Catching Up…

It has been some time since I last updated the site and a lot has transpired.  I’ve missed the whole off-season and didn’t even have time to get swept up in the usual draft mania that draws everybody in at this time of year.  For those readers who have frequented this site on a semi-regular basis and have shared some kind words through email and the like, I would like to extend my gratitude.

I wish I could guarantee that I won’t be going AWOL again, but who knows what hand life is going to deal.  The plan however is to keep this site going; if not kicking things into a whole new gear.

With that out of the way, what’s been happening?

The Departed

The end of every season spells the end of Collingwood careers; it’s a sad fact of football life.  This year saw the departure of senior listed players Chris Bryan, Danny Stanley, Marty Clarke, Shannon Cox and Anthony Rocca; these were joined by rookie listed players in Tobias Thoolen, Kevin Dyas and Johnny Bennell.

Out of that list, Anthony Rocca is the most notable and I have to tip my hat to the man after providing great service and some awe inspiring highlights over the course of his 242 game career.  Pebbles was for such a long time the most important player when it came to Collingwood’s structure and ultimately our fortunes at large.  Whilst he copped a lot of flack throughout his career due to his endurance, many underrated just how good Anthony was when at his best.  His performance in the 2002 Grand Final was one of his most memorable in my mind with Rocca shining on the biggest of occasions in conditions that did not suit gorilla forwards.  His performance that day just about snared us our 15th premiership; some might even say that he had done enough, if not for a goal umpire.  Thanks for the memories Pebbles, I’m yet to hear a roar louder than the one you evoked in the 2002 preliminary against Adelaide.

Marty Clarke and Kevin Dyas both returned to Ireland at the conclusion of the 2009 season, much to the disappointment of Collingwood fans.  Whilst Dyas was hampered by a hamstring setback during his short stint with the Magpies and many didn’t hold too many expectations, Marty Clarke had well and truly endeared himself to the Magpie faithful by quickly showing he could cut the mustard at senior level.  Unfortunately, Marty lost the taste and desire for AFL football during the 2009 season; a season which saw him ruled out of senior level contention after returning home to Ireland in the middle of the year to attend his sister’s wedding.  Regardless of the decision to return home, Marty’s form at both AFL and VFL level was short of his best and his omission from the first 22 was warranted.  It was disappointing to lose Clarke – especially after he showed so much promise – but if a player’s heart isn’t in the jumper then we are better off finding one whose heart is.

Shannon Cox announced his retirement almost immediately after returning to pre-season training in terrible shape — again.  It would seem that the coaches were rightfully miffed and either made the call and let Shannon exit with some dignity on his terms or gave him an ultimatum that he simply wasn’t up to.  Shannon Cox is a major disappointment in my book, but his story is testament to the fact that talent alone does not ensure an AFL career.

The writing was on the wall for Bryan, Stanley and Thoolen well prior to the conclusion of the season.  Chris Bryan had fallen behind Wood and Leigh Brown in the pecking order and to his credit acquitted himself well in the VFL throughout 2009, providing our boys with a strong focal point playing predominantly as a forward.  Danny Stanley was a favourite among many VFL watchers – myself included – but it seemed inevitable that 2009 was going to be his last on our senior list.  Whilst most would acknowledge that Danny had flaws that were going to hinder his chances at senior level, I still believe he wasn’t provided with sufficient opportunity to find his feet and address those issues at the highest level.  Regardless, with the welcome additions we’ve made to the midfield over the last two off-seasons, Danny was never going to come into the equation.  Not much can be said about Thoolen, during his two years at Collingwood he didn’t make much progress and he was always going to be fodder once 2009 was wrapped up.

Johnny Bennell was the surprising one, being delisted after just a single season on our rookie list.  There have been some whispers as to the reasons, but I’m not prepared to speculate.

Welcome Aboard

It’s typical that I would fall into a period of inactivity during what was perhaps Collingwood’s most active and riveting off-season.  Heading into every trade period it seems that Collingwood is linked with a high profile player and just about every year, when the trade period concludes and said player does not find himself in a Magpie jumper, there is a contingent of supporters who become exasperated at our perceived inability to land the big fish.  At the end of 2009, it was Luke Ball who publically expressed his desire to play for Collingwood and when the trade deadline rolled around and both St. Kilda and Collingwood refused to blink, it looked like the same old tune had been queued up in the jukebox.

The trade period wasn’t a failure though, we did manage to land Darren Jolly from Sydney in exchange for our first and third round picks.  This was a huge acquisition for the Pies, as we finally grasped the opportunity to adequately address our issues in the ruck department by adding not only a strong bodied ruckman to our list, but also one who would be considered within the very top echelon of ruckman currently in the league.  Landing Jolly helped ease the disappointment of initially missing out on Ball, despite our best efforts to come to the party.

