AFL 2021: Collingwood caretaker coach Robert Harvey predicts brighter days ahead after ‘tough’ season

In 2021, Collingwood finished lower on the ladder than ever before but the side’s caretaker coach has assured fans there are brighter days ahead.

It was a turbulent season for the Magpie faithful. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

The Collingwood Magpies will have a better chance of turning around their fortunes next year once the club remedies its protracted off-field instability, according to caretaker coach Robert Harvey.

Season 2021 has been tumultuous to say the least for the Magpies, who ended up in 17th spot on the ladder – their worst ever finish - with a change of president, a change of football manager, a senior coaching departure and an unresolved board challenge all occurring.

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“Any club is better when all the positions are in place and that’s still yet to take shape everywhere, really,” Harvey said after the Magpies lost their final game of the year to Essendon.

“So in the end that’ll happen no doubt and everyone’s better for that. There’s been a lot of change in the football department this year within the season so in the end when that settles down you’re going to be better for it, that’s for sure.”

Harvey praised his players for continuing to front up each week under those circumstances.

“This is a tough year ... so for the players and the leaders in particular to be able to fight through that, to be able to direct the young guys to keep fighting on and to instill the right values in those young players, I’m really appreciative of the players and their effort for that,” Harvey said.

Harvey filled the breach left by Nathan Buckley, who parted ways with Collingwood after Round 13, and finished his caretaker stint with two wins from nine matches.

The former St Kilda champion admitted the experience whetted his appetite to become a full-time coach at some stage, but said he hadn’t yet spoken to the club about replacing Buckley permanently beyond 2021.

“I’ll let the dust settle and talk to ‘Wrighty’ (Collingwood football boss Graham Wright) and the powers that be tomorrow, so in the end I’m not sure where it sits, just processing at the moment,” he said.

“I’ve enjoyed the role, I’ve definitely enjoyed what I’ve done, I like what I do ... whatever the future holds we’ll see.

“Really appreciative of the opportunity that ‘Wrighty’ and the board gave me to be interim coach of a great footy club.”

Brad Scott, Don Pyke, Michael Voss, Craig McRae, Adam Kingsley and Jaymie Graham have all been touted as potential candidates to be Collingwood’s next coach.

Harvey took over as Collingwood’s coach midway through the season. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Peter Wright has given the Western Bulldogs a timely reminder of the huge task that awaits them when they face Essendon in the first elimination final next week.

Just a fortnight after tearing the Dogs’ backline to shreds with a spectacular seven-goal performance, Wright produced a similar display on Sunday, as he dominated the bottom-three Magpies with four first-half goals, to help lead the Bombers to a comfortable 38-point victory at the MCG.

Wright’s big pack marking and accurate goalkicking proved a lethal combination once more, and with two of his three biggest bags of his career coming in the past three games, the former Sun is heading into the finals in top nick.

Of course Alex Keath, and potentially Ryan Gardner, will be back for the Dogs this time around, but either player will have their hands full.

The heat was taken out of this contest for the Bombers before the first bounce, with victory not necessary as they already qualified for the finals thanks to St Kilda beating Fremantle in the early game on Sunday.

But far from resting on their laurels, they produced a clinical performance ahead of their return to the finals, to give the Bulldogs something to think about, especially considering the Bombers defeated them two weeks ago, kickstarting the rot they find themselves in.

In what was a pretty “bruise-free” affair, befitting a final-round game with nothing really riding on it, the Bombers’ superior pressure and goalkicking accuracy ultimately proved the difference in retiring Magpie Chris Mayne’s 248th and final game.

Collingwood undid its good work from the first quarter with a raft of costly turnovers, particularly in the second term, and the Bombers made them pay dearly, kicking five consecutive majors before heading to the halftime break with a commanding 34-point lead to end the contest early.

Wright (C) had an afternoon to remember on Sunday. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Smith hits his straps

Like Wright, Devon Smith has recaptured his best form at the right time of the year, setting up the victory with a brilliant first half, and finishing the game with 23 disposals, seven marks and two goals. The most pleasing aspect of Smith’s performance was his unselfishness, which has been a source of criticism of the former Giant. He registered 10 score involvements, including four goal assists, and probably played his best game since his best-and-fairest year of 2018.

Sidebottom’s costly error

Perhaps the most glaring Collingwood turnover came six minutes into the second term when Steele Sidebottom attempted an ambitious long kick across goal, but missed his target. Waterman collected the loose ball and dished it off to Sam Durham who combined with Smith to get it to Stringer and the ex-Bulldog easily finished the job unattended in the goal square to put Essendon up by 17 points.

First-year player Alec Waterman booted four goals on Sunday, the biggest haul of his short career. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Young Pie blankets Parish

Playing in just his fifth game, Collingwood youngster Jay Rantall was given the huge task of tagging All-Australian contender Darcy Parish for most of the game. And while the Collingwood youngster only had eight disposals, he restricted Parish to just 21 touches and three clearances, well down on his 2021 averages of 31 and eight respectively. Food for thought for the Bulldogs.

Not-so-smart Alec

In the shadows of quarter-time, Essendon forward Alec Waterman had a couple of moments he would rather forget as he gave away a pair of 50m penalties by exactly the same method. In the first instance he encroached the protected zone to bring Jeremy Howe from the backline to the centre square. Howe then chipped it to Jordan De Goey who was infringed by Waterman yet again as the Essendon forward tried to make amends. De Goey was then brought inside 50 and converted the set shot from directly in front. Luckily for Waterman, he more than made up for that minute of madness with four goals to be an influential performer in attack.

BOMBERS 5.2 11.2 13.5 16.6 (102)

MAGPIES 4.2 5.4 7.8 9.10 (64)

LERNER’S BEST Bombers: Smith, Wright, Merrett, Waterman, Cutler, Stringer, Redman. Magpies: Elliott, Adams, De Goey, Mayne, Rantall.

GOALS Bombers: Wright 4, Waterman 4, Smith 2, Stringer 2, Redman 2, Perkins, Snelling. Magpies: Elliott 4, Cameron, Daicos, De Goey, Thomas, Hoskin-Elliott.

INJURIES Bombers: Nil. Magpies: Henry (right shoulder).

UMPIRES Rosebury, Howorth, Findlay

VENUE MCG

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

LERNER’S VOTES

3 D.Smith (Ess)

2 P.Wright (Ess)

1 Z.Merrett (Ess)

Originally published as AFL 2021: Collingwood caretaker coach Robert Harvey predicts brighter days ahead after ‘tough’ season