Opinion Collingwood's greatest player of the Modern Era

[jmac70]

Yet neither a Bucks or Daicos made the team of the century. Hard to put them in the conversation for best 22.

No Collingwood player did. The Team of the Century was a crock of crap. SOS was FB for gods sake!

 

[SnakePlisskin]

Daicos would be the only one to win games of his own boot.

 

[mattys123]

Buckley as it stands is ahead of every Pies player I've seen based on consistency of eliteness (even a word?) over a long period.

Swanny unfortunately due to a slow start to his career, and an abrupt end, is a fair way off, as great he was in that 2009-2013 period (over 700 disposals each year). I think that 5 year patch is the best football I've seen from any one Collingwood player, but Bucks performed at a slightly lower level for a long period. Bucks had 10 seasons from 94-2003 when quite simply he was the best midfielder in the game consistently.

But I guess that makes the argument, what makes you great, longevity or absolute sheer brilliance and numbers over a 5 year period?

And then there's Pendles, who isn't done yet, and could go past both of them if he continues to improve.

Pendles now, like Bucks, has put together 10 elite seasons in a row, where I can't name any midfielder who has been as consiteny as him over that period.

If Pendles plays well into his 30's, and delivers us another flag, he over takes both IMO.

As for Daicos, unfortunately his knee injury ruined him or we would be talking about him in the absolute greats of all time. His best football in the end came in that forward role, but here's a player who kicked 58 and 76 goals as midfielder back in 81 and 82 before injuries started to take their toll.

So;

1.Bucks
2. Swan
3. Pendles
4. Daicos

Oh, and Adam Treloar may come into this conversation if he ever gets fit too, as mad as that may sound.

 

[barrackers]

Buckley as it stands is ahead of every Pies player I've seen based on consistency of eliteness (even a word?) over a long period.

Swanny unfortunately due to a slow start to his career, and an abrupt end, is a fair way off, as great he was in that 2009-2013 period (over 700 disposals each year). I think that 5 year patch is the best football I've seen from any one Collingwood player, but Bucks performed at a slightly lower level for a long period. Bucks had 10 seasons from 94-2003 when quite simply he was the best midfielder in the game consistently.

But I guess that makes the argument, what makes you great, longevity or absolute sheer brilliance and numbers over a 5 year period?

And then there's Pendles, who isn't done yet, and could go past both of them if he continues to improve.

Pendles now, like Bucks, has put together 10 elite seasons in a row, where I can't name any midfielder who has been as consiteny as him over that period.

If Pendles plays well into his 30's, and delivers us another flag, he over takes both IMO.

As for Daicos, unfortunately his knee injury ruined him or we would be talking about him in the absolute greats of all time. His best football in the end came in that forward role, but here's a player who kicked 58 and 76 goals as midfielder back in 81 and 82 before injuries started to take their toll.

So;

1.Bucks
2. Swan
3. Pendles
4. Daicos

Oh, and Adam Treloar may come into this conversation if he ever gets fit too, as mad as that may sound.

I initially thought the same thing with Buckley and Swan in respect to their longevity of performance, while possessions and stats aren't everything, are effected by different eras and without a comparison don't show how players rate against their peers Swan's duration was surprisingly long and he wasn't that far behind Buckley. Allowing for different eras it's probably Buckley with 11 years ahead of Swan's 9.

Seasons 500+ disposals
9 - Pendlebury (2008 -)
8 - Swan (2007-2013; 2015)
7 - Buckley (1994, 1997-2001, 2003)

Seasons 400-500 disposals
4 - Buckley (1995, 1996, 2002, 2006)
2 - Swan (2006, 2014)
1 - Pendlebury (2007)

Even injury effected years towards the end of their careers aren't much different.
3 - Buckley (2004, 2005, 2007)
2 - Swan (2014, 2016)


Courtesy of footywire.com

 

[Linda Lovelace]

Yet neither a Bucks or Daicos made the team of the century. Hard to put them in the conversation for best 22.

Needlessly contrarian. It's very easy to put them in the conversation - because they have already been in it. Whether you, or I, think they should be in the top 22 is irrelevant to my point. When the initial AFL Team of the Century was announced, many non-Collingwood people floated Daicos as one who was stiff to miss out.

The Age ran a story a few years ago asking certain 'experts' to update the AFL Team of the Century and several included Buckley on the wing instead of Keith Greig. Many older fans I have spoken to rate Buckley as a better player than Greig.

The point, which surely was easy enough to grasp, is that Bucks and Daicos are historically judged on a level that Swan and Pendles aren't. You may think that this is unfair, but nobody credible is putting Pendles or Swan in among the handful of greatest midfielders of all time whereas plenty of credible people consider Buckley on the wing or Daicos at HF to be among the best.

 

[Leviathan Pie]

Nathan Buckley is in his own stratosphere r.e OP's question.


