Opinion The players you've been wrong about.

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jathanas

jathanas

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Aug 17, 2011
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So much youth in the Collingwood senior list and we each have our own predictions for the realisation of their potential.

We like to think of ourselves as astute readers of a player's potential but I'm confident we've all gotten some wrong in the past; comically so.

I probably miss more than most but my biggest blooper would be thinking that Heath Shaw was never going to amount to much. :) No sh*t, all I saw was a skinny bow-legged kid with an awkward running style.

Will remember him as an absolute gun and one of my favourite players of that era.

EDIT: In his first year I also thought Dawes was going to be a gun. :tearsofjoy:
 
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There are too many to count, but notably off the top of my head….

Non-Collingwood: I thought Jay Neagle was going to be a gun key forward on the Bombers who would terrorise us for years.

Collingwood: on the flag high following 2010 I thought Chris Dawes was going to develop into the heir apparent to the Rocca-sized hole in our forward line.
 
I tend to back the position of the club in that anyone who gets to pull on the Black and White guernsey must have something so I tend not to be too critical of any player. Having said that, I was never a fan of Tom Langdon. He always seemed far too laconic, almost to the point of dis-interest, for me and I would often call out his performances. However, his performance on Grand Final day in 2018 was simply outstanding. He displayed courage and determination that I had not (or not been able to) seen and he earned my respect from that moment on. I was wrong about him for the longest time, I'm embarrassed to admit.
 

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jathanas said:
So much youth in the Collingwood senior list and we each have our own predictions for the realisation of their potential.

We like to think of ourselves as astute readers of a player's potential but I'm confident we've all gotten some wrong in the past; comically so.

I probably miss more than most but my biggest blooper would be thinking that Heath Shaw was never going to amount to much. :) No sh*t, all I saw was a skinny bow-legged kid with an awkward running style.

Will remember him as an absolute gun and one of my favourite players of that era.

EDIT: In his first year I also thought Dawes was going to be a gun. :tearsofjoy:
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I never thought of you as exclusionist but a lot of regular posters won't be able to contribute to this thread. :p
 
gouki88 said:
There are too many to count, but notably off the top of my head….

Non-Collingwood: I thought Jay Neagle was going to be a gun key forward on the Bombers who would terrorise us for years.

Collingwood: on the flag high following 2010 I thought Chris Dawes was going to develop into the heir apparent to the Rocca-sized hole in our forward line.
Click to expand...

Ha, Dawes! We've all eaten some humble pie over that one.

Abdul_The_Bull said:
I tend to back the position of the club in that anyone who gets to pull on the Black and White guernsey must have something so I tend not to be too critical of any player. Having said that, I was never a fan of Tom Langdon. He always seemed far too laconic, almost to the point of dis-interest, for me and I would often call out his performances. However, his performance on Grand Final day in 2018 was simply outstanding. He displayed courage and determination that I had not (or not been able to) seen and he earned my respect from that moment on. I was wrong about him for the longest time, I'm embarrassed to admit.
Click to expand...

Tom's laconic style put quite a few fans off. His performance in 2018 was outstanding enough that he won most of his detractors over. His early retirement remains a bit of a modern football tragedy in my eyes.

Obese Arachnid said:
I never thought of you as exclusionist but a lot of regular posters won't be able to contribute to this thread. :p
Click to expand...

I have not completed any state government sponsored inclusiveness course and it shows in my posting!
 
Abdul_The_Bull said:
I tend to back the position of the club in that anyone who gets to pull on the Black and White guernsey must have something so I tend not to be too critical of any player. Having said that, I was never a fan of Tom Langdon. He always seemed far too laconic, almost to the point of dis-interest, for me and I would often call out his performances. However, his performance on Grand Final day in 2018 was simply outstanding. He displayed courage and determination that I had not (or not been able to) seen and he earned my respect from that moment on. I was wrong about him for the longest time, I'm embarrassed to admit.
Click to expand...
I was dubious over Langdon too, but like everyone that GF effort of his was amazing
 
I thought Dane Swan would occupy the back pocket until someone decent came along, and that Pendlebury was not going to make it because he was caught so often in his early games. Shows what a great judge of potential I am.
 
