2015 Preview: Collingwood

THE ROAR - Sam Aldridge

Last season
Nathan Buckley continued his dismantling of the Ratpack sending Heath Shaw to GWS to cast his influence over the youth of tomorrow. Dale Thomas missed Mick Malthouse too much so he made his way to rivals Carlton and the Pies traded hard to get Jesse White from Sydney. The season started well with the Pies sitting in fourth after Round 12.
Winning 3 out of the last 11 games saw Collingwood come crashing down as they finished in 11th. The highlight was the emergence of first year late draft pick Tom Langdon, who looked like a seasoned defender before fatigue set in. Jack Frost and Jarrod Witts also established themselves in the best 22, but Collingwood will see the season as a lost opportunity.

Next season
Nick Maxwell and Luke Ball retired and Hertier Lumumba made his way to Melbourne during trade week. The Pies secured Kangaroo’s Best and Fairest Levi Greenwood along with Geelong premiership player Travis Varcoe through trades while being forced to use their number nine draft pick to bring in father/son selection Darcy Moore.
The Pies also managed to outbid the workplace of Mason Cox, who comes over from Oklahoma State University. Collingwood will be out for revenge in 2015 aiming to keep their injury list low.
Varcoe and Greenwood boost an already star-studded midfield and their young defence will have benefitted from an extra pre-season. This is one of the harder teams to predict but I expect the Pies to sit between seventh to 10th, with too much reliance on Cloke and a young defence taking its toll before season’s end.

Who to watch out for
Travis Cloke had a poor year by his standards last season, only kicking 39 goals. With extra midfield options through trades and natural progression, and Marley Williams playing a full season off half back, expect the delivery to improve and Cloke to have a greater influence on matches.
Jarryd Blair had a statistically down season last year. With Beams gone he will assume more responsibility expecting him to slot into a small forward/pinch-hitting midfielder role, returning to the form he displayed from 2010 to 2013.

Needs a big year
Jesse White came across from Sydney to play the tall forward role supporting Travis Cloke. He managed 18 games and 20 goals in 2014, but the Pies were hoping he could be utilised as a focal point taking defenders away from Cloke. White will need to demand more of the ball this season which will either boost his goal tally or boost that of Cloke’s.

Best 22
FB: Toovey, Brown, Frost
HB: Langdon, Reid, Williams
C: Varcoe, Greenwood, Pendlebury
HF: Sidebottom, Cloke, Blair
FF: Elliott, White, Goldsack
R: Grundy, Swan, MacCaffer
I: Witts, Fasolo, Young, Thomas