Magpies flying under the radar

THE ROAR - Cameron Rose

ROUND 8: MAY 9-12 BYE ROUND 9 Collingwood v Adelaide Thursday May 15, 7.50pm Adelaide Oval Fox Footy / 7mate 7.30pm

Collingwood is the biggest sporting club in the land, let alone the AFL, yet the Magpies are quietly sneaking under the radar in 2014.
Hawthorn and Geelong are drawing deserved praise for playing their usual magnificent football, Port are rightly the darlings of the competition – fast and ferocious – Gold Coast aren’t far behind, and Melbourne has been the feel-good story a couple of times, with fans finally seeing the light.
Richmond and Carlton have been copping the headlines for the wrong reasons, as is always the case when performance doesn’t match expectation.
But the Pies are quietly going about their business, and are on track to plays finals for a stunning ninth consecutive season. They have mastered the art of perennially contending without bottoming out.
The year couldn’t have started any worse, Freo humiliating them by 70 points in a standalone Friday match to kick off the AFL season. Yet this result has gone down as something of an aberration for both sides. It’s worth pointing out Collingwood were missing up to 8 of what would have been considered in their best 22.
At the time, we looked at guys like Tom Langdon and Jack Frost playing down back, and wondered how the Pies were going to make anything of their year with no-names like these getting a game.
Now, both are an integral part of the side. Langdon always puts himself in the right position, whether to defend or attack, and makes smart decisions with ball in hand, while Frost has rarely been beaten in a one-on-one contest, taking on some of the best key forwards in the game.
Nick Maxwell’s experience and knowhow has of course been valuable, as he has turned back to clock to recapture career best form. Alan Toovey is another old hand who deals in effectiveness and no-nonsense. Marley Williams and Alex Fasolo will provide the rebound class, and Lachie Keefe will get the job done in the other key defensive post more often as not.
The greatest credit to the Collingwood coaching staff, and the developing players, is that the current Magpie best 22 is not easy to name. Pressure for spots at the bottom end is a pre-requisite for sides with top-four ambitions.
We know the top end of their list, especially midfield-wise, is arguably the best around.
Scott Pendlebury is the second best player in the league, Dane Swan has been the best possession-gathering machine around for almost a decade, and Dayne Beams has overtaken Swan in both impact and importance.
The support cast, led by, but not restricted to, Steele Sidebottom, Heritier Lumumba and tagger Brent Macaffer can be dangerous and destructive on their day. Clinton Young and Jarryd Blair offer experience and hardy backing, allowing youngsters to come in and flourish around them.
Luke Ball is feeling the pinch of 12 years working at the coal-face, but still has a role to play. With the likes of Sam Dwyer, Josh Thomas, Taylor Adams, Ben Sinclair, Ben Kennedy and co. nipping at his heels, the foundations for the future are strong.
Brodie Grundy continues to impress as the number one ruck only three weeks out of his teenage years. What a beauty he’s going to be. His aggression is a key factor in any success he’s having.
Travis Cloke is still the most feared power forward in the competition, albeit being challenged for supremacy by Tom Hawkins. Cloke’s kicking has been off, and a player of his ability can’t afford to be going goalless four times in seven matches like he has done. It’s a good sign for the Pies that they’ve been able to find themselves in the top four without any significant impact from him.
The return of Ben Reid will help Cloke enormously, and the All-Australian centre-half-back from 2011 should slot straight into a key forward post. A superb judge of the ball, and excellent contested mark, he will draw both the ball and opposition defenders, enabling the Pie midfield to get the footy to Cloke one-out more often.
Jamie Elliott is making his own case to be considered the most dangerous small forward in the league, and what sets him apart is his marking ability. Blessed with sure hands, a powerful leap and canny goal sense, he’s hard to stop and brings dynamism to the forward-line.
Jesse White has added a dimension, and is probably better on the ground but worse in the air than people think. Tyson Goldsack is the grizzled veteran whose each tackle hits harder than the one previous, but doesn’t want for scoreboard impact either.
The Pies will start favourite in every game from after their bye through to Round 14, when they could well be facing Hawthorn having put together ten wins in a row, and a top-four spot all but locked up. It could well be a top-of-the-table clash.
Everyone loves to hate on Collingwood, but even the biggest clubs deserve due credit and respect. The Pies are going to challenge for the flag… Again.