Collingwood’s Jack Crisp says Pies benefiting from off-season changes as they look to surge in 2018

COLLINGWOOD’S Jack Crisp says four years out of the AFL finals is long enough, and he’s hopeful the Magpies can make their move after some positive off-season changes.

Jack Crisp is training with the Magpies’ defensive group. Picture: Getty Images

COLLINGWOOD’S Jack Crisp says four years out of the finals is too long and he’s hopeful the off-season changes implemented at the Magpies can see his side rebound up the AFL ladder.

Crisp, who is likely to join teammate Darcy Moore in a more-permament shift to defence in 2018, said a new approach to training, along with Nathan Buckley’s “wonderful” approach to the summer has him confident the Pies are on the right track.

Collingwood finished 13th in 2017, winning nine matches but showing on several occasions their best was enough to test the competition’s elite sides.

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Asked if the Pies under-performed or simply weren’t good enough, Crisp thought it was “a mixture of both”.

“We’ve shown that our best is really great and we can match the best teams, even beat them, and then when we’re not playing well we obviously play really bad and get beaten by teams that we should be beating,” he told RSN radio.

“That probably takes its toll a fair bit. A few people are starting to get frustrated now, it’s been four years out of finals.

“It’s been enough, we need to get back to it.”

Nathan Buckley and Jack Crisp at Pies training. Picture: Mark Stewart

Buckley felt the heat throughout the season as his side tried to right its win-loss record and push for September, but the coach was given a contract extension.

The post-season review has brought on changes not only in personnel at the club, but also in the Pies’ approach for their 2018 preparations.

“It’s a fair bit different because the whole footy program has changed

“We’re kind of going down a different pathway in how we’re attacking training and how specific we’re being with every part of training - whether it be meetings, gym, trying to get our surge and sprint running up to (being) more match-fit than running fit ... it’s definitely a big change but I think everyone’s really enjoying the new program.”

Crisp has noticed a more relaxed Buckley, but says his faith in the coach has never wavered.

“He’s still his confident self and really influential for everyone,” Crisp said.

“I still find him very fascinating and everything he says is just very intriguing.

“He just seems so much more relaxed, and the way he’s approaching training with all the coaches, I think everyone else starting to take another step forward and become more involved themselves, so it’s not just Nathan running the show the whole time.”

Crisp, who has played every game at Collingwood since being traded from Brisbane, said he was likely to play a more defensive role in 2018 after spending large chunks in the midfield through his first three seasons at the Pies.

And he’s looking forward to seeing what Moore, a focal point of the Collingwood forward line, can do at the other end of the ground.

“He’s going really well,” he said.

“I remember when he first got drafted he trained in the backline for a while. He’s such a good athlete, such a powerful athlete. He’ll be a good asset down back.”

Darcy Moore and Sam McLarty do battle at training. Pic: Michael Klein

Originally published as Collingwood’s Jack Crisp says Pies benefiting from off-season changes as they look to surge in 2018