years. Has suffered several collision injuries due to his brave style of play, but Magpie fans would not have the man who led their team with distinction between 2009 and 2013 any other way. | ||
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Nick Maxwell almost retired at the end of 2013. It had not been the happiest of seasons, had ended badly and by the time he headed off on a boys' trip to Mexico and Las Vegas last spring, the outgoing Collingwood captain believed he had had enough of football and that the feeling was mutual. Maxwell had never expected to play 200 games. In fact, on the occasion of his 150th he bought a bottle of Grange Hermitage and presented it to his parents and his manager, Peter Lenton, over dinner because he thought it would prove his final milestone performance. Perhaps it was that highly ordered side of Maxwell's AFL life that made last season even more disappointing. Reading the play on and off the field has always been his strong suit and the story was no longer clear to him. The once-tentative battler who had willed himself to run back on those early nervous occasions with the flight of the ball - and in the process win over his coaches and captain and playing mentor James Clement - now questioned whether his best was still good enough both as a player and off-field leader. ''I looked at my own game and where I was at,'' said Maxwell this week, in the lead-up to joining the 200 club against Sydney at ANZ Stadium on Saturday night, ''and whether I did want to go on. Because of all the changes that were going on, because of frustrations with injuries where I couldn't play at the level I expected of myself. ''[Last year] we were doing everything we could to keep the group together. But I didn't do a good enough job. None of us did a good enough job.'' The 2010 premiership captain was holidaying not with teammates but a group of old school friends on a trip that had been more than a decade in the planning. He left not certain he would fulfil his one-year contract and there were occasions on the trip where Maxwell's football life flashed before him - the selfishness of his existence where his family was concerned, the sacrifices and not insignificantly his close mate's wedding scheduled in the 2014 pre-season that he knew he would have to miss. Overseas, Maxwell also reflected on the massive challenges that Collingwood players had faced, with the philosophical transformation from Mick Malthouse to Nathan Buckley and the ensuing fallout, the player departures and the staff changes. ''There wasn't so much divisions,'' Maxwell now explains. ''What I saw was with a lot of guys because Mick and Bucks were so different and their philosophies were so different; for a lot of guys who had been under Mick for 10 years or however long they were it was a fairly big shift in the way Bucks not only wants us to play but the way he wants us to train and his philosophies. ''With Mick, if a guy got into trouble over the weekend Mick wasn't one to act in the sense that his attitude was that player owes it to us and he owes it to our supporters to perform over the weekend. ''Whereas with Bucks it's more: 'No, no, no, we're all part of a team here and you've got to toe the line as much as the next guy and if you can't do what we need you to do for the team then we'll find someone else to come in and play that role. ''Because they are so different in the way they do it it can be very challenging for guys and it was challenging. Plus the game, new demands, a lot of things were changing. Our fitness staff … rumours that Dave Buttifant was leaving as well, players were coming towards the end of their careers. ''In the change room it was really difficult because guys who I considered were close mates were in a position where they were not in the team and they felt they should have been out there and they felt they were better than the younger guy who was out there.'' In the end, said Maxwell, it was because of all the change he felt he had to play. ''And I still felt I had a lot to give. They were the two reasons that I felt I have to go back to this, I have to commit to this and go all the way through it. ''If I hadn't been here … we've got a very introverted group and a lot of them are self-driven and they've got to learn to drive others … ''Last year was tough but we also learnt a lot about our kids as well. And because some stood up and played well in an environment that wasn't perfect, we thought: how good will they be when we get to the point that things are working and we are all together and determined beyond anything else to unite to have success?'' Maxwell, a long-time union man where players' rights are concerned, broke ranks with AFL Players Association guidelines and began his own personal