I have James Clement/Dane Swan/Scott Pendlebury jostling for position no.2

 

[Robroy22]

1. Daicos (by the length of the Flemington straight)
Consider how much people rave about Cyril Rioli...and he's probably the only current player that's sort've close to Daics in skill or excitement. Cyril gets the ball Half as much as Daics did or would in a current game. Cryil is also limited to just his left side whilst Daics was just as "deadly" on either side. People who didn't see him just don't know what it's like to watch a GENIUS play. Daics could make a footy talk, he could make defenders quake in their boots (even the best of them) and he could and did win games off his own boot.

2. Bucks

3. Pendles

4. Swan

5. Brown/Millane ( I won't split them)

and just cos you guys want to keep it to Modern era.....don't get me started about Greening or Bobby Rose!

 

[Saintly Viewed]

Absolutely no way Burns is ahead of Pendles in any regard. Great clubman and foot soldier but a significant step below Pendles.

Spot on.
Burns as good as he was, isn't fit to lick let alone tie the bootlaces of Pendlebury.
Dfferent stratosphere.

 

[Saintly Viewed]

Yes but with ball in hand Buck's would have been able to hit Swan in the back of the head, somehow causing him to fall backwards allowing Bucks to get to the line 1st anyway.

And if we are talking the 50m line then Buck's would put it through post high and 20 rows back.

Buckley was such an incredible kick.

 

[Saintly Viewed]

I said this earlier.. at his peak if i had a choice Dale Thomas was on another planet.. pity it only lasted 2 yrs. At their peaks 1. Thomas 2 Swan. 3. Pendlebury.. 1% difference either way bn 2 and 3.

Ven katalava

(Sorry for bad spelling)

 

[Saintly Viewed]

Yet neither a Bucks or Daicos made the team of the century. Hard to put them in the conversation for best 22.

That is quite pedantic.
When selecting a 22 usually people would consider more than 22 and prune down their numbers to 22.
Besides, Bill Jacobs was a selector in the afl team of the past quarter century century. He was a total numb nuts, horrible, nasty, cranky, poor caller, know nothing person. And that's his good points.

 

[robertg22]

Spot on.
Burns as good as he was, isn't fit to lick let alone tie the bootlaces of Pendlebury.
Dfferent stratosphere.

Yep. Not even sure I'd have Burns in my top 10 actually... probably harsh.

This is where I'd rank them:

1. Buckley
2. Daicos
=3. Pendlebury
=3. Swan
5. Brown

 

[Saintly Viewed]

Yep. Not even sure I'd have Burns in my top 10 actually... probably harsh.

This is where I'd rank them:

1. Buckley
2. Daicos
=3. Pendlebury
=3. Swan
5. Brown

Top 10 I'm up for that.
Assuming we mean 1990 onwards ie the dawn of the AFL.

1. Buckley
2. Pendlebury
3. Daicos (only had a couple of AFL years, thats my get out clause, so Scott gets 2.)
4. Swan

daylight......

5. Brown
6. Shaw (only had minimal AFL time)
7. Didak
8. Millane (gets a spot for his two years)
9. Ball
10. Treloar (on one season but I'm giving him a spot)

 

[Saintly Viewed]

Best Collingwood team 1990 onwards:

B. S Burns ~ G Pert ~ J Clement
HB. S Morwood ~ B Reid ~ M McGuane
C. G Brown ~ N Buckley (c) ~ D Millane
HF. A Rocca ~ T Cloke ~ A Shaw
F. P Daicos ~ S Rocca ~ A Didak
R. D Jolly ~ S Pendlebury ~ D Swan
I. D Monkhorst ~ A Treloar ~ L Ball ~ T Francis
C. L Matthews

E. D Thomas, G Wright, P Williams

 

[spartan-magpie]

Daicos is the best collingwood player I've seen. Ever. I still get goosebumps thinking about some of the games the man played.
The Macedonian marvel is by far the best is better than any player seen from 1990 onwards and we've had some rippers.

Not including daicos, the best modern player we've had is Buckley. Swan and pendles close behind but not quite.


Had bucks been 26-28 during 2010-12 we would have had a 3 peat and he 3 more norm smiths.


The guy, based on perception of his figjam personality, gets criminally underrated. And I still hate it that many think that voss was a better player - garbage IMO.


People forget how he basically carried our club for a decade, could play almost any position and made any weaknesses he had almost non existent. The guy could kick the ball 60-65 meters lace out to leading towards, was a brilliant decision maker and was unbelievably driven and loyal to collingwood.


While we've only seen 2 flags in since 90, we've been very fortunate to have seen the likes of daicos, brown, Millane, clement, Roccas, pendles, Swanny, and many more.


Final word, daicos is the best collingwood player in my time. Bucks not far off and swan and pendles not far off. Pendles could improve if he can play some injury free footy over the next 2-4 years and get back to his damaging best.

