Pressure on Nathan Buckley now a distant memory as Collingwood start surge towards potential finals berth
REMEMBER when Nathan Buckley nearly lost his job? All that now seems a distant memory after Collingwood’s big win over Western Bulldogs that has the club 6-4 and looking more likely to play finals by the week.
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REMEMBER when the heat on Nathan Buckley reached fever-pitch last year?
After entering 2017 with high expectations, the Magpies sat 4-6 after Round 10 and the alarm bells were ringing that the side was going backwards in the coaches’ sixth season in charge.
All that seems a distant memory now as, 12 months on, Collingwood sits 6-4 with a favourable fixture ahead.
AS IT HAPPENED: PIES OVERRUN DOGS AFTER HUGE SECOND HALF
STATS: GRUNDY MONSTERS THE DOGS WITH HUGE SUPERCOACH SCORE
The club’s first finals appearance since 2013 is looking a more likely prospect by the week.
There is still plenty of room for improvement, as the performance against the Bulldogs was by no means a four-quarter one.
The Dogs held a 25-point lead at quarter time and had the better of most of the opening half before Buckley’s team flicked the switch.
The Magpies overused the ball early — having 152 disposals before finally kicking their second goal in the second term — and the forward line was, put simply, dysfunctional.
Too often there were long bombs to outnumbered forwards who were not clunking it and the main goal source of recent weeks — Jordan de Goey — simply could not get near it playing deep in a forward pocket.
At halftime Collingwood had logged 30 inside 50s for just five goals — one in every six entries — worse numbers than any other team in the competition is averaging this year.
But whatever Buckley said at the main break resonated and the magnets he moved worked for Collingwood looked every bit a contender during a dominant second half.
De Goey was pushed up the ground, the forward line was opened up, there was a clear instruction to move the ball quicker and the leaders stood up.
Adam Treloar had 13 disposals in the third quarter alone, Steele Sidebottom finally hit the scoreboard and provided a spark and Brodie Grundy got right on top in the ruck after a tight battle with Tom Boyd in the opening half.
In all it was an eight-goal-to-none second half, the only negative for Collingwood big man Mason Cox — who had a dirty night — being reported in the final term for a high bump on Jason Johannisen.
The Bulldogs were still known as Footscray last time they were held goalless in a half — Round 12, 1991 — the final 60 minutes quite frankly forgettable.
Just where at the Bulldogs at?
Short answer: a long way off.
They still haven’t beaten a side above them on the ladder, their only wins coming against Essendon (14th), Carlton (18th), Gold Coast (15th) and Brisbane (17th).
Friday night was their opportunity to take a scalp and they blew it after such a positive start.
As for the Magpies, winter might be setting in in Melbourne but there are blue skies ahead for Buckley and his side.
Collingwood could quite easily sit 10-4 after Round 15 with games against Fremantle (MCG), Melbourne, Carlton and Gold Coast to come.
Maybe 2017 was a case of taking a step back to take a leap forward this year.
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