Such an even side

[TheClokes]

B: Heath Shaw - Simon Prestigiacomo - Nick Maxwell
HB: Ben Johnson - Nathan Brown - Harry O’Brien
C: Tarkyn Lockyer – Dane Swan – Shannon Cox
HF: Alan Didak – Travis Cloke – Dale Thomas
F: Paul Medhurst – Anthony Rocca – John Anthony
FL: Josh Fraser – Scott Pendlebury – Leon Davis
INT: Marty Clarke – Shane O’Bree – Tyson Goldsack – Chris Bryan​

Looking at our (possible) best side for 2009; what strikes me is how even our side is. We no-longer have any big-name players, but solid contributors in every part of the ground.

Our backline seems solid – but only solid if Simon Prestigiacomo stands-up. The midfield is very even; with no highly credentialed midfielders in the line-up. And the forward-line looks capable of huge scores, without having the big-scoring key forwards.

Has Michael Malthouse reached his objective, finally?

To have a functioning even unit, that has no stars, and is very hard to shutdown… For the simple reason: you can shut down a champion player; but it is very hard to shut down an even team.

 

[loki04]

B: Heath Shaw - Simon Prestigiacomo - Nick Maxwell
HB: Ben Johnson - Nathan Brown - Harry O’Brien
C: Tarkyn Lockyer – Dane Swan – Shannon Cox
HF: Alan Didak – Travis Cloke – Dale Thomas
F: Paul Medhurst – Anthony Rocca – John Anthony
FL: Josh Fraser – Scott Pendlebury – Leon Davis
INT: Marty Clarke – Shane O’Bree – Tyson Goldsack – Chris Bryan​

Looking at our (possible) best side for 2009; what strikes me is how even our side is. We no-longer have any big-name players, but solid contributors in every part of the ground.

Our backline seems solid – but only solid if Simon Prestigiacomo stands-up. The midfield is very even; with no highly credentialed midfielders in the line-up. And the forward-line looks capable of huge scores, without having the big-scoring key forwards.

Has Michael Malthouse reached his objective, finally?

To have a functioning even unit, that has no stars, and is very hard to shutdown… For the simple reason: you can shut down a champion player; but it is very hard to shut down an even team.

Most premiership teams have multiple stars not a bunch of average good players.

I hope Pendles , Daisy and co take the next step and become elite players not good players with potential.

 

[flash2]

I hope Ben Johnson isn't in our best 22.

 

[harry1990]

What a week side ----We will never win a GF with a side like this !!!!!
Sorry to say but there is week links on every line.
When is collingwood going to start to draft some mature strong / fast skillful footballers.
Why is it that clubs like Carlton can do this but Collingwood never seem too ? ie JUDD
Its going to be a long year boys and girls if thats the best we can feild, I think based on that side we would finish about 12 to 13..... Comments please

 

[jefffff34]

lol we've lost Burns and Wakelin.

 

[FIGJAM]

I hope Ben Johnson isn't in our best 22.

I hope he is banging the door down to get attention, and doesn't submit Lonie style.

FB: O'Brien, Prestigiacomo, Anthony
HB: Clarke, Brown , Shaw
C: Pendlebury, Swan, Thomas
HF: Didak, Cloke, Corrie
FF: Dick, Rocca, Medhurst
Ruck: Fraser, O'Bree, Maxwell
I/C: Wood, Lockyer, Wellingham, McCarthy

(Rusling, Dawes, Reid, McCaffer, Johnson, Barham, 11, 29 all pushing for selection; Goldsack, Stanley hopfully pushing; Cook, Toovey depth)

I may be a pit premature with Dick but if we were in the unlikely position of having a fully fit squad to choose from, I can't think of a more exciting game-breaking pocket. He was up training towards the end of the year, so a full preseason will be handy. We should be playing him with a view to him being our version of Rioli. Kick is arguably better than Didak, electric pace, assists by foot to the nearest millimetre and kicks bags of 3 to 5 regularly.

Our inside midfield obviously lacks grunt. The blue collar players in OB, Swan and Maxwell as a tagger (who fights hard at ground level) mean that we have a chance to feed it out the the classy flankers in Pendles, Thomas, Didak, Shaw, Clarke, Corrie, Wellingham and Lockyer. Hopefully J-Mac and Stanners can step up to help our clearance work, because we need them.

