2023 coached Pies, how do they compare?

[LaurieHolden]

Interested in Nicksters views on what many viewed as our best 22 ahead of the ’23 finals series, in comparison to our last 3 GF teams.
Cast your vote for your preferred side, who wins?

Collingwood 2010 GF

B: 5 Nick Maxwell (c) 16 Nathan Brown 34 Alan Toovey
HB: 8 Harry O'Brien 20 Ben Reid 39 Heath Shaw

C: 21 Sharrod Wellingham 36 Dane Swan 26 Ben Johnson
Foll: 18 Darren Jolly 10 Scott Pendlebury 13 Dale Thomas

HF: 4 Alan Didak 32 Travis Cloke 12 Luke Ball
F: 17 Dayne Beams 31 Chris Dawes 22 Steele Sidebottom

Int: 47 Jarryd Blair 30 Brent Macaffer 1 Leon Davis 15 Leigh Brown
Coach: Mick Malthouse



Collingwood 2011 GF

B: 34 Alan Toovey 20 Ben Reid 8 Harry O'Brien
HB: 5 Nick Maxwell (c) 2 Chris Tarrant 39 Heath Shaw

C: 11 Jarryd Blair 36 Dane Swan 13 Dale Thomas
Foll: 18 Darren Jolly 10 Scott Pendlebury 7 Andrew Krakouer

HF: 26 Ben Johnson 15 Leigh Brown 4 Alan Didak
F: 22 Steele Sidebottom 32 Travis Cloke 12 Luke Ball

Int: 1 Leon Davis 31 Chris Dawes 21 Sharrod Wellingham 35 Alex Fasolo (sub)
Coach: Mick Malthouse


Collingwood 2018 GF

B: 25 Jack Crisp 8 Tom Langdon 37 Brayden Maynard
HB: 18 Travis Varcoe 6 Tyson Goldsack 38 Jeremy Howe

C: 21 Tom Phillips 10 Scott Pendlebury (c) 7 Adam Treloar
Foll: 4 Brodie Grundy 13 Taylor Adams 22 Steele Sidebottom

HF: 2 Jordan De Goey 41 Brody Mihocek 32 Will Hoskin-Elliott
F: 35 Jaidyn Stephenson 46 Mason Cox 24 Josh Thomas

Int: 36 Brayden Sier 14 James Aish 16 Chris Mayne 19 Levi Greenwood
Coach: Nathan Buckley


Collingwood Round 19 2023

B: 38 J.Howe, D.Moore (c), I.Quaynor
HB: B.Maynard, N.Murphy, S.Pendlebury

C: J.Noble, T.Adams, J.Daicos
Foll: D.Cameron, T.Mitchell, N.Daicos

HF: B.McCreery, B.Mihocek, P.Lipinski
F: J.Elliott, D.McStay, S.Sidebottom

Int: J.De Goey, B.Hill, J.Crisp, M.Cox
Coach: Craig Macrae

[stui magpie]

I gave it to the 2011 side, just. It's the most talented of the 4, our 2018 team is the least talented.

2023 team vs the 2011 team would be a hell of a game.

[LaurieHolden]

^ If only Moore and Elliott played in 2018...

[MatthewBoydFanClub]

Easily the 2023 side. It's much more balanced. And the very biggest difference with this side and the others is that we have waiting in the wings to come into the side, guys like Ginnivan, Frampton, Johnson and WHE, who can play roles if needed.

[jonmac1954]

^ If only Moore and Elliott played in 2018...

Either of them would have got us across the line and I have doubts about Moore being unfit to play - physically at least.

Not saying he pulled the pin because of doubting himself but it may have been a mitigating factor both for Moore and the selection committee.

Would be far from the first time it's happened in the league.

[David]

One of the things I find most remarkable about the team this year is that we took what was already a very good side and basically added five experienced first-22 (or close to) players in Frampton, Hill, Markov, McStay and Mitchell. It’s the biggest immediate influx of talent and experience we’ve had since the early Malthouse years, and that was a very young side that had just finished 16th and 15th. It’s little wonder we’re hard to beat. We’ve taken a premiership contender and improved it by 20%.

The 2011 side was as dominant, perhaps more so on paper, but it didn’t have the heart that this side has. I still remember how the players seemed to get bored of winning towards the end of that year and how something seemed off in the lead-up to the finals (and the finals themselves), as if they’d lost their mojo and didn’t know how to get it back. Never in a million years can I imagine that happening to these guys. Win or lose, we’ll fight to the death. That’s why I pick the 2023 side above all the rest.

[Gerry Cooper]

Does the 2011 grand final side include Reid on one leg or fully fit?

[stui magpie]

^ If only Moore and Elliott played in 2018...

If they had, we win.

[23 YIPPEE!!!]

2024 Collingwood will be the best team we have ever had since the 1920s mark my words.

But for now out of the polling options ill say 2010 GF and todays line up but in which yet to win it this year tho.

Same can be said for 2024 but we are not far away from fielding our strongest ever team since the 1920s.

[Skids]

This sides a steam train, Jamie kicks the winner.

[23 YIPPEE!!!]

Fly has the makings of been the greatest coach of all time.

Or at least in the top 3 coaches.

I would if we win the flag this season kind of have him into the likes of Barrassi Alan Jeans and Leigh Matthews.

He turns things into gold.

[Jezza]

I voted 2011, but I find it hard to split with 2023.

2018 is the weakest of the four. It was almost a sense of bewilderment that we made the GF after upsetting Richmond in the PF.

2011 could play just one good quarter of football and blow a side away in the space of 30 minutes. On paper, I think it has more natural talent than the 2023 team.

2023 has the greatest 'never say die' attitude and spirit of the four sides, which always keeps them in games. It's still early days, but I think McRae's coaching nous and tactics are greater than both Malthouse and Buckley.

The one thing that makes me gravitate to 2011 is the level of competition was far more difficult than it is now. Geelong and Hawthorn in 2011 are superior teams compared to Port Adelaide and Brisbane this year.

[npalm]

So many nicksters getting ahead of themselves. The 2023 team are going great so far, but it's September that counts. Let's wait and see how the finals pan out before we start comparing this side to any other.

[Meredith1965]

^ If only Moore and Elliott played in 2018...

If they had, we win.

Yes, Buckley was a very unlucky general. Those two would have made the difference. He also had two top ten picks in Scharenberg and Freeman who should have been the backbone of a that 2018 team, and both of them proved a medical bust.

[LaurieHolden]

^ so should we avoid uttering the word *******ship, as it could be the Collingwood equivalent of the Scottish Play?