Herald Sun - Kate Salemme | Jay Clark
WE thought Collingwood might take a big step forward, but we had to wait until the second half to see any progress.
Things began horribly for the Pies. They had a shocking injury run, a defensive system that wasn’t working and a problematic spearhead. The absence of Jamie Elliott and Dane Swan was particularly costly and the heat came for Nathan Buckley.
But to the coach’s credit, he tweaked things over the mid-season bye, and the youthful Pies began to dominate games in the midfield. Scott Pendlebury’s broken ribs healed and Adam Treloar will challenge the skipper for the Copeland Trophy, despite missing almost the entire preseason with groin issues.
In addition, Collingwood’s defensive game plan switched from a zone to more one-on-one and the Pies knocked off Geelong, Greater Western Sydney (away) and ran Hawthorn to within one point to re-enter the finals mix, albeit briefly.
Brodie Grundy became one of the game’s top ruckman in his third season. Importantly, there was greater effort across the board after the bye. There is upside at the Holden Centre. Matthew Scharenberg will play the rebounding role out of defence next season and Elliott will provide a foil for Darcy Moore in attack.
2016 SNAPSHOT
WINS: 9
LOSSES: 13
DRAWS: 0
LADDER POSITION: 12 th
PERCENTAGE: 95.6%
LAST YEAR: 12th (finished with one less win)
WHAT WENT RIGHT
The Pies paid a high price for former GWS midfielder Adam Treloar but he’s lived up to expectation. One of only three Magpies to play every game this season, Treloar was explosive and at times dominant in the midfield, ranked sixth in the league for average disposals and tackles, while ranked No.1 at the Pies ahead of Scott Pendlebury in both categories as well as clearances, centre clearances and inside 50s. And let’s not forget the season of defender Ben Reid. While the Pies were ravaged by injury, Reid finally got his body right and was a key cog in the defensive setup and reminded the footy world why he was All-Australian in 2011.
WHAT WENT WRONG
Injuries galore. From Matt Scharenberg tearing his ACL two weeks into pre-seasaon, to Jamie Elliott’s pre-season back injury then setbacks ruling him out for the season, and Dane Swan suffering a season and career-ending injury in the opening five minutes of the Round 1 game, not much has gone right for the Pies. First choice players Darcy Moore, Alex Fasolo and Taylor Adams played only half the season and who could have predicted the season Travis Cloke had? Lack of key personnel – the Pies used 39 players and only three played every game - and a defensive setup that didn’t work early meant Nathan Buckley’s team was always playing catch-up and in the end was never in the mix to play finals.
HIGHLIGHT AND LOWLIGHT
It’s a tie for best win between the Round 9 victory over Geelong at the MCG and the Round 16 win over GWS in Sydney. In both those games Buckley’s team played with the flair and confidence we’d seen from them in the pre-season but failed to produce consistently in the home-and- away rounds. Those wins give the Magpie faithful hope and a glimpse into the future of what this young team, when fit can produce. However, there are plenty of candidates for worst loss and you can’t go past the 15-point loss to Carlton in Round 7. That was a horror day for the Pies who would have pencilled that in as a win during pre-season but the Pies didn’t put the Blues away early and from there Brendon Bolton’s team had a sniff and never looked back. The loss had president Eddie McGuire questioning whether he should continue at the helm.
DRAFT/TRADE REVIEW
Draft picks: Brayden Sier (32), Tom Phillips (58), Rupert Wills (63), Ben Crocker (65), Lachie Keefe (rookie), Josh Smith (rookie), Josh Thomas (rookie), Tim Golds (rookie), Darrean Wyatt (rookie)
Trade/free agency aquisitions: Jeremy Howe (Melbourne), Adam Treloar (GWS), James Aish (Brisbane)
Adam Treloar is likely to pick up the best and fairest award in his first year so that’s a big tick, while Jeremy Howe was great after being switched into defence. It will be interesting to see how Nathan Buckley’s uses the former Demon in 2017. James Aish started the season slowly but finished well and showed why he’s going to be a very good player for the club in the future. His ball use, marking and ability to read the play stand out. Early indications are that they drafted well, too with Ben Crocker, Tom Phillips, Rupert Wills and Josh Smith all showing they can be competent players at senior level.
THE COACH
No person in the AFL is scrutinised more than Nathan Buckley. But there is the very real prospect the spotlight will sharpen even more as he enters a make-or-break 2017. Buckley deserves some luck with injuries, but after missing September three years in a row, there will be no excuses for not making finals next year.
YOU SAID IT
“I’m on the hook flat out, we’re all on the hook flat out for it and it’s really important for us to make this work.”
- Nathan Buckley
BEST AND FAIREST
It will definitely be a battle in two as Treloar and Pendlebury battle it out for the title. Our money is on Treloar, simply because the Pies skipper had battled manfully through injury for most of the season, including stints at halfback. It will be a huge nod for the gun 23-year-old who has had an immediate impact at his new club. Expect Ben Reid, Steele Sidebottom and Brodie Grundy to feature heavily, while Taylor Adams should also poll well from his 14 games before hamstring and ankle injuries, as will Alex Fasolo.
B&F Count: Copeland Trophy, October 7 at Crown Palladium
SUPERCOACH STUD
Can’t go past Pendlebury. Finished the season with a team-high average of 118.7 points per game – ranked behind only Patrick Dangerfield across the competition. He delivered in spades, recording 18 scores of 100 point or more and his lowest score of the season was 82 against Richmond in Round 20. Just delivers.
SUPERCOACH DUD
After a strong pre-season campaign many expected Jordan De Goey to have a breakout SuperCoach season but many lost patience with the young Magpie early on. Ended with three triple figure scores but a season average of 75.7 was disappointing. Had a strong finish to the season though, averaging 94.3 points in his last three games. Maybe next year.
THE LIST
ELITE: Scott Pendlebury, Adam Treloar, Steele Sidebottom
BIG IMPROVERS: Darcy Moore, Alex Fasolo, James Aish, Ben Sinclair, Mason Cox
GONE: Dane Swan (retired), Alan Toovey (retired), Brent Macaffer (retired)
GOING, GOING: Travis Cloke, Jarryd Blair, Matthew Goodyear, Corey Gault
TRADE BAIT: Travis Cloke, Jarrod Witts, Tim Broomhead, Adam Oxley
ON THE BLOCK
We know Travis Cloke is probably on his way to the Western Bulldogs, and Jarrod Witts is expected to seek more opportunity, potentially at Brisbane. Free agent Nathan Brown is weighing up a move to North Melbourne and Marley Williams remains unsigned.
WHAT THEY NEED
Key position players are the priority at Collingwood both forward and back. With Travis Cloke declaring his intentions to find a new home, the Pies need more than Mason Cox as back up to Darcy Moore and Jesse White. And where is Nathan Brown at? Unsigned and a free agent, the Pies must keep the full back otherwise that puts it in a precarious position. Ben Reid had a good season but will his body hold up? And Jack Frost is out of contract, while Lachlan Keeffe is coming back from a two-year drugs ban. Trouble looming in defensive stocks, too. The Pies have been linked to contracted Giant Will Hoskin-Elliott, while Adam Tomlinson is also on the radar to fill one key position need. Jaeger O’Meara seems a pipe dream with not much in the way of picks to satisfy Gold Coast. Should have a nibble at Swan Sam Reid and Eagles Eric Mackenzie and Mitch Brown.
PREMIERSHIP CLOCK: 7pm
On paper, there is enough young talent at Collingwood to drive the club on an upward curve over the next five years. Another prime marking target is crucial for the list build.
STATS
(Source: Champion Data)
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