Buckleys GF (as seen by the Copeland voters)

[Black_White]

H/S today;



No standout: Nathan Buckley polled one vote in the Copeland Trophy for his efforts in the Grand Final.




Bucks gets no favours
08 October 2002 Herald Sun
By MICHAEL GLEESON

IT WAS good enough to win him a Norm Smith medal, but the Magpies' coaches didn't reckon Bucks' game was a stand-out.

The only issue for most people assessing who the best player was on Grand Final day was whether he should have come from the winning side.

It seemed clear that Buckley was the stand-out Magpie and by most accounts, the stand-out player on the MCG.

But it seems the Collingwood brains trust have fallen into the same trap as the rest of the viewing public and judged Bucks by his own high standards and not by the measure applied to others.

The Collingwood skipper polled just one vote in the Copeland Trophy for his efforts in the Grand Final.

Seven other Magpies were awarded the same single vote. No one was given two votes for the game let alone three.

Under Collingwood's idiosyncratic voting system, every player gets one vote per game they play.

After that 1, 2 and 3 votes are awarded only on merit.

For instance, no one was given a vote in the West Coast thrashing in Round 17, but in the preliminary final win 10 players polled one vote and no one was given two votes.

No player for the second-placed side was awarded three votes in a game this season.

On only eight occasions were two votes awarded.

Bucks took two of those for his games against Brisbane in Round 8 and Carlton in Round 19.

The trophy winner, Paul Licuria, polled two votes on two occasions - not surprisingly against Port Adelaide for the qualifying final blitz, but also for his mildly controversial tagging job on Richmond skipper Wayne Campbell in Round 16.

Buckley finished behind eight other Magpies in sixth place in the overall voting for the medal.

So this is not to say the voting cost Bucks another Copeland, just an interesting insight on the match commitee's thoughts.

[Mr Magpies]

Yeah I read that. He played a great game, perhaps the voters thought the effort by the team was better.

Can someone tell me why people are so sour & bitter about Collingwood making the Grand Final and all I feel is Pride.
Go Magpies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Joel]

That last post was by me. It seems my brother has registered.

JDF

"We've never quit, and we won't."