Gaspard said:
I thought Dane Swan would occupy the back pocket until someone decent came along, and that Pendlebury was not going to make it because he was caught so often in his early games. Shows what a great judge of potential I am.
Click to expand...

You're being too hard on yourself about Swan mate. There was nothing about the way he played that screamed future Brownlow medalist. His commitment to the football life was also in question.

Pendles? Not as flash as Daisy early on but I assume most thought he'd become very good. :)
 
jathanas said:
You're being too hard on yourself about Swan mate. There was nothing about the way he played that screamed future Brownlow medalist. His commitment to the football life was also in question.

Pendles? Not as flash as Daisy early on but I assume most thought he'd become very good. :)
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Talking about Brownlow medalists. I watched Woewodin play a game in his first year off the half back line with Melbourne ressies , and declared that he was the worst AFL footballer I had ever seen. A few years later, he won the Brownlow.
I will make 2 declarations about our current list. Reef McInnes will be a gun (probably obvious). The one that wont please most Pies fans is this. Bianco wont amount to anything worthwhile and will be dropped 2-3 years, unless he learns to play as a hard nut inside accumulator.
 
When I first saw James Manson in a reserves game out at VFL Park I thought he was playing as a part of some elaborate practical joke. He ran like a new born calf and kicked like a kid who had never held a ball of any kind in his life. I was appalled. And then he clunked a few marks. I still thought he was no hope and simply filling in until a decent young big man came along.
 
blindleadingtheblind said:
Talking about Brownlow medalists. I watched Woewodin play a game in his first year off the half back line with Melbourne ressies , and declared that he was the worst AFL footballer I had ever seen. A few years later, he won the Brownlow.
I will make 2 declarations about our current list. Reef McInnes will be a gun (probably obvious). The one that wont please most Pies fans is this. Bianco wont amount to anything worthwhile and will be dropped 2-3 years, unless he learns to play as a hard nut inside accumulator.
Click to expand...

Reef is an exciting prospect. I hope we get a few glimpses this year.

Woey along with T. Liba are both "interesting" Brownlow medal winners.

domus said:
When I first saw James Manson in a reserves game out at VFL Park I thought he was playing as a part of some elaborate practical joke. He ran like a new born calf and kicked like a kid who had never held a ball of any kind in his life. I was appalled. And then he clunked a few marks. I still thought he was no hope and simply filling in until a decent young big man came along.
Click to expand...

Ha! Charlie was one of the most awkward footballers I've ever seen. Comically so.

Can you believe that we had P. Daicos and J. Manson in the same side? Polar opposites in terms of talent and grace.
 
False positives: Danny Stanley, Mark McGough, Brad Dick, Chad Rintoul, Tom Hunter, Matt Scharenberg, Andrew Williams.

False negatives: Alan Toovey, Ben Johnson, Leigh Brown.
 
jathanas said:
Reef is an exciting prospect. I hope we get a few glimpses this year.

Woey along with T. Liba are both "interesting" Brownlow medal winners.



Ha! Charlie was one of the most awkward footballers I've ever seen. Comically so.

Can you believe that we had P. Daicos and J. Manson in the same side? Polar opposites in terms of talent and grace.
Click to expand...
In about 1997 I played for the MegaHertz against the RockDogs, who counted Jimmy Manson among their ranks. He spent the whole game screaming like a madman. I thought at first he was doing it for the crowds, but in the end concluded he is a looney (in a good way).

I tackled him when he was trying to bust away from a pack and ended up getting a free. But I can't say I really impeded his progress, just held onto his waist as he dragged me a long like a horse dragging a rider caught in a stirrup.
 

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I thought Ryan Lonie was going to be a star. After his 1st game against the Hawks Ben Dixon had a go at the end of the game after getting towelled up and Lonie came right back at him. Wow thought I, the kids got talent and cojones as well.
 
My best effort was in 1992, I used to get to the ground early to see the Ressies to size up the future stars. My cousin was there too and said to me "this is my bloke, number 36, Rocca", all I saw was a slow lump in the ruck who tried to torp everything and wasn't a very good kick. :$

I did make the prediction in the mid 2000's when we weren't going too well that Didak and Thomas were going to be premiership players "I could just tell"...however I also included Sean Rusling in the trifecta. :think: Well you know what Meatloaf said.

