Despite an off-season of sweeping change, Rohan Connolly says there is simply no more excuses for Collingwood this year.
The Magpies’ large scale review at the end of last season conducted by footy boss Geoff Walsh saw the club appoint a new chief executive (Mark Anderson) and a new head of fitness, while also bringing 2010 premiership captain Nick Maxwell back into the fold as leadership and culture manager.
While the entirety of the assistant coaching staff was also replaced as part of the well-publicised review, with Justin Longmuir, Garry Hocking and Matthew Boyd the new names to join the coaching team, senior coach Nathan Buckley was retained for two more years despite the Pies’ continual tumble down the ladder since his first season at the helm in 2012.
Connolly believes the fact that arguably the three most important positions at the club have not changed in some time - with Buckley starting his seventh season as coach, Eddie McGuire on the verge of finishing his second decade as president and Scott Pendlebury yesterday being retained for a fifth year as captain - means that there is no excuses left for poor performance despite the “roll of the dice” changes in other key positions.
“Buckley survived last season despite a fourth season in a row without a finals appearance. McGuire is in his 20th season as Collingwood president. They lead a club with enormous resources and support, but which continues to struggle on field,” the veteran journalist said on SEN Mornings.
“Two premierships in 60 years is the bottom line. Even Melbourne, which now hasn’t won a flag since 1964, has three over that same 60 year time frame.
“There are still doubts over the Pies on the field. A midfield ranked by Champion Data as number one in the competition last year is now only ranked sixth. Collingwood is preparing to turn a young forward in Darcy Moore into a defender and hoping a long-time defender in Ben Reid can provide goals instead.
“There’s a whole raft of still youngish players on the list upon whom the jury is still out, but this time they are simply going to have to come good. The gambles are simply going to have to work and the new positions must pay off immediately.
“In 2018 for Collingwood, there’s simply no more excuses.”
1990 Collingwood premiership player and two-time best and fairest Mick McGuane agreed with Connolly, saying there is no doubt 2018 is a massive year for his former side.
“The last few years they have been under the microscope and rightfully so,” the 1992 All-Australian said.
“It hasn’t been good, it has been a slippery dip. They haven’t had continuity with some of their really strong talent in Reid and (Jamie) Elliott over a couple of years but that aside, there’s no more excuses.”
Collingwood kick off their 2018 campaign against Hawthorn on Saturday March 24.
Listen to Rohan Connolly and Mick McGuane's chat on SEN Mornings below: