Nathan Buckley

[PieLebo87]

Ive been hearing about Bucks playing 50 50 in the forward line and the midfield, what are your thoughts on the champion next year then the year after?

Is he capable of ever running out a full game in the centre and gather 30 possessions? Or will he be restricted for the rest of his career?

Enlighten us with all our comments!

 

[davey_magik]

I think he would now be far better utilised on the HFF and pinch hit in the centre, but not regularly. He is a player capable of gathering 20+ disposals, 10 marks and say 4 goals on the HFF in games.
If Collingwood's midfield improves I doubt he will play there.

 

[Vinnie Vegas]

There's no need to play him in the midfield.

We need to start preparing for the post-Buckley era, and we can't have him continually bailing us out in the middle.

Late in this season Malthouse was pretty much leaving Bucks up forward, no matter how badly our midfield was getting spanked, because it's important that we can have a functioning midfield without Buckley in it.

 

[HorseHead]

There's no need to play him in the midfield.

We need to start preparing for the post-Buckley era, and we can't have him continually bailing us out in the middle.

Late in this season Malthouse was pretty much leaving Bucks up forward, no matter how badly our midfield was getting spanked, because it's important that we can have a functioning midfield without Buckley in it.

Not only that, but his body simply won't be up to playing a whole game in the midfield. He's 34 next year.

 

[PieLebo87]

Not only that, but his body simply won't be up to playing a whole game in the midfield. He's 34 next year.

But then there are the likes of Craig Bradley, Robert Harvey, hell even Kouta (he might be younger but hes had a few recos)
After seeing these guys theres always the 'what if''s in my mind that maybe he still is capable of playing a few full games there, you cannot say Buckley isn't better prepared then most of these guys, ive never seen a more professional approach to anything in my life, football or even life in general, he is just so committed to keeping his body to its best..

 

[Coin_Toss]

Bucks will play most of his remaining football career in the forward line. He will be used in the midfield at times of the game, but don't expect it to be that often. I think he is good enough to kick atleast 60 goals next year playing from a FF/HFF.

 

[Lonie_from_50]

FF/HFF is his best position and IF needed he can do his stuff in the midfield. He can gather 20 plus disposals and get a 30 touch game (like he did against Essendon). 40 goals from him next year is on the cards, plus an injury free Rocca and Tarrant can provide us with 60 goals between them, and Caracella/Didak can kick 40-50 between them. Injury free forward line would be very handy, because those goals predicted are quite reasonable.

 

[FadeAway]

Buckley is fit enough to run out a game in the middle, there is no dought about that. The manner in which he prepares himself, his own training outside of Collingwood's training but thats not the point. The point is that like some of you already said, Mike wont let him play there and bale us out of trouble because we have to start to to prepare to play without him, too late to worry about it when he is gone. We may never get a player of his standard for a very long time. So i agree that he is better served in the forward pocket roatating through to CHF.

we love ya Bucks!!!

 

[astro_toby]

well, when in Rome....

 

[pieman1]

It's a statistical fact that our clearance work has deterioated the last two years. We have gone from a team that had the dirtiest finger nails in the competition to one of the worst. Ask yourself why that is and then tell me why Buckley should play as a permanent forward.

 

[PieLebo87]

Buckley is fit enough to run out a game in the middle, there is no dought about that. The manner in which he prepares himself, his own training outside of Collingwood's training but thats not the point. The point is that like some of you already said, Mike wont let him play there and bale us out of trouble because we have to start to to prepare to play without him, too late to worry about it when he is gone. We may never get a player of his standard for a very long time. So i agree that he is better served in the forward pocket roatating through to CHF.

we love ya Bucks!!!

Fair enough but if thats the case for MM then he doesn't understand what his obligation for the Collingwood FC is, if Buckley playing alot of this year in the midfield will win Collingwood the premiership then so be it.
We are at a rebuilding stage but the main objective for any team in the AFL is to win premierships, not ALWAYS worry about the future. I believe that the likes of Egan, Didak, Johnson, 'pick 2' and 'pick 5' will only benefit by playing along side the great champ in the centre.. although i understand 100% that it is time to move along and allow a replacement but as so many people say, we will never see anyone like him again in the near future, so why not make the most of whatever AFL career he has left and let him do what he does best and get those clearances out of the middle into the forward line and give him the rests he needs.. im doing a complete 180* by saying play Bucks in the middle more then in the forward line but i see it as a more effective way of getting the Collingwood FC closer to a premiership in the next 2 years because we ARE capable of it

 

[Johnson#26]

I think that Bucks should spend, if fit, most of his time (75%) in the midfield, and 25% up forward. Why? Because stars like Buckley, who are ball magnets, rarely are able to stay away from the ball for too long, and Bucks is not going to lose his ability to win the footy just because he has endured injury and age in recent times. Whilst I expect him to play up forward a bit more then usual, we all saw how good he was/can be against Sydney in his first game back. 28 disposals - how good was that? Shows to all that he still has what it takes (fitness pending) to play in the midfield.

