Hello Magpie fans,
So the National Draft has been and gone for another year, and already we’re thinking about next season and what it might bring.
But I tell you what: 2023 will have to be something special to top what we turned on during this year. A heady mix of exciting game style, emerging talent, new coach and the most unbelievable run of close finishes (almost all of them victories) the game has ever seen. It all added up to a season for the ages.
And I’m not ready to let it pass into history just yet, so here’s our take on the best of 2022, together with the usual wrap-up of all that has been going on in the world of Magpie history. As ever, there’s been a lot going on.
Before I go for the year, a quick shout-out to all those who have joined the Magpie Faithful over the past couple of years. We love having you on board.
And special thanks to our volunteers at the Archives, who do so much work with research and in preserving and cataloguing our collection. Great work guys!
In the meantime, have a wonderful summer break, and we’ll see you at the footy again in ’23.
Carna Woods!
Michael Roberts
CFC Historian
What a Season!
We broke so many records during our crazy, unbelievable 2022 season that it was hard to keep track of them all. So we’ve done it for you. Check out our summary of one of the greatest seasons ever.
https://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/news/1249259/the-season-that-was-2022
Nick Daicos – young star
For once, all the hype was justified. Nick Daicos turned in one of the greatest rookie seasons in Magpie history – probably only second to Des Fothergill in 1937 (who broke into a Premiership team and won the Copeland). He won the Rising Star – unanimously – and set all kinds of records along the way. But more importantly he just looked at home right from the start, influencing games in a way few rookies can manage. Watching him over the next decade and more is going to be fun.
And how good is it that he’s going to be doing it in the No.35 guernsey too? That’s just the icing on the cake.
Pendles – not-so-young star
We could pretty much devote all our newsletters to Pendles, such is his extraordinary consistency and ability to keep breaking records. This year he became the first ever Magpie to reach 350 games, and finished second in the Copeland, giving him a staggering 14 podium finishes in 17 seasons. That is the equal second best in VFL/AFL history.
He also amassed another 555 disposals, giving him 9315 for his career – second only to St Kilda great Robert Harvey. He’s had the most handballs in AFL history, the second highest number of tackles and the third highest goal assists. Plus he’s also moved into outright second place for the most finals played by a Magpie.
Oh, and he was among the first players back at pre-season training too, even though he didn’t have to be. What. A. Champion.
Check out some more of his left-field achievements that we put together for his 350th:
https://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/news/1170673/10-stats-you-might-not-know-about-scott-pendlebury
Sidey – the quiet achiever
Everyone’s favourite Shep boy, Steele Sidebottom, quietly slipped into outright fourth place on our all-time games tally during 2022. He currently has 289 games. And he and Pendles have now played together 267 times – the most ever by a Magpie pairing.
https://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/news/1159644/sidebottom-reaches-4th-all-time-games-holder-for-collingwood
Season gongs
Jordy Allen claimed her first AFLW crown in the second of the two AFLW seasons played this year, as well as being named in the All-Australian squad of 40 (along with Chloe Molloy and Lauren Butler) and the AFL Players Association’s 22Under22 side. What a great season, and all the plaudits thoroughly deserved.
Amongst the men, Crispy went back-to-back at the Copeland – yet another tribute to his extraordinary consistency. Brayden Maynard was our only All-Australian, while Nick Daicos, Jack Ginnivan and Isaac Quaynor were all named in the under-22 side.
Thank you Billy!
In a season full of magic moments, it’s hard to pick just one. But Jamie Elliott’s goal after the siren to beat Essendon would have to be right up there. Perhaps its only real competitor would be Jamie’s goal to sink Carlton at the death in the final round. Either way – wonderful memories that will be celebrated forever.
But even better (at least from our perspective) is the fact that Jamie was kind enough to donate to the Collingwood Archives the boots he was wearing when he kicked that post-siren goal against the Bombers. We also grabbed the ball, which means we’ll be able to tell the story of that moment for decades to come. Thank you Billy – for everything!
And while we’re on donations, thank you to everyone who has donated items to the club over the past 12 months. Check them out here – there are some absolute rippers! Especially the 1910 tea and coffee set presented to skipper George Angus. We just love this stuff!
https://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/club/history-and-heritage/latest-acquisitions
https://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/news/1221116/a-treasured-premiership-memento-comes-home
Farewell to a favourite
It’s still hard to believe that Billy Picken is gone: for those of us who were around to watch Collingwood in the 1970s and ‘80s, he was such a huge figure, and one of the most popular Magpies of all time. So there was a huge outpouring of emotion when news filtered through of his shock passing back in July. Relive his career at Forever:
More goodbyes
Early in the year we also said goodbye to 1958 Premiership hero Ken Turner, a brilliant but underrated wingman who was either best-on-ground or close to it in the Miracle of ’58. Ken was, of course, father to 1990 Premiership player Jamie, and our hearts go out to him and all the family, especially Ken’s wife Therese.
On the same day that Billy Picken died, we also lost a stalwart of those great Bobby Rose teams of the 1960s and ‘70s, Con Britt. He was initially a tough and aggressive half-forward, before later becoming a tough and aggressive defender, his career eventually cut short by a knee injury.
During the year we also lost the man who had been our oldest former player, Ray Jones, a wonderful man and one of the country’s most renowned architects. Plus just a few weeks ago news came through that 1950s ruckman Dave Little, from Korumburra, had passed away.
You can read all about these Magpie greats at Forever:
