Collingwood ‘numb’ after five-point grand final loss
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Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley says he is "proud of the players" but "numb" as the team comes to terms with its five-point loss to the West Coast Eagles in a thrilling AFL grand final.
Key points:
- West Coast Eagles defeated Collingwood 79-74 in the AFL grand final
- Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley said "aerial battles" were a weak point for his team
- Buckley said it was a "true grand final" that could have gone either way
The Eagles were trailing Collingwood by as much as 29 points in the first quarter, and were still two points behind with two minutes on the clock when Dom Sheed kicked the goal that sealed the Eagles' victory.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley said he was proud of his players' efforts.
"I'm enormously proud of our club, I'm proud of the players, there's a lot of boys in there that are hurting as you would expect," he said.
"I didn't picture this, we had a really clear picture of the way we play, and I suppose all of us in our own time would have pictured the best outcome, and for a long part of today we were there, but ultimately not.
"We just allowed [the Eagles] to play their game style for too long and ultimately that hurt us.
"We stopped shifting the ball, we lost our dare and we lost our aggression to shift the ball and you know, it looked pretty good early and then when that stopped and we started kicking long down the line you know … the aerial battles really hurt us.
"It was a true grand final, there were a lot of moments that could have gone either way, there was a lot of missed opportunities, there was pressure brought about from both sides."
He said it was hard to compare his feelings as a Collingwood coach losing a grand final to those he had as captain during the team's 2002 loss to the Brisbane Lions.
"Totally different, but I can't remember how it felt 15 years ago, 16 years ago," he said.
"I can't even be really clear on how it feels right now, other than not great. I'm pretty numb, and the boys are pretty numb … we're on the wrong side of it.
"The contrast in emotions is pretty disparate."
'We were beaten by a better club'
Collingwood president Eddie McGuire began a speech at a Magpies' club dinner after the game by congratulating the Eagles on their premiership victory.
"I congratulate the West Coast Eagles on a magnificent victory today … they're a wonderful organisation, they deserve all their success, if you're going to lose a grand final, in the way we did today you may as well lose it to a great organisation and that is the West Coast Eagles," he said.
He also heaped praise on Buckley for leading the club to the grand final.
"A man of integrity, a man of honour, a man of intelligence and humour, a man of empathy and a man who stood when others wouldn't for our club … Nathan I couldn't be prouder of you tonight," McGuire said.
"You are the epitome of what we look to, what a Collingwood person should be, so tonight on behalf of the members and the supporters and everyone who holds Collingwood dear to their heart I'd like to personally thank you Nathan Buckley for everything that you've done.
"We didn't get the ultimate result, as I said, we were beaten by a better club.
"But we did everything we possibly could."
External Link: AFL Grand Final summary
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