Collingwood has right mix for finals - The Age

[Dale61]

By Dermott Brereton
June 5 2002

The season is not quite halfway through, but Collingwood can be well proud of its achievement so far. Considering where the Magpies sat three years ago their improvement has been excellent.

They have had a habit of dropping off between rounds 12 and 18 - football's toughest six-week period - but they won't this year.

Remember that up until this season, only Fremantle had won fewer games than the Magpies in the 16-team format, which was born when Port Adelaide joined the competition in 1997.

They started 2000 on the back of a 4-18 season in 1999. Admittedly, as proud as then-coach Tony Shaw is, I don't think he pulled out all stops to win the late games of that season. He wanted to give the incoming coach a chance of improving the side with an extra early draft choice.

In 2000, Collingwood did exceptionally well with its early draft picks, the most prominent, of course, being Josh Fraser. It also picked up Jason Cloke, Alan Didak, Ryan Lonie and Shane Wakelin, and traded for James Clement, Brodie Holland and Jarrod Molloy.

What Collingwood can boast now is a well-balanced side. Sure it needs a couple of better players in certain positions, but even Brisbane has that problem.

A big plus for the Magpies is that they have Anthony Rocca up and running - something I thought they would struggle to do given his inability in the past to be match fit for much of the season. He is presenting himself and screaming into marking contests. He appears smarter in his lead-up to a contest and he is cleanly gloving a lot of big marks.

Nathan Buckley is perhaps the most professional player in terms of preparation, both physically and mentally.

Assisting Buckley with centre-bounce clearances has been a key issue. And Mick Malhouse has employed a rotational system while Shane O'Bree accustoms himself to the pace of the game again.

It must be remembered that Rocca (Sydney), and Buckley and O'Bree (Brisbane) all came from other clubs, and Collingwood's faith in recycled players has been a big reason for its improvement.

Steven McKee, from Richmond, doesn't win many hitouts in the middle but he does follow up pretty well once the ball is moving.

Virtually every club in Melbourne snubbed their noses at Clement. But Malthouse had seen a lot of him in Western Australia and was happy to take him from Fremantle. He has pace, size and a kick like a mule. And he can run with the likes of James Hird.

Molloy has also been an excellent pick-up from Brisbane. He has given a young forward line a physical presence while it is still learning the ropes.

Glenn Freeborn, from the Kangaroos, gives the Magpies creativity from the back line or midfield.

Holland is another who was under Malthouse's nose, playing for Freo. His stripping of excess baggage this year means he can now run a bit in the midfield as well as sneak a few goals.

Chad Rintoul (West Coast) and Carl Steinfort (Geelong) round off the mature recruits.

Rintoul, yet another Malthouse disciple, has his injury problems at the moment. Steinfort is a midfielder who can do a job on an opposition gun as long as his opponent doesn't have blistering pace.

In the near future the progress of Lonie and Mark McGough to the next level will be exciting.

Cloke has shown courage and maturity beyond his years in the back line, but it would be a dumb decision to pit him against the key forwards too soon. In time he could become the Magpies' Dustin Fletcher or Jonathan Hay.

Come finals time this season, if Brisbane and Essendon have full lists, they are going to put a better team on the ground than Collingwood can. But it is rare that any club can select from a full list of 38 fit players.

If a couple of the big teams get a few injuries, the Magpies could be the team to watch in September.


"Racetracks are for racing, roads are for getting there."

[Joel]

Um Dermie, Collingwood beat Essendon and Brisbane with full sides. YOU IDIOT!!

JDF

[Brown26]

not quite - I believe Misiti was out for essendon, but with his injuries it's likely he'll be out again by september!!

the good thing about our list is that if everyone plays to their ability we WILL be better than Brisbane and Essendon, but with such a young list it's rare for that to happen. Exception - the ripper against Brissy.



Pies for Premiers 2002, 3, 4, 5, 6....

[Kristin5]

Essendon did have pretty much a full side and, remember, we were missing Chrissy (Anzac Day medallist last year), O'Bree, and Molloy.

"I'm sure people see me as a screaming redhead with a big pair of boobs, but I like to think I've got things to say." Geri Halliwell, former member of the Spice Girls

[stik35]

It was interesting that Dermie said Tony Shaw didn't win as many games for us as he could have because he wanted us to get the draft concessions.
Maybe that is why he is so bitter towards us because the board wanted it that way?
I can't believe that any games were lost intentionally - lets face it they weren't much of a team anyway - if you compare them to the current one.