AFL 2024: Collingwood’s Billy Frampton pushes back on questions about a premiership hangover after 0-3 start

A premiership Magpie has hit back at suggestions the reigning premier has lacked hunger during its 0-3 start to the season and delivered a strong message to the club’s early critics.

Premiership Pie Billy Frampton says any talk that Collingwood’s winless start to the season stems from a satisfied attitude is “pretty far from accurate”.

A 15-point loss on Thursday night to St Kilda took the Pies to 0-3 this season, automatically triggering talk of a premiership hangover.

Collingwood coach Craig McRae self-diagnosed post-match, labelling his team “sloppy, rusty, clunky”.

Billy Frampton competes with Max King. Picture: Michael Klein

Flag-winning former Magpie Dale Thomas remarked that the Magpies played like they weren’t hungry against the Saints, and the legendary Leigh Matthews has been vocal this year about concerns Collingwood was spending too much time thinking about 2023.

While Frampton said the Magpies would have little retort to the inevitable question about hunger given the slow start, he was sure attitude wasn’t to blame for the early season slump.

The Magpies were flattened by the Saints. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

“It is hard to argue at this point if we are 0-3, we don’t have too many legs to stand on,” he said.

“There is definitely no residual hangover of success. There is just no way that is the case with the pre-season we have had.

“We came back and everyone was in great shape and hit the track hard. Things just aren’t going our way, whether that is teams have scouted us a bit more thoroughly or we are just out of sorts with our play, sometimes that happens in footy.

“But to suggest it is an attitude thing if pretty far from accurate.”

McRae, and Collingwood fans, were left to bemoan constant clangers on Thursday night, led by a horror 10 minutes in the first term where simple errors allowed the Saints to sweep forward for three goals.

Frampton, who was one of Collingwood’s best in his first game of the season, said the Pies have been talking about reducing the mistakes “all the time” and would spend even more time on the basics at training this week.

He said fumbles had resulted in ugly attacks, with forwards struggling for impact.

Recruit Lachie Schultz has averaged just 12.3 touches and one goal per game so far, Brody Mihocek has similar numbers (11.3 disposals and one goal) and Mason Cox has not kicked a major this year despite spending time in attack.

Craig McRae has work to do. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos

“It’s a little bit of our fundamentals, the way we are using the ball and just little mistakes are letting us down a bit which is not really like us and something that has been disappointing,” Frampton said.

“We are not really getting too many good looks upfront as well, everything is pretty grimy and pretty hard.”

The Pies will face the 0-2 Lions on Thursday, staring down the barrel of a 0-4 start.

“We are always confident that our best stacks up, we just have to get there,” Frampton said.

Originally published as AFL 2024: Collingwood’s Billy Frampton pushes back on questions about a premiership hangover after 0-3 start