Our bookends in Anthony Rock and Presti are old, but we may be able to squeeze some service out of them yet.

Presti showed he still had the blanket properties without any fanfare. He and Brown shut down the Adelaide forwards beautifully (it was Sack who got a bath from Stevens). If Presti goes down, we have Jack to move into the spot he was drafted to play. Some may argue that Pick 11 is reserved for another KP defender.

Worst 200 gamer Rocca is unknown, but we do have Reid, Rusling and Dawes not in my hypothetical best 22. He needs to recapture form quickly, or he will be giving a press conference early in the year.

Brown is arguably the weak link in the spine, but he will be another pre-season bigger and hopefully he has learned a few more tricks.

Hopefully Malthouse drops his "contrast is more important than talent" philosophy in the ruck. Bryan needs to be a last resort. Hopefully a last resort after another drafted ruckman! Wood hasn't completely smashed the VFL, but his highlights packages show he is more than competent. He can also play forward, as he can take a big grab and finish.

We are certainly even, but then I think our flankers have class and pace that makes for sharp movement of the footy. Arguably no "superstars" but there are quite a few "guns" who break games.

We need minimal injuries to maintain the class accross the lines, otherwise we move fast into raw talls, young kids, Johnson or NQR options in Cook, Toovey et al.

 

[ralu]

Rusling should be in there
Marty swap with johnson

But i have a feeling johnno will have a massive preseason and recapture his form of 2006-early 2007

 

[Coin_Toss]

Here is my best 18 I posted before trade week;

B: O'Brien - Prestigiacomo - Maxwell
HB: B Johnson - N Brown - H Shaw
C: Didak - L Davis - Thomas
HF: Swan - Cloke - B Reid
F: Dawes - Rusling - Medhurst
R: Wood/Fraser - Cousins - Pendlebury

INT: Rocca, Wood/Fraser, Lockyer, Clarke, Goldsack

Obviously we can forget Cousins. However, O'Bree continues to be a consistent player and we need another good year out of him in the midfield.

We've got pretty good depth, though. Brad Scott has hinted Stanley will be given every opportunity to become a senior player and Corrie will also be pushing for senior selection.

If Presti can hold up I reckon our chances at the flag will increase. He's been a very good player for this football club and he deserves to get first crack.

 

[johncitizen]

I'm suprised Chris Bryan is still on the list. He's shyte. Cameron Wood is a way better option.

 

[MightyQuinn]

i hope corrie has such a fantastic pre season that we are forced to squeeze him in somewhere....

i dunno why, but like the idea of this bloke hopefully breaking down the wing drilling trav!

...that would be extreme value for money...

 

[MightyQuinn]

...drilling him with the footy of course...

 

[wicksy]

What a week side ----We will never win a GF with a side like this !!!!!
Sorry to say but there is week links on every line.
When is collingwood going to start to draft some mature strong / fast skillful footballers.
Why is it that clubs like Carlton can do this but Collingwood never seem too ? ie JUDD
Its going to be a long year boys and girls if thats the best we can feild, I think based on that side we would finish about 12 to 13..... Comments please

You need to go back to school and learn some english Harry. I don't think I've ever met someone that can't put week and weak in the right context.

Secondly, strong/fast/skillful footballers don't grow on trees. Teams like Carlton are able to get players like Judd due to the fact they bottomed out for nearly a decade and receive the picks to do so. I am extremely happy with the crop that are coming through at the moment and I think we have the nucleus of a team that can get us through to the last day in September.

There are definitely areas where the club needs to fill but that is where this draft is going to come into play. 2/3 midfielders and a kpp backman will have us primed for an assault over the next few years.

 

[Soul_Pie]

I think we look pretty solid on paper, but I think there's only so far we can go with the list, unless of course some players come on in leaps and bounds over the course of the year. I could easily see us finishing top four with that side, but I'm not convinced we could go all the way. I also think our ruck division is not quite up to scratch yet, Bryan is simply not good enough to play AFL football and Wood is still developing. Fraser can be good if he is in the right mindset, perhaps the added responsibility of captain would inspire him to perform better more consistently and do the hard work needed.