pre-season six weeks early. He has attacked 2014, he says, fitter than he has ever been. ''I threw myself into training well before pre-season started,'' said Maxwell, ''and on the first day I ran a PB in a time trial after 12 years here. I finished fourth, which isn't bad for a third tall defender. I wanted to make a statement and show that this is what I really want to do.'' Mindful that the club was introducing a new weights program and strength coach - Marty Girvan who ran a gym near Maxwell's Spotswood home - the 30-year-old also trained with him regularly six weeks out from the start of pre-season. But Maxwell did not attempt to convince Heath Shaw to conform to the point that he could remain a Magpie. ''Heath was just extremely frustrated a lot of the time for all of the reasons I've talked about. My opinion was that it was going to help him to leave. ''As much as I've played … well, 185 of my 200 now standing next to him - and I know people might see video of us having a crack at each other, but it's just that we're competitive and we want to win at all costs. We also go about things completely differently on a day-to-day basis. ''But we do have enormous respect for each other and I could see that a new environment could really help him.'' Maxwell is emphatic he has no interest in becoming a coach and would not even speculate on whether he would prove a teacher in the Buckley mould or a motivator like Malthouse. He says life after football holds no fears for him because the early and repeated rejections before Collingwood in 2003 took him as a rookie saw him complete a double degree and since then play every season as if it was his last - quite literally, he says, despite more than 100 games as captain. ''I've been prepared for retirement since day one,'' Maxwell said, ''and I've gone into every contract as if it was my last. I've had to because I've had no choice because I'm not good enough. I don't dread the end. In fact, I know I couldn't do this forever. The great thing about footy for me is that there is an expiry date.'' This season is no different. His future in the game could come, according to Maxwell, in football administration or a media commentary role - a pursuit in which Maxwell believes there is room for improvement. ''I'm not sure exactly what post-footy looks like,'' he said, ''but if I did work in the media it would be more analysis that interests me. David King stands out to me because he goes to training and goes to ask questions. ''I think we're making the punters dumber because I think we're not giving them the right information all the time. When X, Y or Z say it and it's taken as gospel. ''I hear a well-known commentator say that and I think, 'No, that's wrong.' There's a massive gap that we need to fill and maybe the clubs can help by welcoming commentators in to give them a better understanding.'' Equally poorly received by teammates was Matthew Scarlett's autobiographical attack last year on Maxwell in which the retired Cats full-back said: ''None of our players had any respect for Maxwell. We hated how he was being compared to Tom Harley. It was simply wrong.'' Maxwell's friends at Geelong - Jimmy Bartel, another old St Joseph's College boy is a close friend - rallied and while the player himself said he was shocked, he only resented having to answer questions about the literary sledge. ''I've never spoken to him [Scarlett] in my life outside of comments on the footy field and I didn't know him from a bar of soap so it came as a complete shock,'' he said. ''I had overwhelming support after that, but I understand that people only really want to watch the star, which I never was. But I also hope I never forget what every player has to go through just to get onto the ground to play a senior game.'' Maxwell's work across a number of charities is noted by his employer and he said he wanted to be remembered not only for playing his role for the team but for the relationships he has built across the club through its networks. ''I've loved every minute of it,'' he said of his Collingwood career and 199 senior games, adding quickly: ''No, that's actually a lie. I've hated a lot of it, I hate it when things don't go well.'' |
Nick Maxwell - Fast Facts Height: 193cm Weight: 92kg Date of Birth: 3 June 1983 Recruited From: St Josephs (VCFL)/Geelong U18/North Ballarat Debut: Collingwood v Adelaide, Round 9 2004 at Telstra Dome Games: 199 Goals: 29 Honours: Collingwood Premiership Side 2010; Collingwood captain 2009-2013; R.T. Rush Trophy (2nd best-and-fairest) 2009; Jack Regan Trophy (5th best-and-fairest) 2012; Darren Millane Memorial Trophy (Best Clubman) 2007, 2009, 2011; Gavin Brown Award (Leading Desire Indicators) 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012; Bob Rose Award (Best Player in Finals) 2009, 2010 (equal); All-Australian 2009 Draft History: Selected at No. 15 in the 2003 Rookie Draft; elevated onto the senior list during the 2004 season At A Glance Junior Clubs: St Josephs (VCFL)/Geelong U18 Clubs: Collingwood (2004-2013) Debut: Round 9 2004 v Adelaide Recruited from: North Ballarat (VFL) Brownlow Votes: 3 Milestones AFL Debut: Collingwood v Adelaide, Round 9 2004 at Telstra Dome 50 AFL Games: Collingwood v Richmond, Round 3 2007 at the MCG Captaincy Debut: Collingwood v Essendon, Round 16 2007 at the MCG 100 AFL Games: Collingwood v St Kilda, Round 7 2009 at Etihad Stadium 50 Games as Captain: Collingwood v Western Bulldogs, Round 6 2011 at the MCG 150 AFL Games: Collingwood v Hawthorn, Round 15 2011 at the MCG 100 Games as Captain: Sydney v Collingwood, Round 20 2013 at ANZ Stadium Draft History Selected at No. 15 in the 2003 Rookie Draft Elevated onto the senior list during the 2004 season AFL Awards Collingwood Premiership Side 2010 All-Australian Team 2009 Club Awards R.T. Rush Trophy (Second in Best and Fairest) 2009 Jack Regan Trophy (Fifth in Best and Fairest) 2012 Darren Millane Memorial Trophy (Best Clubman) 2007, 2010, 2011 Gavin Brown Award (Leading Desire Indicators) 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012
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The numbers that make up the career of Nick Maxwell: 11,108,708 – People to have watched Maxwell in his 199 senior games since round nine, 2004. 100,016 – The largest crowd Maxwell has ever played in front of (in the 2010 Grand Final against St Kilda). 8102 – The smallest crowd Maxwell has ever played in front of (against Greater Western Sydney in round 18, 2012). 4114 – Days since Maxwell was drafted back in December 2002. 2709 – The amount of disposals recorded by Maxwell in his 199 games, at an average of 13.61. 561 – Tackles laid by Maxwell in his AFL career, at an average of 2.82 per game. 193 – Maxwell’s current height (193cm). 128 – Matches played at the MCG. 104 – Games as captain between 2009 and 2013 (and one as stand-in skipper against Essendon in round 16, 2007). 93 – Maxwell’s playing weight (93kg). 43 – The number Maxwell wore in his debut season of 2004. 41 – The first number Maxwell was handed upon walking in the door at Victoria Park ahead of the 2003 season. 33 – The number worn by Max Rooke when Maxwell barrelled him in a ferocious tackle during the 2007 Preliminary Final. 33 – VFL Games played. 32 – Players to have featured in 200 or more games for Collingwood prior to Maxwell’s milestone. 29 – Goals kicked in 199 games. 29 – Maxwell’s highest disposal count in a game (recorded against West Coast in round nine, 2009). 27 – The third number worn by Maxwell during his time in the Black and White (between 2006 and 2008). 19 – Pre-season games during his time in the AFL. 18 – Finals played between 2006 and 2013. 18 – Games played against Carlton, Maxwell’s most against an individual team. 17 – The disposal count Adelaide star Scott Thompson was restricted to by Maxwell in the 2008 Elimination Final. 16 – The number worn by Tom Davidson, the man Maxwell replaced on the senior list midway through 2004. 15 – The number at which Maxwell was selected by Collingwood in the 2003 Rookie Draft. 8 – Possessions won by Maxwell on debut against the Crows in round four, 2004. 7 – The number of ANZAC Day games Maxwell has played in. 6 – Overseas trips to Arizona on pre-season training camps. 4 – The amount of clubs that Maxwell trained with before landing a spot on Collingwood’s rookie list. For the record, those clubs were Geelong, Hawthorn, Sydney and Port Adelaide. 4 – Gavin Brown Award (Leading Desire Indicators) won. 4 – The most goals Maxwell has ever kicked in a single game (against Brisbane in round 17, 2007). 3 – Brownlow votes earned by Maxwell during his playing career to date (all awarded against West Coast in round nine, 2009). 3 – Darren Millane Perpetual Memorial Trophies won (as Best Clubman). 2 – Premierships Maxwell has been involved in since arriving at Collingwood, including both the 2010 AFL triumph against St Kilda and his role in Williamstown’s VFL premiership in 2003. 2 – Goals kicked on his captaincy debut against the Crows in round one, 2009. 2 – Bob Rose Awards (Best Player in Finals) won. 1 – All-Australian selections (2009). 1 – Cracked knuckle sustained in a Grand Final (against Geelong in 2011). 1 – Premiership won as captain (2010).  I've been prepared for retirement since day one, and I've gone into every contract as if it was my last. I've had to because I've had no choice because I'm not good enough. I don't dread the end. In fact, I know I couldn't do this forever. The great thing about footy for me is that there is an expiry date.
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Collingwood v Swans
Saturday March 29, 7.40pmANZ Fox Footy / 7mate 7.30pm Weather: Min 20 Max 27 Chance of rain 60%: 1-5mm Wind: SE 22kph Betting: Collingwood $2.80 Swans $1.44 |
Collingwood v Swans
Saturday March 29, 7.40pmANZ Fox Footy / 7mate 7.30pm Weather: Min 20 Max 27 Chance of rain 60%: 1-5mm Wind: SE 22kph Betting: Collingwood $2.80 Swans $1.44 |
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Collingwood has received massive boost on the eve of round two with key recruit Jesse White named to face Sydney at ANZ Stadium on Saturday night. The former Swan is one of two inclusions to a Magpie side which suffered a heavy 70-point defeat to Fremantle a fortnight ago, with Jarryd Blair’s making a swift return to senior action after suffering a toe injury during the final weeks of pre-season. White was identified as a primary target for Collingwood over last year’s trade period, his versatility and athleticism marking him as an ideal foil to spearhead Travis Cloke in the Magpie forward line. Ultimately arriving at the Westpac Centre in exchange for pick No. 44 in the 2013 National Draft, White’s form over the summer suggested he is well placed to deliver on his promise, producing a star turn in Collingwood’s two-point loss to Geelong at Skilled Stadium in February. Booting five goals, White proved a revelation, his dynamic presence causing angst among the Cats defenders as he commanded significant attention whether in the air or in drawing upon his considerable speed. Given Collingwood’s goal kicking woes against the Dockers, White’s welcome return provides a much needed cutting edge to the Magpies side, offering an alternative tall marking option inside the attacking 50. Following an impressive performance with Collingwood’s VFL side last weekend, Blair’s return is poised to inject added steel to the Magpie forward line and on-ball unit, with the diminutive utility renowned for his defensive prowess and trademark strength at stoppages. However, it may prove on the scoreboard where Blair proves most damaging, with his creativity and innate goal sense perhaps providing a tonic after Collingwood appeared rather ineffectual in attack last week. Blair and White’s selection sees Martin Clarke and Ben Kennedy omitted from the side, with the former set to feature in the VFL, while the latter joins Lachlan Keeffe and Sam Dwyer as emergencies. |
Collingwood v Swans
Saturday March 29, 7.40pmANZ Fox Footy / 7mate 7.30pm Weather: Min 20 Max 27 Chance of rain 60%: 1-5mm Wind: SE 22kph Betting: Collingwood $2.80 Swans $1.44 |
Collingwood v Swans
Saturday March 29, 7.40pmANZ Fox Footy / 7mate 7.30pm Weather: Min 20 Max 27 Chance of rain 60%: 1-5mm Wind: SE 22kph Betting: Collingwood $2.80 Swans $1.44 |
Collingwood v Swans
Saturday March 29, 7.40pmANZ Fox Footy / 7mate 7.30pm Weather: Min 20 Max 28 Chance of rain 60%: 1-5mm Wind: E 14kph Betting: Collingwood $2.75 Swans $1.45 |
| Name | Injury | Status |
| Jesse White | Calf | Available |
| Corey Gault | Groin | 1 week |
| Tim Broomhead | Wrist | 2 weeks |
| Adam Oxley | Ankle | 2-3 weeks |
| Ben Reid | Calf | 2-3 weeks |
| Patrick Karnezis | Osteitis Pubis | 3-4 weeks |
| Paul Seedsman | Hip | 2-3 weeks |
| Nathan Freeman | Hamstring | 3 weeks |
| Matthew Scharenberg | Feet | Indefinite |
Collingwood v Swans
Saturday March 29, 7.40pmANZ Fox Footy / 7mate 7.30pm Weather: Min 20 Max 28 Chance of rain 60%: 1-5mm Wind: E 14kph Betting: Collingwood $2.75 Swans $1.45 |
SUPERFOOTY - Jon Anderson
COLLINGWOOD ACCOUNTABILITY: Was virtually non-existent after quarter-time as highlighted by Freo kicking 3.2 from kick-ins (opponents normally concede one scoring shot a game from kick-ins). DISPOSAL: The Pies found targets by foot only 56% of the time which was 12% less than the Dockers. Teams don’t win too many games with that level of kicking inefficiency. UNAVAILABILITY: Significant. Ben Reid and Jesse White will bring them some tall versatility but that wasn’t their main problem against Freo. Same goes for Lachy Keeffe who was an emergency. Losing Marley Williams run was significant and the return of Josh Thomas will add to midfield depth. Paul Seedsman can provide dash from half-back. OUTLOOK: Given they had more out than Carlton and Richmond, they are entitled to be judged when near fit. That doesn’t change the fact they stank against Freo. NEXT 3: Sydney (ANZ Stadium), Geelong (MCG), Richmond (MCG). Collingwood Magpies presser 9:07 LONG-TERM Will the Pies have another crack at a premiership before captain Scott Pendlebury finishes up? There might be some rough seas ahead while their five first-round draft picks they netted in the past two drafts get 50-odd games under their belt. But once Ben Kennedy and Tim Broomhead are running the ball with confidence, Nathan Freeman is bursting away from stoppages and injured defender Matthew Scharenberg is intercepting across the back line, things may look more rosy. Brodie Grundy, Ben Reid, Lachlan Keeffe, Jarrod Witts and this year’s father-son pick-up Darcy Moore should provide a more than capable spine. Josh Thomas and Taylor Adams are front-line on-ballers in the making. |
COLLINGWOOD INJURIES Tim Broomhead (wrist) 2-3 weeks Nathan Freeman (hamstring) 2-3 weeks Corey Gault (groin) 1 week Patrick Karnezis (osteitis pubis 2-3 weeks) Adam Oxley (ankle) 1-2 weeks Matthew Scharenberg (feet) indefinite Paul Seedsman (hip) 2-3 weeks Josh Thomas (knee) 1-2 weeks ON THE BLOCK: Nathan Buckley said the heat would be on some of his senior players after the disappointing Round 1 result against Freo. Marty Clarke could be in the gun after a subdued outing in the season opener. Time will tell if other more-experienced names will pay. Tyson Goldsack and starting sub Ben Kennedy could make way as the Pies welcome back a couple. ON THE CUSP: Ben Reid and Jesse White will return against Sydney in two weeks. Alex Fasolo is certain to be banging down the door for a game, while Buckley may give Tony Armstrong a crack at his former team. Tall defender Lachy Keeffe, considered stiff by many not to play against Freo, could come in against the Swans if a match-up presents. FORECAST: It just got hotter down at the Westpac Centre. We’re only a week into the season but with a daunting early-season draw, the Pies are facing a big one in Round 2 when they travel north to face Buddy and the Swans. They’ll be buoyed by their strong record up there, but there’s plenty to work on between now and then.
