David King: ‘Irreplaceable’ Jaidyn Stephenson will leave a significant hole in Collingwood’s forward line

The combination of Jaidyn Stephenson and Jordan De Goey is one of the most lethal in the AFL. But with one banned for betting and the other facing fitness issues, where does it leave the Magpies?

Jaidyn Stephenson, Jordan De Goey and Travis Varcoe celebrate a goal. Picture: AAP Image/Julian Smith.

Jaidyn Stephenson is Collingwood’s full-forward and without him the Magpies will lose their point of difference.

Combined with Jordan De Goey they’re the Ace and King of the Magpies’ forward 50 pack.

Playing out of the goalsquare De Goey and Stephenson have become a pairing the competition has struggled to contain.

They’ve slotted 46 goals between them this season, which is about 30 per cent of Collingwood’s total.

It was a premiership formula because premiership teams always have a point of difference.

West Coast had the marking and control game last year, the Tigers played small-ball inside the forward 50 in 2017 and the Western Bulldogs handball game was the envy of all in 2017.

Collingwood’s uniqueness this year was the full-forward position.

Stephenson will be available for the finals series but where will the Magpies reside on the ladder at that stage?

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The physical management of De Goey now becomes imperative.

He had injury interrupted pre-season and has had a history of setbacks.

Expect the loss of Stephenson for the rest of the home-and-away season to have serious ramifications on Collingwood’s scoring power.

He is the game’s most prolific scorer in the first 10 minutes of matches.

He had become the “Firestarter”.

Banned Magpie Jaidyn Stephenson prepares to front the media on Wednesday. Picture: AAP Image/Julian Smith.

Stephenson created momentum for Collingwood through his forward craft and was a large reason why Collingwood became the best starter in the competition, outscoring the opposition by 145 points in first quarters this season.

Champion Data rates Stephenson as the AFL’s only elite “general forward” — top 10 per cent of the competition — for marks inside 50m and ground ball wins inside 50m.

He has been the target of forward 50 entries 62 times this season and Collingwood scored from 47 per cent of those entries.

He is ranked fourth of any player targeted more than 50 times.

Putting it simply, Stephenson creates scores in a multitude if ways.

He has booted 12 set shot goals from marks and free kicks, six goals from snaps and three goals on the run.

This highlights the many ways that he can put opponents to the sword.

In short, he is irreplaceable.

The return of Jamie Elliott would be certainly a positive but he’s not like for like.

Elliott is a mark-and-lead style small full-forward.

He is not a ground ball-type and commits very little pressure on the opposition counter attack.

Coach Nathan Buckley would state that Collingwood is a systems-based team that will continue to achieve via the mechanics of how the team plays — regardless of its missing players.

This notion will be tested over the next 10 weeks.

Collingwood’s opposition plans heavily to deny the De Goey and Stephenson leading

patterns.

They both possess a desire to “get in behind” the last line defender.

They aim to ensure their direct opponent cannot watch both the football and where they are at any one moment.

Jaidyn Stephenson’s absence will place an even greater onus on Jordan De Goey. Picture: AAP Image/Darren England.

When there are two extreme talents such as De Goey and Stephenson to contend with, it is impossible for defenders to keep the correct position one hundred per cent of the time while sticking to the team’s defensive system.

Collingwood now becomes an easier team to plan against and certainly play against.

The Magpies’ two-pronged freak show exhibits a blend of speed, power and sublime skills. Both players possess the capability of separating games in short bursts.

Stephenson’s start to last year’s Grand Final was extraordinary for a first-year player.

He kicked two goals within the first 12 minutes.

Without him, Collingwood now becomes like other teams without their primary target — such as the 2018 West Coast Eagles without Josh Kennedy for a large chunk of the season.

The Eagles notched 10 wins/one loss with Kennedy versus six wins/five losses without him.

The Collingwood strength and conditioning department will hold the key to this year’s success.

Jamie Elliott’s return from injury will help offset Jaidyn Stephenson’s suspension. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos.

Stephenson, Dayne Beams and possibly Daniel Wells will all become long-term management projects and their availability is critical at the season’s end.

Everything needs to go right — on and off the field — for premiership success.

The margins between teams are so slender, particularly at the pointy end of the season.

Stephenson must simply own September when he becomes available.

All will be forgiven if he can ensure the 2019 silverware is delivered to the Holden Centre.

It’s now over to De Goey to assume control of the full-forward position at the Pies.

Cometh the hour, cometh the man.