THE first bombshellof the off-season came on Sunday evening, when Collingwood vice-captain JamesClement decided to hang up his boots at the age of 31.
The Magpies' "general" in defence, Clement hasbeen one of the club's most consistent and reliable performers since crossingfrom Fremantle for the 2001 season.
Although he picked up two Copeland trophies and twoAll-Australian guernseys since 2004, his 2007 season was plagued by injury, apersistent calf complaint restricting him to just 13 games.
When Simon Prestigiacomo and Harry O'Brien also sufferedinjuries mid-season, the Magpies' defence was full of holes and under immensepressure. But the likes of Tyson Goldsack and Nick Maxwell stood up in theirabsence, and the Pies managed to pull off an impressive win over Sydney in round 12.
Clement came back into the side in round 18 after spendingone week in the VFL, and his presence gave the team an immediate boost. Withtheir tough backman bolstering their defensive set-up, the Pies went on to winfive of their eight final matches for the year.
Their five-point preliminary final loss to Geelong was aheart-breaking way for Clement to end his career, and his announcement that hewas retiring came as a shock to his teammates, particularly as he averaged 23disposals in the Pies' final two games.
The club's vice-captain didn't start his career in black-and-white.He was a Fremantle player until 2000, having been picked up by the club via adraft zone selection in 1995.
In his 84 games for Fremantle he booted 38 goals as aforward in 1998. Traded at the end of 2000, he made his way to Collingwoodwhere he became a reliable defender, displaying a talented football brain andexcellent leadership skills.
Clement played in Collingwood’s losing Grand Finals in 2002and 2003, and went on to take his individual game to another level in 2004. Hewon his first club best and fairest after a remarkably consistent year and worean All-Australian jumper for the first time.
He repeated both feats in the following year, afterskippering the side for a large portion of the season when Nathan Buckley andAnthony Rocca were out injured, and then ran a close second to Alan Didak inthe Copeland trophy count in 2006, equal runner-up with Ben Johnson.
The soft-tissue problem this season hampered his chances ofending his career on a high, consistency-wise, but it did mean he would retireas one of Collingwood's most determined and professional players. Clement has said that he is retiring for personal reasons.
His announcement comes almost exactly 12 months aftercaptain Nathan Buckley publicly floatedhis belief that Clement should be the next skipper of the Magpies, possibly assoon as this year.
Now the Magpies are faced with choosing an alternativesuccessor, as the quietly spoken defender exits the game the same way he playedit — with poise, dignity and on his own terms.
The views in this story are those of the author and notnecessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