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AFL legend Wayne Carey has accused Collingwood of playing ''bruise-free'' football, while there is a ''big watch'' on Nick Maxwell and Marty Clarke as the Magpies begin the task of regrouping after a shocking start to the season. After an even first term, the Magpies were mauled by 70 points by Fremantle in front of a disappointing crowd of 37,571 at Etihad Stadium on Friday night. Collingwood chief executive Gary Pert had expected a crowd of 45,000, while the AFL was confident of 42,000, on a day league boss Andrew Demetriou lamented the unavailability of the MCG to open the season. The Magpies were unable to deal with Fremantle's sustained pressure and a new, attacking game plan involving quicker ball movement and a desire to seek coast-to-coast goals, using what coach Ross Lyon later branded ''through balls'' rather than kicking sideways and holding up play. Advertisement Collingwood’s score (46 points) was its lowest under coach Nathan Buckley and lowest ever against the Dockers, while the losing margin of 70 points was its highest since Buckley took charge in 2012. That the Magpies were unable to physically worry the Dockers had Carey declaring they had played ‘‘bruise-free’’ football after quarter-time. ''They did not put a finger on Fremantle players for periods of the game,'' Carey said on Triple M. "For some goals, we know the one that went from one end of the ground to the other - when [Hayden] Ballantyne wheeled around and kicked that goal - but the one that shocked me was the one [Ryan] Crowley marked at the top of the square, uncontested ... an uncontested 15-metre chip, that for me was just unforgivable.'' Carey said the Magpies, with power forward Travis Cloke held goalless after being at times triple teamed, had played as bad as struggling Melbourne had last season. The stinging loss prompted Melbourne great and commentator Garry Lyon to question the futures of Maxwell, the former skipper, and Irishman Clarke, declaring there is a ''big watch'' on the pair in the coming weeks. The Magpies maintained through the pre-season that Maxwell was still in their best 22. It clearly wasn’t the start the Magpies, even without injured talls Jesse White and Ben Reid, had envisaged, particularly after Pert had said pre-match the Magpies expected to win a flag within the next three years - the life of Buckley’s new contract. Collingwood has next weekend off as part of the split round but then face a potentially harrowing six weeks, with Sydney and Geelong in its immediate sights. Magpies head of football Rodney Eade denied the loss was a reality check but said goalkicking, kicking efficiency and use of the ball was the ''most damning thing for us that we have to get right''. Buckley, whose anger boiled over at times in the coach's box, said the ''heat'' was now on the entire club. "When there’s such contrasts in the way that you perform from quarter to quarter, it puts heat on everyone,'' he said. "We will more than likely sit at the bottom of the ladder with our percentage at the end of round one, but we will be four points away from the top team. So it’s a loss, it’s a poor loss, but you don’t wrap the season up. "We’ve clearly got some players who performed really well, but we just didn’t have enough support, there weren’t enough troops, there wasn’t enough weight of numbers for long enough. "So the heat goes on if you don’t perform - players and coaches and administrators alike.'' Eade said Reid and White would be available to tackle the Swans. Lachlan Keeffe, Alex Fasolo, Jarryd Blair and Sam Dwyer are likely to be in contention for a recall. |
It sounded like an intriguing, if unconventional, season opener. Collingwood, the box office champion, against Fremantle, the rising power. A perennial finalist and Victorian power against the 2013 grand finalist. There had been talk that Freo had ‘‘earned’’ the right to open the season against the heavily supported black and whites. In truth, it was leviathan Collingwood that wasn’t equal to the occasion. It was the proven attraction that flopped on opening night. When did a Pies team last seem so impotent in the face of vastly superior opposition? Hawthorn might have owned Collingwood for two years, but the Hawks never submitted them to a humiliation of the kind that Ross Lyon’s well-drilled troops inflicted upon them. After a spirited, if highly inefficient, first quarter, the Pies could not score another goal for more than an hour. The occasion underwhelmed on a number of levels. The crowd was down several thousand on what one might have predicted. Collingwood folk, perhaps, had a premonition of what was coming. The strangling was completed early – by the middle of the second quarter, Freo had rendered its prey lifeless, before swallowing it whole. And the Dockers showed a capacity to score that wasn’t always evident in 2013. They also showcased the talents of a fellow called Nathan Fyfe, whose majestic performance