This opinion piece by The Age’s late columnist Robert Walls was first published on March 29, 2004.
Just before the match between Collingwood and St Kilda last Sunday, I was asked whether Greg Williams should retire. My immediate reaction was to say: “Call it quits.” Suspensions, age and a crook knee were all against him.
Then “match-winner” flashed before my eyes. Williams is a genuine match-winner, able to turn a game with flashing hands, weighted kicks and bone-jarring hits, and there are not that many match-winners around.
Minutes later, I had the pleasure of seeing another match-winner on centre stage at the MCG before a crowd of nearly 70,000. It was Nathan Buckley.
I first met Buckley in Adelaide on the morning of a match between the Crows and the Bears in 1991. He was 18 years old, skinny, pale-faced, and playing for Port Adelaide reserves. He was also on Brisbane’s extended list of 60, courtesy of Northern Territory concessions. I’d been to Darwin and Alice Springs to meet the seven Aboriginal boys; Buckley, with his pale face and sandy hair, was the odd one out.
We had a pleasant breakfast but my thoughts were on the upcoming game. Later that year I heard he had broken into the senior team.
The next year Buckley blossomed into the hottest property outside the AFL. Everyone wanted him. But it was the Bears who had him on their list. He won the Magarey Medal and was best afield in Port’s premiership side. I went to see that game and couldn’t wait for him to fly north to be part of the Gabba gang.
Collingwood captain Nathan Buckley.Credit: Ray Kennedy
Geelong, Collingwood and North were desperate to have him. Offers were thrown up that severely tested the Bears’ resolve. One club said that only two of its players were “untouchable”; the rest were able to be traded. That Brisbane didn’t weaken was one of the first steps to the club gaining respect.
The arrival of “Bucks” in 1993 lifted the place. Flying in to join him were Nathan Chapman, Justin Leppitsch and Matthew Clarke. The year before, the prize recruits I received were 32-year-old Matt Rendell, who’d recently retired from Fitzroy, and a third-time-round-on-wonky-knees Rod Owen. I was happy to have them, but hardly doing backflips.
Buckley was a young pro. Never missed a training session, never missed a game. Always did extras. He annoyed a few of the older players because his unbridled enthusiasm embarrassed their not-so-full-on efforts. We played him everywhere – wing, centre, halfback. I can even remember him tagging Paul Roos. He accepted whatever role he was given. Rumours suggested it would be only a one-year stay. As player and coach, he and I never discussed the future.
Bucks and Chappy (Chapman) became great mates. On Saturdays before Sunday home games, they’d drive to the Gold Coast, take a clinic, enjoy a barbecue with the kids, then body-surf before driving back to Brisbane. Everyone was invited to celebrate his 21st birthday at Morningside Football Club, the former club of Nathan’s dad. A proud Ray Buckley was there that night.
So well did he play that year that he came runner-up to Mick McLean in the best and fairest. Would he stay? I didn’t know.
He walked into my office to say he was leaving. I know it was not easy for him, as he had grown to like being a Bear. Had his future been mapped out? Probably so. The truth will emerge one day. I wished him well. I rated him highly as a person and player.
What coach wouldn’t? He is a truly committed player. He gives 100 per cent, 100 per cent of the time and most clubs can count those types on one hand.
So four years later, it was a pleasure to have the time to just watch him. When he hit the ground, there was a powerful presence. Up front, chest out, perfect build, balance, power, poise and an authority that I had not seen before. There was no doubt that centre stage at the MCG was where he belonged.
To see Collingwood premiership players readily accept Buckley’s instructions made me realise that he had arrived. He has earned their respect and they accept that he is their matchwinner.
He was tagged by Nathan Burke and “Jack” Daniels but still amassed more than 30 possessions and kicked three goals. Apart from being in a losing team, the only thing to sour his day was missing two set shots from 50 metres. You can bet the goals at Victoria Park copped a workout this week.
Five seasons, 100 games, a Copeland Trophy winner, universal respect in the football world – Nathan Buckley has come a long way from the day we shared breakfast in Adelaide. Despite all this, his biggest test is yet to come. Will he cut it when it does?
That test is to be a match-winner for the Pies on grand final day, just like Greg Williams was for the Blues two years ago.
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