Magpies Better Club Than 2014 After Win Over Giants: Buckley

Coach Nathan Buckley of Collingwood Magpies believes his team is better than their 2014 version after beating Greater Western Sydney Giants by 42 points at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday.

Spearhead Travis Cloke kicked four of the Magpies’ eight last-quarter goals to beat the Giants to keep their perfect record intact against baby clubs.

The Magpies, coming off a four game winning streak, is now in the top-four riding along a win-loss record of 8-3 and grabbing the front seat to return to the Finals. Former Giant Taylor Adams and team captain Scott Pendlebury had 36 and 29 disposals, respectively.

“I don’t know if we’re playing better footy, but I think we’re a more mature group,” Buckley said, confident that they are a better club than they were in the previous season.

Buckley added that they are not getting carried away with the win against Giants.

“If we have a loss, it’s not the end of the world. If we have a win, we’re not champions that everyone might tell us we are,” he explained.

Full-back Nathan Brown shutdown All-Australian Jeremy Cameron to just two goals, four marks, and six disposals.

With the win against GWS, they are now fourth in overall ranking and is one game ahead of fifth-placed Giants. However, Magpies are in a tough schedule in the month after their mid-season bye with Fremantle, Hawthorn, Port Adelaide, and West Coast to come against them.

Herald Sun wrote that Buckley said they are maintaining their composure well as an organization and it's going to place them in a good stead. He added that he is not surprised by the team's growth and development, and strongly still think they have got a long way to go and a lot of work to do to as the season goes on.

Ruckman Brodie Grundy, in a neck brace, will unlikely to face Fremantle on June 25 as he suffered whiplash on Friday’s training.

Reports from Herald Sun says he is going to be in a neck brace for the next couple of weeks, but the team is hoping the ruckman can play in time.

With Grundy not playing against the Giants, Jarrod Witt, whom Buckley praised for his game on Sunday, stepped up and came out strong against Mumford, while recruit Travis Varcoe described his performance as “exceptional” with his 22 disposals in the first quarter.