The 2018 Nathan Buckley Debate

[think positive]

[qldmagpie67]

At the bye in 2017 I was in the Buckley must go camp. I just was t seeing anything to make me feel like we were heading in the right direction in any facet of the game
The last 6 weeks of 2017 I was happy if he got a renewal based on our performances that had been occurring.
I was also in the csmp that if the review was to be meaningful there had to be changes to the assistants as well.
I'm pleased now I was WRONG on the Buckley front.
For whatever reason be it a change in focus or plan or whatever the team just keeps turning up each and every week.
Right now if you were being fair and truthful with yourself we shouldn't be sitting in such a high ladder position given the injury toll we've had.
But every player who's come in has at a minimum done a fair job.
It makes you wonder and ponder this theory of "plug and play"
It was the talk of the town with the Hawks for years. Didn't matter who went out they plugged in another player and the plan just kept going

Rude I always appreciated your unwavering support of bucks and you've been proven right and I'm pleased to admit that I was wrong and you my friend were correct

[Geek]

I'd hoped that we would make finals this year but even ore, that we would start playing quality, entertaining footy. After the round 1 debacle I'd almost lost hope and even with the honourable loss against GWS, I'd started to agree with the doomsayers around the place.

But gee they've repaid us this year. Yeah, one way of doing it is going 21-1 and winning the flag but the never-say-die effort this year, in the face of mounting, even overwhelming injuries, has been no less enjoyable. These guys just find new ways to impress us.

Most of all, we're playing with belief. Belief in our own abilities and belief in our teammates and "our way". Sure enough, the improved skills that we are seeing now have emerged from all of that. God I love watching my boys play and next year, if we keep improving (as we should) I'm going to enjoy watching the rest of the league face us with dread.

Rebuilds take time. Especially when you don't nail all your picks first up. But those ones that seemed to be going bust are starting to come good. And the others that had started OK are only getting better. Here's to hoping that this version that Hine and Buckley have been building can give us many years of success

[eddiesmith]

Next year will show if he can coach, this year he has gotten the team into finals on the back of the softest draw you could ever get (and to think some fools said it was tough...) but next year won't be any double ups against bottom 6 sides and will be playing more top sides twice, so will need to have a massive turnaround to get anywhere near finals in 2019.

So it will show was this a fluke due to a soft draw or is something building and he has finally learnt something after 7 years, like recruiting some assistant coaches to do all the work

[The Boy Who Cried Wolf]

I've put my torch and pitchforks away for the time being... as far as I'm concerned 'the systems' we've now put in place are playing dividends. It's not always about one man, and as I've said before several times... it was nothing personal - my 'up until this year' concerns have been justified by results.

Move along, nothing to see.

[Mugwump]

Nobody gets a side to top four by Rd 22, with a very hefty injury list involving mostly elite players, in a pretty even competition, if they cannot coach. Scraping in at 7-8, maybe. You’re scraping the bottom of the barrel, Eddie.

It might get harder in 2019, but the facts are facts. Either Buckley or Hardwick will be the AA coach selected by unbiased observers.

[Mugwump]

[The Boy Who Cried Wolf]

[Cam]

KM hasn't shown up since we showed improvement last year I think. After his blitzkreig for a number of years I wouldn't be surprised if he has assumed another persona...

For mine, I called for an end to everything in April I think, finally snapping after the round one debacle to the Hawks which seemed to me and many others to be a continuation of the 5 years of bs at the selection table, game plan and pain we had endured.

Very, very happy to be wrong, continually amazed at our resilience as a playing group and loving being able to trust my team to win the ones they should.

[RudeBoy]

It would be nice if a few people could swallow their pride and congratulate Bucks for what he has achieved this year, under extremely trying conditions. He is most certainly coach of the year in my book and I think all true Collingwood supporters should congratulate and thank Bucks for his incredible achievement in getting us back into the finals and most likely a top 4 spot.

Just as John Howard couldn't bring himself to say 'sorry' it seems too many Nicksters can't bring themselves to say 'thank you Nathan'.

[Mugwump]

[September Zeros]

[Pies4shaw]

[SwansWay]

[MagpieBat]