Gary Buckenara analyses Collingwood’s needs and potential targets this off-season

COLLINGWOOD has major issues, too many C and D-graders and a lack of key defenders. GARY BUCKENARA analyses the Magpies list and potential off-season targets.

Sam and Ben Reid in action for Sydney and Collingwood.

COLLINGWOOD has been a bit unlucky with injury and being on the wrong end of close results this year but the list isn’t as good as many believe it is.

Do the Magpies go after a big name? That’s going to be the key to what decisions are made around Collingwood because there are players there that I believe must be overrated internally.

The club might rank them as B to C-graders but in my opinion, they’re C to D-graders and players that are really there as negating or depth players at best.

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I’m thinking of guys like Levi Greenwood, Tim Broomhead, Tom Langdon, Jesse White, Jarryd Blair, Chris Mayne, Lachlan Keeffe, Jackson Ramsay, Rupert Wills and Adam Oxley.

If these guys are in their future premiership model then I think it will be a long wait.

Typically, signs that a club has overrated its list is when they tend to keep the same type of players and they then get the same type of results.

Magpies trio Levi Greenwood, Taylor Adams and Alex Fasolo. Picture: Mark Stewart

That’s exactly what I’ve seen at Collingwood. Something has gone wrong.

The Magpies – to put it bluntly – simply do not have enough A-grade players or even B-grade players. There are too many C and D-graders.

While the midfield boasts Scott Pendlebury, Adam Treloar and Steele Sidebottom a lot of the players that go through there turn the ball over way too much - Taylor Adams, Greenwood (in a run with role), Tom Phillips and Ramsay from half-back.

That’s what hurts them and it’s because the club has recruited too many poor ball users that it kills any sort of game plan. It’s as simple as that.

I believe the Magpies need to get into the free agency market but can they attract a big scalp like Dustin Martin?

Collingwood also need to have a serious look at the list and breakdown exactly what they need from a structure point of view and the coach’s game plan.

The club has a long history of keeping midfielders for too long and ignoring the need for key position players.

The biggest need is a key position defender.

Lynden Dunn has filled in admirably at Collingwood. Picture: Michael Klein

Lynden Dunn has filled the full-back position and done a pretty good job but he’s 30 years of age so Collingwood need to strengthen that area.

Collingwood’s other problem is the forward structure.

There is nothing there outside of Darcy Moore and small/medium forwards in Jamie Elliott and Alex Fasolo. That is a huge area of concern.

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Chris Mayne is going to hurt them. Why you would pay that much money for a slow forward who has been inconsistent I’m not sure. They said he keeps the ball in the forward line with his pressure but he can’t catch them because of his lack of pace and agility.

They’re stuck with that now.

The ruck is another obvious one as if Brodie Grundy gets injured it’s Mason Cox or a first-year player.

Dustin Martin will be in demand this off-season.

WHO THE MAGPIES SHOULD TARGET

Because they’re Collingwood I believe they will be into Martin and Josh Kelly – the latter in particular would be fantastic for them with his good ball use as we all know they need.

But the biggest target I’ve got for Collingwood is Steven Maybut unfortunately he has rejected rival offers to finally re-sign with the Suns.

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Jackson Trengove from Port Adelaide as a free agent is another one. His versatility is a bonus, he can fill roles down back, up forward and in the ruck depending on where they need him. He would make a big difference.

Adelaide’s Jake Lever would also be an outstanding get. He is a class player whose strength is his intercept marking and importantly, he uses the ball well.

Lever’s teammate Mitch McGovern would be the best fit up forward if he a) wants to leave Adelaide and b) can be convinced his footy future is in Melbourne rather than his home state WA.

Steven May could be Collingwood’s No.1 target.

Sam Reid could join brother, Ben, at Collingwood. Picture: Michael Klein

He is exactly what the Magpies need – he’s young so he fits in with the age demographic of the list and he’s an outstanding mark.

Swan Sam Reid is a free agent but I’ve got my concerns on that move because the Magpies already have a number of injury-prone players on the list – his brother Ben being one, Daniel Wells, Ben Sinclair, Tyson Goldsack, Matt Scharenberg, Travis Varcoe, Tim Broomhead and even Will Hoskin-Elliott had his injury issues while at GWS.

He would definitely help them structure-wise and he wouldn’t cost them anything in a trade but it’s a risk.

Jason Johannisen would give them some really good run and rebound, while Zak Jones isn’t an urgent need but he’s feisty and would add something different to the midfield mix.

The one who would be an ideal player to set them up across half-back with his outstanding ball use would be Hawk Grant Birchall.

Grant Birchall and Jack Gunston in 2015. Picture: Michael Klein

Given what’s going on at Hawthorn with the transition and regeneration of the list, could the Magpies tempt him? He’s signed until 2019 but could the Magpies offer him the security of 2020?

We all thought Sam Mitchell and Jordan Lewis would finish their careers as Hawks so you never say never. I’d be having a crack.

Jack Gunston would be the other Hawk I’d be asking about. Collingwood recruited Jeremy Howe to play that type of role but now has gone into defence so why not try and lure the man himself?

The Magpies need to ask the question of all these players in the hope of bringing at least one or two and maybe even three if they can pull it off.

UNTOUCHABLES

Scott Pendlebury, Adam Treloar, Jordan De Goey, Jamie Elliott, Brodie Grundy, Taylor Adams, Ben Reid, Darcy Moore, Jeremy Howe, Steele Sidebottom, Matt Scharenberg, Brayden Maynard, Will Hoskin-Elliott.