Collingwood Forever

ANZAC Day debutants

on April 21, 2016

Collingwood has had a rich tradition of blooding young players in big games, with the likes of Len Thompson, Rene Kink and Ian Cooper among a long list of Magpies to play their first games in September.

Collingwood Cult Figures: Rupert Betheras

on March 30, 2016

As Collingwood charted a pathway from easy beat to unlikely premiership contender in 2002, a new chant spread its way through the Black and White army on match days.

The coaches: Tony Shaw

on October 21, 2014

Tony Shaw might not have had a successful stint as Collingwood coach, but it wasn't for lack of effort, or passion for the club. Nothing that happened then changes the fact that he is, and will always be, a Collingwood legend.

Wooden Spoon

on August 23, 2014

Collingwood has finished at the bottom of the ladder on two occasions, while Carlton has received the Wooden Spoon three times.

1999: Collingwood vs Brisbane (Round 22)

1999: Richmond vs Collingwood (Round 19)

1999: Collingwood vs Essendon (Round 20)

1999: North Melbourne vs Collingwood (Round 21)

1999: Hawthorn vs Collingwood (Round 16)

1999: Collingwood vs Carlton (Round 17)

1999: West Coast vs Collingwood (Round 18)

1999: Collingwood vs Port Adelaide (Round 14)

1999: Geelong vs Collingwood (Round 15)

1999: Adelaide vs Collingwood (Round 12)

1999: St Kilda vs Collingwood (Round 13)

1999: Sydney vs Collingwood (Round 10)

1999: Collingwood vs Melbourne (Round 11)

1999: Brisbane vs Collingwood (Round 7)

1999: Collingwood vs Fremantle (Round 8)

1999: Collingwood vs Western Bulldogs (Round 9)

1999: Collingwood vs West Coast (Round 3)

1999: Collingwood vs Richmond (Round 4)

1999: Essendon vs Collingwood (Round 5)

1999: Collingwood vs North Melbourne (Round 6)

1999: Collingwood vs Hawthorn (Round 1)

1999: Carlton vs Collingwood (Round 2)

Brad Oborne

Initially from Montmorency he joined Collingwood from Preston U18. He was snared by Collingwood at the 1998 national draft under the father-son rule as his father Rod played for the Magpies. His neat left foot disposal and ability to collect goals were distinctive traits and he forced his way into the senior team early in 2000. But the following season…

Tarkyn Lockyer

Lockyer had played senior football with East Fremantle before having a year on the Collingwood rookie list in 1998. He broke into the senior team in round eight of the 1999 season on a bitterly cold May afternoon against the Dockers and held his spot from then onwards. His disposal was so good that he was entrusted with kick-ins and…

Craig Jacotine

From Dandenong Stingrays, he had well refined skills and was not afraid to tear into packs. Jacotine made an impression as a rover/run-with player in 1999.

Heath Scotland

A classy user of the ball with a knack for winning big possession numbers, Scotland was a valuable member of Collingwood’s 2002 and 2003 Grand Final teams. Although his career is more notable for his efforts at Princes Park, Scotland made an important contribution to Collingwood’s rise under Mick Malthouse. Originally from Darley, Scotland received his first chance at senior…

Ricky Olarenshaw

A left footer from Keilor who had a quick rise to prominence in his first year as one of the crop of youngsters that took Essendon to the 1993 flag. After the 1993 premiership he battled against ankle, groin, shoulder and hip injuries. He was traded to Collingwood at the end of 1998 but was still plagued by injuries and…

Cameron Venables

He played with Subiaco and Claremont before joining Collingwood at the age of 24. Venables was aggressive and quick as a tall defender.

Rupert Betheras

As Collingwood charted a pathway from easy beat to unlikely premiership contender in 2002, a new chant spread its way through the Black and White army on match days. The catchcry was ‘Ruuupppeee … Ruuupppeee” and it grew voice whenever the club’s industrious midfielder-forward Rupert Betheras went anywhere near the ball. It was unconventional, and out of the ordinary, just…

Tyson Lane

Lane joined Footscray from Melton at the age of 16 and although he showed flashes of brilliance in the reserves he struggled to get a senior game, and was swapped for Josh Mahoney. He had asked to be traded even though he had starred in the Dogs’ 1998 reserves Grand Final triumph, and his four goal performance against the Magpies…

Paul Licuria

If you had to choose one game to explain what Paul Licuria meant to the Collingwood Football Club, it would be impossible to go past a memorable September night in Adelaide in 2002. It came in the Magpies’ qualifying final against Port Adelaide, at the old Football Park, when he helped orchestrate one of the biggest upsets in finals history. In…

Michael Gardiner

A tall ex-basketballer from WA club Subiaco, he had good ground skills and was brought along slowly by the Magpies. In 1999 he was used as a tall forward option and occasional ruckman.