 

[adam69]

I think that Bucks should spend, if fit, most of his time (75%) in the midfield, and 25% up forward. Why? Because stars like Buckley, who are ball magnets, rarely are able to stay away from the ball for too long, and Bucks is not going to lose his ability to win the footy just because he has endured injury and age in recent times. Whilst I expect him to play up forward a bit more then usual, we all saw how good he was/can be against Sydney in his first game back. 28 disposals - how good was that? Shows to all that he still has what it takes (fitness pending) to play in the midfield.

Well said, Bucks needs to be in the thick of it, it's who he is. He's a capable mark overhead or out in front and we all know he's the best field kick in the game but he has always raised concerns with his set shot kicking for goal, probably just a mindset thing but bloody frustrating. On the run you'd back him in 9 times out of ten but set shots....

 

[MarkT]

There's no need to play him in the midfield.

We need to start preparing for the post-Buckley era, and we can't have him continually bailing us out in the middle.

Late in this season Malthouse was pretty much leaving Bucks up forward, no matter how badly our midfield was getting spanked, because it's important that we can have a functioning midfield without Buckley in it.

Can’t you see the contradiction? Minus Buckley we simply don’t have a capable midfield. The replacements have had their shot over 2 years and quite clearly are not good enough. Now we are left with a couple of newer players, including this years draftees, who are not yet ready and won’t be for 1 to 3 years. Buckley can and should play midfield. We have forwards, we have backs but we don’t have enough midfielders.

 

[FadeAway]

Lets all be clear on the phrase "fitness" when talking about bucks playing in the middle.

His general arobic fitness and running capacity is MORE than enough to play in the middle, its his hamstring that Collingwood are worries about. The issue is if his hamstring can take all the running, stopping, and starting.

he is more than fit enough to run all day, anyone who says he isnt doesnt know a thing about him.

 

[Snoop]

75% of the time on the foward flank. This not only uses his ability to create goals but to get a bit of much needed leadership down in our inexperienced foward line. However he is also a champion and he can still go in the midfield if need be.

 

[hotpie]

Its a simple choice.

He could play 2006 in the midfield and retire at the end of the season, if he lasts that long.

Or he could protect his aging body by playing in the forward pocket and we could get another three years out of him.

Forward line please.

 

[Snoop]

I think we should let the great man choose. If anybody deserves a choice of where he plays it is him. Fantastic servant of the club, captain, brownlow medal, norm smith medal, B&F's galore, plus the respect of every other player in the compe equals to respect his decision.

 

[hotpie]

I think we should let the great man choose..

Its a team game. The coach picks the team. Buckley should play where he's told.

 

[doppleganger]

just having him on the field makes collingwood a better team

dont care where he plays

backflank sweeper role
in the middle as where used to
forward flank

it doesn't matter just as long as he is playing

 

[jefffff34]

Its a team game. The coach picks the team. Buckley should play where he's told.

I'm quite happy with him being captain coach!

 

[Flowerpower]

I'm quite happy with him being captain coach!

Problem is Buckley has to fill too many holes in your ordinary line-up.

Given the Pies are using their draft picks (for a change), it would be prudent management to have a leader of his quality on the field for as long as possible.

Thus, he must play forward to teach the draft picks where to go and how to get there.

He would kick 60+ in an injury free year playing as a permanent forward (if the ball got down there!!!!!!)

 

[PieGal]

I'm quite happy with him being captain coach!

 

[PieLebo87]

Its a team game. The coach picks the team. Buckley should play where he's told.

When it is Nathan Buckley, HE should decide, he is more the heart and soul of Collingwood then MM is.. HE would want whats best for the team and is very modest about what he is capable of, but because of MM, very conservative when there is no need to be, Bucks will play up forward, but if it was up to Buckley, he would be in the midfield dominating 60-75% of games. As i said, we've all seen just hoe modest Buckley is, if he wasn't capable of doing what hes been doing non stop for the last 10 years and thats play in the middle, he would have retired, not stuck around as a 'handicapped' forward. He is the best player EVER to play for Collingwood and through me being biased, i see him as one of the greatest players ever to play the game, you tell me you want to remember the greats such as Lou Richards, Syd Coventry or Bob Rose playing in the forward pocket in the latter of their careers or them staying where they have trademarked as their own? Thats what Buckley deserves, nothing less and through him saying.. "Its up to MM" he has shown that HE wants 2 play in the middle but it is a team sport and it is up to MM to decide

 

[adam69]

Problem is Buckley has to fill too many holes in your ordinary line-up.

Given the Pies are using their draft picks (for a change), it would be prudent management to have a leader of his quality on the field for as long as possible.

Thus, he must play forward to teach the draft picks where to go and how to get there.
He would kick 60+ in an injury free year playing as a permanent forward (if the ball got down there!!!!!!)

ORDINARY??
Directing traffic from the forward line??
Can't wait for Queen's birthday weekend, knowing you'll be eating your words will make that victory so much sweeter.Do you even know who Nathan Buckley is??