Universal Love Nathan Buckley - The Greatest.

[Markfs]

It's an odd feeling to be honest.

This individual has been the face of Collingwood pretty much my entire life. Had his poster on my wall as a kid.

I'm in my mid 30s now and to think about my life, all the things I've done, places I've been, and then realise Buckley has been at Collingwood the entire time.

******* hell, if there's a definition for loyalty, it would be the name "Nathan Buckley".

There's been a lot of trashing Collingwood's culture of late (well, for ever), but if there's been one shining light, it's been Nathan and the values he has brought and built into the club.

So gutted we couldn't give him a flag.

It was nice to see nathan show a bit of enthusiasm today...

 

[Maggie5]

From Collingwood Web site:

"I think in the last month we've played solid footy. We've slowly added layers to our game, and we've found that connection. Nights like tonight, regardless of my situation, they build belief in the playing group," Buckley said in his final press conference.

"Jordan De Goey's played a lot of footy, but when he's … playing in the midfield, that's a significant impact. Brayden Maynard's played a lot of footy, but he should be stretching to become an All-Australian defender and has that capacity.

For those that keep talking about JDG best position in the middle. It is now possible with Elliott forward but not when he wasn't there.


"We spoke about Max Lynch, Jay Rantall, Trent Bianco, Nathan Murphy unfortunately had a corkie today but really gutsed it out for 40 minutes to try and help us out, Beau McCreery, Caleb Poulter – there's enough youth there who played this evening to be able to hang your hat on and go forward.

"'Pendles' (skipper Scott Pendlebury) isn't going to be there forever, Steele (Sidebottom) isn't going to be there forever, Jeremy Howe and Tay Adams still to come back, Brodie Grundy didn't play tonight, so we look a lot deeper now than we did six weeks ago, and that's due to experience and exposure.

"The group is capable of whatever it believes its capable of, and nights like tonight really open up the possibilities."

He has left the playing group in a pretty good condition for the next coach under some trying conditions.

Good luck Bucks, you are up there as one of my top three favourites.

 

[Billys Back]

What a contrast between Buckley gracefully finishing up with the Pies and Malthouse and his bitter exit.
Says it all. One a true legend of the club, and the other a coach, albeit a premiership coach who will be remembered for the wrong reasons.

 

[Primetime Pricey]

I feel blessed that i got to watch Bucks play a bit more than most being in Adelaide. I use to get on the train and head to Alberton to watch Bucks kill it for Port and even as a teen i knew what i was watching. Being at the GF watching him hold up the premiership and winning the Jack Oatey was insanse. He is the only player to win the Magarey, Jack Oatey and flag in the 1 season.
When he went to Brisbane i was sad a little cause i wished he would end up at Collingwood and for a year later for him to head to Victoria Park was something special.
I have never seen a better player play for Collingwood. Rose etc was well before my time but in the modern era its not close. People can say Pendles, Swan etc but Bucks was on another level. The way he carried a avg side on his shoulder to the point of almost winning a flag against one of the greatest sides ever says it all.
People love to give him s**t about not winning a flag or the FIGJAM stuff but he wanted the best out of himself and the players around him and i think thats a good thing.
The way he has carried himself with the media and his interaction with the fans esp since becoming head coach has been nothing short of exceptional.
I will miss Nathan, i was so desperate to see him hold up that cup.
We were lucky to have him.

 

[Unknown Identity]

Listening to him speak post game i don't think there has been a better media performer than Bucks.

I hang on every word he speaks.

We will never know what he was like inside the 4 walls of our footy club for the past 10 years, but he's just an impressive and eloquent human being.

It saddens me that he never reached the pinnacle as a player or coach, but more so as a coach.

I personally believe a head coach is only as good as their assistants and losing Longmuir and Hocking in quick succession was a huge blow.

I wish he found the love and the lighter side of coaching earlier. You could see the heavy burden and expectations he placed on himself as a player and that mirrored itself as head coach, he himself speaks about being a better person and leader and even the playing group have made the odd comment on Bucks relaxing his attitude towards the playing group in the last few years.

I have no doubt he will coach again and it will be a bitter pill to swallow if he coaches another team to a flag.

Thanks Bucks for your service to our club, if there's one thing nobody can argue it's that you gave your heart and soul to Collingwood.

 

[Vicky Park]

For those who haven’t seen this on the club website, I challenge you to get to the end without crying.

The leaving of Bucks has been handled as well as it could be by the club. Class all around. Even the media has been (relatively) respectful. After a torrid six months, this last week has shown us at our best, even if you don’t agree with Bucks going.

 

[mwhop]

What a champ. An amazing person. Sad feeling to see him leave the club, and can't help but feel what might have been if the club had been run a bit better overall. Thanks and good luck to Bucks.

 

[jackcass]

Throw in Levi Davis too.

and 3-4 Quaynors.

