Remove this Banner Ad

What stops us from having a run of success

🥰 Love BigFooty? Join now for free.

I’m going to say something that will annoy a lot of people but we were lucky to win each of those 3 flags we never had the best side in any of those seasons.
1990 we got lucky with the draw and the Hawks unexpectedly losing to Melbourne. We could never get close to them in that era.

2010 again not the best side and lucky with the draw again. We were a very good side but better in 2011 and we lost so the draw helped us.

2023: well with no key forwards and single digit wins maybe it was luck or a better game plan i think a lot of teams could have won 23.

Apart from 2011 we’ve never really been the dominant team and my opinion is that we’re screwed by three people. Eddie, Buckley and Hine. I personally put most of the blame on Hine. He’s flat out refusal to draft key position players unless they were f/s after Reid and Brown was disgraceful and the misses in top 20 picks were spectacular, as another poster has already stated. Basically he lucked out with Swan but he was almost gone after 2 years and the whole Beams mk2 fiasco has and is still killing us.
We all know the Eddie/Bucks fiasco so I’ll leave it at that.

I’m glad we’ve won 3 in my lifetime but 4 is going to be a long long long way down the road, I hope I’m around to see it.
We finished minor premiers in both 2010 and 2023, tf do you mean we weren’t the best side?
 
Brisbane will also will be receiving another two top ten rated players in this years draft. The AFL are taking the piss with 'equalisation' as they pump non-stop guns yearly into the northern states.

NGA is a big a Cheat as When they had Cola

They get to work with Kids at a Very Young Age and Develop them - Southern Teams can't do that as being at the Actual Club and Playing for there U-18 Teams and VFL Teams
 
2010-11 was our best team for 80 years, our only truly elite team, that was our potential dynasty

Stuffed it

Should have binned the Buckley handover deal
I actually think Malthouse bottled it with the personnel he had in not achieving more with the list from 2007-2011. The talent stacked up favourably to everyone except perhaps Geelong.
 

Log in to remove this Banner Ad

NGA is a big a Cheat as When they had Cola

They get to work with Kids at a Very Young Age and Develop them - Southern Teams can't do that as being at the Actual Club and Playing for there U-18 Teams and VFL Teams
It's more than that.

The Queensland and NSW teams split their respective states respective talent pool between them. Unlike the rest of the competition, they're not restricted to indigenous or minority-background players in order for those players to qualify for their academy.

On top of that, up until this coming draft clubs could not bid on northern academy players within the first 40 selections.

And lastly, players like the Ashcrofts are completing their schooling at elite private schools in Melbourne who possess the best resources and development pathways in the country, before returning to their home state once drafted.
 
And lastly, players like the Ashcrofts are completing their schooling at elite private schools in Melbourne who possess the best resources and development pathways in the country, before returning to their home state once drafted.
IF that happens then they should be no longer in the Academy as not in QLD anymore
 
I think we need a counter-thread “What makes Collingwood so friggen’ successful?”

Unlike Carlton, which has been a basket case ever since Paul Keating was Prime Minister
Unlike Essendon, which a decade+ on is still trying to recover from the biggest scandal in the code’s history
Unlike North, which has had decent success for a minnow club, but that’s a distant memory
Unlike Suns, bless ‘em just played in their very first finals campaign.
Unlike St Kilda, LOL!
Unlike Port - a proud club that had decent results, but just haven’t been able to seal the deal.
Unlike GWS - see Port minus the ‘proud club’ bit.
Unlike Adelaide - used their big chance to do the power stance
Unlike Bulldogs - were over achievers, now under achievers
Unlike Melbourne - had a very brief period of success in amongst rank Shitfulness.
Unlike Freo - who can be relied upon to make up the numbers
Unlike Richmond - who admittedly won 3 Premierships in 4 years. But Ninthmond were a joke for decades before that.
Unlike Brisbane - they’re enjoying success now, and did a few decades ago. But were shithouse in between.
Unlike Swans - they are respected as a successful club that are always competitive. We’re still better.
Unlike Eagles - used to be reliably competitive, but have fallen into a deep hole and begging the AFL for draft assistance.

The only clubs that challenge us for success in recent history are:

Geelong - have had an amazing sustained success over the last 2 decades.
Hawthorn - most successful club in my lifetime.

Who knows, if Fly ends up coaching for as long as Christ Scott has, maybe we’re on our way to having the sustained success that Geelong have had?
 
