Our Backline

[Optimax]

Ive noticed a few comments on the AFL board saying our backline is slow and malfunctioning, not just from opposistion supporters (most like our backline) but also Collingwood supporters.

My view is our backline is our major strength and i hardly remeber a game where they were soundly and entirely beaten, each player know their role almost perfectly.

Clement: Our General and premeir defender in the league.
Wakelin: Very good player reads play well, could well be getting better witha age.
Prestigiacomo: Very very good full back, considered best FB in the league according to Mick Malthouse, and has a good record against most topline full forwards i would say.
Maxwell: good young player improving every year is bloody courageous.
H. Shaw: Young quick brave
R.Shaw: Quick tries hard, never gives up, like his style
O'Brien: Fast, learning fast, Hits hard, Tries hard will be good.

Just wanted to know wat u guys think?

any other teams supporters please leave your view

 

[Firestorm]

It's always been solid, the Shaws and O'Brien have been added for more flair and attack

 

[BoundforGlory]

Ive noticed a few comments on the AFL board saying our backline is slow and malfunctioning, not just from opposistion supporters (most like our backline) but also Collingwood supporters.

My view is our backline is our major strength and i hardly remeber a game where they were soundly and entirely beaten, each player know their role almost perfectly.

Clement: Our General and premeir defender in the league.
Wakelin: Very good player reads play well, could well be getting better witha age.
Prestigiacomo: Very very good full back, considered best FB in the league according to Mick Malthouse, and has a good record against most topline full forwards i would say.
Maxwell: good young player improving every year is bloody courageous.
H. Shaw: Young quick brave
R.Shaw: Quick tries hard, never gives up, like his style
O'Brien: Fast, learning fast, Hits hard, Tries hard will be good.

Just wanted to know wat u guys think?

any other teams supporters please leave your view

Brilliant backline!!! I believe one of the best in the comp, especially considering we have one of the worst midfields too.

 

[RustyG]

Let the opposition keep thinking we have a bad back line.
It works for me.

 

[Lonie_from_50]

A brilliant backline.

We have the best defender in the game to some people, in the General, Jimmy Clement, while Simon Prestigiacomo has been one of the best full-backs of the last decade. Shane Wakelin is more than valuable as an experienced backmen, another great recruit for the club, and a top 3 finish in the best and fairest in his last full season (2005).

Add Nick Maxwell, hard, courageous and a brilliant leader on and off the field. Heath Shaw provides a great linking player. He uses the ball well and his rebound footy will see him one of the best small backs in the league in a couple more seasons depending on a midfield push. Harry O'Brien adds good depth, while Toovey and Iles also add to the depth as a rebounding defenders.

 

[Shellz]

Easily one of the best backlines in the afl. Strong and dependable with Presti and Clement.

 

[Dazman]

And to think we won't get caught out at the changing of the guard. Just slot in N.J. Brown and JA for Clemdog and Presti

 

[RustyG]

And to think we won't get caught out at the changing of the guard. Just slot in N.J. Brown and JA for Clemdog and Presti

Easy there,Big Fella.
Lets wait till they play a game of AFL before deciding how good they are going to be.
I like your thining though.

 

[Dazman]

lol my doctor calls me big fella.

 

[Vinnie Vegas]

If you believed what you read around the boards, we have the worst midfield in the competition, the worst forward line in the competition, and a backline that is on it's last legs due to old age...

We wouldn't win a game all season if all of that was true.

 

[Stakerz]

If you believed what you read around the boards, we have the worst midfield in the competition, the worst forward line in the competition, and a backline that is on it's last legs due to old age...

We wouldn't win a game all season if all of that was true.

Didn't Collingwood kick the most goals last season?

 

[Vinnie Vegas]

Didn't Collingwood kick the most goals last season?

Sssshhh, we have no ability whatsoever... Suggest anything else and we'll be "delusional Collingwood ferals".

