Click here to watch Nathan Buckley discuss his return to Collingwood as an assistant coachThe challenge will be set and the bar will be raised high for Collingwood’s young forward line in season 2010.
The Magpies were the third most inaccurate team in front of the big sticks in 2009 with a 56.1% scoring rate (Richmond - 16, West Coast - 15) while they only had one player haul in a bag of five or more goals during the home-and-away season, the lowest total from a top-eight side.
Next year John Anthony, Travis Cloke and company will be guided by new assistant coach Nathan Buckley, who kicked 284 career goals from the midfield during his 280 match career.
“I have got the forwards. I have had a few chats with Mick and he is pretty keen for me to look at the forward area and a little bit at our ball movement as well. I will be trying to find a structure that is most optimal for us.
“We were fifth in attack last year so I have spent a bit of time looking at our attacking profile and looking at what the boys have been doing over the last couple of seasons.”
Buckley has spent the offseason reviewing the forward structure that was in place in 2009 which saw a 21-year-old lead the Magpies’ attack in front of goal (John Anthony kicked 50 goals).
“I have spent the last week catching up with four or five of the guys in that forward area and getting their opinions on how things worked and how they felt as individuals with their role within the side. I also sat down with Paul Hudson, who was the forwards coach last year.
“To work closely with those young key forwards will be exciting. Obviously Darren Jolly comes into the mix as does Cameron Wood and Josh Fraser. How we use those three tall players in the ruck and as deep forward will be something we will investigate.”
Part of his preparation during 2009 consisted of coaching the Victorian Country Under-16 side in the AFL Under-16 National Championships, an experience which culminated in Buckley overseeing his side win the NAB AFL Under-16 Division One Grand Final at Visy Park over South Australia.
“The Vic Country boys were fantastic. It was my first real crack at being a head coach. I had done some assisting with the AIS academy. The Vic Country boys had a successful carnival in Sydney and played on grand final day at Visy Park. To be a part of a team that was preparing to achieve something and then to achieve it was pretty special.
“It definitely got the butterflies going again and it was great to be involved in that close team bond. Something I am looking forward to feeling again at Collingwood.”
