Time for Pies to truly step up

THIS is Collingwood’s month of truth.

There is no doubt the Magpies deserve a big tick so far, for climbing inside the top four with an injury list that is now as long as your arm. But even though we said Collingwood received a dream draw in 2018, Campion Data rates the Magpies’ remaining seven games the second-hardest run home in the competition.

And the next four circled in Nathan Buckley’s diary are West Coast (MCG), North Melbourne (MCG), Richmond (MCG) and Sydney (SCG).

They already have 11 wins and two more victories within the next month, combined with at least one other triumph over lower-placed Brisbane at the MCG (Round 21) or Fremantle in Perth (Round 23) will book the Pies a longawaited finals appearance.

It’s been a four-year wait that tested every ounce of the club’s faith. But looking ahead this next month is where Collingwood will either gain enormous belief for a serious tilt at the flag, or the wheels may start to wobble a bit.

And without two of its best midfielders Adam Treloar and Daniel Wells, star forward Jamie Elliott, important stopper Lynden Dunn and now speedster Will Hoskin-Elliott, no one will be surprised if the Pies run out of some puff.

But this is a much more attractive football club for star free agent Tom Lynch or even his Gold Coast co-captain Steven May.

The Magpies have stability and upside, and the decision to re-sign coach Nathan Buckley looks like one of the best calls any club made last year in the face of searing pressure.

Veteran Tyson Goldsack yesterday said it was genuinely a much happier footy club after 39 staff changes as part of the review. Stronger relationships across the board are at the centre of the upswing in 2018.

But even though Buckley’s troops sit second on the ladder, we still reserve our judgment on Collingwood, despite icing its seventh straight over the brave Bombers yesterday.

Skipper Scott Pendlebury produced an inspirational last term and Jordan De Goey put on a show deep forward to seal the 16-point victory.

De Goey may have turned down huge offers to drag him to a new club last week, but the star goalkicker looked every bit a big-money man.