Some people were disappointed with Collingwood not being a little more aggressive in our trading philosophy when it came to pursuing Ball.  I have at times in the past been critical of our reluctance to make some tough decisions in regards to list management, but in this instance and regardless of knowing the outcome, I was pleased with how Collingwood handled themselves.  The asking price of our second round pick plus Nathan Brown was exorbitant in my mind, especially considering the direction we were heading in and what our future needs would be.  Assuming he was fit and could remain so, Luke Ball would improve us immediately; but if it was at the expense of our long term prospects then I think most would have shied away from the deal.  The offer of the same pick plus Goldsack seemed fair in my mind and one that I would have entertained despite being a fan of Tyson, but the Saints changed their mind on that front at the eleventh hour in what seemed a spiteful turn of events.

What eventuated has rekindled the debate regarding free agency and has brought about claims of draft tampering as Luke Ball refused to talk with other potential suitors whilst also refusing to submit himself for medical testing to any club other than Collingwood.  Ball made himself scarce and unreachable heading into the national draft, spending a lot of time overseas on holiday whilst his manager Paul Connors made all the moves to give Luke the best possible chance of reaching his preferred destination.  Everything was done well within the rules as they stand and come the national draft – much to the delight of two out of the three parties involved – Luke Ball found himself available when pick #30 rolled around.

Ross Lyon had stated heading into the draft that we would find out Ball’s true market value, implying that his decision not to accept any of the combinations offered by Collingwood would be justified.  It’s hard to gauge whether Lyon was right or wrong given the circumstances, as personally I do feel that Ball would have likely been snapped up prior to our selection had he made himself freely available to any club prior to the draft.  The fact remains however that the Saints allowed Ball to depart for nothing and were denied the satisfaction that usually comes with sticking to so called principles when Ball managed to get to his club of choice in the end.

For Collingwood, it was a massive victory as we managed to keep all of the players whose names were bandied about (Nathan Brown, Sharrod Wellingham, Tyson Goldsack and the up-and-coming Jarrad Blight) whilst adding the experience and quality of Luke Ball and Darren Jolly.

Complimenting these high profile additions were the likes of Ben Sinclair (Pick #62), Josh Thomas (Pick #75) and ex-Demon Simon Buckley (Pick #85).  Out of those three, it was the Queenslander Josh Thomas who was discussed the most prior to the national draft, being touted as a possible alternative at Pick #30 if Luke Ball was off the table.  Getting Thomas so late in the draft pleased many Collingwood supporters, but before we get carried away we should be mindful that 15 other teams overlooked him and even our own recruiters were comfortable with waiting so late into the proceedings before snapping Josh up.  With that said, I’ve liked the footage I’ve seen of Thomas and he was highly rated by the Gold Coast franchise who he turned down to nominate for the draft.

Ben Sinclair is an extremely light dasher who also possesses a fair share of courage from all reports.  Sinclair projects as a project very similar to Luke Rounds as we look to address our lack of genuine pace throughout the middle of the ground and coming out of defence.  Simon Buckley is a ready made player within this same category, a dashing defender who could also play off of a wing if required.  The ex-Demon has struggled with injury and managed only a solitary game in 2009 after having an impressive 2008, where he averaged 21 disposals and 6 marks over the course of 14 games.  At 22 years old, Buckley still has his best football ahead of him and it will be interesting to see where he stands in our defensive hierarchy considering the depth of flankers we already possess.

The Rookie Draft Awaits

Collingwood has two selections available in the upcoming rookie draft, with the third being reserved for the elevation of NSW scholarship holder Scott Reed to the primary rookie list.  During the rookie draft, we will also be adding American Shae McNamara as an international rookie.  McNamara stands at 203cm tall and his athleticism has impressed many at the club; if Shae can continue to improve his basic skills then he could prove to be a valuable and cheap pick-up.  It was Shae who pursued the possibility of an AFL career by learning the basics and putting together and distributing some workout footage; his determination to make this opportunity happen has to be admired.

There hasn’t been much talk about prospects we might be looking at and our permission to train list contains no new faces, but with the majority of our squad currently over in Arizona that is to be expected.  Personally, given that we’ve targeted midfielders predominantly in the last two drafts, I would like to see us snare a couple of project key position players in the rookie draft.  There are some prospects but whether they survive until our first pick at #19 remains to be seen.

That pretty much brings us up to speed so far in the off-season.  We’ve addressed our two biggest deficiencies by adding a top shelf ruck in Jolly, whilst complimenting our midfield with a strong inside midfielder in Ball.  Both players will bring invaluable experience and leadership to the club and with Nathan Buckley now running around the club in an official coaching capacity alongside Mick Malthouse, there are a lot of reasons for Collingwood supporters to be smiling.

Bring on 2010!

Action Jaxson Wins Rising Star…

If we had to guess who our first rising star nominee for 2009 was going to be, I think most would have had their money on Dayne Beams.  It would have been a logical bet too, if not for a stand out performance on debut from Ricky’s Boy, Jaxson Barham.

