COLLINGWOOD veteran Scott Burns has been around too long to get overly excited at his side’s promising start to the season.
Despite the Magpies racking up four wins from their first six games – including last weekend’s impressive road win against the Crows at AAMI Stadium – Burns is wary of inflated expectations of his side.
“I’ve been 4-2 over my career and haven’t made the finals,” Burns said.
“I think I’ve even been 6-2 and haven’t made the finals. It’s just a start and there’s a long way to go. If we keep sticking to the basic things we’ve been doing, we’re going to win more than we lose.”
Burns was at a loss to explain the Pies’ impressive form at AAMI Stadium, where they’ve won seven of their past 12 games.
But he said the siege mentality that developed when the club ventured into enemy territory had a positive, galvanising effect on the players.
“I think it’s a good opportunity when you’re a Victorian team to get everyone away together as a group,” he said.
“It becomes very insular and there’s no distractions and you can really concentrate on what you want to do. It’s great just to get away from Melbourne and get a different atmosphere and a different crowd.”
While the impressive performances of Collingwood’s debutants have garnered plenty of attention this year, Burns says it’s the efforts of the club’s “middle-tier” players that have allowed the youngsters to shine.
“I think the development of the Shaws (Rhyce and Heath), Nick Maxwell, the consistency of Tarkyn Lockyer and Dane Swan again this year would have been just as important – probably more so – than the little bits and pieces that all the younger fellas have done,” Burns said.
“I don’t think that middle tier have got too much credit yet.”
Burns, 32 and in his 13th AFL season, also deserves his share of the credit for the Pies’ flying start.
Averaging more than 22 disposals a game, the veteran on-baller has helped to cover for the prolonged absence of skipper Nathan Buckley.
“It’s been OK,” Burns said in typically self-deprecating fashion.
“I guess the biggest battle when you get a little bit older is to get that base fitness in and do most of the pre-season and I’ve been able to do that the last two or three years, where I haven’t had any hiccups.”
Despite his excellent form, Burns said he’s in no hurry to contemplate his future beyond the end of this season.
“I’m just going to play this year at this stage and I’ll just see what happens. I’m enjoying it at the moment,” he said.
“Ever since I turned 30, I’ve only had a one-year contract. I’ve been happy with that, the club has been happy with that and I won’t even negotiate or reassess anything until two, three, four weeks after the end of the season.
“I’ll certainly sit down with Mick and see what his views are. I’m sure whatever happens, we’ll probably agree on the decision that’s made.”
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the club.
