#15 Nathan Kreuger

[Culprit]

Kreuger isn't on my radar, you don't miss what you've never had.

[think better]

^K, Nathan Kreuger is the antithesis of Jack Crisp with respect to games records.
Into his 4th year on an AFL list with a total of 9 games, 7 for the CFC.
We need to get him to 10 games though so he can overtake 8 gamer Henry ' the not so smooth operator' Schade, and 9 gamers Andrew Tarpey, Bradley Pain and David King.

I can see the ten game banner now!

[thesoretoothsayer]

Young supporters should be excited that their generation gets their own Lee Walker.

[Take_a_Screamer]

Nathan Kreuger has suffered a setback in his return and is set to miss a further two to four weeks. The 24-year-old had been cleared to play after recovering from the hamstring injury he sustained during pre-season but suffered a minor calf strain during training last week that will delay his return.

Source :
https://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/news/1 ... rs-setback

^^ Nathan Kreuger another calf strain just on return from injury???
The odds don't favour so many injuries to one person and so frequent. I just can't understand it.
If someone dropped a banana skin somewhere in the rooms, Kreuger would find it and slip over and strain or break something.

[Jezza]

Can't see Kreuger making it. His body can't stand the rigours of professional football.

[warburton lad]

Kreuger is a real conundrum.
He is exactly the beast-like build we need to be a 'bookmark' for McStay.
However, as others have noted, the soft-tissue injuries are frequent and he has not had a good block of games to truly see what he might bring.
Given our dearth of tall, strong bodied players, he stays on the list for mine.
I hope that he gets back from this calf issue in a few weeks and strings together some VFL form before pushing for senior selection.
I would trial him at centre half back in the VFL to just allow the guy to run straight at the ball without the high energy twisting and turning a key forward has to do.
Hopefully, that gives him increased confidence in his form and body where he can launch into the AFL team.
I still have high hopes for what he can bring to our team- having watched him on the track, he lacks absolutely nothing in energy and desire to be the best he can be...

[lazzadesilva]

^^
Agree, I thought I was the only one here who thought the same. For the reasons you mentioned, Collingwood would be crazy not to have him on the list for at least another year and see what he brings to our team. I’m not of the negative mindset that says he will never be fit to play. Realistically and logically he has as much chance of being able to play as soon as he is ready. He is exactly what we need to put the cat among the pigeons at CHF.

[derkd]

Kreuger is a real conundrum

I strongly disagree, how long has Kruger been on the list now 3 years? And still yet to play any meaningful number of games.... Collingwood should have cut him last year... and here lies the heart of Collingwood's forward line woes...we chase the cheap short term ovwr 28 to 30 year old fix and we over pay.....rather than just stop spending future first rounds picks....lets actually bank some and try getting a young key forward or more than one.

[warburton lad]

Good morning Mr Derk D.
Kreuger was recruited aged 22- he is now 24 (turns 25 in June).
Whilst I agree that we desperately need at least one key forward, the reality is that there will not be one in the mid-season draft and that any kid we recruit in the National Draft later this year will be a few years off making an impact.

It pains me to think that at the end of 2021 season, Adelaide were hawking Taylor Walker around for bugger all and they had no takers.

He would be bloody handy right about now...

[derkd]

Good morning Mr Derk D.
Kreuger was recruited aged 22- he is now 24 (turns 25 in June).

I stand corrected on age Lad, Kruger does have (to some extent) age on his side, I feel that the club and many clubs, have heard this record before....'young key forward' 'lots of talent' but cant stay on the park. It is the rate of injuries that is the worry for Kruger, to not be able to even string VFL games together.

[warburton lad]

^
All good Derk D...

Like all Pies fans, I would love to see Kreuger on the field (at any level).
If he had a solid block of six games in the VFL (unlikely given his very poor track record of remaining uninjured)- we would at least have some idea of whether he his worth a punt in the AFL.
It is worth remembering that Kreuger missed a slab of footy in 2022 and was parachuted into the Prelim Final up in Sydney- (admittedly, with little impact).

As I said- let's see what this lad can bring to the table...

Floreat Pica.

[LaurieHolden]

Considering Mason Cox hasn't kicked 3 goals in a match since the 2020 EF, if Shtarker strings a group of performances together, he might just secure a starting spot in the F50 for the remainder of the year.
Given Cox is not expected to return for five to seven weeks’, it'll make it mighty hard for him to return to this line-up 1st up.
And that's before McStay is back in contention, and from reports on the w/e, it's expected he'll be playing before the H&A season is out.
A forward line of Mcstay (195cm), Mihocek (192cm) and the sort of form Shtarker (196cm) brought yesterday, flanked by a host of smalls, sign me up!

How humble Pie fought back after horrific injury run
Nathan Kreuger points over this reporter's shoulder and knows not to whinge about his injury history.
https://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/news/1 ... injury-run

[stui magpie]

^

All he has to do is stay injury free (touches wood) and he'll get a decent run at it. Love the energy he brings to the contest, rapt for him with his performance yesterday.

[David]

[Jezza]

Fantastic performance by Kreuger. 3 goals and presented well up forward.

I'd pretty much written him off because of his injury record, but he proved me wrong today. Hopefully gets some continuity with his footy and gets a clean run at it.