A Preseason Preview 2006- Part 2 of 16 - Collingwood

[Dyer'ere]

This side is not as badly off for talent as Carlton was at the start of 2005 but it's almost as badly off for youth. It has some very fine players at the top of its list but not much below it.

This is what they got:

John Anthony
Nathan Buckley (vet)
Scott Burns (vet)
Blake Caracella
James Clement
Cameron Cloke
Jason Cloke
Travis Cloke
Ryan Cook
Ben Davies
Leon Davis
Alan Didak
Chris Egan
David Fanning
Josh Fraser
Brent Hall
Brodie Holland
Adam Iacobucci
Sam Iles
Ben Johnson
Paul Licuria
Tarkyn Lockyer
Ryan Lonie
Nick Maxwell
Chad Morrison
Shane O'Bree
Scott Pendlebury
Simon Prestigiacomo
Guy Richards
Anthony Rocca
Julian Rowe
Sean Rusling
Heath Shaw
Rhyce Shaw
Danny Stanley
Dane Swan
Chris Tarrant
Dale Thomas
Shane Wakelin
Tristen Walker

Rookies
Shannon Cox
DanielNicholls
Harry O'Brien
Alan Toovey

The first thing I'd do at Collingwood is get rid of Josh Fraser. He is just not good enough. His best football is neat skills stuff playing outside on a flank. In the GF against Brisbane in 2003, some would say he battled valiantly but he battled badly. His opponent (Keating) was clearing the ball to space at will and setting up the game for Brisbane with his huge clearing punches. Fraser had to strike the other ruckman's arm at the stoppages so the ball would fall short to the pack but he couldn't do this. He wasn't strong enough. He's not improving. Punt him.

Premership Side-
FB- T.Lockyer, S.Wakelin, J.Clement
HB- B.Johnson, S.Prestigiacomo, Vacancy
C- Vacancy, P.Licuria, Vacancy
HF- N.Buckley, Vacancy, Vacancy
FF- C.Tarrant, A.Rocca, A.Didak
R- Vacancy, Vacancy, Vacancy
Int: J.Fraser, B.Caracella, S.O'Bree, L.Davis

They've got last year's crop coming through with Chris Egan, Travis Cloke and to a lesser extent Sean Rusling showing plenty at times. If you slot in this trio in good form for 2006 to a fit, best line-up Colliewood looks okay.

T.Walker is not yet 22yo and he showed some glimpses in 2005. I don't think he balances well in a key slot in this top-heavy, slow side but he might yet make a player. Probably a full forward or CHF.

The unit has good bones for 2006 with the common problem of no midfield. Wakelin and Presti are showing signs of wear and tear and time could yet open a painful fissure in their rear end. ;D If it does they'll heamorrhage in 2006.

But if the old blokes can hang on for another year, the Pies look stout down back and a swansong from Nathan Buckley might tide them over until they can get some young mids through.

That's a best case scenario, however and the Pies have a lot riding on their draft choices for this year. If it proves to be as bad a crop as some have suggested it's a bet that will keep hurting them for years to come.

 

[Otis]

I'd love to see Buckley play a full season, the Collingwood midfield are too weak without him

O'Bree needs to step up a lot this season. Last chance.

Ben Johnson needs to step up a hell of a lot. Definately his last chance.

I'd like to see Rowe play a good season too, is a very talented kid and has had some good games, playing his 3rd season in '06.

Watch out for Ben Davies to have a huge 2006.

I can't see them finishing higher than 15th... i really think they'll finish dead last.

 

[pahoffm]

COLLINGWOOD Ht Wt Age
David Fanning 204 100 21
Josh Fraser 202 99 24
Guy Richards 200 95 23
Brent Hall      198 97 20
Anthony Rocca 195 104 28
Cameron Cloke 195 98 21
Tristen Walker 195 100 21
Travis Cloke 195 85 19
Simon Presti'como 193 97 28
Chris Tarrant 193 94 25
Shane Wakelin 191 94 31
John Anthony 191 85 18 new
James Clement 190 95 29
Ryan Lonie 190 92 23
Nick Maxwell 190 88 22
Shannon Cox 190 95 20 rookie
Scott Pendlebury 190 81 18 new
Jason Cloke 189 95 23
Sean Rusling 189 84 19
Alan Toovey 189 79 19 rookie
Julian Rowe 187 80 20
Ben Davies 187 81 19
Chris Egan 187 78 19
Harry O'Brien 187 85 19 rookie
Nathan Buckley 186 91 33 vet
Blake Caracella 186 85 29
Ryan Cook 186 78 18 new
Danny Stanley 186 90 18 new
Chad Morrison 184 86 27
Ben Johnson 183 82 24
Dane Swan 183 85 22
Dale Thomas 183 75 19
Alan Didak 182 84 22
Scott Burns 181 85 31 vet
Heath Shaw 181 80 20
Sam Iles      181 79 18 new
Shane O'Bree 180 80 27
Brodie Holland 180 80 26
Rhyce Shaw 180 82 24
Adam Iacobucci 180 80 20
Paul Licuria 179 86 28
Tarkyn Lockyer 178 79 26
Leon Davis 178 82 24
DanielNicholls 176 67 19 rookie

Collingwood too have gone for the full complement of 44 players, including 2 vets, 5 newies and 4 rookies.
This year, they seem to have concentrated their recruiting in the midfield, which has been their previous achilles heel.
At first view, the Collingwood list seems fairly well balanced with just under 40% of players 190cm or more.
Their long future looks good with 13 players being equal to or greater than 25yo.
Unfortunately their immediate future is snagged by 48% of these players being 21yo or less.

