Collingwood launched its 2016 campaign with a bang, announcing Nathan Buckley will extend his tenure as coach and inducting three famous Magpies into the club's Hall of Fame.
President Eddie McGuire told guests at the Season Launch that Buckley and the club have agreed to terms that will see the former skipper lead the club until at least the end of 2017.
Buckley, who has coached the side to 51 wins from 88 matches, said the club is heading in the right direction.
“I genuinely believe we are building something really special in this young group and I think the string of recent player re-signings has illustrated that they share that belief,” Buckley said.
“Together, we head into the 2016 season with the club’s backing and now it’s up to us to repay the faith by producing what we know this side is capable of.”
The club celebrated the courageous career of Gavin Crosisca and the hugely successful joint careers of brothers Frank and Len Murphy by inducted the three into the Hall of Fame.
For more than a decade Crosisca was among Collingwood’s most reliable players, forging a reputation as one of Leigh Matthews’ trusted lieutenants throughout the 80s and 90s.
He finished third in the Copeland Trophy in just his third season and spent much of the next ten years collecting awards across his 246 senior games.
Three Wrecker Awards, two Darren Millane Memorial Trophies and a Best Clubman gong were among the titles the left footer earned.
Crosisca played predominantly off the half back flank, but was also employed further afield on the wings and even at half forward, where he helped steer Collingwood to premiership glory in 1990.
The Murphy brothers were also no strangers to premiership success, winning seven flags between them and becoming one of just six sets of brothers to have played together in a premiership side.
Frank Murphy, the elder of the two, spent ten seasons at Collingwood and played in six Grand Finals to win four premierships.
Frank and his teammates, led by Jock McHale, were dominant for half a decade, winning consecutive flags in 1927, 1928, 1929 and 1930. Murphy is among just 12 players to have featured in all four premierships.
Len Murphy joined Frank in Collingwood’s senior side in 1928 and forged a fine career as a ruckman.
He broke into a strong line-up to play 19 games in his debut season and went on to win three consecutive flags in his first three years.
Len departed Collingwood at the conclusion of the 1937 season and as a result ended a 13-year association between the Magpies and the Murphy family.
The Season Launch was capped off by an address from Buckley and the presentation of jumpers to the club’s 2016 playing list.
Buckley extension kicks off 2016 campaign
Collingwood launched its 2016 campaign with a bang, announcing Nathan Buckley will extend his tenure as coach and inducting three famous Magpies into the club's Hall of Fame.