One of my brothers who is very footy savvy (eg he tipped Hawthorn 2008 before the game) said around 1989 "Collingwood can't win a flag with Tony Shaw in the side", that one stood out because he usually nails it.

I thought Nathan Buckley and Brett Chalmers were going to win the Pies a heap of flags, but we rorted the draft and Chalmers wasn't even that good. Bucks was always a very consistent gun, not his fault we did not win one with him.
 
Cyclops said:
My best effort was in 1992, I used to get to the ground early to see the Ressies to size up the future stars. My cousin was there too and said to me "this is my bloke, number 36, Rocca", all I saw was a slow lump in the ruck who tried to torp everything and wasn't a very good kick. :$

I did make the prediction in the mid 2000's when we weren't going too well that Didak and Thomas were going to be premiership players "I could just tell"...however I also included Sean Rusling in the trifecta. :think: Well you know what Meatloaf said.

One of my brothers who is very footy savvy (eg he tipped Hawthorn 2008 before the game) said around 1989 "Collingwood can't win a flag with Tony Shaw in the side", that one stood out because he usually nails it.

I thought Nathan Buckley and Brett Chalmers were going to win the Pies a heap of flags, but we rorted the draft and Chalmers wasn't even that good. Bucks was always a very consistent gun, not his fault we did not win one with him.
Click to expand...

I'd predicted big things for S. Rusling as well... he along with Walker had obvious ability.

That's not a false positive. The football injury gods can be cruel bastards.
 
in 1994, watched a kid named Tranquilli kick six against the all-conquering Eagles, (who were on a six-game winning run) at the MCG. This gave us the most unlikely of victories. Immediately upon arriving home I declared to my little brother, I had just witnessed the birth of the next Peter McKenna, and that the kid would be an absolute champion. Think I was a little caught up in the victory euphoria, he's never let me forget it.

In 1972, as a six-year-old, watched a young kid named Ian McOrist play in his first full game.
McOrist was a 'reserve' in his first game, which no one really recalls, because his teammate on the bench that day was former captain Terry Waters, dropped to the bench for the first time. Waters debuted in 1963 and was the leading goalkicker that season, won all Australian selection in 64 and the Copeland in 66. He was made captain in 1970 but resigned from the role in 71, after missing seven games through injury and suffering a drop in form. He would retire in the week after sharing the bench with young McOrist in 72.

McOrist was a young boy with long blonde hair, torn jeans, and a peace medallion around his neck when he walked into the club from Northcote. After his first game, he was in all the Melbourne papers, on World of Sport on the TV as a guest, and had one scribe declaring that it was a week when 'Collingwood lost one champion and gained another'.

McOrist kicked six against Fitzroy at the Junction oval that day and had 23 disposals on a haf forward flank; everyone from McKenna to one of his opponents on the day were quoted in the papers saying what a bright future he had. I went home from that game knowing full well that I had a new favourite player.

He still managed to average 18 disposals a game for the next few matches, but the goals had dried up, he tired towards the end of his first season and was dropped for round 16. He came back from a semi-final that year, which turned out to be his last game. McOrist injured his back in the pre-season of 1973 and the club let him go, he never played in the big show again.
 
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rand corp said:
in 1994, watched a kid named Tranquilli kick six against the all-conquering Eagles, (who were on a six-game winning run) at the MCG. This gave us the most unlikely of victories. Immediately upon arriving home I declared to my little brother, I had just witnessed the birth of the next Peter McKenna, and that the kid would be an absolute champion. Think I was a little caught up in the victory euphoria, he's never let me forget it.

In 1972, as a six-year-old, watched a young kid named Ian McOrist play in his first full game.
McOrist was a 'reserve' in his first game, which no one really recalls, because his teammate on the bench that day was former captain Terry Waters, dropped to the bench for the first time. Waters debuted in 1963 and was the leading goalkicker that season, won all Australian selection in 64 and the Copeland in 66. He was made captain in 1970 but resigned from the role in 71, after missing seven games through injury and suffering a drop in form. He would retire in the week after sharing the bench with young McOrist in 72.

