Collingwood documentary shows why Crows should be more open
The documentary Collingwood: From the Inside Out is an example to all football clubs - and particularly the Crows - on the benefits of breaking out of their own bubbles, writes Kane Cornes.
Kane Cornes
Don't miss out on the headlines from Kane Cornes. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Walker steps down as Crows co-captain
- How to get the most out of your Advertiser digital subscription
AFL clubs are “bubbles”, closed shops protecting their “intellectual property” to find a competitive edge.
There’s closed training sessions; players are briefed by club media managers prior to every press conference; and let’s not start on the injury lists.
So the Collingwood Football Club’s willingness to open up its inner sanctum for a documentary — Collingwood: From the Inside Out— is a much-needed insight on where AFL football has moved in the professional era.
The 59-minute film every football fan should watch, including Collingwood’s 17 AFL rivals — and the Adelaide Football Club in particular.
Stream every match of the 2019 Toyota AFL Finals Series before the Grand Final live and on-demand on KAYO SPORTS. Get your 14-day free trial and start streaming instantly >
Always badged by its rivals as the “most hated club” in Australian football, Collingwood has completed a public relations victory that meets coach Nathan Buckley’s desire to rid the image of his club being touted as arrogant.
The closing scenes of the documentary, first shown at the Melbourne Film Festival last month and on ABC on Tuesday night, include Buckley reading a letter from a West Coast fan praising him and the Magpies for being humble in victory and gallant in defeat.
This film is so relevant to the Crows today as they endure more and more tension with internal leaks, ridicule from sections of the media on its external and internal reviews and more players seeking a way out of West Lakes.
Collingwood: From the Inside Out, which you can watch on iView, starts with Collingwood in its own searching review that tested its football department, in particular Buckley as many outside the club were calling for his sacking as the Magpies continued to slide down the ladder each season.
The extraordinarily opening of the bubble at the Collingwood Football Club begins in 2017 as the Magpies hit their darkest point before rising to an AFL grand final.
A fairytale premiership is denied in the final minutes by West Coast hero Dom Sheed’s goal from the boundary at the MCG nearly 12 months ago.
The cameras follow Buckley, South Australian-born ruckman Brodie Grundy, GWS Giants’ recruit Adam Treloar and Collingwood 2010 premiership player Jarryd Blair during the 2018 campaign. Each of them reveals their physical, mental and emotional challenges faced throughout the year.
This is not the a typical AFL documentary loaded with vision from the coach’s box, match committee meetings and game-day vision. Rather, the unprecedented access offered by Collingwood goes into intimate meetings and sessions that many would lock away for privacy reasons.
But in holding back nothing, Collingwood has allowed everyone to understand just what does happen inside the bubble that is out of reach to 99 per cent of the club’s fans and the game’s followers.
The opening scene has a devastated Buckley, slumped in a chair against a wall at the MCG, addressing the team in the changerooms immediately after last year’s grand final loss to the Eagles.
Buckley is completely lost for meaningful words. He admits he did not know how to “lead” his players through their despair, even though he had dealt with the same pain himself in two grand final losses with Collingwood in 2002 and 2003.
Treloar speaks openly about his underprivileged upbringing. He grew up with his parents in a housing trust home with uncertainty if there would be enough food in the fridge.
He reveals his deep personal battle with crippling anxiety, which he had been trying to hide.
The cameras even follow Treloar into a session with his psychologist.
Buckley admitted to his now-cleared character faults, including being too controlling and focusing heavily on what other people thought of him. He spoke about his parenting style and his love of coaching his son at grassroots level.
It’s a softer side to the Buckley who has carried the image of an overconfident person — of the arrogance he now despises.
Grundy ponders what his life would be like if he wasn’t an AFL player. He is clearly a deep thinker, seeking a more profound purpose in life both beyond and after football.
Blair details his frustrating battles with injury and the anxiety of being an out-of-contract, fringe player.
The uncertainty this brings has weighed heavily on him throughout the season in the second-tier VFL team.
Blair allows the cameras into his end-of-season exit interview that becomes an end-of-career session. He is informed by Buckley that he is being delisted.
