Collingwood great Tony Shaw hopes players don't sook

COLLINGWOOD great Tony Shaw hopes players "don't sook" as coach Nathan Buckley implements a change of culture under Leading Teams.

Nathan Buckley

COLLINGWOOD great Tony Shaw hopes players "don't sook" as coach Nathan Buckley implements a change of culture under Leading Teams.

Shaw said he was unaware of any fractures in the playing group at Collingwood, but admitted development program Leading Teams could be challenging for some players, placing pressure on the relationship between footballer and coach.

"When you've got Leading Teams, sometimes it can go a little over the top," Shaw said.

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"It can wear down on personalities in the group because some blokes are just straight batters and some blokes aren't.

"Some players enjoy life and want to enjoy life.

"I don't think (former coach) Mick Malthouse worried too much; they had to suspend some people and I don't think Mick wanted to suspend them ... but that's not how (Buckley) is going about it, and that's all right.

"The other issue is you hope the players are strong enough not to get the sooks up, and the relationship between the coach and that player deteriorates.

"Are they strong enough characters to wear it without impacting on the relationship?"

There have been issues at Collingwood this year, which are not all necessarily behavioural, but point to a divided and sometimes difficult environment.

Magpies chief executive Gary Pert said at the weekend Darren Jolly's recent newspaper column, which was critical of former Magpie Josh Fraser, sparked "mixed views" in the group.

Dale Thomas also said on radio recently that his teammates needed to "pull their heads in".

In a Herald Sun column this year Scott Pendlebury said players had more leash under Malthouse, and then claimed some of his teammates "cheated" on-field.

Two weeks ago, Heath Shaw was overlooked for selection because of excessive skinfolds.

Alan Didak has only recently earned a senior game, and Ben Johnson has battled injury and played only three games this year.

There are minor issues as well, such as Swan's unsanctioned TV interview, Shaw not attending captain Nick Maxwell's 30th birthday, Swan being taken out of the middle because, it was claimed, he didn't work both ways, Thomas failing to re-sign and Travis Cloke parking in Pert's carpark.

And there was nothing minor about Harry O'Brien criticising Eddie McGuire about his Adam Goodes "King Kong" comment .

At the weekend, a heated Shaw had to be soothed by Buckley on the bench.

It's known Buckley is in the midst of trying to change the culture at the club, and it's clear the team makeup is also changing.

"There's a larrikin element there and, for my thinking, every club has got a good larrikin element, and whether you want to wipe that because of the professionalism you're trying to reach, it's up to you," Shaw said.

"If you start doing it too much, a lot of the larrikin element ... if you don't get them on board to want to play for you, it could hurt you."