The big question mark hanging over Collingwood coming into 2023 was how it’d fare not playing in an unprecedented amount of close games like last year.
But the undefeated Magpies have answered that unknown by drastically improving in multiple areas to become a more powerful, well-rounded unit and charge into premiership favouritism.
Craig McRae’s side has produced emphatic wins over those first two rounds – overrunning Geelong by 22 points in its season opener and thrashing Port Adelaide by 71 points last weekend – with an average score of 130 points including 40 goals in total and a percentage of 155.7.
And while the offensive surge has been a key highlight, there’s so many more layers to the Magpies’ thrilling style.
“Their first two rounds were amazing … (the Magpies have) offensive weapons everywhere and a style of play that is making the most of what they’ve got,” former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley told Fox Footy’s On the Couch.
“There was a train of thought about them not being able to win as many close games (as last year), and then the other one was: ‘We can go even better still.’”
Yes, it’s only two weeks of data, but stats don’t lie.
In numbers shown on On the Couch, Collingwood ranks No. 1 in the AFL in ball movement, No. 2 in ball use and No. 3 in contest and clearance.
The most significant improvement from the first two rounds of 2023 compared to last year was the Magpies going from 17th to 2nd in clearance differential and going from 17th to 1st in contested possession differential.
Indeed, contest and clearance was a weak spot for McRae’s side in 2022. The Pies were smashed in contested possessions (-54) by Carlton in Round 23 last year. But fast forward five games and Collingwood obliterated the Power in contested possessions +57 – the seventh-biggest differential on record in VFL/AFL history.
While the addition of Tom Mitchell to the midfield has clearly helped the Pies in that area – and fellow recruits Dan McStay and Bobby Hill have also had great impact in their roles – the club’s improvement can largely be put down to the collective effort and buy-in across the board.
“That number shows you the improvement … contested ball and clearance was an issue in the back half of last year,” Buckley added.
“Tay Adams is fit and he helps (and) Tom Mitchell has come in and he thickens the soup in there. But they’ve just gone to work and they’ve done better, they’re getting their hands on the ball.
“And they’re sharing the load, it’s not one person that does it.”
Melbourne great Garry Lyon went so far to say he can’t recall seeing a side play with as much enthusiasm and power with the ball in recent times.
“We’re all prone to exaggeration from time to time, (saying) ‘this footy is the best sort,’ or ‘this player is the best of his era’,” Lyon told On the Couch. “But gee, even when Richmond was going and Melbourne was going, I can’t remember a team that was going like this. When I say ‘going’, I mean moving the ball as fast.”
On the Magpies’ improvement in contest and clearance, Lyon said: “These are really significant changes. We’re not talking about a team coming off a three-win season, they’re a team coming off a preliminary final, and yet they’ve still been able to make these big steps.
“I don’t know if you can peak too early or not, but it’s just unbelievably exciting to watch. They’ve ruined it for those who didn’t like Collingwood, because you can’t help but love the way they’re playing their footy.”
BREAKOUT STAR JUSTIFYING GRUNDY TRADE
While the synergy of Collingwood as a collective has been crucial, Darcy Cameron has been one of the great individual stories to emerge from its rise.
Of course, the club’s bold move of off-loading Brodie Grundy to Melbourne — despite the star big man having five years remaining on a $7 million deal signed in 2019 — put enormous faith in Cameron filling the No. 1 ruck role.
And Cameron is so far repaying that faith and then some to continue from where he left off last year.
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