Right now we've got a team of solid contributors who perform their role the vast majority of the time, but not too many with real "star" qualities who can break a game open almost individually. Didak is probably the closest we've got to that, and I think a player like Thomas has the capacity to be one. Pendles is all silk and class as well, but once again he's still rather young at this stage.

But who knows? Footy's a funny game and it's hard to predict what will happen. All it really takes is a few players to have breakout years and you're in contention for the flag. At the other end of the spectrum, all it really takes is a form slump and a few injuries and you're wallowing down the bottom again.

 

[ButteredCrumpet]

B: Heath Shaw - Simon Prestigiacomo - Nick Maxwell
HB: Ben Johnson - Nathan Brown - Harry O’Brien
C: Tarkyn Lockyer – Dane Swan – Shannon Cox
HF: Alan Didak – Travis Cloke – Dale Thomas
F: Paul Medhurst – Anthony Rocca – John Anthony
FL: Josh Fraser – Scott Pendlebury – Leon Davis
INT: Marty Clarke – Shane O’Bree – Tyson Goldsack – Chris Bryan​

Looking at our (possible) best side for 2009; what strikes me is how even our side is. We no-longer have any big-name players, but solid contributors in every part of the ground.

Our backline seems solid – but only solid if Simon Prestigiacomo stands-up. The midfield is very even; with no highly credentialed midfielders in the line-up. And the forward-line looks capable of huge scores, without having the big-scoring key forwards.

Has Michael Malthouse reached his objective, finally?

To have a functioning even unit, that has no stars, and is very hard to shutdown… For the simple reason: you can shut down a champion player; but it is very hard to shut down an even team.

Didak and Davis are stars.. with Pendles and Cloke potential

 

[didaka]

i hope corrie has such a fantastic pre season that we are forced to squeeze him in somewhere....

i dunno why, but like the idea of this bloke hopefully breaking down the wing drilling trav!

...that would be extreme value for money...

I reckon he might be used off half-back. The sort of player we try to bring into the game in the same role we played Rhyce in.

The only problem would be if he was dragged deep into the backline by his opponent like Rhyce was against Fremantle.

 

[recon]

This years draft we just have to go for Mids only no flankers.

 

[Dundalis]

B: Heath Shaw - Simon Prestigiacomo - Nick Maxwell
HB: Ben Johnson - Nathan Brown - Harry O’Brien
C: Tarkyn Lockyer – Dane Swan – Shannon Cox
HF: Alan Didak – Travis Cloke – Dale Thomas
F: Paul Medhurst – Anthony Rocca – John Anthony
FL: Josh Fraser – Scott Pendlebury – Leon Davis
INT: Marty Clarke – Shane O’Bree – Tyson Goldsack – Chris Bryan​

Looking at our (possible) best side for 2009; what strikes me is how even our side is. We no-longer have any big-name players, but solid contributors in every part of the ground.

Our backline seems solid – but only solid if Simon Prestigiacomo stands-up. The midfield is very even; with no highly credentialed midfielders in the line-up. And the forward-line looks capable of huge scores, without having the big-scoring key forwards.

Has Michael Malthouse reached his objective, finally?

To have a functioning even unit, that has no stars, and is very hard to shutdown… For the simple reason: you can shut down a champion player; but it is very hard to shut down an even team.

If by even, you mean evenly fairly average, then I agree with you. Geelong and Hawthorn are also even. It's just that it's an even spread of stars. We are nowhere near either of those two teams, whom are both still very young and will still be improving. We won't get near them next year, and I see a couple other sides that are up and coming with more talented young players than we've got.

We simply won't win a Premiership with an even spread of average with one or two stars in the mix when there are teams with the quality of Hawthorn and Geelong around that not only have better experienced players than us, but also have better youth than us. There are one or two other teams that I'd think of throwing in their too, but we'll wait and see if they develop accordingly.

If Malthouse has reached his objective then he should be out the door, because the objective should be a flag, and it's not going to happen with that side.

Didak and Davis are stars.. with Pendles and Cloke potential

Didak and Davis are second tier stars, and Davis only barely squeezes into that category and could easily fall off given his style of play. They don't fit into that top level superstar category, whom I regard as players able to basically carry sides on their own, ala Hodge, Judd, Ablett, Franklin etc. We don't have a potential one either. I see Pendlebury getting to that second tier level, like a Dal Santo, but he won't reach that superstar level where he is comparable to the names mentioned above IMO. Ditto Cloke.