Barham came into the side after a relatively impressive showing at VFL level, where his tenacity and work rate was a feature.  Despite Friday night’s game against Brisbane being a critical one, the selectors backed Barham in and had their faith rewarded when Jaxson put in a performance that went a long way to getting us over the line.

In slippery conditions, Barham amassed 28 disposals, 6 marks, 6 inside 50’s and an outstanding 9 tackles — all whilst providing us with some of his well-noted dash.  In a game where desperation was pivotal, Barham set the standard from start to finish, getting in and under and making himself prominent at stoppages.

It wasn’t a performance without shortcomings, as Barham’s disposal could have been better on multiple occasions.  Barham’s disposal has been well documented as being an aspect of his game that requires work, but I think we can reserve our judgement when taking into account the conditions and pressure of Friday night’s encounter.

Whilst his kicking will undoubtedly be flagged as an area requiring improvement, nobody can question Barham’s work ethic and after just one game we have already reaped rewards from his more positive attributes.  Whilst Barham will take away a rising star nomination from his very first outing, what he will cherish as even more valuable will be the experience of playing a run-with role on Brisbane star Luke Power.

Whilst Barham didn’t silence Power, he went a long way to nullifying his influence on the contest by breaking even statistically — something that nobody would have expected heading in.  With Essendon next up, Barham’s pace and defensive work will be extremely valuable.

Jaxson has carried the tag of Ricky’s Boy even before being drafted to the club, and whilst we are likely to still affectionately refer to him as such, if he keeps chalking up performances like Friday night then he’ll undoubtedly forge a piece of Collingwood history entirely his own.

Congratulations Jaxson Barham, Rising Star for Round 4, 2009.

Grounded Pies…

It is during this restless time of year when football news is scarce that the good old “fluff piece” becomes virtually the only form of news.  It’s understandable, papers need to be sold along with club memberships.  Whilst there has been a fair share of good news to come from Collingwood’s pre-season training so far, I thought it would only be fair to consider some of the players who have had an interrupted start to season 2009.

Anthony Rocca and Sean Rusling are the two obvious ones.  Rocca continued to have injury problems in 2008 and has been on a modified program this off-season, with a view to being ready to go in the season proper.  Rusling is recovering from shoulder surgery after his last season ended in round 1.

With Pebbles nearing the end, it is pretty safe to assume that he will be in and out of cotton wool throughout season 2009.  I wouldn’t be surprised to see the club employ the same method used for Buckley in his later years, with Rocca sitting out on our interstate trips.

Rusling, despite being regarded highly within the club, should be brought back slowly; preferably through the VFL.  Rusling has obvious talent and has shown that he is a genuine senior player, but he has missed an awful lot of football and as such needs to regain some match fitness and confidence.

Paul Medhurst has been one of the big stories this pre-season, as he is also on a modified program whilst recovering from a back related injury.  Reports from training suggest that Medhurst has been working away from the main group with a program that consists almost solely of light jogging.

The other player who recently had a write-up in the Herald Sun is John McCarthy, a player who has many fans – myself included – excited.  McCarthy underwent some surgery to remove a cyst from his knee and as such has had his preparations hindered.  McCarthy sounded optimistic but unfortunately will not receive the benefits of a full pre-season.

In training reports, Brent Macaffer has been mentioned as another player who has been working amongst the group who are on a modified program.  There have been some suggestions that he may have underwent some light knee surgery, so it will be interesting to see whether Macaffer can break his way into the senior side as hoped in 2009.

Despite having a handful of players who aren’t flying at this stage, there is no need for panic.  All this means is that opportunity has opened for our fringe and developing players.  In the case of Rocca and Rusling, opportunity will arise for the likes of Chris Dawes and John Anthony to further solidify a claim up forward.

The return of Alan Didak will cover for any service we may lose from Paul Medhurst.  Sharrod Wellingham is looking in top shape and would be determined to stake a claim after notching up 12 starts last year and being elevated from the rookie list.  Danny Stanley would also be looking to grasp senior opportunity after a consistent year in the VFL; especially considering he would now be feeling some pressure after our recent intake of midfielders.

We are fortunate to have quite a few players who have been waiting in the wings and starved of opportunity.  Players such as Shannon Cox, Wellingham, Stanley and even Toovey are still yet to be thoroughly tried at senior level and 2009 shapes as an important year for this crop — none of which are beyond the age of 23 I might add.

Macaffer and McCarthy are the two players who I really hoped could put together massive pre-seasons and take the next step, but I’m not worried as these players have time on their side.  Whatever happens, I’m confident that 2009 is going to be a year where we get to find out more about those currently residing in the “unknown quantity” file.

