Nathan Buckley has moulded Collingwood into his team but now has nowhere to hide

WHEN you mould a team just the way you like it, as Nathan Buckley has done with his Magpies, then you leave yourself nowhere to hide when things go wrong.

WHEN you mould a team just the way you like it, as Nathan Buckley has done with his Magpies, then you leave yourself nowhere to turn should the manure come in contact with a fan.

And that’s right where Buckley finds himself after four rounds, coaching a team that has been in front for just a miserable 9 per cent of its four games against Sydney, Richmond, St Kilda and Melbourne, three of those sides being in the bottom half of the ladder.

Even the Blues have led for longer than that and they are in an admitted rebuild, not challenging for the top four as some expected Collingwood to be doing this year.

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Of the recycled players, the best of 13 since Buckley took over as coach in 2015 is clearly Adam Treloar, a contested ball winner who will improve further when his decision-making and disposal matches his desire and run.

Jack Crisp and Taylor Adams were third and fourth respectively in last year’s Copeland Trophy, even if both are well short of that form at present.

And Travis Varcoe provided the run and carry expected of him, while Levi Greenwood was solid after an injury-riddled start to 2015.

Travis Varcoe and former Magpies Ben Kennedy and Heritier Lumumba after the game.

But all four are just one year off moving closer to the failed category, while it’s far too early to categorise either James Aish or Jeremy Howe.

Prior to them the Pies drafted six straight busts, and when it comes to recycled players the coach does have a large say.

From a positive standing, none of the six cost Collingwood anything of significance.

But in the same period they have also cleared a variety of players for a variety of reasons, but ultimately if the coach wanted then most, if not all, would have stayed.

As it stands Heritier Lumumba (Melbourne), Ben Kennedy (Melbourne), Paul Seedsman (Adelaide) and Heath Shaw (GWS) are all closer to playing finals this year than their former teammates.

And if Nathan Freeman ever gets on the park for St Kilda and displays the type of form that prompted Collingwood list manager Derek Hine to confidently part with pick No.10 for him in 2013, then look out.

RUE AND USED

Magpies who started at other clubs

PASS

Adam Treloar (GWS Giants)

Taylor Adams (GWS Giants)

Jack Crisp (Brisbane Lions)

Travis Varcoe (Geelong)

Levi Greenwood (North Melbourne)

FAIL

Tony Armstrong (Adelaide/Sydney)

Patrick Karnezis (Brisbane Lions)

Quinten Lynch (West Coast)

Clinton Young (Hawthorn)

Jordan Russell (Carlton)

Jesse White (Sydney)

TOO EARLY

Jeremy Howe (Melbourne)

James Aish (Brisbane Lions)

Originally published as Nathan Buckley has moulded Collingwood into his team but now has nowhere to hide