News........Tuesday

[MagpieMad]

No Grand Final hang-up: Malthouse
Samantha Lane
afl.com.au
5:50:54 PM Mon 13 January, 2003


Collingwood will enter the 2003 season with an amplified confidence and an increased workload, but without hang-ups over last year’s Grand Final, says coach Mick Malthouse.

The Pies came to within nine points of football’s ultimate prize last September, but Malthouse has played down the effect the loss might have on his team.


“It hasn’t been a major issue really because we didn’t win it,” he told afl.com.au. “It’s not as if we’ve sat back and basked in the glory of being a runner-up. We certainly haven’t done that.

“There’s been very little said about the grand final. The case has been more to look forward than look back, and that’s been our motto, to be better than what we were last year.

“To sit back on our laurels and (dwell) on last year is far from we’ve been contemplating.”

Malthouse led the West Coast Eagles to glory in 1992 after they were runners-up the previous year and says the Pies need to increase their workload in order to improve in 2003.

“A little bit more experience, a better belief - I think all those things (help),” he said. “The next stage is that your workload has got to increase. And the boys so far have demonstrated that they want to increase their workload. That all bodes well for our initial assault on the season.

“Last season doesn’t get you any extra points for this year, but what you take into this year is an element of confidence - to know that you are one of the better sides in the competition.”

While Collingwood’s squad is relatively low on finals experience, Malthouse says it is sufficiently mature to set about the challenge of bettering last year’s performance.

“The group itself is one, mature and two, still hungry,” he said. “They’re very much aware that we can’t get ahead of ourselves.

“There’s enough maturity within the group, albeit with the fact that we are very immature as far as the number of finals we’ve played. There’s a mature group within the club and they’ve led very well with the younger players.”

Malthouse is satisfied with his squad’s approach to the pre-season, but admits there is only so much he can control.

“All we do is plan in and be each day as it comes along. And the boys so far have met all expectations,” he said.

“I’m no soothsayer, so I can’t predict what’s going to be taking place.”


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Woewodin's resolve moves Malthouse
Samantha Lane
afl.com.au
4:05:59 PM Tue 14 January, 2003

It was inevitable that Shane Woewodin and his former Melbourne team-mates would cross paths in 2003. But the star midfielder and 2000 Brownlow medallist didn't expect it would happen so soon, and at Victoria Park of all places.

Woewodin was in the Magpies' weights room on Monday morning, when the Demons took to the field for a training run.


“He looked out the windows and saw his old teammates,” Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse told afl.com.au.

“He would have felt a tinge of nostalgia. He could have been down there training with them.”

The Demons surprised not just the club's own supporters. but the wider football community when they sought to trade the popular Woewodin, who had struggled for two years to recapture his best form.

“I think it’s strange. That’s the way you’d sum it up. It happened so quickly,” mused Malthouse.

“He would no doubt have a grit, (thinking) I’ve got to be a better player than I was last year, I’m going to show them I can be better.”

Back in his day, Malthouse was traded to Richmond after four years with St Kilda.

And though they were vastly different circumstances from Woewodin's, Malthouse appreciates the trial of leaving your teammates, and the odd things that you focus on.

“The individual is the one that’s very aware. He (Woewodin) can tell me right now, probably, what round we play Melbourne in. I couldn’t. I know it’s the Queen’s Birthday weekend, but I couldn’t tell you the round. He’ll know exactly,” Malthouse said.

“And he’ll pick up the papers on Mondays and read about Melbourne. He’ll read their stats and he’ll look at his (former) teammates and he’ll have best mates that he’ll have a look at. But that’s part of the process that takes place.”

Already, Malthouse has sensed the 26 year-old's hunger of the following the termination of his career at Melbourne.

“There’s a resolve there. You can easily see the resolve. He has trained hard and he’s trained will and he fits in very well. He’s done everything we’ve expected him to do.”

Woewodin will have set himself high expectations for 2003, and will inevitably be conscious of what the critics will think.

“He’ll feel that pressure that he has to perform. But I’m not going to load him up with any more pressure,” Malthouse said.

“He’ll get a job to do, he’ll be trained up accordingly and we expect him to do the job without thinking ‘he’s an ex-Brownlow Medallist, we expect this and we expect that’.”

“He’s going to be part of a game plan and that will involve him playing a certain role within the club and on the ground. If he can fulfil that then that’s all we ask of him. It's no different from the other 17 (players) on the ground.”