Beams Shines In Intra-Club Match…

Last Friday (16/01/09) Collingwood had its first intra-club hit out for our 2009 pre-season training.  Whilst it was a closed session and the average fan wasn’t privy to what transpired, we were given an indication as to how our players performed thanks to the official club website. [Article Here]

The best news to come from the second hand reports is that 2008 draftee Dayne Beams was the clear stand-out.  In a 40 minute hit-out, Beams amassed 7 kicks, 10 handballs and 1 goal — impressive figures for what was effectively a quarter and a bit of football.

What I found most promising about the report was that special mention was made of Beams’ use of the ball, particularly his delivery to our forwards.  Beams had been touted as a prolific ball-winner and potential clearance specialist, but any praise he receives for using the ball – particularly by foot – is what I would consider to be the most reassuring aspect.

Ben Reid played on Chris Bryan at centre half back.  Whilst Bryan managed to kick two goals as the beneficiary of some Dayne Beams’ delivery; Ben Reid managed to rack-up 15 disposals as a mobile defender — being named amongst the best players for his side.

New addition and ex-Lion Anthony Corrie was also named amongst the best, with Ben Johnson and Jaxson Barham being other notable players who performed well.

We shouldn’t read too much into intra-club matches, as they’re more of an opportunity to replicate some set-plays and strategies in quasi-match like conditions.  All the same, any good showings during our pre-season training campaign will likely result in selection for our NAB Cup squad in early February when we take on West Coast.

At this rate, it looks very likely that we will get a glimpse of Beams as early as February 7th.

Nick Maxwell Named Captain…

We no longer have to wait to find out who will be leading the Magpies out onto the field in 2009, as today the club announced that Nick Maxwell will be the next player to captain this great club of ours.

The decision is one that seems to have polarized Collingwood supporters; as Maxwell is a player often scrutinized for his modest ability.  I was critical of Maxwell during the early stages of last year, as he obviously struggled for form and probably needed to be dropped into the seconds for a spell.

The selectors persisted with Maxwell and thankfully as the season wore on he regained the form that makes him such a valuable member of our defence.  Maxwell’s best moments came in the final against Adelaide, where he kicked two important – even inspirational – goals to straighten the side up whilst also performing an excellent tagging job on Scott Thompson.

The decision to name Maxwell captain is going to be one that opposition supporters will use as venom to lace their barbs; but that is par for the course.  With recent retirements, our list has rapidly lost a lot of experience and any decision we made in this regard was always going to be met with skepticism.

It’s generally accepted that Maxwell is limited as far as ability goes, but that’s not to say he’s an outright battler either.  When on song, Maxwell reads the play quite well and provides great support from the back half and if the elimination final is anything to go by; Nick may have added another string to his bow.  Whilst being limited, Maxwell excels in the leadership category with his match day courage and comradery.

To repeat an old cliche: Nick is the sort of bloke you would want next to you in the trenches.  It’s a tired cliche, but astute when describing Maxwell.

When asked the question, even Nathan Buckley endorsed Nick Maxwell as the player who showed the most leadership qualities.  If Maxwell is good enough for Buckley, then he’s good enough for me. 

Congratulations Nick Maxwell, now let’s all get behind him.

Welcome: 2008 Draftees

After weeks of anticipation the 2008 draft has finally unfolded and put an end to all the routine speculation.  Collingwood has walked away from draft day with four players who all have the potential to run through the midfield, addressing what many felt was our most pressing need.  To top things off, we’ve also picked up an insurance policy in the form of ex-Kangaroo Leigh Brown – more on that later though.

Without further adieu, here are the latest additions to our team:

• Pick #11: Steele Sidebottom (182cm / 79kg)
• Pick #29: Dayne Beams (184cm / 81kg)
• Pick #45: Jarrad Blight (189cm / 73kg)
• Pick #46: Luke Rounds (181cm / 74kg)
• Pick #73: Leigh Brown (194cm / 101kg)

I must say, I’m very pleased with the way our draft panned out.  The acquisition of Sidebottom is a great one in particular, as after his incredible TAC Cup grand final performance it looked unlikely that he would fall to our pick.  In that match, Steele (or Rusty as he is affectionately known) amassed 30 disposals and kicked a staggering 10 goals, playing up forward and through the middle. 

We shouldn’t take too much from that one game though, as it was obviously one out of the box.  With that in mind, Sidebottom shaped as a very likely first round pick – potentially top 10 – prior to his performance in the grand final.  What I like most about Sidebottom is that he is a natural footballer; not gifted with pace he performs as well as he does by reading the play and doing the hard yards.  He’s tenacious around the packs and thrives on the rough stuff, a true terrier of a rover. 

What most will like about Sidebottom is his polish on either foot.  Whether delivering the ball or finishing a passage of work, Steele is an exceptional user of the ball.  He’s quite good over his head for a player of his size, a testament to how well he reads the play and positions himself.  The irrelevant icing on the cake is that we have added yet another odd and suggestive surname to the ranks of Dick, Cox and Goldsack. 