 

[spartan-magpie]

Best Collingwood team 1990 onwards:

B. S Burns ~ G Pert ~ J Clement
HB. S Morwood ~ B Reid ~ M McGuane
C. G Brown ~ N Buckley (c) ~ D Millane
HF. A Rocca ~ T Cloke ~ A Shaw
F. P Daicos ~ S Rocca ~ A Didak
R. D Jolly ~ S Pendlebury ~ D Swan
I. D Monkhorst ~ A Treloar ~ L Ball ~ T Francis
C. L Matthews

E. D Thomas, G Wright, P Williams

Nice team. I'd take out jolly. Monkey was a better player than him. Also, wouldn't mind Scotty Russell in there. I'd also have wright starting and good as treloar is and will be hasn't played enough to warrant a spot in the side.

Not criticizing. Great effort. Shows how hard it would be to pick a team. To many favorites.

 

[Saintly Viewed]

Nice team. I'd take out jolly. Monkey was a better player than him. Also, wouldn't mind Scotty Russell in there. I'd also have wright starting and good as treloar is and will be hasn't played enough to warrant a spot in the side.

Not criticizing. Great effort. Shows how hard it would be to pick a team. To many favorites.

Agree, it's a tough call on a few.
The main reason I gave jolly as our first ruck, is he was so pivotal to the flag of 2010, and he was terrific pre Collingwood. Loved monkey too. Just felt Jolly was the better ruck for us.

Scott Russell very under rated i do think of him but can't find a spot over the ones I've named and emergencies. I sort of agree one season of Treloar is really small sample I usually prefer say about 50 games or two a half seasons. But I am just so won over by him, I'm placing him in.
I enjoy the exercise and various combinations of Collingwood sides.
Fun.

 

[loki04]

Daicos would be the only one to win games of his own boot.

Seen Buckley do it many times.

 

[Nuffsaid]

Buckley, Daicos, Pendlebury, Swan.
Daylight

 

[Saintly Viewed]

Buckley, Daicos, Pendlebury, Swan.
Daylight

That's it in a nutshell
Assuming we can name Daicos

It's those four and then daylight.........

 

[BringouttheGimp]

Ven katalava

(Sorry for bad spelling)

Haha sweet.. have you tried Psarakos yet?

 

[Saintly Viewed]

Haha sweet.. have you tried Psarakos yet?

Not yet.
But it's on my list.
I'm awaiting an opportunity when I'm in area Togo there for lunch.
Spring or summer time now so shouldn't be long.

 

[HeathySure]

I cant believe how criminally underrated Pendlebury is even by Collingwood supporters. He is by far the greatest Collingwood player i have seen. He is tough as they come, has played through injuries for the last 3 years and barely misses a game and is always in the best players. He has been rated 2nd or 3rd best player in the league for the last 5 or 6 years. He is an inside mid who actually does something with the ball.. a very very rare commodity. He has one fault, he is too unselfish, he distributes the ball to *******s who cannot kick.
I would shudder to think how good Hawthorn would be with him in their side.

 

[robertg22]

Top 10 I'm up for that.
Assuming we mean 1990 onwards ie the dawn of the AFL.

1. Buckley
2. Pendlebury
3. Daicos (only had a couple of AFL years, thats my get out clause, so Scott gets 2.)
4. Swan

daylight......

5. Brown
6. Shaw (only had minimal AFL time)
7. Didak
8. Millane (gets a spot for his two years)
9. Ball
10. Treloar (on one season but I'm giving him a spot)

I won't include Treloar or Ball who probably didn't play enough to make it. I am sure Adam can get there though.

1. Buckley
2. Daicos
=3. Pendlebury
=3. Swan
5. Brown
-----
6. Millane
7. Didak
8. McGuane
9. Clement
10. Cloke

As for a team, why not...

Johnson Prestigiacomo Clement
H Shaw Reid Burns
Millane Buckley McGuane
Didak Cloke Brown
Davis S Rocca Daicos
Grundy Pendlebury Swan
Williams Maxwell Wright T Shaw

Sidebottom Morwood Crosisca

 

[Saintly Viewed]

I won't include Treloar or Ball who probably didn't play enough to make it. I am sure Adam can get there though.

1. Buckley
2. Daicos
=3. Pendlebury
=3. Swan
5. Brown
-----
6. Millane
7. Didak
8. McGuane
9. Clement
10. Cloke

As for a team, why not...

Johnson Prestigiacomo Clement
H Shaw Reid Burns
Millane Buckley McGuane
Didak Cloke Brown
Davis S Rocca Daicos
Grundy Pendlebury Pendlebury
Williams Maxwell Wright T Shaw

Sidebottom Morwood Crosisca

Great post. I forgot Heath shaw, he'd be thereabouts if not an emergency.