If we are playing like shit, we don't have a player that can single-handedly take the game by the scruff, lift the entire side and get us over the line that the top sides have. We lose those games. If only Buckley was part of the current generation of Collingwood players.

We also are, and have been basically since our Premiership year, a below average kicking side. Our skills through the team simply aren't good or consistent enough to hang with the top sides. Until some more of the older less skilled players are weeded out of the team and replaced by younger, more skilled ones it will remain that way. We can't get by through 22 rounds, and 3 or 4 intense Finals games winning with simple grunt and pressure. It takes too much out of the players. We need to be able to win games with class and talent as well. I'm optimistic, but also a realist. The next two years at least, the flags will be split between the Cats, Hawks, Dogs and possibly even the Blues come the 2010 unless they do a St Kilda. But the Cats and Hawks are as talented, with as much potential as any side we've seen for a long time. I can easily see them playing out a Grand Final replay next season, and maybe even the season after.

 

[DoubleO7]

Mark my words Davis will be a star next year.

 

[favourites]

We need an inside mid and a SMALL defender. Teams that beat us either have a champion big forward OR a little forward that rips us up. We are still one small defender short.

 

[Big Red is back]

Most premiership teams have multiple stars not a bunch of average good players.

I hope Pendles , Daisy and co take the next step and become elite players not good players with potential.

Agreed.

Blues have a great base of stars and up and comers so watch for us in 09

 

[Soul_Pie]

Agreed.

Blues have a great base of stars and up and comers so watch for us in 09

But by contrast you're very front ended and too reliant on certain players to get you over the line. Carlton probably have the star power but they're also a fair way off as well due to a distinct lack of depth, especially up forward. If you look at the premiership sides over the past few years they have their stars firing as well as an even contribution from the rest of the "lesser" players in the team. Personally I think the two clubs will peak around the same time, probably in a few years.

 

[shawthing09]

You add one top end STAR who is very good at winning their own ball into our midfield and all of a sudden guys like Pendles and Davis etc will be dragged raved about in a higher vein. FWIW I actually see Pendleberry being more in the Black ilk rather then Dal Santo but thats a totally different issue.

A top end star winning more of the ball for us and taking attention from others would change the complextion of that side something chronic. There are a whole host of "very good honest footballers" or very good players who get catapaulted into super stardom on the coat tails of one or two top end players in their midfield.

 

[dontaskfev]

B: Heath Shaw - Simon Prestigiacomo - Nick Maxwell
HB: Ben Johnson - Nathan Brown - Harry O’Brien
C: Tarkyn Lockyer – Dane Swan – Shannon Cox
HF: Alan Didak – Travis Cloke – Dale Thomas
F: Paul Medhurst – Anthony Rocca – John Anthony
FL: Josh Fraser – Scott Pendlebury – Leon Davis
INT: Marty Clarke – Shane O’Bree – Tyson Goldsack – Chris Bryan​

Looking at our (possible) best side for 2009; what strikes me is how even our side is. We no-longer have any big-name players, but solid contributors in every part of the ground.

Our backline seems solid – but only solid if Simon Prestigiacomo stands-up. The midfield is very even; with no highly credentialed midfielders in the line-up. And the forward-line looks capable of huge scores, without having the big-scoring key forwards.

Has Michael Malthouse reached his objective, finally?

To have a functioning even unit, that has no stars, and is very hard to shutdown… For the simple reason: you can shut down a champion player; but it is very hard to shut down an even team.

looks ok other than these 3 trucks

 

[Soul_Pie]

looks ok other than these 3 trucks

If Wood comes along in the way we would like, then Bryan will have no place in the team anymore. Ben Johnson will also struggle to get a place, especially given he couldn't find one this year despite the loss of so many players to injury and suspension.

Rocca, I feel is still a valued contributer, as he provides a tall marking option in the forwardline, and creates opportunities for our multiple crumbing players. He also takes the best defender, which will hopefully free up Cloke a bit and allow him to play his more natural game as a lead up player rather than stuck in the 50 metre arc.