Our second pick Dayne Beams was another slice of good news, as there was enough talk prior to draft day that we were very interested and may well have used our first round pick to secure his services.  Thankfully, he lasted until #29 and we were able to bolster our future midfield stocks with two extremely promising players.

Collingwood has been tracking Beams for a long period of time, viewing him as an eventual replacement for Scott Burns.  I haven’t seen a lot of Beams – aside from a brief highlight package – but what I have seen is extremely promising.  He accumulated very good numbers in the U18 Championships; averaging 24 disposals and 4 tackles a game.  Dayne prides himself on his inside work and Derek Hine has described his skill by hand as being within the elite category.

On a side note, I listened to the draft in its entirety via SEN’s live broadcast and I think it’s important to point out that Hine had absolutely no hesitation in reading out both Steele and Dayne’s names once our number arrived.  Evidently, we were very keen on both these players and the speed of Hine’s delivery wreaked of a recruiting manager who just landed his man – or men in this instance.

With that in mind, there was a little more deliberation once our two third round picks came around.  Obviously, with two picks back-to-back and no other live pick until the fifth round, it was a case of getting the best combination of players at #45 and #46.  I’m happy to report that at #45 we took a player who I had my eye on leading into draft day: Jarrad Blight.

Blight is an interesting prospect who shapes as a utility/flanker that may very well find his way into the midfield rotation.  A true Hine selection, Blight is a bottom aged player with a ton of upside.  His performances for Swan Districts in the WAFL Colts were increasingly impressive; averaging 21 disposals, 5 marks and just under 4 tackles. 

Standing at 189cm, Blight has the height and athleticism to compete in various positions.  Being a bottom-aged player, he still sports a very light frame and would need to add some weight before coming into serious senior level consideration.  Whilst his kicking needs some more refinement, he is more than capable on either side and has the ability to reach distances beyond 50 metres.

What had most people so impressed by Blight was his preparedness to take the game on and his clean hands; Blight is a genuine one touch player, whether gathering or marking.  He could become a very useful line-breaker from half-back, whilst also shaping as a game day wild card for several other roles.

The last of our young draftees is another bottom-ager, Luke Rounds.  Hine’s penchant for bottom-aged players has been well documented and this year’s draft further proved the belief.  I hadn’t seen anything of Rounds prior to us calling his name out, but since viewing a highlights package I’m pretty impressed.

His biggest asset – and one that Collingwood has placed progressively more importance on – is his pace and running ability.  His average statistics at the U18 championships were meager, but we’ve obviously taken Rounds for his potential output as opposed to his proven form.  Similar to Blight, Rounds will need to develop physically before coming into selection contention; which is something to be expected of all new draftees.

The early word is that we’ll be looking to groom Rounds in the back line, with a view to pushing him into the midfield as he develops.  He uses the ball well from what I have seen and his work in traffic is very good, keeping the ball to his advantage in contested situations and relying on his pace to buy himself some space. 

To finish up the draft, we took Leigh Brown with our final selection as an insurance policy down back.  Leigh Brown has been training with us over the last couple of weeks and loomed as a potential late selection.  I’m just going to admit that I’m not a Leigh Brown fan and my initial reaction to hearing his name read out was one of disappointment.

However, having time to consider the merits of such a selection – and being a one-eyed Collingwood supporter – I’m no longer bewildered by the choice.  Leigh Brown’s struggles for form and senior selection at his two previous clubs (North Melbourne and Fremantle) are no secret, but as a mature bodied addition to our back line he may very well have something to offer.  He would be well aware that this is his last stop, so whatever he has left to give in football will come to fruition in a black and white jumper.

Despite my reservations, I understand the logic in taking Brown.  Any younger players who were available at #73 are bound to still be available in the rookie draft and I imagine we have already earmarked a couple for selection.  Furthermore, any key position prospect that was also available was not likely to have an impact in 2009 or 2010 for that matter.  We’ve gone for a band-aid solution whilst more genuine and long term prospects emerge; possibly in the forms of John Anthony and/or Ben Reid.

At the end, I’m pleased with our performance at the draft table.  The success of draft day can only be measured retrospectively of course, but the fact that we have looked to bolster our midfield stocks brings a smile to my face – as I’m sure it does many others. 

Welcome to Collingwood, 2008 Draftees!

Welcome: Anthony Corrie

Trade week has ended and whilst Collingwood bid farewell to Rhyce Shaw, it has welcomed a new addition to the club in Anthony Corrie.  We managed to acquire Corrie’s services by trading Pick #93 to Brisbane.  This has been considered a bargain basement price for a player who started in 20 out of 22 games in 2008.  With Brisbane accepting such a nothing pick, it is obvious that their intention was to delist Corrie if no other offers emerged.

