r/collingwoodfc • u/Beginning-Top-1621 • 1d ago
Optimistic!
I can't see us winning a flag in the coming years, but I like where we are headed - make finals and be competitive then win the B2B flags in 2029-30!
This year went as I feared with consistent injuries to our older players. What I didn't expect was the next generation coming through and stepping up. Along with the ongoing Bobby Hill saga, it was amazing we were as competitive as we were.
Add Neale in to the mix, alongside a few more down the track, we're another step in the right direction. Destination club with McCrae as coach is a big drawcard.
We somehow need to find the right place for Moore as we were better structurally without him. Love Howe, but unsure another year is going to bear us much fruit, will be in and out of side I think.
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u/hymie_funkhauser Brittany Bonnici 1d ago
I don’t think you can judge Moore on this year. He was either underdone or injured. I’ll give the skipper another year to show his true colours.
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u/CucumberPancake10 Nick Daicos 1d ago
I have a feeling Moore is going to come back and return to previous form.
I think anything can happen at this stage too, end of last year I thought GC were going to win the flag, look how that turned out.
I don’t want to wait until 2029 too, I want us to keep being competitive and remain in contention. Geelong do it almost every year, this should be the standard we try to reach.
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u/happyilyrednow 19h ago
Yep, somehow Geelong keeps getting all these top-tier free agents. Drives me fucking crazy. Everyone just keeps walking into Geelong. Lap drops.
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u/SnooFoxes6566 Beau McCreery 1d ago
It'd be outstanding to go real deep in 2027, but if our drafting this year is a as good as it was last year then we could start pushing in 2028
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u/NewSandwich5371 1d ago
Top 6. I’m a lot more confident heading into 2027 than I was 2026 and as a fairly unplanned transition year with a heap of injuries , we did v v well.
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u/This_Ease_5678 1d ago
I can see us winning a flag very soon. We just need Brisbane to fuck off.
We woupd have beaten the Cat last year if not for a perfect 2nd half by the Bears.
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u/Bulkywon 23h ago
The defense held up pretty well.
In come Moore, Maynard, Perry.
IQ and the Frampchise did fine. Houston out will give us one more defender.
The midfield needs a clearance player which we pretty much accept is going to be Neale.
The forward line score fine when the connection is coming. McStay showed how good it could be in the second half of the year.
Ton of young guys to be happy with. I'm pretty excited for next year to be honest.
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u/Technical-Toe6932 Will Hoskin-Elliott 23h ago
Moore had a monster game against Adelaide only last year. We need continuity and a clear structure for him, because his best is miles better than any defender on our team currently. Neale to help with clearances and a midfield shakeup will see us hopefully win more crucial clearances and games.
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u/GuardedFig Liam Puncher 23h ago
I like that we are regenerating the list. Our immediate prospects will depend on continued improvement from the likes of Allen, Steele, Harrison, Steene, Anderson, Hayes, West and co.
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u/Ill_Sector_2063 Bobby Hill 21h ago
I honestly think this season went as planned, the only thing that wasnt was injuries we suffered, land Neal get Osc and Jamie back next season it looks great for next year my only question mark is on Darcy Moore
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u/happyilyrednow 19h ago
I've been saying this for ages now, but we should be running moore as a forward, even if we just give him a go in that position again. I know we've done it before, but if you give him some fair time, I think he could be a great forward. He can pinch hit the ruck for us if need be too
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u/PlasticCraicAOS Floreat Pica 1d ago edited 20h ago
Here's the actual optimistic view: I reckon we'll be Top 4 next year. We were 3 wins outside of it, with six close losses (seven including Finals) all coming down to this team automatically losing every important clearance in every game. We only needed to win any one of about 5 clearances* to win each of those games. Even if we split those games 50:50, that gets us Top 4 and a Finals win, and the sky's the limit from there.
TLDR I reckon Lachie Neale gets us Top 4.
*Or in that last game, the umps to call any one of 5 blatant chucks by Footscray