By the end of 2010, we had the youngest premiership side ever with 5 of the top 25 mids in the comp between 2010-2013 (Swan, Pendlebury, Thomas, Beams, Sidebottom) and 3 young high-levels KPP (Cloke, Reid and Brown).

This team should have only needed minor tweaks over the next few years to win atleast 3-4 premierships over the next 7-8 years.

Unfortunately, while I love bucks, it was ridiculous to have a succession plan when we were in the window. The club should have always taken precedence over the individual (Buckley).
 
I think we tend to have hard working, tough teams rather than classy teams loaded with match winning talent as we have seen with Hawthorn and Geelong over the years. With the exception of 1970 and maybe 2010 I think this description is apt for most of our better teams throughout my time following the Pies.
 
Always wondered why, as the biggest team in the league, with the most blockbusters, brand exposure ect, practically the Real Madrid/Manchester United (pre 2013) of the AFL, we have always struggled to attract absolute top-line stars to the club or have players willing to play for unders.


Pretty much every other team in the league has attracted better players than us over the last 25 years.

Adelaide: Dawson, Rankine, Betts

Brisbane: Neale, Beams, Daniher, Cameron

Carlton: Judd, Docherty, Saad, McGovern, Williams

Collingwood: Treloar? Houston?

Essendon: Goddard, Stringer, Sheil, Smith

Geelong: Cameron, Dangerfield, Smith

Fremantle: Jackson, Bolton, Hill, Tarrant

Hawthorn: Burgoyne, Lake, Gibson, Gunston, Mitchell, O’Meara, Battle, Barras

Melbourne: May, Lever

North: Higgins, Waite, Polec, Dal Santo

Port: Horne-Francis, Dixon, Ryder, Polec

Richmond: Lynch, Prestia, Taranto, Houli, N.Brown

Sydney: Franklin, Hall, Tippet

St Kilda: TDK, B.Hill, Crouch, Carlisle

Western Bulldogs: Hall, Boyd, Bruce, Akermanis, Crameri

West Coast: Yeo, Kennedy, Kelly, Cripps, Wellingham

Honestly think only maybe North have done worse than us over the last 25 years, then again Higgins and Waite were pretty good for them during their strong run in 15/16.
 
Always wondered why, as the biggest team in the league, with the most blockbusters, brand exposure ect, practically the Real Madrid/Manchester United (pre 2013) of the AFL, we have always struggled to attract absolute top-line stars to the club or have players willing to play for unders.


Pretty much every other team in the league has attracted better players than us over the last 25 years.

Adelaide: Dawson, Rankine, Betts

Brisbane: Neale, Beams, Daniher, Cameron

Carlton: Judd, Docherty, Saad, McGovern, Williams

Collingwood: Treloar? Houston?

Essendon: Goddard, Stringer, Sheil, Smith

Geelong: Cameron, Dangerfield, Smith

Fremantle: Jackson, Bolton, Hill, Tarrant

Hawthorn: Burgoyne, Lake, Gibson, Gunston, Mitchell, O’Meara, Battle, Barras

Melbourne: May, Lever

North: Higgins, Waite, Polec, Dal Santo

Port: Horne-Francis, Dixon, Ryder, Polec

Richmond: Lynch, Prestia, Taranto, Houli, N.Brown

Sydney: Franklin, Hall, Tippet

St Kilda: TDK, B.Hill, Crouch, Carlisle

Western Bulldogs: Hall, Boyd, Bruce, Akermanis, Crameri

West Coast: Yeo, Kennedy, Kelly, Cripps, Wellingham

Honestly think only maybe North have done worse than us over the last 25 years, then again Higgins and Waite were pretty good for them during their strong run in 15/16.
Jolly, Ball, Medhurst, Tarrant, Adams, Schultz, Howe, Hill?

That’s before considering handy types like WHE, Aish, L Brown, Titch, McStay, Perryman, nor gems that we unearthed that were at other clubs such as Crisp and Cameron.
 
Jolly, Ball, Medhurst, Tarrant, Adams, Schultz, Howe, Hill?

That’s before considering handy types like WHE, Aish, L Brown, Titch, McStay, Perryman, nor gems that we unearthed that were at other clubs such as Crisp and Cameron.
Buckley, Clement, A Rocca etc. Some posters are descending into madness.
 
1990: broke a 32-year drought and the party went on and on and on. Simple as that. The team was definitely good enough to go again but the powerful motivation was gone.

2002-2004 era: ran into a generationally talented side built from the carcasses of 2 middling sides.

2010: this is the one that hurts me the most and a lot of the blame rests with Eddie, management and especially Mick Malthouse. Hubris. In 2011 we were the most dominant home and away Pies side i have seen in 40+ years of watching. We also were unlucky to run into a Geelong side that was one of the best ever.. but i still think we had the firepower to beat them. The mistake was resting players in the final round and giving Geelong the highest of high ground.. a 96 point win that i think is still their biggest ever against us. Insanity

2023: It all went right for once but now it has all gone wrong at the wrong time this year. Suddenly all of our forwards aside from Billy forgot how to play. I sympathise with Bobby Hill but his absence just added to a distinct lack of speed in our team. Why he %$^$ did we not learn from the losses to Geelong and Brisbane where they simply chipped the ball around and made us chase tail. Too many medium-pacers like Lipinkski, Sidey, hobbled Jordy and Howe, etc etc

The good news is any team built around Nick and Josh has a pretty handy head start. I think all we can do it try to recruit a quick, tall forward and a powerful quick mid and go again. The bad news is that when the Lions win the flag next weekend, they are in the middle of their own new dynasty as they add Oscar Allen for free, Sam Draper, top-five pick Daniel Annable and one other highly rated one whose name escapes me.
 

Remove this Banner Ad

2002–2003 era

Collingwood ran into Brisbane at their peak, a team basically gifted an extra salary cap by the AFL. Let’s be real: they were able to roll out an All-Australian-level side week after week, all under the banner of “growing the game.” Hard to compete when the deck was stacked like that - don't even get me started on the Cloke and Rocca suspensions.

2010–2011 era

The infamous succession plan. It was messy, it split the camp and it rattled what should have been a dynasty-level team. Even so, 2011 should have been ours. On talent, we had Geelong covered – but the coaching let us down on the day. Playing Tarrant (rather than Reid) on Hawkins could have changed everything. Instead, Hawkins tore us apart, and you can’t help but wonder if Malthouse already had his mind on what came after.

2023–2025 era

2023 was magic. We hit that perfect blend of talent, experience and belief, the type of year that makes you proud to be a Collingwood supporter. But in 2024, we got ahead of ourselves, started drinking our own bathwater, and fell back into old habits. By 2025 it looks like the years had started to catch up with a few of the older players and had an unsettled last 1/3 of the year.

2026 and Beyond

I don’t see the need for a full reset. No bottoming out, no multi-year rebuild. We’ve got the core to keep competing as long as we keep refreshing the list and making smart positional changes ala Geelong’s model. And with Treloar’s (2025) and Grundy’s (2027) salaries coming off the books, we can plan to manage the cap space. Imagine flipping McStay’s $700k into a Ben King at $1.2m. That’s the sort of bold move that could get us premiership 17.
 
2002–2003 era

Collingwood ran into Brisbane at their peak, a team basically gifted an extra salary cap by the AFL. Let’s be real: they were able to roll out an All-Australian-level side week after week, all under the banner of “growing the game.” Hard to compete when the deck was stacked like that - don't even get me started on the Cloke and Rocca suspensions.

2010–2011 era

The infamous succession plan. It was messy, it split the camp and it rattled what should have been a dynasty-level team. Even so, 2011 should have been ours. On talent, we had Geelong covered – but the coaching let us down on the day. Playing Tarrant (rather than Reid) on Hawkins could have changed everything. Instead, Hawkins tore us apart, and you can’t help but wonder if Malthouse already had his mind on what came after.

2023–2025 era

2023 was magic. We hit that perfect blend of talent, experience and belief, the type of year that makes you proud to be a Collingwood supporter. But in 2024, we got ahead of ourselves, started drinking our own bathwater, and fell back into old habits. By 2025 it looks like the years had started to catch up with a few of the older players and had an unsettled last 1/3 of the year.

2026 and Beyond

I don’t see the need for a full reset. No bottoming out, no multi-year rebuild. We’ve got the core to keep competing as long as we keep refreshing the list and making smart positional changes ala Geelong’s model. And with Treloar’s (2025) and Grundy’s (2027) salaries coming off the books, we can plan to manage the cap space. Imagine flipping McStay’s $700k into a Ben King at $1.2m. That’s the sort of bold move that could get us premiership 17.
The cloke and rocca suspensions could not have been more clear cut. Rocca wouldn't have made a difference but Cloke just might have!
 
Buckley, Clement, A Rocca etc. Some posters are descending into madness.
I deliberately avoided them given most examples were within 20 years (ie. around the same vintage of Judd’s move) but the set of legitimate star power recruited from elsewhere expands so much more going into that vintage.
 
The cloke and rocca suspensions could not have been more clear cut. Rocca wouldn't have made a difference but Cloke just might have!


Agreed. And the problem with the Rocca one was we fought it tooth and nail all week, and I reckon it burnt all our emotional energy heading into the game. We actually started that game as favourites on the back of beating the Lions earlier in the finals but we were not in the contest past the first 10 mins.

I also forgot 2018 runners-up and, as an aside to that, I think the fact that the Weagles won a flag 7 years ago should preclude them from even being alllowed to ask for draft handouts from the AFL.
 
One more thing I'd request is that all the posters who claim that they see this year as a failure because of their high standards, please list their own life achievements.

I don't think this season was a failure


But I appreciate the opportunity to list 3 of my life achievements...

* I quit Safeways before Old Keith could fire me

* Both my kids were elite at junior sport sledging

* And unlike you Jath, I can manscape without looking like an axolotl with 2 steamed dimmies
 
Its pretty simple, we are the gravy train and cash cow for the AFL. As long as we compete every year and snag one every 10 years, the club and AFL are satisfied. Also, as soon as we win one, the leech managers are out there demanding more money especially after 1990 and 2010. Thankfully its been corrected now BUT i am sure there is still some resentment about bringing in players on top $, especially if they are coasting along.
 

🥰 Love BigFooty? Join now for free.

I don't think this season was a failure


But I appreciate the opportunity to list 3 of my life achievements...

* I quit Safeways before Old Keith could fire me

* Both my kids were elite at junior sport sledging

* And unlike you Jath, I can manscape without looking like an axolotl with 2 steamed dimmies
You have a hot ex-wife
 
The cloke and rocca suspensions could not have been more clear cut. Rocca wouldn't have made a difference but Cloke just might have!
Under today’s tribunal grading system, Rocca’s suspension would likely have been classified as careless, low impact, and high contact - a combination that would not have resulted in a suspension at all. It's also worth questioning the idea that Rocca wouldn’t have made a difference, he was one of our most important players.

On the other hand, Jason Cloke’s incident would probably still result in a suspension under current guidelines.
 
Under today’s tribunal grading system, Rocca’s suspension would likely have been classified as careless, low impact, and high contact - a combination that would not have resulted in a suspension at all. It's also worth questioning the idea that Rocca wouldn’t have made a difference, he was one of our most important players.

On the other hand, Jason Cloke’s incident would probably still result in a suspension under current guidelines.
Under the system then is what matters(don't necessarily agree with your assessment under current guidelines) - and Rocca was always going to be rubbed out. I believe that appeal was one where on commencement of their deliberations, the Chairman asked the other members, "is there any way we can let this kid off?".

Rocca was never going to make a 50 point difference. The Lions took us out behind the wood shed that day.
 
Last edited:
Top post.
Was on tip of my tougue burning question of mine.
Why Pies dont have a string of flags.
Mind boggling. Bug bear of mine after the flags.
GF loss 2002 2003 2011 and 2018 never ends
I really think it comes down to resting on the laurels.
Kind of element of content with the club fans alike.
Look at 1990 was a never ending content
Arrogance hubris
Only thinking of the flag singular not plural thats the thing.
Look making finals is success.

Never had we had an era tho.
Mostly its short term we crack a flag then its on the slide and rebuild again.
Not much different to stkilda just won 15 more flags.
Besides flags and pies looking like we have to go back to the old 1920s 1930s and 1940s for those day
1958-1990 too much time there
1990-2010 just as bad
2010-2023 ditto
2023-?
have same feeling again
sounds familiar
look around other teams lions cats hawks tigers now cats and lions again all dynasties
 
AFL Pies are their cash cow.
Be good only for profit.
Win the flag and we will now restrict you.
As long as we are making money for them.
Funnel it all to the rest and afl agendas.
All about as long as we generate the revenue for the afl.
Also umpires are there the manipulate it to the afl needs as well.
From Andrew Dillion right through to the umpires on field and everything in between thats ultimately why
 

Remove this Banner Ad

What stops us from having a run of success

🥰 Love BigFooty? Join now for free.

Back
Top