Firstly, I must give credit to Brisbane for doing the right thing by a player and finding him a new home.  I’m not entirely sure as to the reasons why Corrie was considered expendable but all clubs have their reasons and in this instance Brisbane at least worked to keep Corrie’s AFL career alive.  In fact, this is reminiscent of the Ben Davies trade to North Melbourne.  That trade didn’t work out for Davies – as he was unable to etch out a career at North – but I dare say we’re more likely to have better luck with Corrie.

As for what Corrie brings to the table, I think many Collingwood supporters will be delighted at the exceptional pace that he possesses.  Rhyce Shaw brought a lot of pace to the table, but Corrie is on par – if not superior – to Shaw in the speed department.  Another aspect of Corrie’s game that is sure to please is his disposal, particularly by foot.  Corrie carries the ball well and is a good finisher; whether delivering the ball lace out to leading forwards or shooting on goal.

There are question marks over Corrie’s game however; as his eventual market value would suggest.  Corrie has a tendency to be too outside at times and lacks contested ball winning ability.  Despite having blistering pace, his endurance is not at all comparable to the likes of Rhyce Shaw and this fact is a major reason as to why Corrie doesn’t win as much ball as he potentially could, or should.  The bright side is that these are shortcomings that can be ironed out in a players game.  Skill deficiencies are something that Corrie does not suffer from and are the hardest things to improve; something that we have learned the hard way in the past.

Brad Scott mentoned that we would be looking to play Corrie in the forward half, calling upon his skills to deliver the ball well into the forward line along with his goal kicking ability.  This makes me wonder though, as our forward line is already becoming inundated with small forwards and flankers.  A more likely use for Corrie would be from the half-back line, where Corrie played a majority of his junior football and has proven to be useful at Brisbane.  In this regard, we would be lessening the loss of Rhyce Shaw by having a player who can provide us with pace on the rebound and down the wings.  Even playing in this role, Corrie could provide us with good delivery to leading targets.

There is some confusion as to Corrie’s forward exploits, largely due to the fact that he is considered inaccurately as a crumbing forward.  After watching a lot of Corrie this year, he does not excel in the crumbing or opportunistic stakes; instead he tends to score his goals by receiving in the middle or half-forward and having a running shot, a skill he is proficient at.  If not on the run, Corrie finds other opportunities as a leading target, pushing deep into the forward line and then using his pace to beat an opponent on the lead.  As a set shot Corrie is fairly reliable, although he has not done enough to cement himself as a viable full-time forward option.

Despite the trade leading us to believe he was on his last legs, Corrie’s stats for 2008 – whilst not mindblowing – prove at the very least that he is a zero risk, wise investment.  Corrie could be great value for Collingwood in the starting line-up or at the very least as a depth player.  Corrie finished third in Brisbane’s goal kicking this year, with a return of 21 goals in 20 games after returning from a knee injury.  We can’t take too much from this though, as Brisbane struggled with finding a third avenue to goal all year, with the likes of Rhan Hooper and their attacking midfielders not delivering on the scoreboard.

Corrie also finished 13th in Brisbane’s best and fairest count, ahead of the likes of Justin Sherman, Josh Drummond (albeit injury plagued), Rhan Hooper, Jamie Charman and Ash McGrath; most of which are respectable company.  With this in mind, it was obvious that the coaching staff at Brisbane must take issue with aspects of Corrie’s game that we are yet to become fully aware of.  Time will tell, but if it is mental application then a change of scenery could do wonders for Corrie and we have had success in the past with recycled players.

Collingwood has done well in acquiring a ready made player for free (assuming that Brisbane don’t use pick #93).  As stated earlier, if we can improve Corrie’s endurance and application then it could very well translate in us getting the surprise packet of 2008.

Welcome to Collingwood, Anthony Corrie!

Trade Week Concludes: How We Fared…

Trade week this year left many fans impatient and frustrated, as only a single trade had been made leading into the final day.  Collingwood played their cards close to their chest this week and it seems we have waited until the eleventh hour to make some moves; one of them expected and the other proving to be something of a surprise.

The expected move was the trade of Rhyce Shaw.  It was all over the place leading into trade week that Rhyce had requested a trade and even before the grapevine got involved, it was the general consensus that if anyone was going to be leaving Collingwood it was likely to be Shaw.  Collingwood has traded Rhyce Shaw to the Sydney Swans along with our 4th Round Pick (#61 overall) for Sydney’s 3rd Round Pick (#46 overall).

In this year’s trade period, a third round pick was about as good as we could get for Rhyce.  With clubs being reluctant to trade draft picks with the impending GC17 expansion, a third rounder seemed to be valued as a second rounder in any other year.  What Collingwood has effectively done is parted ways with Rhyce – who was looking to move on – whilst upgrading our position in the draft so that we can have four picks within the top 50.