 

[DuckToaster]

This was one of the greatest coach exits in recent memory. Pure class, but we expect it from Buckley. It was pleasantly surprising to see the club itself handle it with the respect the occasion deserved. The media and comms team did a bang up job.

 

[Trickster]

Have some tissues handy if you havn't seen this yet. Love this bloke.

Inside Bucks' final game: Emotional scenes from a special day

https://afl.app.link/TfMkdKitbhb

 

[Sticky Daics Pudding]

Have some tissues handy if you havn't seen this yet. Love this bloke.

Inside Bucks' final game: Emotional scenes from a special day

https://afl.app.link/TfMkdKitbhb

Watched this last night, eyes were pretty misty, not going to lie.

 

[ANewDawn]

Have some tissues handy if you havn't seen this yet. Love this bloke.

Inside Bucks' final game: Emotional scenes from a special day

https://afl.app.link/TfMkdKitbhb

If there is a Buckley video there it is very well disguised or hidden.

 

[Snake_Baker]

A gun player during an elite period in the game.

 

[Maggie Greg]

What a contrast between Buckley gracefully finishing up with the Pies and Malthouse and his bitter exit.
Says it all. One a true legend of the club, and the other a coach, albeit a premiership coach who will be remembered for the wrong reasons.

They should turn the photo of Malthouse to the wall.

 

[Trickster]

If there is a Buckley video there it is very well disguised or hidden.

There's a link pointing to the AFL app. If you're on a PC head to the AFL website and the video should be there. Its called the next step

 

[sr36]

Dusty doesn't burst from center and bang them home on the run from 65m on the full as consistently as Buckley did.

Also imo Bucks more versatile, finds more of it and better field kick. Didnt see Martin manning up at CHB on T.Cloke like Bucka did on Carey!

People also forget in the later 90s Bucks had a few games where he kicked 4 or 5 goals as a midfielder from midfield (not resting fwd).
Him and Willo had a few games there that stand out.

Dusty better in a contest though. Two all time greats. Two blokes in discussion about being the best player in the game for a 5+ year stretch.

 

[loki04]

Dusty better in a contest though. Two all time greats. Two blokes in discussion about being the best player in the game for a 5+ year stretch.

I have Buckley ahead of Martin as a player, imo Buckley is the best mid I've seen play.

 

[Pie eyed]

On one leg.




Our greatest ever champion!
Never forget what this man has done for our club and the highlights he brought to us when Collingwood FC was the laughing stock of the comp in the mid to late 90s, we were basically the now version Carlton except had a player that people paid to see play.

Mal Michael's..weak bastard.

 

[gouki88]

I have Buckley ahead of Martin as a player, imo Buckley is the best mid I've seen play.

For sure. Martin blessed with the superior teams

 

[Pie eyed]

Dusty doesn't burst from center and bang them home on the run from 65m on the full as consistently as Buckley did.

Also imo Bucks more versatile, finds more of it and better field kick. Didnt see Martin manning up at CHB on T.Cloke like Bucka did on Carey!

People also forget in the later 90s Bucks had a few games where he kicked 4 or 5 goals as a midfielder from midfield (not resting fwd).
Him and Willo had a few games there that stand out.

Dusty never towelled up the best Half forward in the game at his peak as a defender.
Buckley smashed Carey when North were top of the ladder, (pies not even remote contenders).
Playing on Carey as a defender Buckley had 31 possessions to 11 running off "the king" from midway through the 1st quarter, springboarding out of defence to set the Pies up for a thrashing of the Roos. Sav Rocca kicked 8

St Kilda Brownlow Medallist Neil Roberts, writing in the Sunday Herald Sun, said of Buckley: “It was good to see (him) answer his many critics. He played as though he wanted to kill the ‘King’, and he did.

 

[Pie eyed]

For sure. Martin blessed with the superior teams

Dusty is an alike for Swanny.

 

[loki04]

For sure. Martin blessed with the superior teams

Not just that tagging died not long after Bucks finished up its a dead art now days and modern mids don't know the meaning of it.

Its also why I'd argue against sr36 claim that Martin is superior in the contest. Certainly has a better stiff arm.

 

[Markfs]

so we're agreed, buckley is the better player except for those areas where Martin is the better player

 

[OniAu]

Dusty never towelled up the best Half forward in the game at his peak as a defender.
Buckley smashed Carey when North were top of the ladder, (pies not even remote contenders).
Playing on Carey as a defender Buckley had 31 possessions to 11 running off "the king" from midway through the 1st quarter, springboarding out of defence to set the Pies up for a thrashing of the Roos. Sav Rocca kicked 8

St Kilda Brownlow Medallist Neil Roberts, writing in the Sunday Herald Sun, said of Buckley: “It was good to see (him) answer his many critics. He played as though he wanted to kill the ‘King’, and he did.

Id love to watch that game. I remember vagueley Bucks just getting into Carey every chance and Carey having a cry about it

 

[jmac70]

First weekend off in a while for Bucks. Hope he enjoys himself.