“I think that takes the heat off him. He’s not there thinking, ‘I need to play well because they can only win with me, or I need to play well because they’ve gone out of their way and their first round draft pick has gone to Melbourne because of me’. That’s unnecessary pressure on him.”

For all Woewodin's profile and special needs, however, Malthouse appears to know where to draw the line.

“I’ll talk to him,” Malthouse said. "But we don’t want to make a focus of it. There’s bigger fish to fry than worrying that he’s come from one particular club.”


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Malthouse's thumbs-up for refreshed Pies
Samantha Lane
afl.com.au
1:39:27 PM Mon 13 January, 2003


The Magpies have not been restricted by their shorter pre-season training period, according to senior coach Mick Malthouse.

AFL Players’ Association rules prevented the 2002 grand finalists from beginning pre-season training until late November. But after a week of solid work in the New Year, Malthouse said the Collingwood squad had recovered well following the Pies’ first finals campaign since 1994.


The AFLPA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement oblige clubs to give their players at least eight weeks' leave after their last match for a season.

While Malthouse conceded the idea of other clubs having up to a month’s more training was slightly disconcerting, he said the club had managed it well.

“They’re very refreshed,” Malthouse told afl.com.au.

“I think the most important thing is that we haven’t panicked about it.

“We only had a month before Christmas, but it wasn’t restrictive. In fact, I suppose all sides would like to have a late start because it means you’ve played off in the finals.

“You look at other clubs and they’re getting a three or four-week break on you, but we’ve had all our players train, bar the ones that have had operations and osteitis pubis.”

Anthony Rocca, Josh Fraser and Heath Scotland are among the players on modified training regimes because of past problems with osteitis pubis.

Dual Copeland Trophy winner Paul Licuria is still on a rehabilitation program after post-season knee surgery. It’s uncertain whether these key Magpie players will feature in the pre-season competition.

“A lot will depend in how they come up in those six weeks," Malthouse said. "I certainly won’t be rushing any of them back if they’re not right.

“But we’ve got a pretty good list to pick from. And barring any injuries between now and the first game we’ve got a list that’s pretty keen and reasonably healthy.”


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[Black_White]

Training report kindly re-posted with the permission of its author, Tessa. Originally posted on FTO.

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Well it was a grey day in old Melbourne today, the weather was grey, people were wearing grey, even most of the cars on the road seemed to be grey. I needed some Black and White therapy so I pointed my little car in the direction of Victoria Park, where our boys where training, found a friend and proceeded to watch our boys......... now just what did I see? well read on and you`ll see what I saw!
They where about 30 minutes into training when I rolled up, sitting in the Sherrin I had a great view of the guys doing two up training tackling and such, nothing to heavy I suppose its to early to get really serious yet. I got the chance to remind that Cummings bloke about MY teddy and he looked like someone being stalked not that I would know what a stalked person would look like.
Rocca trained the place down he ran like a um..... well he ran anyway and he spent a long time on the rebound thingie, he also was very physical in the one on one bits.
Tazza was just going with the flo...w in no hurry just doing what he needed to, much like the bulk of em.
Rupert looked like he limped off back into the change rooms to get treatment on the I think its an ankle injury.
Fraser was with Rocca on the rebound thingie for a while but he soon got tired of it or probably more to the point was told to start the sprints.
A tall grey haired guy I have no idea(shudup all of you) who he is but gee he is tall and with that grey hair stood out, he seemed to train as good as anyone.
Molloy Jarrod needs work simple as that he did everything with the main group but doesn`t look to be fit at all.
does anyone know who this guy is? he looks to be a replacement for that loved blonde rover from the late 70s Ronnie
Wearmouth.
Mick Malthouse was watching over the young guns like a parent Magpie watching over the young ones he was in their ears during the one on ones and the kicking session, a very heartening sight.
Cummo/Balmie spot the difference, thank god these 2 have different color hair cause side on its the same profile for these 2 heavyweights.
Nathan wasn`t there? any reason for this I can only wonder..... I have no idea(now stop that) what he might be up to.

In conclusion a very boring thing to be doing on a dreary Wednesday afternoon in the middle of January, they aren`t serious yet its just a bit of fitness and touch.
Yes there is more I would love to say, but I`ll add that for the PMs version

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[This message has been edited by Black_White (edited 14 January 2003).]

[Black_White]

1

[Greg J]

Is Samantha Lane (DOT, daughter of Tim) the only one at work at the AFL?

Rule 1. Barrack for Collingwood
Rule 2. See rule 1.
Rule 3. There is no rule 3.

May the Magpies Prosper!
Greg J