It could be argued that Sydney have done pretty well in this trade, being that they’ve essentially only downgraded their position in the draft by 15 spots whilst picking up a ready made player.  The fact is, Rhyce Shaw despite being a good servant was emblematic of the skill deficiencies on our list.  Rhyce never really established himself within the starting line-up during his eight years at the club and as 2008 winded down, Rhyce found himself within the “dead wood” category in the eyes of many supporters.

With all that said, Rhyce did provide some assets to the side that will be missed.  With Shaw’s departure, Collingwood will need to find an alternative option for pace.  Rhyce was one of our better players at running and carrying from half-back and down the wings; coming second only to Dale Thomas in the bounces stat.  There was never a questionmark over Shaw’s ability to find the pill, just a question over how he used it.

Sydney have landed themselves a serviceable player who will provide them with some dash from half-back, something that they have sorely missed since Kennelly and Barry have begun the decline.  Whilst Collingwood have put an end to what was becoming a stagnant partnership and can look towards making the most out of a promising draft.

As for the surprise packet of our trade week: Collingwood have picked up Anthony Corrie from the Brisbane Lions in exchange for our 7th Round Pick (#93 overall).  What this basically means, since neither Collingwood nor Brisbane intended on using Pick #93, is that Collingwood have picked up Anthony Corrie for free.

Nobody expected this, despite the Magpies showing interest in Corrie a couple of years back.  Brisbane obviously were looking to delist Corrie and hence the trade, but I can’t quite fathom why.  I have watched most Brisbane games this year and since returning from a knee injury, Anthony Corrie managed 20 games for the season and was serviceable in most – if not all – of his outings.  He averaged roughly 13 disposals and 3 marks a game, whilst also averaging one goal per game.

These stats aren’t overly impressive at first glance, but it’s the tools we have to work with that are promising.  The loss of pace with the departure of Rhyce Shaw is covered with the arrival of Corrie; whilst the suspect disposal that Rhyce Shaw became somewhat known for is drastically improved with the skills that Corrie brings to the table.

Notably, there is more scope for improvement and flexibility with Corrie, who has played as a forward option and also as a half-back flanker and been effective to varying degrees in both roles.  I imagine Collingwood may be pencilling Corrie in to provide us with some run and carry from half-back, whilst we also have the option of pushing him forward where he can be quite dangerous.  Topping this off is the fact that Corrie is three years younger than Shaw and about to enter what is considered to be the peak age for footballers.

A change of scenery may bring out the best in Corrie; with Paul Medhurst’s evolution as a footballer setting a good example for players arriving at Collingwood by way of trades.  In the end, it’s a no risk trade as we have sacrificed nothing to gain Corrie’s services.  We have gained a player who has the potential to become something better than a fringe player, whilst also improving our position in the draft about as well as we possibly could have given who we were willing to trade.

Derek Hine has something to work with this year and we can now turn our eyes to Novermber’s draft.

The Fall Out

Collingwood Gain: Anthony Corrie, Pick #46
Collingwood Lose: Rhyce Shaw, Pick #61, Pick #93

Collingwood Draft Picks: #11, #29, #45, #46, #77*

* Unlikely that we will use this pick.

Welcome: Scott Reed

Whilst Collingwood are yet to make any moves in trade week, we have signed up Scott Reed via our NSW Scholarship scheme.  Whilst this isn’t news as such – considering the acquisition of Reed was a foregone conclusion – the fact that we have signed Reed to our rookie list is the noteworthy aspect.

I mentioned in an earlier article that I felt we should rookie list Reed in order to leave open a senior list spot and also to allow Scott to develop.  It seems the club may have been thinking along similar lines and what is most impressive is the willingness of Reed to oblige.

Reed had done enough at U18 level to justify using a senior list spot on him; especially considering we would have only had to use our last draft pick.  By agreeing to a two year rookie contract, Reed has shown that he is prepared to develop his game and work his way towards the senior list.

As for his vital statistics, Scott Reed is a 192cm midfielder who has the capacity to play forward or back.  From what I have seen of Reed – and granted that is not much at this stage – he strikes me as similar to Goldsack, albeit with more capacity to play in the midfield.  His height gives him extra reach in marking situations and in the footage I have seen, his second and even third efforts are exceptional and have all the hallmarks of a player who is prepared to work hard both ways.

His disposal is solid whilst needing some refinement; which I expect will come considering the mechanics of his kicking action are sound.  Whilst not quite having the poise of Pendlebury (how many do?) he is competent and tracks the ball well in traffic; usually keeping the ball to his advantage if not trapping it with his first touch.

For a player of his height and frame, he recovers quickly and is able to withstand contact whilst disposing to advantage.  Reed was awarded best on ground honours in the AFL Sydney Premiership game, steering his team to a 104 point victory.  On top of this, Reed has performed well for the ACT Rams at the U18 Championships, playing a vital role in making the Rams a more competitive outfit and being named amongst the best more often than not.

