Gaps in our current list

[stui magpie]

I'm interested in people's views on our current list and where the gaps are.

In my view, I don't see any glaring gaps. Between what we have in the team and in reserve, we just about have every base covered.
The additions of McStay, Frampton, Mitchell, Hill, Steene and the flying mustache seem to have plugged the obvious ones.
The only thing I'd like to add is some more young talls in the draft who we can develop for a couple of years as KP options.

Thoughts?

[Pies2016]

Good question.
Given you can’t build Rome in a day and our flag window is right open, if I could pick one position to strengthen in 2024, I would pick a quality plug and play key defender. Frampton is good depth ( in a number of areas ) but he’s slow and doesn’t read the angles and positioning like the natural defenders do. Howe is close to the end and outsized against quality tall forwards. He’s also recovering from a very significant injury.

I’m still open minded about our need for another key forward in the short term. McStay has hardly played and we’re still learning about Krueger and Johnson. Also, if we go back to the start of this year, we started with a tall forward combination of McStay and Miochek and Cox ( ruck split ) and we have only seen that combination two times this season. The club obviously thought that was their best combination when all players were available, so I’d like to see that combination in action for a while before we cast judgement on our front six. We beat both the Cats and Port very comfortably when they all played together.

[gurugeoff]

I think the forward line has gaps, individually. I think our current forward line is best viewed as a unit, but if viewed individually.

Elliot - good average player now, his best is behind him
Mihocek - very good, but not as good (maybe not as tall) as the leagues best
Hill - very good, but can go missing for long periods.
Johnson - same as Hill
McCreery - does not get enough of the ball (maybe this pressure role is being asked of him
Ginnavan - not imposing physically, not enough tricks to make up for this.
Cox - has his moments, but not dangerous across a whole game.
Mcstay - not sighted yet, hard to see him being as good as Charlie Dixon or Taylor walker at this stage of his career.

So, I reckon we have a gap for truly exciting consistent forwards.

[derkd]

Key forward is still a big gap. The lack of a Hawkins style crash and bash key could still cost us in a big final. Most teams try to have one key or at the very least one in development...think Freo with Amiss. Typically needs to be a high end draft pick.

[inxs88]

Big regret we didn't go harder for Peter Wright. Would be more than handy now.

[K]

[glasseyevfx]

I'll agree its in the forward line still - I think the one thing that could change that is get Johnson to improve on his second and third efforts. A little more ownership there would make a difference - not that it's the only thing we could improve on.

[neil]

A KPF is needed and two high quality mids as replacements for Pendles and Sidebottom

[DT]

An understudy for Moore and Howe - who is that player?

A young tall like a younger version of Mitch Lewis

[stoliboy]

If I could improve the team this year I would love a quality key forward.

Looking at where we need to improve our list in the coming years our top 6 oldest players are all in our best 22 and play key roles.

We’ll need to replace each of them with a player of similar quality if we are going to remain competitive.

Collingwood Playing List for 2023
https://www.draftguru.com.au/lists/2023/collingwood

Scott Pendlebury 35y
Jeremy Howe 32y
Steele Sidebottom 32y
Mason Cox 32y
Jamie Elliot 30y
Brody Mihocek 30y

[Pies2016]

I get the love for a quality tall forward on our list but if we’re talking SHORT TERM, I would have thought it’s easier, cheaper and more achievable to improve our list with a KPD than the investment required to secure the next Charlie Curnow / Max King etc. You still get the same outcome if you stop the opposition kicking two less than you would with your own team kicking two more.
We also currently have more options on our list who present as key forwards ( I accept there are no superstars ) than we do key defenders.
If Moore goes down, we’re seriously screwed. Conversely, when either any of McStay, Cox, Johnson, Miochek, Krueger and Cameron ( ? ) went down, we still managed to continually win without them. I would like to see how we look when they are all available, before we convince ourselves we can’t win a flag without a 200cm 60 goal forward.
I also maintain when we’re winning in midfield, a trained monkey could get a kick in our forward line because we move the ball so quickly and efficiently. Our problems start when we aren’t winning the midfield and it’s in those times, when you want two quality KPDs to keep the opposition out.

[inxs88]

[Pies2016]

Agree, a 6’ 5” QUALITY tall forward would be a joy but the question remains, how do you make that happen in 2024 when our starting currency is a very late first round pick and Carlton’s second rounder. ( even our futures don’t look that desirable right now ) We can pin our hopes on a Peter Wright type outcome but for every Wright, there’s a Schache, Bruce, Lobb and Coleman - Jones waiting to make your list manager look silly.
I think there in lies the problem with filling the “ 200cm, 60 goal forward “ void in 2024. Yes, we have an immediate requirement for one ( most clubs do ) but the truth is, unless we were to trade out a high quality player, we are very unlikely to fulfil that need in the short term. Collingwoods mantra of always selecting next best over needs with our first pick doesnt help with developing a young tall forward either.
Some people dream of Collingwood with a 60 goal spearhead and there’s nothing wrong with that but I have nightmares of Collingwood without Moore in our backline. I reckon we need insurance back there and that insurance comes cheaper and easier to obtain than the marquee tall forward any day.

[RudeBoy]

With the looming (next year or two) retirements of Pendles, Sidey and Elliott, we will need to find some A grade midfielders.

Lipinski is a good player, but not the same league as Pendles or Sidey. Hopefully, Allen will emerge as a star midfielder, but other than him, I don't think we have any A grade midfield prospects on our list. MaCrae, Bianco and Carmichael are very good VFL players, but neither have improved as I would have hoped.

We will also need to look for replacements for Checkers, Cox and Howe. So far, Begg and Steene are simply possible talents, but a long way short of being AFL ready.

One thing I am confident of, and that is that Wrighty has a recruitment and development plan well in place, looking forward 5 yrs or so.

[Boot]

The aim to find a quality key forward is only done via recruitment of a proven star via free agency (e.g. Dan McStay is as close as we have got since we got Anthony Rocca from the Swans) or a high end draft pick (top 5 usually) and then at least a couple of years of development of their bodies and skills.
I'm very hopeful that Aiden Begg will develop into a strong key position player for us. At the moment he is being played as a ruckman in the VFL but given he is only 196 cm then he is going to struggle to dominate in that role at AFL level. I'd love to see him played at CHF in the VFL for the rest of the year to see if he can develop his contested marking to be an option. Failing that, he should be developed into a key defender which doesn't require great contested marking skill if your going to be simply guarding the oppositions key forward, albeit it helps e.g. Darcy Moore.
I'm hoping that Alex Condon, Collingwoods recent Cat.B rookie signing, will fail at his dream of a basketball career and become a better key forward than Mason Cox is. Watch this space for Condon's future this time next year!