A tearful Blair hugs his coach after being cut and leaves the Collingwood facility for the last time.
There are similarities to the Collingwood of 2017 and the Adelaide of today.
Collingwood went through a thorough internal review, just as Adelaide is doing today — along with its external review.
There was uncertainty whether Buckley would keep his job, just as there is doubt on the future of the contracted Don Pyke as Adelaide coach today.
There is, however, a major difference in the public relations strategies between the two AFL clubs.
Adelaide continues to bunker down with a them-against-us mentality. The Crows have been insular for far too long.
The drastic measure of endorsing an external review highlights even the Crows understand there is need for change at West Lakes.
The Crows’ strategy of seeking to control the media narrative is failing.
The preference to conduct all media statements through the club’s website — a controlled source — has lost its power over the fans who are now questioning everything the club tells them.
Besides former co-captain Taylor Walker and fellow key forward Josh Jenkins, who both speak forthrightly, every time an Adelaide player fronts the media they appear contrived. The narrative seems rehearsed, as if they are reading a prepared statement.
Buckley described the old Collingwood as arrogant “chest beaters”, even in defeat.
Unlike Buckley, we do not know the man who is Don Pyke.
There is little connection to him and the Adelaide fans, a stark contrast to Buckley and the Collingwood supporters — and, now after this documentary, the AFL community.
The contrast between the final moments for Blair at Collingwood and club champion Richard Douglas at Adelaide, where the club declared he was retiring when in fact he was being delisted, could not be any greater.
Adelaide may not realise it now, just as Collingwood did not, but there is a major opportunity for the Crows to emerge out of this year’s darkness, if it lets its fans into the West Lakes bubble.
The old saying: “if you don’t support Collingwood, you hate them”, is no longer true after watching this documentary. No one emerges in better light than Buckley.
I wonder if Adelaide was watching?
WINNERS
STEPPING DOWN
Taylor Walker has made the correct decision to step down as Adelaide captain. He deserves our admiration for his outstanding leadership during the clubs darkest time following the passing of Phil Walsh.
PETER PERFECT
Ruckman Peter Ladhams is capable of carrying Port Adelaide to a 37th SANFL premiership and the club’s first since 1999. His rucking performance against Adelaide last Saturday was faultless.
WINNING ARC
The AFL’s new score review centre looks impressive. AFL football boss Steven Hocking deserves credit for his innovation in trying to correct repeated score review errors that have embarrassed the competition this season.
MAGPIE BLESSINGS
Despite finishing the minor season in fourth place Collingwood have received a home qualifying final against first placed Geelong. It’s another unfair fixturing farce from the AFL.
CROWS FRONT UP
Adelaide’s key decision makers Andrew Fagan, Rob Chapman and Mark Ricciuto have all fronted up for media interviews and faced the difficult questions head on. They deserve credit for that.
LOSERS
NOT SHOCKING
Taylor Walker said he was shocked that star defender Alex Keath had toured St Kilda earlier this week. Keath is seeking a long-term deal that Adelaide is refusing to accommodate. The Crows are in a crisis and there is uncertainty surrounding the future of Don Pyke. Therefore, why would Walker be shocked that Keath is exploring his options elsewhere?
OFF THE MARK
Fox Footy reporter Tom Morris was clearly mislead when he aired a story this week suggesting a survey had been handed out to some Adelaide players that included questions designed to discredit coach Don Pyke. It’s now clear no such survey existed.
LONG TERM RISK
GWS have taken a Giant gamble by signing injured midfielder Steven Coniglio to a seven-year contract. Lucrative long-term deals rarely work in favour of the club.
GLORY DAYS GONE
Only three South Australian’s were named in the 2019 All Australian team. It’s lucky State of Origin football no longer exists because SA would get smashed.
COACHING CARNAGE
Who’d be a coach? Four have lost their jobs already in 2019 and speculation is mounting that Essendon’s John Worsfold and Adelaide’s Don Pyke could also be shown the door.
Kane Cornes will be part of The Advertiser Foundation AFL Grand Final Lunch on Wednesday, September 25 at Adelaide Oval. For tickets contact Angela Condous on 8206 2344 or angela.condous@news.com.au