Scott Pendlebury says worry over Nathan Buckley’s future took huge toll on Collingwood players
COLLINGWOOD captain Scott Pendlebury has urged club to re-sign Nathan Buckley, saying his side played “in fear” early this season as speculation intensified on the coach.
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COLLINGWOOD captain Scott Pendlebury says the uncertainty surrounding Nathan Buckley’s coaching future put a massive strain on the team this season.
The five-time club champion was adamant the club should retain Buckley on a multi-year deal as speculation increases the senior coach’s contract will be extended post-season.
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Pendlebury, 29, said an internal announcement from the club last month that Buckley would certainly coach out the season lifted a weight off players’ shoulders.
“The pressure was on and it just felt like every week, even earlier in the year, if we lose a game (it was like), ‘what’s going to happen?’” Pendlebury said on the Jock and Journo Podcast.
“Even if we win a game it wasn’t even a win, it was a relief that we weren’t going to hear about our coach being potentially fired.
“When the club came out and said ‘he has got until the end of the year’, as it was always thought, the pressure is off. We are not playing in fear every week.
“It took the pressure off the playing group that you weren’t going to lose the coach if you lost a game of footy.”
Collingwood has won three and drawn one of its past four games and is only two premiership points off matching its 2016 win tally.
Against the top four teams, Collingwood has one win (Geelong), one draw (Adelaide), and two losses (Greater Western Sydney by three points and Richmond by 19).
Experienced football manager Geoff Walsh is conducting a thorough review of the football department which will be presented to the Collingwood board at the end of the season.
Pendlebury said Buckley’s next deal should be for several seasons.
“There’s no doubt in my mind he’s the right person to coach this club, not just next year, but for a couple of years,” he said.
“He is coaching really well. He has stayed strong in his beliefs on footy.
“Our performances all year have been strong apart form a three-week block after the bye.”
The Magpies play Port Adelaide, Geelong and Melbourne over the remaining three rounds, but will be missing suspended star ruckman Brodie Grundy for the next two.
American recruit Mason Cox is expected to replace Grundy in the No. 1 ruck role.
Pendlebury said the move to swing Ben Reid forward over the past month had worked.
“Reidy has straightened us a bit more,” he said.
“It allows Darcy (Moore) to get on his bike, Jamie (Elliott) and guys like that who crumb.
“That (Reid forward) was a great move.
“We couldn’t have done that move without ‘Dunny’ (Lynden Dunn) holding up so well behind the footy.
“He’s been exceptional. He’s made a big difference.”
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