reminded us of his James Hird-like ability to waltz into contests and emerge with the ball. Aaron Sandilands reminded us of his stature as the game’s most imposing – and biggest – big man. Hayden Ballantyne reminded us that his wasteful grand final was an aberration. The Dockers belonged out there, under the brights lights of opening night. The Pies were embarrassing. Nathan Buckley might have been buoyed by a two-year contract extension, but he has some problems and should brace himself for some flak. While the defeat by Fremantle shouldn’t come as a surprise – the 22 that Collingwood sent into the season opener lacked class, in both defence and attack – it was the extent of destruction that was worrisome. A four or five-goal loss would have been palatable, considering Fremantle’s strength and Collingwood’s personnel issues. But a belting of this scale invites questions, and unfortunately for the Pies, the fixture does not afford them much respite – next up, they face the Swans in Sydney, another team fancied to figure in the box trifecta at season’s end. Buckley’s issues were everywhere, but were most pronounced at what he terms ‘‘the pointy ends’’. Travis Cloke has often found Luke McPharlin difficult – the Docker defender is elite in one-on-ones – but he did not have a chance, given the combination of terrible disposal and Fremantle’s systematic out-numbering. Jesse White and Ben Reid in particular were major omissions. Without a foil for Collingwood, or another aerial threat, the Pies sought to manufacture goals with mid-sized players – which is difficult against any quality team, and nigh impossible against the Lyon cage. They couldn’t hit targets anywhere. Reid is likely to play in attack when he overcomes his calf problem, but one can mount a case that he is equally needed in a defence that is without Heath Shaw and won’t have his prospective successor, Marley Williams, for an undetermined period. The Collingwood backline was replete with either unfamiliar and inexperienced names – Jack Frost, first-gamer Tom Langdon – or names that are familiar but not distinguished, such as Marty Clarke, who simply isn’t up to scratch. The Pies have a bye next week before the challenge of the Swans. The Dockers could be said to have had an unexpected bye a week earlier. |
Herald Sun Sport - Mark Robinson
FOOTBALL and expectations can be a killer combination. The bigger the expectation, the greater the criticism when it goes pear-shaped. At Collingwood the bar has been set high and, if we can make judgments after just one game, they are a little misguided too. Coach Nathan Buckley recently said his team would contend for the premiership this season. “Play our best, win every game that we play ... contend for the flag. That’s our expectations,” he said. Just 30 minutes before the bounce on Friday night, Magpies chief executive Gary Pert said: “I would suggest not only playing in finals for the next three years, but I would expect us to be top-four and winning a premiership during that time.” The Magpies were trounced by Fremantle and the reaction from Magpies fans has been extraordinary. The criticism of Buckley has been unreasonable. Pies fans bleed black and white and some still bleed for Mick Malthouse. It’s time they got over it. Malthouse is at Carlton. Buckley is coach. The 2010 premiership was a lifetime ago in the way football is played and the way with which teams have improved and gone backwards. We’ll never know whether Malthouse would have had Collingwood in better shape than Buckley. President Eddie McGuire backed in his decision with a contract extension for Buckley which was announced two weeks ago. The point is, Collingwood will not contend this year and Buckley’s pre-season prediction says more about his glass half-full confidence than the practicalities of his list. The Pies are slow, small, young, can butcher the ball and the midfield doesn’t work hard enough defensively. Last year, Scott Pendlebury called them cheats and Friday night wouldn’t have improved his thinking or changed his view. Dayne Beams and Dane Swans are elite players but wouldn’t know who their opponents are most of the time. Luke Ball is a warrior, but he’s slow. Nick Maxwell’s the same and the sand is falling through his hour glass. The size of Ben Kennedy (175cm), Taylor Adams (181cm), Jarryd Blair (174cm), Marty Clarke (181cm), Sam Dwyer (180cm), Jamie Elliott (178cm), Alex Fasolo (181cm), Kyle Martin (180cm), Steele Sidebottom (180cm) and Josh Thomas (178cm) is also a concern. Perhaps it’s not about the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog. Clarke’s career is at the crossroads, Elliott played well in a great team and needs to do the same in an average one, and the footy world is looking at Sidebottom. Star in the making or a pretty handy mid/forward? The defensive group is young, the rucks are younger, and if Buckley wants to contend he has to finish top four. The Pies are going backwards before they go forwards. 
