AUSSIE RULES Mature champ’s sights Pie high

Sidebottom has learnt over the years that footy is a game of peaks and troughs.

On a personal level he has been one of Collingwood’s most consistent performers for a decade but from a team perspective there has been highs and lows.

Sidebottom played in a preliminary final in his debut season in 2009, went on to win a premiership as a 19-year-old in 2010 and played in a losing Grand Final as a 20-year-old in 2011.

With the Magpies also playing finals in 2012 and 2013, Sidebottom thought he had it pretty good with five finals appearances in five years.

Then came the trough – the Magpies missing September action four straight seasons.

But after another Grand Final last year, Sidebottom has his sights set on another sustained period of success.

“When I won and lost one early, I was 19 and 20,” Sidebottom said.

“I think at that stage I thought that was normal, that was just going to keep happening. But I was soon to find out that’s not how it is.

“I think the AFL system is set up so that teams are up and down. So hopefully I’ve had my little down period and we can start playing some regular finals footy again.”

Sidebottom himself will again be a key cog in any push for more September action.

The 28-year-old finished second behind Tom Mitchell in last year’s Brownlow Medal count and – after a strong and uninterrupted summer – believes he can still get better.

“Finishing second in the Brownlow wasn’t what I was aiming for but it’s good recognition from the umpires,” Sidebottom said.

“There’s no doubt it can get better. I think every time I go out to train I go out with a purpose to try and get better. I’m a pretty competitive kind of guy.”

Did last year’s five-point Grand Final loss to West Coast crush or drive the Magpies over the off-season? “Both,” says Sidebottom. But with a new year brings a new opportunity and the Collingwood vice-captain has plenty of reason for optimism.

Sidebottom is one of just four players still at the club who played with recruit Dayne Beams in the 2010 premiership and is particularly excited to line up alongside the onballer once again after a four-year hiatus with Brisbane.

“For me it feels like he’s never left,” Sidebottom said.

“Even he was saying a lot of the staff at the club are the same people that were here when he left. So it’s probably been easy for him coming to somewhere that he’s been. But he’s fitted in fine. I’ve enjoyed having him back and I look forward to playing alongside him.”

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