The best storylines from Collingwood’s fairytale 2018 season
FROM heartache to triumph and tales of revelations to redemption, Collingwood’s 2018 ride has been one for the books. Jon Ralph ranks the best storylines for the Pies’ season to remember.
ADELAIDE lost the 2017 premiership, lost its best players to injury, lost its way and never recovered.
The much-vaunted Essendon huffed and puffed all year and yet didn’t even make the finals.
Collingwood were the AFL’s laughing stock of the past four years.
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They had a coach who maybe didn’t cut it, a game plan we couldn’t identify and a team that couldn’t keep on the park.
And yet in a season of multiple setbacks they have emerged as one of the last four teams left standing.
It is a compulsive story full of line-in-the-sand moments, unlikely heroes, improbable storylines and a coach saved by his players and people-power.
Ahead of a blockbuster preliminary final 38 years in the making, we rank the best storylines from a Collingwood season that has to be seen to be believed.
1. Nathan Buckley
How many times has Buckley seemed gone? As Eddie McGuire admitted this month, he nearly didn’t even start this gig on time, happy to defer to Mick Malthouse for another season before taking the reins.
In his 26th year in football he is finally realising what he needs to die in a ditch over — game plan, culture, team rules — and what he can let go.
Maybe like George in Seinfield he is prospering by doing the opposite of what he tried before — delegating so much more, not sweating the small stuff, realising players are mere mortals who make mistakes.
2. Tyson Goldsack
Players don’t come back in 25 weeks from an ACL. It’s ridiculous when you think about it.
Yet not only did Goldsack return quicker than anyone bar Tony Liberatore, he beat two of the game’s best forwards in Josh Kennedy and Jeremy Cameron. And won himself a contract for 2019. Just insane.
3.The injury crisis
The Pies have lost the most games to injury of any side, yet used it least as an excuse.
Consider the carnage. Ben Reid has played just six games this year, Darcy Moore seven games, Jamie Elliott zero, Adam Treloar 15 games, Goldsack two, Lynden Dunn 14 games and Matt Scharenberg 17.
The five players first in line as starting tall defenders have all been injured, but the Pies just keep rejigging under backs coach Justin Longmuir, whose star is quickly rising.
4. Travis Varcoe
We won’t even presume to have the faintest idea what it feels like to play AFL football so soon after the death of your sister in a football-related incident.
But Travis Varcoe would sure be doing his family proud as they grieve this month.
5. Chris Mayne
If Collingwood wasn’t the marquee club it was, Chris Mayne might not be in this side. Despite strong VFL form he only got his chance off a four-day break following Anzac Day, some in the club thinking it would be his only game for the year.
Through sheer doggedness and ability to play his role at a club that in 2018 is happy to reward execution of role rather than sheer talent (it wasn’t in 2017), he is one game from a Grand Final.
6. Jordan De Goey
He broke his hand playing with his dog, then he lied about it, then the players smashed him for poor training habits, then he pulled his head in, then he got done drink-driving anyway.
Then he got suspended, then he pulled his head in again, then he turned into Dusty Mark II, then North Melbourne offered him $5 million, then he re-signed for a third less than that, then he got bone stress in his leg, then he returned and won them a semi-final against GWS. Amazing journey.
7. Brody Mihocek
Playing key forward is the hardest position in the game.
Former VFL journeyman defenders don’t suddenly turn into matchwinning forwards at 25 years of age after being ignored over 78 selections in a national draft.
Mihocek hasn’t done exactly that with 26 goals for the year from 14 games, including the matchwinner last week.
8. The forward line
A mature-ager from the VFL (Mihocek), an American Pie (Mason Cox), a high draft pick with a heart issue (Jaidyn Stephenson), an ASADA-banned Uber driver (Josh Thomas).
Plus an ex-Giant (Will Hoskin-Elliott) and an ex-rat bag (Jordan De Goey) who both have 41 goals for the year.
9. Sam Murray
Murray’s ranking is so low primarily because the Pies have been able to minimise the distraction so effectively, rarely the case for the club where that headline ‘COLLINGWOOD STAR IN DRUGS CRISIS’ has the capacity to bring them down.
They have shown empathy and care for him, while ensuring their eyes are on the prize.
10. Eddie McGuire
He has been presidential — taking up the cudgels against the AFL when necessary — but also reserved in his 20th year at the helm of this club.
In a year where the club’s football has spoken above all else, he backed in Bucks, was happier to keep a lower profile, hasn’t declared war on rivals for the sake of it and kept a steady but not overbearing hand on the tiller.
Originally published as The best storylines from Collingwood’s fairytale 2018 season