MOVING All-Australian backman Ben Reid permanently forward could be the X-factor Collingwood needs in its premiership pursuit, stats suggest.

Reid, who started his career as a forward, kicked nine goals in the three games he's played forward this season, including four against Carlton in round 15.

Teammate Travis Cloke, by far the most targeted forward in the competition, is also benefiting from Reid's foray forward.

Collingwood has gone to Cloke 153 times in 14 matches at a season-average of 10.9 per game.

 

The next most targeted player in the competition is Hawks superstar Lance Franklin with 117 from 14 games.

 

Interestingly, Cloke has taken a competition-leading 72 marks inside forward 50 – 24 more than the next best Jarryd Roughead (48) and Jack Riewoldt (48).

Put simply - if Cloke doesn't fire, the Pies struggle. 

 

However, a trend has emerged when Reid has been thrust forward.

 

Stats show Cloke's targets have actually increased with Reid as his foil up forward – taking his season average from 10.9 to 11.4 over the past few weeks.

 

Cloke missed the round 10 game (against the Brisbane Lions) through illness, but with Reid alongside him against the Blues in round 15, Cloke was targeted 13 times.

 

Reid finished with four goals and Cloke added five as the duo fought it out for best afield honours.

 

In the next match-up against the Crows, the pair finished with two goals apiece – but their impact was far greater than their scoring tallies. And the Magpies went to Cloke on 15 occasions.

 

North Melbourne forwards coach Brett Allison likened Reid's potential impact to that of West Coast premiership swingman Adam Hunter.

 

Allison sat in the Sydney Swans' coaching box during the classic West Coast-Swans rivalries of 2005-06 and often watched on in dismay as Hunter – who regularly started in a key post in defence – was swung forward in a match-winning cameo.

 

"I'm a big fan of those players that can play as defenders, but then can swing forward," Allison told AFL.com.au.

"That's the beauty of the Reid situation."

 

Allison said a team's ability to change the forward line dynamic mid-game forces the opposition to react and that's when the damage can be done.

 

When asked during the week what his ideal forward line set-up was heading into the finals, Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley said he would treat it on a case-by-case basis.

 

"(Reid will) definitely play forward at times (but) he cut his teeth as a defender and that is where he plays his best football for us," Buckley said.

 

"That is where we are structured up best when he is playing his role well as a key back in tandem with Nathan Brown."

 

But the possible return of Lachlan Keeffe, who has managed two best-on-ground performances for Collingwood in the VFL in his past two outings, gives the Magpies extra flexibility.

 

If Keeffe, who is still on the comeback trail from a knee reconstruction, and Brown can hold down the key defensive posts, then the Pies could release Reid to create havoc up forward.

 

That scenario is not lost on Buckley and it has given him and his coaching staff plenty to think about in the lead up to September.