AFL 2021: Collingwood v Essendon jumper clash on Anzac Day

The AFL won’t back down despite concerns about a potential jumper clash in the blockbuster Anzac Day showdown between Collingwood and Essendon.

Nathan Buckley has addressed his coaching future. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

Any potential Anzac Day jumper clash is of no concern to the AFL’s head of football Steve Hocking, who says he is “very comfortable” with the designs.

Essendon and Collingwood will wear special Anzac Day-themed jumpers on Sunday to honour the occasion, but there was public backlash after their unveiling about the “horrific clash”.

Both jumpers carry a healthy dose of black, but Hocking said the Bombers’ red sash — made up of red poppies — and white shorts would provide enough of a contrast.

“What I would call out is what these jumpers represent; the acknowledgment of the men and women who have served our country significantly over a long period of time,” Hocking told 3AW.

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Collingwood’s Scott Pendlebury and Essendon’s Dyson Heppell show off the strips for the Anzac Day clash at the MCG. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“That’s why they’re designed the way they are.

“When you see Essendon in their white shorts, red sash and matching socks, and Collingwood in all black, I think you’ll agree it’s an amazing day and amazing acknowledgment of significant care for our country.

“We’re very comfortable with where it’s at.”

In a wide-ranging discussion, Hocking said the pre-finals bye would remain in place this year and not be moved to before the Grand Final to avoid a player missing the decider with a concussion. However, he left the door ajar for a change in future seasons, after the coaching fraternity raised the possibility.

“There’s a bit of talk around that, and we take all of those discussions seriously. At the appropriate time, you work through it if there is a strong appetite for it,” Hocking said.

“It’s clearly emerging as something that needs to be discussed, but for 2021, it’s in place.

“We’ve been really happy with how it’s made the best players available for all of those finals, and we think that’s a really strong element of it.”

Hocking also confirmed the competition committee would resume this season, but that they were still in the process of identifying “relevant” people to be involved.

The six clubs not involved in the first three years – Carlton, Essendon, Fremantle, Gold Coast, St Kilda and Western Bulldogs — are set to be represented this time around.

HOW PIES PLAN TO TACKLE GROWING INJURY CRISIS

Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury says the club’s season is far from done as coach Nathan Buckley contemplates four forced changes ahead of Sunday’s Anzac Day clash.

The Pies added Levi Greenwood to their growing list of suspensions and injuries after his collision with Nic Naitanui saw him sustain a delayed concussion.

He will join Jordan De Goey in the 12-day concussion protocol, with the Pies confirming Jeremy Howe’s hamstring injury was not tendon-related.

He stirred up scar tissue in his hamstring that was used to surgically repair his torn knee in 2020, and could miss around a month of football.

Levi Greenwood is another addition to the Collingwood injury list. Picture: Daniel Carson/AFL Photos/Getty Images

It is far better news than the Pies had feared in the moments after his injury, with Pendlebury fearing he was out for the year after he “went down as if he was shot” on Friday night.

The changes will give the Pies a chance to bring in yet more youthful talent, with key position swingman Will Kelly likely to fill one of the key back spots.

Mark Keane did not challenge his one-week suspension for kicking West Coast’s Josh Kennedy, while wingman Jack Magden could also push back into defence.

Mason Cox kicked two goals from only three marks in the VFL and coach Nathan Buckley seems intent on trying Moore forward for as many as six weeks.

All of it adds another layer of challenge for the 1-4 Pies, who would fall into a deep dark hole with a loss to Anzac Day rival Essendon.

But after Monday’s review Pendlebury was optimistic the season was still very much alive.

He said Collingwood had the depth to cover its injuries and the improving form to keep its season alive.

“I don’t feel like our best footy is too far away off the back of today’s review and a longer break to train and get a bit more method about how we are playing, we aren’t too far away,” he said.

