COLLINGWOOD

2007 in brief
Played: 25
Won: 15
Lost: 10
Drew: 0
Finished: 4th

Played every game (22)
Dane Swan
Tarkyn Lockyer
Nick Maxwell
Heath Shaw
Scott Burns
Dale Thomas
Travis Cloke

AFL debuts
R2, 2006 NAB AFL Rookie Draft, Pick No.18: Danny Nicholls (1)
R3, 2006 NAB AFL Draft, Pick No.44: Brad Dick (6)
R3, 2006 rookie elevation: Shannon Cox (8)
R3, 2006 rookie elevation: Alan Toovey (10)
R8, 2006 NAB AFL Draft, Pick No.63: Tyson Goldsack (17)
R11, 2005 NAB AFL Draft, Pick No.21: Danny Stanley (2)
R12, 2007 rookie elevation: Martin Clarke (12)
R13, 2006 NAB AFL Draft, Pick No.8: Ben Reid (3)
R18, 2005 NAB AFL Draft, Pick No.23: Ryan Cook (3)

Best and Fairest Award

• 1st       Travis Cloke (53)
• 2nd      Scott Pendlebury (52)
•             Tarkyn Lockyer (52)
• 4th       Dane Swan (48)
•             Heath Shaw (48)
• 6th       Dale Thomas (46)
• 7th       Anthony Rocca (44)
• 8th       Scott Burns (43)
• 9th       Harry O'Brien (41)
•             Leon Davis (41)

Leading goal-kickers

• 1st        Anthony Rocca (54)
• 2nd        Travis Cloke (39)
• 3rd        Leon Davis (31)
• 4th        Alan Didak (25)
• 5th        Paul Medhurst (24)
• 6th        Scott Pendlebury (20)
• 7th        Dale Thomas (19)

All Australians
Nil

Departures
Retired: Nathan Buckley, James Clement, Paul Licuria
Traded: Ben Davies (Kangaroos)
Delisted: Guy Richards, Danny Nicholls

2008 in brief
President: Eddie McGuire
Chief Executive: Gary Pert
Coach: Mick Malthouse
Captain: Scott Burns
Coaching staff: Guy McKenna, Brad Scott, Mark Neeld, Blake Caracella, Gavin Brown, David Buttifant, Alan Richardson, Simon Lloyd

Arrivals
Trade: Cameron Wood (Brisbane Lions)
Rookie elevation: Marty Clarke
NAB AFL Draft: John McCarthy (pick No.31), Tobias Thoolen (pick No.47), Jaxson Barham (pick No.61 – father-son)
NAB AFL Pre-Season Draft: No selections
NAB AFL Rookie Draft: Luke Casey-Leigh (pick No.13), Kevin Dyas (pick No.29)

The Year Ahead: The Pies have a favourable draw including 14 MCG clashes, just four interstate trips and a fixture that means they won't meet a fellow 2007 finalist until the Kangaroos in round five. They've got their traditional big events against Essendon on Anzac Day, Melbourne on the Queen's Birthday holiday and Sydney on Saturday night of the second split round week, and with the youngsters standing up on the finals stage last year when it mattered most, the Pies must be confident in their youth's ability to deliver under pressure.

Premiership readiness: It's a tough ask to say the Pies aren't ready for a flag when they were a kick away from playing off for one last year. Their list consists of a mix of highly talented youngsters who will only benefit from three pressure-cooker finals that included two thrillers that required every player to dig extremely deep until the final bell. Just how well the kids kick on will be imperative to the side's success. Tyson Goldsack and Harry O'Brien will be under more pressure than ever given the depleted nature of the Pies' defensive stocks early on.

Players like Scott Pendlebury and Dale Thomas will only benefit from another senior year while Marty Clarke could be almost anything this season, if he continues the blistering and somewhat surprising form he brought to the fray in 2007.

The Pies' big area of contention was their ruck situation, and the club will be hoping the recruitment of former Brisbane Lion Cameron Wood will help solve that problem. And, with Ben Reid and Sean Rusling pushing for more frequent senior appearances this year, Alan Didak and Anthony Rocca fit, and Travis Cloke's recent best-and-fairest triumph sure to do no harm to his self-confidence, their forward structure cannot be sniffed at either.

Who to watch: Given the Pies' recent ability to throw a youngster into the gun and come up with a startlingly talented inclusion, any of the club's kids could be mentioned in this section. Jack Anthony, who's 2007 season was ruined by neck injury, could catapult to stardom given the likely opportunities he'll be given early on, while Nathan Brown could also find himself a regular gig if he can stand the senior heat after a year with Williamstown. And, the Pies' second round selection from the 2006 NAB AFL Draft in Chris Dawes, who spent his first season at the club nursing a rehabilitating knee, could also turn heads when given a crack as a key defender.

There's also Clarke, whose freakish antics made him one of the most exciting players in the league last year, and his compatriot Kevin Dyas. While the latter remains a rookie-listed player, the pacy midfielder could be one to attract attention in the VFL side should be replicate Clarke's dynamite start to a football career.

Predicted ladder finish: 4th

Betting: Premiership $12, top eight $1.55

From the club: "I just expect the players to improve. That rate of improvement will always be varied because there's always going to be some players that won't play a senior game – does that mean they haven't really kicked on?

"No, it doesn't. We've got three or four players who didn't play a senior game last year and they're right in our thoughts for this year.

"The players believe; the senior players don't just want to play another year of football, they want to play another year of finals football. It's a driving force." Mick Malthouse, Collingwood coach.

The final word: In 2008, it's a matter of "why not?" for Magpie supporters. As the side was narrowly edged out of the Grand Final last year by the eventual premiers, there are plenty of reasons to be excited. Yes, some experience has been lost, but let's not forget Buckley and Clement played only 18 games between them last year while Licuria had an interrupted season and spent plenty of time in the VFL.

The greatest challenge for the Pies this year will be if the youngsters that exploded onto the scene in 2007 can escape the dreaded second-year blues and go on with it. Thomas and Pendlebury will benefit greatly from getting their second season firmly under their belt, while O'Brien and Goldsack are set to receive more responsibility, which based on their performances last season, is not unwarranted.

Malthouse also has another handful of young talent that could just make a similar impact to those introduced last year. There's plenty of firepower up forward and the ruck crisis may have been solved. With the well-liked Burns prepared to take the reigns of the side in perhaps his final season, there's evidence to suggest players like him believe the time is now – and it very well might be if the list stays intact.