Nick Davis

At times during the 2001 season, Davis bordered on the edge of stardom. Yet twelve months later, he quit the club for Sydney, leaving Collingwood’s half forward line much the poorer. His best was scintillating, and his right boot hit the Sherrin as sweetly as anyone in Australia. Though not a big man, Davis knew how to thump a football…

Glenn Freeborn

A former Woodville-West Torrens flanker who was initially drafted by Melbourne in the 1993 pre-season draft before he had even played senior football. He was picked up by North in a three-way deal between the Demons, Roos and Freo and joined North as a winger, half-back or half-forward. An unobtrusive type of player with great goal sense. Freeborn had a…

Clinton King

The son of former St Kilda rover Derek King, he originally came from Eastern Ranges. He showed his pace for Sydney, but his light build counted against him. In 1999 he was just starting to show his high skill level for Collingwood when he suffered a foot stress fracture. Even though he missed eight games he still finished in the…

Brent Tuckey

From Stawell, Tuckey was drafted as a 17 year old from Ballarat Rebels at the 1996 National draft in the choice swapped by Carlton for Mick McGuane. He had a good spring, but needed to learn plenty about the game in the early stages of the career. He had a brief taste in three games late in 1998, but didn’t…

James Wasley

Wasley arrived at Collingwood with a glowing reputation established in the SANFL with Norwood, but stress fractures of the foot kept him on the sidelines for the first half of 1998. After just two games with the reserves he forced his way into the senior side and showed promise as a winger or half-forward flanker with a good turn of…

Ben Kinnear

From Central District, SA, he showed some encouraging signs in playing five solid games in mid-1998. His strong marking in defence was an asset, but in 1999 he did not get a senior opportunity until Round 7. After four games he found himself back in the reserves for two months, but was able to regain a senior spot for three…

Jamie Tape

The former Woodville-West Torrens player was an important part of the 1995 Richmond surge, but fell away after that. A foot injury hampered him, but he seemed to have lost his aggression at the ball being often caught out for pace. He was not a regular senior player in 1997 and was traded to Collingwood as part of the swap…

Chris Tarrant

Originally from South Mildura, Tarrant moved to Bendigo in 1996 on an AFL scholarship. In his younger days he was a top basketballer and made the state under-15 squad before making the decision to concentrate on football. He was Collingwood’s first pick in the 1997 draft, but he had a slow start to the 1998 season when he injured a…

Frank Raso

A courageous footballer from Preston RSL who joined Collingwood via Preston Under-18s. He had plenty of pace and an excellent work ethic, moving to the club as a ruck-rover. He played some senior games at half-back.

Luke Godden

A local product, hailing from  Yarrambat and the Northern Knights, Godden was a stocky player who showed from the start that he played the game hard. During the week of his debut against Essendon in 1997, he was singled out by coach Tony Shaw as a player with the passion to play the game and the sort of player the…

Mal Michael

Michael almost went home to Queensland after Collingwood did not draft him at the start of 1997, but was coerced into staying by Nathan Buckley. It proved to be a good move as he was promoted from the rookie list when Trent Hotton was dumped. Born in Papua New Guinea, he moved to Queensland at the age of three. He…

Brad Fuller

From Eastlake, ACT, via NSW/ACT Rams U18s, Fuller showed promise early in 1998 when he booted three goals for Collingwood against Essendon, but he did not produce the goods when the Magpies needed a small goalsneak and he slipped from senior contention. In 1999 he played the bulk of his half-dozen games in mid-season off the interchange bench. Fuller was…

Anthony Rocca

Originally from North Reservoir-Lakeside, Rocca starred for the Northern Knights at under-18 level and he made it quite clear that he wanted to remain with his family in Victoria and did not want to move to Sydney – the club that had first option on his services. Despite his protests Sydney went ahead and picked him with selection No.2 at…

Simon Prestigiacomo

Considered one of the plum picks in the 1995 National Draft, Collingwood chose Prestigiacomo with its first pick at that draft – the No.10 selection overall. As an 18-year-old, he played the last 12 games in a row in 1996, but in 1997 he contracted glandular fever midway through the season and was weakened for a year. He played on…