McOrist was a young boy with long blonde hair, torn jeans, and a peace medallion around his neck when he walked into the club from Northcote. After his first game, he was in all the Melbourne papers, on World of Sport on the TV as a guest, and had one scribe declaring that it was a week when 'Collingwood lost one champion and gained another'.

McOrist kicked sick against Fitzroy at the Junction oval that day and had 23 disposals, everyone from McKenna to one of his opponents on the day were quoted in the papers saying what a bright future he had. I went home from that game knowing full well that I had a new favourite player.

He still managed to average 18 disposals a game for the next few matches, but the goals had dried up, he tired towards the end of his first season and was dropped for round 16. He came back from a semi-final that year, which turned out to be his last game. McOrist injured his back in the pre-season of 1973 and the club let him go, he never played in the big show again.
Click to expand...

I remember Tranquilli for 2 reasons:

1. That 6 goal game game against WC and
2. My wife kept calling him Trevally during the course of his long and distinguished career for the CFC.
 
The Royal Sampler said:
False positives: Danny Stanley, Mark McGough, Brad Dick, Chad Rintoul, Tom Hunter, Matt Scharenberg, Andrew Williams.

False negatives: Alan Toovey, Ben Johnson, Leigh Brown.
Click to expand...
I was very excited when we got Leigh Brown. The first time I saw him at Fremantle I thought this guy has got so much talent. I could just see it in the way he moved and read the play. To the naked eye I guess he looked a bit cumbersome, but I always wanted him at the Pies.
 
I thought Jack Anthony would be good :(

And I thought Schaz would be a gun. Alas :(

On the flipside, I never thought Leigh Brown would provide anything but comedy value.

Of the current crop, the one I might be in the process of reviewing is Darcy Cameron.
 
Good Horse said:
I thought Jack Anthony would be good :(

And I thought Schaz would be a gun. Alas :(

On the flipside, I never thought Leigh Brown would provide anything but comedy value.

Of the current crop, the one I might be in the process of reviewing is Darcy Cameron.
Click to expand...

Schaz. :cry:

Was never a fan of Jack Anthony, weird dude. He could kick a footy tho. :)
 
In the last 10 years...

- Josh Daicos. Thought at the end of 2019 that Callum Brown had the brighter future of the two. Then he comes back lean, with much more run and a better burst of pace.

- Chris Mayne. Thought he might be okay as a pressure forward... clearly wasn’t... then thought it was worst trade... in the end it wasn’t... he ended up having some good games through the middle. Great 2018 GF.

- Kyle Martin. Thought he was going to play 100 senior games. Highly skilled, ball magnet who kicked bags of goals. Was Petracca like... in the VFL

- Dayne Beams. The price paid for him aside... Thought off the back of his 2018 form at the lions where he averaged 29 touches, 3 tackles, 5 clearances and nearly a goal a game... that he’d be a solid pick up and help us go one further in 2019/20

Several names on the current list that I’d written off (Ruscoe, Moore) that have since come good... or been bullish on early but years later are yet to make it (Noble, Keane, T Brown)

Will have to revisit it 12 months from now
 
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jathanas said:
I remember Tranquilli for 2 reasons:

1. That 6 goal game game against WC and
2. My wife kept calling him Trevally during the course of his long and distinguished career for the CFC.
Click to expand...
Always followed AT closely as he came from Marcellin old boys where I played to Collingwood. Murray Browne, ex Collingwood and Jeffs brother was coaching us at time and recommended AT to the Pies as an overager. Reckon after 94 he maybe enjoyed the limelight too much. Remember watching the Footy Show end of year shows and he was enjoying that too much.

Another Marcellin boy I had high hopes for was the Bear. Hopefully one of the Browns or Bianco or all 3 can fly the flag this year.
 
Toovey and Dunn are the big ones for me because I was just completely against them offering us anything. Varcoe was 50/50 because I don’t think he offered us much after year 1 (he was basically 2021 WHE for 16-20), but I was really hard on that decision so I’m not fussed if that’s considered one I got wrong.

Roughead and Mayne were two recruitment decisions I disagreed with, but primarily for what they were originally recruited for. Neither would have lasted beyond their initial contracts in those original roles so I’m thankful they were switched around.

Going the other way there’s Broomhead and Murphy. I was genuinely stoked with those recruitment decisions early days, but neither were/ are AFL talents.
 
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