Collingwood’s ruck issues have been exposed in a major way in the team’s loss to Brisbane in what could develop into “a big story” according to AFL great Matthew Lloyd.
After being the form side of the competition through the first three rounds, the Magpies were handily beaten by the Lions, with Brisbane ruckman Oscar McInerney running riot.
With Collingwood coming into the match with both Mason Cox and Darcy Cameron sidelined, McInerney feasted on the Magpies’ makeshift ruck combinations, finishing the match with 43 hitouts, 11 clearances and 18 disposals.
READ MORE: ‘Silly’ Radley ‘mistake’ costs Chooks in big loss
READ MORE: Aussies surge into contention at Masters
READ MORE: Bathurst’s win on Sunday, sell on Monday era returns
Lloyd explained how the absence of a true ruckman had a butterfly effect on the other areas of the ground for Craig McRae’s side.
”Collingwood just fell apart structurally,” he told 3AW.
“The forward line just had no targets, the defenders were running too hard aggressively.
“I think it gets hard trying to rove to makeshift ruckmen. I think that is going to be a big story this week – can they scrounge enough wins without Mason Cox and Darcy Cameron there?”
McRae shifted off-season recruit Daniel McStay into the ruck position against the Lions, with Ash Johnston deputising from time to time. Neither was able to get ahold of McInerney.
McInerney became just the seventh player since records were kept to record over 40 hitouts and over 10 clearances in a game, joining Aaron Sandilands, Nic Naitanui, Jarrod Witts (all twice), Max Gawn and Sean Darcy.
The other player on that list, Brodie Grundy, has recorded the rare statistical feat four times in his career, and was let go by the Magpies in the off-season to clear cap space.
Grundy enjoyed the strongest game of his season last week in Melbourne’s 50-point win over the Sydney Swans, recording 21 disposals and 25 hitouts.
Cameron is currently expected to miss at least six weeks with a knee injury, while Cox is out indefinitely with a haematoma, and the pair’s absence will surely shine a light on management’s decision to let a two-time All-Australian in Grundy walk for cents on the dollar over the summer.
“It’s something we’ll have to really work through in the next period,” McRae said of the absence of true big men.
“We’ve got what we’ve got and we just have to work through it … I don’t think there’s a magic solution to it. We’re going to have to work through it and get better at what we do.
“Clearances weren’t a huge cost, it was only a half dozen here or there. We won the scoring battle from stoppage, which we thought, if we could manage that at the start of the game, we’d be OK. That was always a threat.
“It’s the first real game we’ve had of it and I’m sure we’ll learn a lot from it.”
Collingwood champion Tony Shaw was highly critical of his beloved side’s performance, accusing them of playing “a bit like Hollywood” in the loss.
”If you tap the ball, you’re a chance, but when he was clear in the contest and then grabbing it and kicking it forward, you become like another midfielder,” Shaw told 3AW.
“Without that player who’s competitive in that area, I just thought they (Collingwood) played a bit like Hollywood – they got carried away with the game plan in a slippery night.
“Forwards just started to fly for everything, they lost their structure and thought they wanted to get involved individually.
“They were due for a game where maybe it just didn’t work for them.”
Collingwood will aim to steady the ship when it takes on St Kilda at the Adelaide Oval in round five as a part of the AFL’s Gather Round next week.
For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!
The biggest controversies in AFL history
For all the latest Sports News Click Here
For the latest news and updates, follow us on Google News.