Andrew Schauble

From Xavier College, where he was rated the best product since Andrew Gowers. He had played only school football before joining the Magpies but he adapted quickly. He applied himself to any task and was rushed into the senior side because of Collingwood’s lack of defenders and was often required to handle bigger players in his first year but was…

Scott Crow

Originally from Port Fairy, he had limited opportunities at Hawthorn where there were many players of his type. A good worker in the packs who marked strongly for his size. He became a regular at Victoria Park as an on-baller, and was almost lost to the club at the start of 1998 due to a contract dispute, but then had…

Alex McDonald

From ‘country bumpkin’ to 100 game player, Alex McDonald’s life began to change quickly when he was the AFL’s number one draft pick in 1988. The spotlight shone on the 19-year-old, 69kg boy from Waubra, a town of around 500 near Ballarat as he was drafted to Hawthorn. “I think he’s got good physical attributes,” legendary Hawks coach Allan Jeans…

Jason Wild

From NSW country club Collingullie-Ashmont, he developed into a handy tagger who could run with key opposition players. His kicking sometimes let him down. A socks down player with good tackling skills and great determination, he sometimes copped flak over his disposal.

Mark Orchard

From East Ballarat via the North Ballarat Under-18s, Orchard played only six games in each of his first two seasons with the Magpies. Just as he looked to be on the verge of pinning down a regular senior spot he and Ben Wilson were traded to Sydney for Anthony Rocca. Sydney elevated him to a position of responsibility in the…

Stephen Patterson

A dogged journeyman from SA club Norwood. He was a rover who could take a turn on the wing or at half-forward. Speed and endurance were his two greatest assets although his disposal skills often prompted criticism from Magpie fans. Always competitive for the ball, and always committed, he had a tremendous personal season in 1998 when he ran third…

Scott Burns

A strong and fearless defender from SA club Norwood. Collingwood had to wait two years after they drafted Burns for the determined backman to move to Victoria. While the Magpies drafted seven players ahead of him, Burns turned out to be the best of the batch by a long way. The underrated Burns was runner-up in the best and fairest…

Nathan Buckley

As a child Buckley constantly moved around the country as his father Ray was a professional football coach after having played as a ruckman for Woodville in the SANFL in the 1960s and 1970s. Buckley rebelled at the age of 14 and gave up footy to play tennis, then his father sent him to Victoria’s Salesian College to rekindle his…

Saverio Rocca

Saverio Rocca is possibly one of the most heavily scrutinised footballers to ever pull on a Collingwood jumper. On his day, Rocca could take towering marks, score bundles of goals and take the game by the scruff of neck. He led Collingwood’s goalkicking tally on seven occasions and took home the Copeland Trophy after kicking a career-high 93 goals in…

Shane Watson

A lean and versatile Montmorency product who was often too courageous for his own good. Watson debuted as an 18-year-old, kicking two goals from six scoring shots against the Brisbane Bears at Victoria Park. He held his place until round nine, kicking five goals in just his third game against Essendon at Waverley Park. Opportunities were limited in the second…

Mark Richardson

A tall utility whose flexibility made him a valuable asset in various positions, Richardson was a stalwart of the Collingwood teams of the 1990s who helped keep the flame flickering while the club endured its lowest ebb on and off the field. Richardson, a true utility who made his mark at centre half back, centre half forward and in the…

Paul Williams

One of the fastest players of his era, Williams had the exceptional knack of being able to kick long goals when running at breakneck pace. His breakaway speed made him a match-winner – his trademark was a dash out of the centre and a long bomb goal from 50 metres. Great stamina also made him a quality centreman. Serious ankle…

Damian Monkhorst

A ruckman from Woori Yallock who was thrust into the No.1 ruckman role at a young age. He marked time in his second year and although he started slowly in the 1990 finals he eventually came good and outpointed Simon Madden in the Grand Final to help greatly towards the flag win. He was never a prolific mark, but compensated…

Gavin Crosisca

Gavin Crosisca was the kind of player teammates love to have on their side: tough, unrelenting, a guy who left everything out on the field every time he played. He was a Premiership player at 22, and an under-19s flag-winner before that. He placed in the Copeland three times, and won three “Wrecker” awards for his bone-jarring tackles and penchant…

Gavin Brown

Brown’s commitment to the Collingwood cause made him a favorite at the club. He started as a winger when he came from Templestowe and showed himself to be an absolutely fearless player in all situations. Alongside Gavin Crosisca, Damian Monkhorst and Mick McGuane, he played in the Collingwood under-19s premiership side of 1986 and that was the launching pad for…