David King: The November Bully

[The Prototype]

Media are going to find something to latch onto anyway, if they didn't say they could win it in the next three years then the media would have found something more to write about.

David King is entitled to his opinion he's paid to write articles and speak on the TV about AFL issues. Collingwood now have to prove him wrong, and prove the doubters wrong, as does Buckley now.

Shit happened this season, we move on we have recruited ok so far with the trades, sure we had to lose Beams but now we draft better our football department has had some changes now it's up to the players as well to lift those who do not shall be shown the door.

If Buckley fails as coach next season he too could be shown the door, time for everyone to lift their game and get Collingwood back into the finals. Those that are not up to the task at the club, can find somewhere else.

[E]

[Mossi]

[think positive]

2 great posts.

Though I'm really hoping we keep enough seniors on the track to get us through the year in some respectable form! And yes, I want to see something of a plan!

Still positive though.

But agree if we crash and burn big time, big questions need to be answered and if players start going down like flies, then we can't wait til the end of the season. Otherwise we might just cripple a few players for their careers, we need to fix the injury thing now.

[Harrysz]

Nicksters in this post who are critical of David King want to shoot the messenger.
I recall a radio footy program in early February 2010 when David King selelcted Collingwood to win the premiership.
The others in that program laughed at him.
David King isn't always right. No one is.But he is analytical and logical and unlike other commentators doesn't have agendas or biases.

[neil]

Disposal efficiency is a worry but as many of the young players gain experience it will improve. More time to make decisions, more players running to the correct positions, knowing when to leave your opponent etc.

At least King does not have an anti Collingwood agenda

Remember it was a long season for first year players the extra preseason will do wonders.
Also not playing finals extends the preseason by four weeks.

[Warbler]

David King does make one good point though

We seem to interview / be linked to every good player who is on the move , but never get one .

Seems to me that most should wish to come to Collingwood - or is that just my bias showing ?


GO PIES

[1061]

I don't think we will miss Beams on or off the field if anything the team harmony will be better without the little man(I was going to put creep but that's a wee bit harsh).

King is just rehashing what everyone knows that is that 2015 must be a better year by a significant margin for Bucks to not face questions about his coaching ability.

[Culprit]

Kings on the Money despite stating the obvious.

[Stinger]

I think King’s assessment of the team is spot on for a group that was smashed by injury and was forced prematurely into playing first year, depth and upgraded rookie players throughout the majority of the season.

Our clearance numbers are down because we have a young inexperienced ruck division in Witts/Grundy. In previous years, our ruck deficiencies were wallpapered over by Swan, Thomas, Pendlebury, Ball, Beams, Johnson & Didak who all excelled at positioning at the stoppages and were better at sharking opposition tapouts than our very own. Swan being injured and playing less of a role through the midfield really hurt us in this area this year – the stats confirm.

So give me Witts/Grundy - Swan, Pendlebury, Greenwood, Sidebottom, Adams, Freeman, and Thomas at the coal face dishing it to Varcoe and Young and then see how we go.

The contested possession stat doesn’t surprise me either when you have young maturing bodies in Langdon, Frost, Broomhead, Armstrong, Kennedy, Grundy, Witts, Ramsey plus the likes of Young and White (who haven’t seen a contest in over 200 games combined).

Our best at it: Brown, Reid, Maxwell were all MIA. Add to that Swan, who I mentioned previously, was also ineffective. With the older bodies back + Greenwood, Freeman and from what I briefly saw in Ramsey, then this should improve.

So this brings me to Cloke. Name one other forward in the comp that could carry his team with a midget brigade at his feet? He worked tirelessly without cover this year and easily picked off by two defenders as they peeled off Blair, Elliot, Broomhead, Dywer, Thomas, Kennedy or whoever. His only support was White or Goldsack before the latter was seconded to the backline.

Give me Reid at CHF and Goldsack back in the forward line as the 3rd tall/forward pressure specialist. Keep Elliot forward + Broomhead, Kennedy and Fasolo. Now we aren’t as easy to pick off. If we don’t go to Cloke, then go to Reid or Elliot. This group is capable of kicking bigger scores.

Add Brown down back to lead the young guys in Frost, Keefe, Williams and Langdon around + add Sinclair and Seedsman for some run and that’s not looking too bad either. Throw Toovey back who can play tall or short and it’s now getting there. Although I think it’s probably a year or away from Langdon and Frost turning Clementesque; and Keefe really needs to step up and win more one-on-ones.

As for Pendlebury leaving the Pies through Free Agency – we look after our captains and leaders – I’d be amazed if he left.

[The Prototype]

[Woods]

If things do go badly for Collingwood in the first half of 2015 and the media spotlight falls heavily on Buckley's tenure as coach, then it will also fall equally hard on Eddie's tenure as president.

Eddie has backed Buckley all the way through. So if elements in the media turn on Buckley and agitate for his removal there will also be calls for Eddie to step aside as well. I can't see how one can be divorced from the other.

Both jobs are among the best available within the AFL economy, so there will be many prospective incumbents out there feeding gossip about internal disharmony etc to willing journos in order to create the vacancies.

2015 will be as tough a contest in the media relations arena as it will on the playing field. But triumph on the field will win both contests.

[Brenny]

If things do go badly; and if Clarksons contract is up, then I think Collingwood MUST go after him for next year.

I love Bucks like the rest of us, but when it comes to winning flags, I don't care who you are... Bucks or Clarkson, you're employeed to win a flag.

With that said, i'm actually excited for the year ahead. I think our injury bad run is about to turn and I can't wait to see the boys run out!

[John Wren]

[Geek]

I think that last season's fade out can also be due to us loading up for the first 7 or so games. Prior to the season, all our talk was about the diabolical opening we had. There were plenty of predictions of a 0-7 start

Wouldn't surprise me if we tailored our training to be ready for the early onslaught and that it cost us later in the year, especially with our young squad