Magpie legend’s backing Buckley

TONY Shaw says Collingwood should extend Nathan Buckley’s contract and then urgently address the lack of star power on its list.

The former Collingwood coach and Magpies great said extending Buckley’s contract by two years would give him breathing space to strive for a premiership.

But ahead of tonight’s clash with North Melbourne he has urged the club to throw millions of dollars at key position stars Jake Lever and Mitch McGovern.

Shaw said if the Magpies offered both five-year $5 million contracts it would be a serious show of intent about a premiership charge.

The Pies could reprise Richmond’s tactics of the last offseason — retain the senior coach but revamp the team of assistant coaches, recruiters and support staff.

Collingwood refuses to discuss a potential return for banned football boss Graeme Allen, but it is expected it will find a role for the long-time administrator.

Shaw said if Buckley were retained the Pies must be aggressive and bring in key position stars to help Darcy Moore and Ben Reid.

He was adamant that the club had not secured a key position star since Anthony Rocca joined from Sydney for the 1997 season, and was mystified by its recruitment of Quinten Lynch, Jesse White and Chris Mayne.

“I think our list is the issue, not our coach in a lot of ways,” Shaw said. “I have never rated this current list as having a chance to win a premiership.

“I’d give Buckley an extension of two years. Clarko [Alastair Clarkson] and Bomber [Mark Thompson] had the same thing happen to them [doubts over credentials] and their clubs didn’t change them as coach. I don’t think the list is good enough at the moment.

“Bucks has been pretty competitive this year and he has learnt lessons which probably took him too long, but it sounds like the players are receptive to him. I don’t see a reason to change him.”

Clarkson was nearly sacked by Jeff Kennett in 2010, while Thompson survived a bruising 2006 review of the club before winning two premierships.