Club legend Peter Daicos will provide his insight to Collingwood supporters throughout the club's finals campaign to be published on Collingwoodfc.com.au.
I never like to highlight one individual in a side but when the question was directed to me after Collingwood’s win over the Western Bulldogs on Saturday night, I came up with a small group of Magpies.??
I have nominated a player in each division who I think plays a critical role to the club’s success and will need to feature in the preliminary final if the Magpies want to progress to the final Saturday in September.??
Particularly with this side, you can’t name one guy, that’s the beauty of the team. You have to break it down in areas of the ground.
Defence - Nick Maxwell
The skipper is relishing his role as the loose man down in defence. He has a wonderful ability to read the play and plays a key role in negating the opposition’s attacks.
We saw this on Saturday night when Maxwell filled the hole in front of the Nathan Brown versus Barry Hall match up. Time and time again, Maxwell was there to cut off the entry inside 50.
Maxwell is playing the Jason Cloke role of many years ago where he can slip by and do what he wants.??
Midfield - Ben Johnson and Sharrod Wellingham
I had to go with two midfielders here.??
Ben Johnson has proved he is really important to this side. When he has the footy, his running and penetration is extremely damaging to the opposition. He always seems to shrug and break clear of a tackle.
Sharrod Wellingham has come on this year. His hardness for the contest and where he finds his footy makes him a crucial cog. He wins his footy in the central part of the ground.
The Swans and the Didaks play a bit wider and do the old one twos.
Wellingham doesn’t need as many touches as some of the other guys because it’s where he wins it and what he does with it that makes him extremely effective.
Forward - Travis Cloke
Travis Cloke is another one who has really made an impact this year. He is playing hard, angry football. When you look at Collingwood’s forward structure at the start of the game, Cloke is the guy who adds the spine to the forward 50.
In order for Collingwood to reach the grand final, these four Magpies need to fire.