The early signs are good for Reed and he really looks the sort of player that Hine loves, being that he is pliable at this stage with a solid foundation to build upon.

There are a couple of other points to note in the signing of Scott Reed.  Firstly, the rules for the rookie list have been changed for 2009 onwards; now rookie listed players are eligible for senior selection after round 11 of the regular season.  This means that Reed – or any other rookie listed player – is available for senior selection from round 11 onwards regardless of whether we have sustained any long term injuries.   Secondly, Scott Reed has been signed as a NSW Rookie which means that he will also not be taking up a spot on the primary rookie list, leaving us more spaces for potential talent during this draft period.

I have to say, Collingwood have worked this situation very well and made the most out of not only the NSW Scholarship scheme, but also the changes that have been made in preparation for the GC17 expansion.  We now have the opportunity to develop a promising young lad and didn’t have to give up a senior list spot or a national draft pick to do so.

Welcome aboard Scott Reed, we look forward to tracking your progress over the next two years and hopefully beyond.

Holland, Egan, Iles & Casey-Leigh Make Way…

Well, it’s a tough game and there is no other time of year on the AFL calendar that is as ruthless as the end of season/pre-draft chopping block period.  As teams shuffle their lists to make way for new draftees and potential trades, there is little room for sentiment as the dead wood is lopped.

Brodie Holland was no surprise as injury has plagued his past two seasons, preventing him from finding any semblance of form.  Regardless, he was probably a logical choice to be moved on as Collingwood looks to reinvent its midfield and there were no assurances as to what Holland could bring to the table in 2009.  Holland managed only one game in 2008 and never looked like finding his way back to the senior team.

Holland served Collingwood well during his time at the club.  At his best, he was our most effective tagger, but unfortunately it appears that Brodie’s best may have come and gone.  He is interested in trying to revive his career elsewhere and for that, I wish him all the best.

Chris Egan is one of the bigger disappointments.  Drafted at pick #10 overall in the 2004 draft, Egan showed plenty of promise early with his polished skills and occasional flashes of brilliance.  However, through a lack of dedication or application, he just has not come on.  He played the first two games of season 2008, looking good in our opening round clash with Fremantle where he racked up 21 disposals and 9 marks.  However, he came crashing down a week later against Brisbane in wet conditions, where his lack of intensity towards the contest proved costly for the side and ultimately for his future chances.

The whole Egan situation is doomed to be viewed as a costly draft blunder, as we traded the selection (pick #7) that was used for Jordan Lewis to Hawthorn along with Bo Nixon in return for pick 10 and 37, the latter being on-traded to West Coast for Chad Morrison.  Now that the dust has settled on this trade, Collingwood has received little reward.  In defense of drafting Egan, there was some merit to why he was targeted.  At the time, Collingwood was attempting to address a lack of class throughout the middle of the ground and Egan seemed a potential solution.  Unfortunately, we got it wrong.

We can stew over this trade for all eternity but it won’t change anything, so instead we should take some solace in the fact that through Derek Hine we have performed exceptionally well on draft day ever since this fiasco.  What has surprised me is that we haven’t attempted shopping Egan around, as I thought we could have potentially snared a third or fourth rounder, or perhaps even improved our trade position within the third round.  It seems however that Egan’s trade value is perceived to be virtually nil by the people in charge.

Sam Iles could perhaps consider himself a little unlucky.  Picked up in the 2005 pre-season draft, Iles has worked hard and performed relatively well at VFL level.  Sam managed to play seven senior games since being drafted and whilst being serviceable in his appearances, he never managed to cement his place within the team.  In 2008, Iles was unable to break into the senior side and as the season wound down, the writing was on the wall.  Unfortunately for Iles, it seems he was a victim of being capable in many roles without being exceptional in any.

Our most recent delisting is that of Luke Casey-Leigh, which was surprising if only for the fact that he was given only one year at the club and was on the rookie list to boot.  With the imminent drafting of our NSW scholarship holder Scott Reed, it appears that Collingwood believes that Casey-Leigh and Reed would have been vying for similar roles.  After having the opportunity to view Casey-Leigh closely throughout the year, the powers that be have deemed that Reed is the better option moving forward.

It’s a little harsh on the young man to be given the chop after only one season, but there is also word going around that we may be looking to free up rookie spots in what we perceive to be a deep draft and perhaps also with a view to rookie listing Reed – if he accepts – as opposed to drafting him straight onto the main list.

With the departure of these players we have opened up three more spots on our primary list and one spot on our rookie list.  With the retirements of Burns, Wakelin and Lonie we currently have six spots on the main list vacant.  It’ll be interesting to see if any more players are culled, with the futures of Ben Johnson and Rhyce Shaw seemingly still in doubt.

Farewell and good luck to Holland, Egan, Iles and Casey-Leigh.