Now let's see how their list breaks up into a spread.
Twilight = 28+yo
Prime = 25-27yo
Development = 22-24yo
Junior = 18-21yo

<180 Small Runners
Twilight: Licuria 28,
Prime: Lockyer 26,
Development: Davis 24
Junior: Nicholls 19

180-184 Smaller Mediums
Twilight: Burns 31,
Prime: Morrison 27, O'Bree 27, Holland 26
Development: Johnson 24, R.Shaw 24, Didak 22 & Swan 22,
Junior: H.Shaw 20, Iacobucci 20, Thomas 19, Iles 18

185-189 Taller Mediums
Twilight: Buckley 33, Caracella 29
Prime: 0
Development: J.Cloke 23
Junior: Rowe 20, Rusling 19, Toovey 19, Davies 19, Egan 19, O'Brien 19, Cook 18 & Stanley 18

190-194 Mobile Key Position
Twilight: Wakelin 31, Clement 29, Prestigiacomo 28
Prime: Tarrant 25
Development: Lonie 23, Maxwell 22
Junior: Cox 20, Anthony 18, Pendlebury 18

195-199 Key Position/ Ruck
Twilight: Rocca 28
Prime: 0
Development: C.Cloke 21, Walker 21, T.Cloke 19
Junior: Hall 20,

200+ Ruck
Twilight: 0
Prime: 0
Development: Fraser 24, Richards 23
Junior: Fanning 21

So, as it seems, the Carringbush is using a few prime and twilight players to cover themselves on the field until their Development & junior players are ready.
This is especially so along the spine with Wakelin, Clement, Presti', Buckley, Burns & Rocca all in the twilight zone.

Their coverage of positions is as follows:
B: Johnson 24 Wakelin 31 Clement 29
Swan 22     Hall 20   J.Cloke 23
Iles 18

HB: Lonie 23 Prestigiacomo 28 Morrison 27
Toovey 19 Walker 21 Iacobucci 20
Stanley 18 Anthony 18


C: Maxwell 22 Buckley 33 Egan 19
Pendlebury 18 Lockyer 26 Rusling 19
                    O'Brien 19 Nicholls 19

HF: Didak 22 Rocca 28 Caracella 29
O'Bree 27 T.Cloke 19 Thomas 19
Rowe 20 Cook 18

F: Fraser 24 Tarrant 25 Davis 24
C.Cloke 21 Cox 20


R: Richards 23 Licuria 28 Burns 31
Fanning 21 R.Shaw 24 Holland 26
                Davies 19 H.Shaw 22


Admittedly, the Carringbush have had more than their fair share of injuries in the last 2 years.
Many of their developing players seem only to have played 50 games. Yet with all of that, their midfield seems as if those developing players are now maturing and about to take off. Their problem is that maybe their timing is a bit askew, because their tallies are either in the twilight or junior zone with nothing in between.

For the Carringbush, barring injury, improvement will occur but it will be marginal. Real improvement will be determined by the extent that the younger players can improve.
Until then, Eddie & Mick will just have to keep a lid on things for another year.

 

[mk33]

I think Pies can make the 8 if their tall forward line have a good years.
The postives that they have a lot of tall options in Tarrant, Fraser, Rocca and Clokes. The problem is the rarely fire on the one day. Didak needs to lift if he wants to be a midfielder as he too can be hot/cold. Then he was last year mid year three weeks in a row. The pies won each game including beating Geelong.
I prefer Fraser in ruck with Richards or Fanning as support.

The midfield is honest but there is no run in O'Bree, Holland, Burns and Licuria. Buckley is the only running midfielder and he is ageing. Players like Egan and Didak need to come in and help. Perhaps Thomas may be a chance changing with Buckley and Didak.

Collingwood have also failed to have any young players emerge in the last 4 years that may be stars/matchwinners like other clubs have so this have a lot of pressure on Thomas at Pick 2.

Walker needs to hold onto a key position back post as Wakelin and Presti get older and slower. The Pies have a lot of players around 6foot like Cloke.J Rowe and Maxwell that are third talls.

Players on the rise
Sean Rusling, I know he is injured but reminds me of Gavin Crosisca, can play fwd back and maybe tried in midfield.
Chris Egan, has improved since his three kicks against, could be a find on the wing.
Guy Richards, if injury free could be a great help as can drift fwd changing with Fraser.

Now or never, players to lift
Chad Morrison, just a flanker has lot of similar players at Collingwood
Ryan Lonie, looks a player with pace and long kicks, but has never come on. Has a soft stigma about him, could be better in a new environment.
Jason Cloke, big pre season but still not kpp, needs right match up or he is not in the game.
Leon Davis, just a one trick pony