Our veteran quandary

[23 YIPPEE!!!]

Like to see Pendles and Sidy to get pen to paper as well like Howe did and have Pendles and Sidy locked in till end of 2024 as well.
To me this will mean and ensure our premiership window is open more and for longer as well.
Love it it this week or next that it the case.
More so Pendles so we have him for 2023 and more importantly 2024.

[qldmagpie67]

90 nice I think you’ll find this is part of Wright’s plan
He said a while ago managing the retirements of the experienced players was equally as important as drafting there replacements
Howe for 1 more year is insurance really and allows Moore to focus on his job and a key defender as well as skipper
Pendles has indicated he will give the new skipper support for a couple years so that would be a hint to him extending on into 2024
If Pendles plays on he will be closing in on the 400 game mark and I think that milestone wouldn’t be lost on anyone
His body is still capable at the moment so fingers crossed he gets 2024 in as well and we can celebrate his 400th
Sidey has basically said in his earlier interview he’s happy to step aside if a younger players earns his spot
I think that shows where he is at in his journey
I think he’s unlikely to go on beyond this season
His wife has a budding law career so ti think he will be happy to be a stay at home dad after this season
We have recruited Mitchell who will add experience and we have Adams and Maynard ready made leaders in the group as well

[Ronnie McKeowns boots]

A lot of optimism here, which is fine...but remember what we were saying about Swan before that Swans game? Lets face it, all 3 are one major injury from hanging up the boots, so anything from here should be considered gravy.

I think the young crop will cover pretty well

[piedys]

[LaurieHolden]

Terrible news for Howe and the Club. Not only his role as a player, but the on field leadership.
Once he's able he'd make a great runner until such time as he's available to return.
The window of opportunity has firmly been opened for Frampton.
Murphy takes the 3rd tall spot and our defensive tall triumvirate becomes Moore, Frampton and Murphy.

[Ronnie McKeowns boots]

[Pies4shaw]

Anyway, watching the game last night, plainly both Pendlebury and Sidebottom are closer to the end than the beginning - despite their continuing greatness, I don't really think they have another 650 games to go, between them. Maybe I'm wrong, though.

[Uncle Jack]

[quote="Ronnie McKeowns boots"]^[^/quote]
Just to be safe, could you please comment on the oppositions best players weekly in the pre-game thread?

[Ronnie McKeowns boots]

Charlie Dixon is surely one bad injury away from hanging up the boots....

[Piethagoras' Theorem]

After the game, I left the ground thinking Pendles is our greatest player that I've seen in the last 50 years. Hard to argue a case against if you consider skill, consistency, professionalism and longevity as a whole. Sidey ticks all those boxes, as do a handful of others but Scotty's on another level. Difficult to imagine the place without him.

On an entirely different note, would love Harry Himmelberg

[Pies4shaw]

^ You're correct. There have been plenty of players more exciting to watch but none come close to matching his ridiculous consistency of top-draw play. Most of the great Collingwood players I have seen over the last 60+ years were cooked by the time they reached 200 or so games. Pendlebury's continuing brilliance stands like a beacon. He must surely be our greatest-ever player.

[mgh3536]

Not sure Steele will make it through the season...

He is a two-way runner but you got to be harder at it than he is, if we build our game on pressure, his tackling and dinky 30-meter (accuarate) kicks can be bettered by one of the up and comers, maybe McInnes or established like Crisp...

As when Ginnavin is available the squeeze will come on Steel and Hoskin Elliott for that wing

[Pies4shaw]

^ Sometimes I wonder whether people pay much attention to the team structures. Sidebottom and WHE are there to do the hard running to close down space up and down the wings. I was surprised to see calls after the game for WHE (who is not my favourite player, by far) to be dropped, since he was plainly doing exactly the job the Coach wanted - but, whatever the position with WHE, Sidebottom was one of our best few players on the night.

No other player at the Club (including Pendlebury and the Daicoses) could have set up that kick to De Goey. Ginnivan isn't going to play the wing (though he will, I hope, come straight back into the team, because he is Collingwood's most accomplished forward).

Sidebottom should hold down the wing this year and next, at least, unless his endurance suddenly falls off a cliff (as well as being exquisitely skilled with his disposal by hand and foot, he remains Collingwood's hardest 2-way runner, although he is not - and has never been - the fastest) or he decides he's had enough.

People have been announcing Sidebottom's impending demise for more than a decade. It will come eventually - but not yet.

[Jezza]

Losing the experience of Howe will hurt.
I'm assuming Billy Frampton will be his replacement?

[BazBoy]

Sidey surely is a gr8 two way runner tho according to Fly Lipinski is our best

Well they are both good and with us 😀