COLLINGWOOD plans to reduce its reliance on key forward Travis Cloke in 2014 according to coach Nathan Buckley.
The coaching staff recognised the team was too 'Cloke-conscious' during 2013 with 39.4 per cent of Magpie kicks to a forward target going to the club's leading goalkicker. It made the team too predictable and placed enormous pressure on the 27-year-old.
Cloke performed admirably kicking 68.51 in 2013 but the Magpies did not get enough return for their forays inside 50, where they ranked third for inside 50 differentials.
"Trav [Cloke] needs more support and we're looking to develop that," Buckley told AFL.com.au.
The coach identified Tyson Goldsack's availability as a utility inside 50 [he played 13 games in 2013] as important to the structure and said the club hoped to get more output from Quinten Lynch this season. After a solid start last season, Lynch's form fell away. The club has also added Sydney Swans forward Jesse White to the line-up.
"Tyson Goldsack was in and out, which gives us a utility tall. We definitely didn't get as much out of Lynchy as we were looking for and that impacts on Trav's focus, [giving the] opposition the ability to really zone in on him and make him the one they are going to stop," Buckley said.
Buckley also indicated All Australian defender Ben Reid was likely to play forward more often this season after performing well inside 50 in the second half of last season.
"He's [Reid] had a fantastic pre-season – he's up and about – he's probably one of the players who will benefit from the greater focus on the aerobic base [and] he's running around the field with confidence," Buckley said. "He's set for a big start to the year. We see him with the ability to go both ends. That will depend as much on the depth of our tall stocks "
Collingwood's ruck set-up also remains a work in progress after the departure of Darren Jolly.
Buckley admits it is a big call to have a 19-year-old with seven games experience bearing the mantle of the club's No.1 ruckman but said Brodie Grundy had earned that right.
"What he was able to get out of last year was a massive bonus for us. We would not have expected him to come through so strongly when he got his opportunity at senior level and the seven games were enough for him," Buckley said. "He has had a really strong pre-season and he is hungry with the taste he got last year."
However Buckley is not set on what structure will unfold over the year. Form will dictate who plays and Jarrod Witts [returning from a shoulder injury] and Ben Hudson will keep pressing.
"Our ruck stocks and our hierarchy in our rucks is far from set," Buckley said. "We are not concerned by our numbers in there nor our ability to fill that role but clearly we need to find the most effective player. At this stage Brodie will be first cab off the rank."
Buckley said the competition for spots throughout the team was a positive for the club if it was managed well.
