Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley says the Pies must make changes to game plan in order to arrest slide
Collingwood is clearly struggling, but damning statistics reveal the Pies are last in the competition for goals per inside 50 since Round 4. Nathan Buckley has a mammoth job on his hands. Here’s his plan.
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Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley has spent the past week with his head under the Magpies’ bonnet.
Wrench in one hand, spanner in the other.
For the bulk of the season, Collingwood has struggled offensively to the point where the Magpies are ranked last in the competition for goals per inside 50m (17 per cent) since Round 4.
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Clearly, they get it in their attacking half a heap.
On average, Collingwood muster 10 more entries than its opponent and are ranked No. 2 for time inside forward half in that time, according to Champion Data.
But, for all the talent which hovers in the forward half, they have been unable to convert and last week against Melbourne it didn’t help that the players physically were cooked.
With all of their injuries, their premiership prospects are on life support and against North Melbourne on Monday, Collingwood will lose its main forward target Brody Mihocek to concussion
Subsequently, it has been a week of change in the Magpies’ nest.
Buckley said the coaches and players have had ample time this week to make some running repairs to the game style to help improve that forward half connection which has been flagging for the past two months.
Not only will there be new pieces in the forward half, there will be a revamped system.
As Buckley said, “It’s not the ‘who’, it’s the ‘how’” that is troubling the Pies.
“We have had a bit of time this week out of our (fixture) compression period as such to – I suppose — analyse where we are at a little bit and have a look at our forward line in particular,” Buckley said.
“It will have a slightly different look to it.
“I would put it (breakdown) down to system as much as personnel.
“We haven’t connected as well. We haven’t been as consistent as we would have liked.
“Sometimes that is due to personnel and last week when we played Melbourne we just didn’t have our legs underneath us.
“We were sitting ducks in many ways form a physical standpoint and that proved to be the case.
“But we are well refreshed and ready to go this time around (against the Roos).”
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Among the priority issues is providing a stronger aerial contest. Darcy Cameron has been solid stepping in to the forward half but it remains an intriguing issue whether the Magpies need to source another key forward in the exchange period.
Aside from Mihocek (63 times), the Pies who have been targeted the most in the forward half are Jaidyn Stephenson (28), Mason Cox (27), Darcy Cameron and Will Hoskin-Elliott (23) and Jamie Elliott (21).
But more effort in the air, and more speed on the Sherrin can help.
“We feel like we do need some aerial support at times in there,” Buckley said.
“Both ‘Coxy’ and Max Lynch have been playing pretty well. Max Lynch in particular, in the ruck, has been playing really well.”
Originally published as Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley says the Pies must make changes to game plan in order to arrest slide