'... criticism of Buckley unreasonable'
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FORMER Essendon champion Matthew Lloyd poured cold water on Collingwood’s bid to win a premiership in the next three years, saying the Pies are “nowhere near it”. Collingwood copped a 70-point hiding from Fremantle on Friday night only hours after chief executive Gary Pert said the club expected to win another flag before coach Nathan Buckley’s contract expired in 2016. Senior Pies have already been put on notice ahead of their Round 2 meeting against Sydney in a fortnight, with Buckley confirming the Round 1 thrashing would put players under immediate selection pressure. Key forwards Ben Reid and Jesse White are expected to return from calf injuries for the Swans clash. Despite a heavy player turnover in recent years, Pert said the club expected to maintain its run of eight-straight finals appearances under Buckley. But Lloyd was adamant the Magpies’ short-term premiership ambitions were unrealistic. “They are going to go down before they can come back up,” Lloyd said on The Sunday Footy Show yesterday. “He (Buckley) is playing kids. He’s made statements on older players who were his best players but I think there are some clubs leapfrogging Collingwood at the moment.” The Pies have the sixth-youngest list in the competition including the addition of five first-round draft picks in the past two years. Among the departures were key players Dale Thomas and Heath Shaw and a host of other veterans who weren’t in the club’s next premiership vision. But Pert said on 3AW the club was aiming high under Buckley and coaching director Rodney Eade after last week extending Buckley’s contract for two more seasons. “They have created a culture, they have created a list and team that we have very high expectations of,” Pert said. “I would suggest not only playing in finals for the next three years, but I would expect us to be top-four and winning a premiership during that period of time.” The Pies butchered the ball in the season-opener, with Buckley describing the team’s ball-handling as “woeful”. The coach said the Round 1 shocker “ puts heat on everyone ”. “We will more than likely sit at the bottom of the ladder with our percentage at the end of Round 1, but we will be four points away from the top,” Buckley said. “It’s a loss, a poor loss, but we don’t wrap the season up. “We’ve clearly got some players that performed really well … but we just didn’t have enough support. “So, yeah, the heat goes on if you don’t perform. Players and coaches and administers alike.” THE GOOD AND THE BAD TICK — Dayne Beams 31 possessions and seven clearances TICK — Brodie Grundy 13 hit-outs and 14 possessions TICK — Jarrod Witts 11 hit-outs and eight possessions TICK — Tom Langdon 24 possessions six marks CROSS — Luke Ball 27 per cent kicking efficiency and seven clearances CROSS — Steele Sidebottom 40 per cent kicking efficiency and three behinds CROSS — Dane Swan 35 per cent kicking efficiency and two tackles CROSS — Martin Clarke 13 possessions and 0 tackles COLLINGWOOD’S NEXT FOUR Rd 2 v Sydney Swans (ANZ) (N) Rd 3 v Geelong Cats (MCG) (N) Rd 4 v Richmond (MCG) (N) Rd 5 v North Melbourne (MCG) |
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IT was a three-quarter thrashing that prompted accusations that Collingwood had played “bruise-free” football, yet it is one facet of Friday’s debacle the Magpies might challenge. As much as it seemed Fremantle was able to move the ball without pressure and brush bodies away at will in a rout that prompted the above accusation from AFL legend Wayne Carey, statistics suggest Collingwood’s physical approach is not what let it down. The Magpies compiled only one contested possession less than the hard-nosed Dockers and actually laid 14 more tackles, though that in part is due to Fremantle’s dominance. It was Collingwood’s kicking, both in general play and for goal, that proved the biggest issue as the confidence eroded against a rival that Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley yesterday described as scary. The likely inclusion of Ben Reid, who missed against Fremantle with a calf problem, will provide another marking option for Collingwood to kick to in its second round clash against the Swans in 12 days. Jesse White, too, looks a likely inclusion given Collingwood’s director of football Rodney Eade said Reid and the former Swan would have been able to play had the Magpies played in the second half of the split round. 'Collingwood’s kicking the biggest issue.' |
Collingwood studs: Many Super Coaches were tossing up between Dayne Beams (136) and Scott Pendlebury (127). Not a bad idea to have both based on Friday night’s form. Meanwhile, draftee Tom Langdon (111) could be a steal in defence. Collingwood duds: He’s promised more accuracy in front of the sticks this year, but right now Travis Cloke just needs to get more of the pill. The forward only collected 35 points although it was a tough night as the Freo backline dominated. The returning Alan Toovey only scored 30. 
Beams: Super Coach pick
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