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

The backline's ok. Looking forward to Brown Anthony Iles and hopefully Toovey (jury's out on him) forcing their way in over the next few years, so short medium and long term its looking ok

 

[Coin_Toss]

If you believed what you read around the boards, we have the worst midfield in the competition, the worst forward line in the competition, and a backline that is on it's last legs due to old age...

We wouldn't win a game all season if all of that was true.

Marty Clarke will slot nicely into the backline/midfield rotation, Vinnie. Aren't you excited?

 

[Frederlick]

Sssshhh, we have no ability whatsoever... Suggest anything else and we'll be "delusional Collingwood ferals".

And Clement was supposedly going to struggle with the hands in the back rule this season, hello. He was down the forward line at one stage shooting for goal! Presti's gadget arms mean he is an awesome spoiler and doesn't have to rely on the use of body on body, talk about the new rule interpretation being a red herring. Meanwhile they still can't work out what is and isn't a legitimate hip and shoulder or a head high bump/tackle which has potential to cause further serious injury as the game increases in tempo. It seems like the rules committee and the ex players at the tribunal have diometrically opposed views reference the game being soft and protecting the player. Frustrating as similar hits seem to have dissimilar outcomes. C'mon AFL keep the playing field level, a lot of this seems to smack of personal agendas by ex players who see themselves as some sort of gatekeepers to the "hardness" of the game. If you want to be involved in a game where there are multiple head injuries take up boxing fellas.

 

[rand corp]

We have a very good backline and plenty of emmerging talent there to fill the holes as players retire.

Brown, Anthony, Toovey, Cox, Harry to name a few are all coming along nicely as Wakes, then Clem and eventually Presti move ever closer to retirement.

 

[daics cousin]

Easily one of if not the best backlines in the league.The roos saw that last week and the eagles will see that this week.

 

[rand corp]

Let's be real, our backline aint one of our problems

 

[gormanisahack]

Been a massive fan of Shane Wakelin, I think along with Jimmy they read the play as well as any player in the game let alone defender. But is age catching up with Wakes how old is he now? And how far is he from the end?

 

[Collingwoodrow]

I agree our backline is underated in the sense that people think its terrible.

But I don't think its the best around either.

It is miserly, even when the ball is coming in quickly, but I wouldn't rate it as an attacking backline.

I guess it doesn't have much flair about it......no speedster runnning off the half backline delivering passes down the throats of centre half forwards.

Its a blue collar workmanlike crew.......hopefully some of the new kids can work their way into the team and provide not just solid defense, but some rebound and attack.

 

[Cyclops]

Our backline has been a fantastic unit for some years: Malthouse is aknowledged to be a masterful defensive coach and we have some fine players there.

Last week our backline let in 29 scoring shots, enough to lose most games. At 3/4 time I believe we had almost half the number of scoring shots and inside 50's that North had.

A lot of that was the midfield failing to hold Norths runners but the defense had a shocker like the rest of the side did. The number of bad kicks out of defense and fellas spiraling into turnovers was abominable.

O'Brien is becoming a capable footballer as well as a fine athlete. Shaw rules for a young bloke and the talls are all proven and consistent stoppers.

They will be severely tested by West Coast, who will get enough of it in the midfield to really shake our defense up.

Now the jitters have been run out of the system, this game will let us know where we really are.

 

[MarkT]

There is nothing wrong with our backline. It has held us together for half a decade. Clement is star. Presti is the stopper of all stoppers. Gaspar won AA selection for have one season at about 75% of Presti’s average. Wakelin is very good albeit virtually at the end of his career. Maxwell is a good 3rd tall and he only has to be 4th option anyway. He also has upside. H. Shaw is brave and creative and IMO a future captain except that the club will foolishly opt for Fraser instead. O’Brien is probably a 5th wheel in some respects but I am more than happy to keep developing his because he shows promise and we will soon be without Wakelin. Swan is a very good running back. R. Shaw is up and down and but for his pace shouldn’t get near our best 22. Lockyer’s best is ok but he shouldn’t be down back. He gives too much away.

Our ruck and midfield is rubbish by AFL standards and the backs constantly have to defend quick centre clearance. Week in week out year after year they have done it and done it very well.