Training Program Injury Link

REAL FOOTY

As coach Nathan Buckley revealed the Magpies' long injury list may have been as a result of training players "to the edge and potentially over the top", the Collingwood faithful will have a chance to question club powerbrokers over why they failed to make the finals at a members forum on Monday night.
The Magpies confirmed on Saturday the members-only forum featuring president Eddie McGuire, chief executive Gary Pert, football department chief Rodney Eade, captain Scott Pendlebury, Buckley and even executives from the commercial side of the business would be held at the MCG on Monday night.
Pert said he wasn't concerned the forum would become rowdy, and suggested it would now be held on an annual basis.
"We have committed as a club to be open and transparent. I think we communicate with our members and supporters better than any club," Pert said.
"If some people are frustrated or upset, if they want to ask some tough questions, line up and come and ask. If there is a little bit of energy in the room at different stages, well, that's because that's where the supporters are at. It gives us a chance to deal with it."
The Magpies opened the season with an impressive 8-3 win-loss record but slipped in the second half of the campaign, when injuries to the likes of Travis Cloke, Nick Maxwell, Dayne Beams and Dane Swan hurt. At one stage, the Magpies were unable to field 11 of their best 22 players.
The program run by high performance manager Bill Davoren, who joined the club in October last year, is expected to be questioned by members, with an internal review into the possible reasons for a plethora of soft-tissue injuries underway. The Magpies have also had seven serious knee injuries in the past two years.
Buckley said on SEN on Saturday the Magpies had "worked our players hard, potentially our injury profile suggests we pushed them to the edge and potentially over the top but that will hold us in good stead going forward".
In terms of training loads, he said the Magpies had been "massive unders" compared to rivals although this had been an effective policy during the latter years under former coach Mick Malthouse and former fitness boss David Buttifant – both are now at Carlton – when transition football was not as frenetic. He said the Magpies had since increased their training loads by up to 15 per cent to meet modern demands.
After their season ended in a 65-point loss to the Hawks on Friday night, Buckley said injuries and a lack of production from the club's senior players had impacted on the side.
"We clearly have got to fix our inner injury status – the last three weeks is a case in point," Buckley said.
"I think for what we put out on the park, [11-11] is probably a fair representation of our season. We'll go through a really thorough review process as we always do, [but] this evolution of Collingwood is pretty exciting."
Pert made it clear over the pre-season that the Magpies could challenge for the flag if the circumstances were right.
"We spoke as a group at the start of the year. I think that list was capable of with the senior players and leaders having a good season like we planned, with the young players coming through and playing a scattering of games and lifting and with a little bit of luck with injuries so we have all of our players out there, I think we were able to actually make the top four, be in the finals and be a real threat," Pert said.
"As it worked out, it's not only about the injuries, it's about who the injuries were to. When you lose a Nick Maxwell, outside of the club, that's completely underestimated the impact of that leadership."
Speaking on 3AW, Pert said a review would determine whether any changes were needed in the football department.
Buckley said the Magpies expected to retain utility Tyson Goldsack, who is off contract and has been linked to Port Adelaide. The Magpies have offered a two-year deal to the free agent.
"We love Goldy, and he is a very popular player within the playing group and the club in general," Buckley said.
"He's a player we hope and expect to retain, and he'll be a big part of what we build. We're pretty confident we'll be able to satisfy his needs."