Darcy Moore will continue to be used as a forward. Picture: Will Russell/AFL Photos/Getty Images

“Across the whole competition there doesn’t look like there are too many sides which are flying and I understand it’s really important to bank some points and be 3-2 or 2-3 but I feel like we can string our best footy together and get on a bit of a roll and for us it starts on Sunday and we have to play a good brand of footy.

“Essendon are a really good pressure side and we have to buffer that and bring our game style to the fore as well.”

Rather than attempt to win for besieged coach Nathan Buckley, Pendlebury said the entire club wanted to find its mojo as a united group.

“It’s not water off a duck’s back,” he said of the pressure on out-of-contract coach Buckley.

“You know it’s going to come but we are worried about playing a good brand of footy, and if we can play that brand of footy and get some wins on the board the pressure goes away and off Bucks but more so than anyone, we want to do it for everyone, not just Bucks.

“We know he’s a big storyline but the whole football club wants to start playing well.

“It’s a better environment to walk into when you are playing good footy and we are not too far away from that.”

WHY BUCKS WON’T TALK ABOUT COACHING NEXT YEAR

Under pressure Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley says the 1-4 Magpies are not in dire trouble, but has conceded a continued run of poor form would lead to a review of his position.

The out of contract Buckley, who has coached the Magpies since 2012, on Monday night declared his focus was solely on the present as he prepares for the Anzac Day blockbuster.

When asked on Fox Footy’s AFL360 if he was determined to coach on next year, Buckley said: “I think it’s a decision that clubs and coaches make at different points of their journeys”.

“My journey with Collingwood’s has been intertwined for a long period of time now on and off the field, and I have a great passion for the club and a great passion for helping young men make their way through it,” he continued.

“And we’ve been challenged quite a bit on and off the field and we’re taking great strides towards becoming a better organisation.

Nathan Buckley and his players are under big pressure after a poor start to the season. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

“And we want to be a better team as well and at the moment we’re 1-4, and I’m accountable to that and take responsibility for that.

“But I also don’t think it is dire; I think we have some youth to look forward to and some connection pieces we haven’t been able to find to this point that I’m pretty sure when we find them, we can be a very good team in the short term.

“I still think we can be a good team this year.”

Buckley said he was better at dealing with scrutiny than he was in 2017 when he almost lost his job before being re-signed and leading the Magpies to the 2018 grand final.

“I’ve spent my whole life being judged internally as much as externally,” he said.

“You sort of get used to it and I’m a lot better at handling it now than I used to be.

“I think I’m in a better position to be able to handle that scrutiny even from three or four years ago, because largely my job is about what happens back from the coaches and back to the players maintaining the composure of not getting caught up in the moment and being able to see the bigger picture of what we’re heading towards.

“That’s what the senior coach’s job is as much as anything, selling the positivity of possibility rather than being caught up and reinforcing the things that are working now as much as finding the things you need to improve.”

When quizzed if he desperately wanted to rebuild the Magpies beyond 2021, Buckley said:

“I’m desperately doing that right now and to the best of my ability.

I’m contracted to the end of the year … I don’t have any desperation in me at all.

“I’m really focused on what I’m doing right now and I believe that if I’m doing my job to the best of my capacity and the people around are thriving and blossoming, well then that’s what a senior coach’s role is.

“If they’re not and change needs to occur, well then I’ll be a part of having that conversation with the club.

Buckley and new Magpies footy boss Graham Wright. Picture: Michael Klein

“And Wrighty (Magpies football boss Graham Wright) has been in the job now for 11 weeks and I’m pretty sure he brings fresh eyes to have a look at that.

“And I value his opinion and perspective, and our CEO (Mark Anderson) has been there for three or four years.

“We have a fairly established leadership group in the playing group and our coaching panel is largely established, so there’s enough fresh ideas there and we just have to execute.

“If you don’t perform well over a period of time a player has selection feedback, I think that happens for us as coaches on a little bit longer timeline but it happens.”