Steele Sidebottom: a friggin' legend

[RudeBoy]

I just think some special acknowledgement and congratulations need to be sent Sidey's way, after his incredible performance across our entire finals campaign.

Arguably, he won us the Premiership with that amazing goal late in the GF, which put us 10 pts up, before the Lions pegged it back to 4 pts.

For some reason I can't really understand, Sidey has had his share of knockers on Nicks, but to me he has always been one of our most important players, with his silky foot skills, footy brains, his aerobic capacity, and his on-field leadership. To my mind, he is an absolute phucken legend, and hopefully has another 2 seasons to play.

[What'sinaname]

Well he did stink it up in the 2018 GF.

14 disposals. If he was half as effective as he was in any of the PF, we probably would have won.

[Mike]

I just think some special acknowledgement and congratulations need to be sent Sidey's way, after his incredible performance across our entire finals campaign.

Arguably, he won us the Premiership with that amazing goal late in the GF, which put us 10 pts up, before the Lions pegged it back to 4 pts.

For some reason I can't really understand, Sidey has had his share of knockers on Nicks, but to me he has always been one of our most important players, with his silky foot skills, footy brains, his aerobic capacity, and his on-field leadership. To my mind, he is an absolute phucken legend, and hopefully has another 2 seasons to play.

Hear hear!

.

[jonmac1954]

I just think some special acknowledgement and congratulations need to be sent Sidey's way, after his incredible performance across our entire finals campaign.

Arguably, he won us the Premiership with that amazing goal late in the GF, which put us 10 pts up, before the Lions pegged it back to 4 pts.

For some reason I can't really understand, Sidey has had his share of knockers on Nicks, but to me he has always been one of our most important players, with his silky foot skills, footy brains, his aerobic capacity, and his on-field leadership. To my mind, he is an absolute phucken legend, and hopefully has another 2 seasons to play.

Sidearssss is a fantastic footballer with very good footskills but silky??

Not quite - for a long while his short passes were ankle height or lower.

[RudeBoy]

I just think some special acknowledgement and congratulations need to be sent Sidey's way, after his incredible performance across our entire finals campaign.

Arguably, he won us the Premiership with that amazing goal late in the GF, which put us 10 pts up, before the Lions pegged it back to 4 pts.

For some reason I can't really understand, Sidey has had his share of knockers on Nicks, but to me he has always been one of our most important players, with his silky foot skills, footy brains, his aerobic capacity, and his on-field leadership. To my mind, he is an absolute phucken legend, and hopefully has another 2 seasons to play.

Sidearssss is a fantastic footballer with very good footskills but silky??

Not quite - for a long while his short passes were ankle height or lower.

There is not another player in the AFL as good as he is on both feet. Listen to former players, now commentators, and they regularly speak in awe of his dual sided foot skills.

[bally12]

Sidey's a ripper. Performs in big games and his skills on both sides are brilliant. How was that gather in the Brisbane goal square in the last few mins! Heart was in my mouth. Simply don't win the GF without him.

[jonmac1954]

I just think some special acknowledgement and congratulations need to be sent Sidey's way, after his incredible performance across our entire finals campaign.

Arguably, he won us the Premiership with that amazing goal late in the GF, which put us 10 pts up, before the Lions pegged it back to 4 pts.

For some reason I can't really understand, Sidey has had his share of knockers on Nicks, but to me he has always been one of our most important players, with his silky foot skills, footy brains, his aerobic capacity, and his on-field leadership. To my mind, he is an absolute phucken legend, and hopefully has another 2 seasons to play.

Sidearssss is a fantastic footballer with very good footskills but silky??

Not quite - for a long while his short passes were ankle height or lower.

There is not another player in the AFL as good as he is on both feet. Listen to former players, now commentators, and they regularly speak in awe of his dual sided foot skills.

I totally agree with general field kicking but his short passing wasn't up to that standard for a fair time.
Regularly - if not frequently - his short passes bounced around the ankles of his intended target.
Doesn't change my respect for his worth to the club in every other respect but his short game wasn't impeccable for some time.

[pietillidie]

The great man has has that old glint in his eye ever since Fly arrived. You could just see him get his energy back. To reach 300 games is amazing enough, but to become a dual Premiership winner, playing proper Sidey footy, icing a famous grand final victory? That's beyond legendary.

And to think, in parallel, Pendles becomes The Conductor.

[Magpietothemax]

I agree with everything here.
Fly and Sidey have fused and the result is Steel of a new calibre.
His goal in the last quarter will live in our memories forever as a legendary moment.
He and Fly have found a way to reverse the aging process. His performances in finals this year equalled those of his youth.
I am just so happy that he now possesses a second Premiership medallion, a record 13 years after his first.

[Clifton Hill-Billy]

Absolutely agree, he is a new player under Fly and his 2023 grand final performance, particularly his game winning goal from 55m is the stuff of legends. If you take out performance in 2018 grand final loss, a just consider 2010 draw and replay, 2011 and 2023 (and TAC GF where he kicked 10 as a kid) he is clearly a big game player that thrives on the biggest of occasions. Deadset Collingwood legend forever!

[think positive]

Nothin like seeing sidey with that huge grin, his confidence and enjoyment are back, he knew he would kick that goal!

[Pies4shaw]

Since the 75-page Steele Sidebottom thread has slipped off the first page, I'll re-post this, here:

To put these deeds into full context, if you want to find a Collingwood player who played in more premierships than Pendles and Sidey, you have to go back to 1936 and be talking the likes of the Collier brothers (both of whom played in 27-30 and 35/36). This is very rarefied air the two lads are breathing!

It's not just "hero" or "legend" status for Sidey and Pendles - we're talking "immortals"!

[Ronnie McKeowns boots]

He has copped some crap on here indeed, mainly as noted for his less than stellar 2018 GF.

As others have noted, his short passing was strangely off for about 3-4 years....was good, went bad, came good again.

Injury related? perhaps.....but when rewatching the 2019 Prelim early this year, you could really tell the positioning of the players forward of the ball was, well, unusual.

Certainly different to this year.

Long story short, I feel that the player positioning forward of the ball allows him to demonstrate his skills better in the current set up.

[mightypies90]

I've always been a fan of Sidey, you only need to go to games to see the amount of ground he covers, it’s not just his skills, it’s the support he provides to the defence and the link he provides to the forwards.
He has been my favourite for a long time, and it will be a sad day when he retires from the club.

[K]

Well he did stink it up in the 2018 GF.

14 disposals. If he was half as effective as he was in any of the PF, we probably would have won.

The difference was being tagged. It ain't easy.

Easiest team solution: have so many stars, they can't tag 'em all.

(Or have Swans who are "untaggable".)

...but when rewatching the 2019 Prelim early this year, ...

Why?

Not enough pain in your life?