Pies should focus on premiership, not Thomas

Mar 30th, 2011 | By | Category: Football, Lead Article

Pies should focus on premiership, not Thomas

By Dave Harding

Collingwood’s Dale Thomas is the player on the Greater Western Sydney radar, after it was recently revealed that he was the Number One target of the Giants, Sheedy has identified that the premiership stars’ marketability and skills are enough to see him as a wanted man by the Giants. The focus has shifted from other premiership stars in Scott Pendlebury, and the recently signed Dane Swan.

the Pies have managed to secure premiership stars Swan and O’Brien already to contracts, and by all reports they are close to signing Scott Pendlebury to a contract, according to Player Manager of Pendlebury’s Liam Pickering. Pickering was interviewed at half time of the Collingwood/Port Adelaide game about whether or not Dane Swan had gotten a bigger payday for staying loyal to Collingwood.

Thomas now faces the same challenge as former Geelong Premiership player Garry Ablett Junior, Ablett was the focus of speculation all season on whether or not he’d leave, questions were asked repeatedly to former coach Mark Thompson.

This season, the speculation at Collingwood has centred around Malthouse, Dane Swan, Pendlebury and now Thomas, but not about the season itself. Collingwood are looking to try and claim a second premiership this season. Media and fans alike are focused on the circus that is who will be the next to jump ship to Greater Western Sydney.

Eddie has had his say this week, but the focus at least for Collingwood and the fans shouldn’t be on whether or not Dale Thomas takes the offer to move interstate, and become apart of the very first Greater Western Sydney side. An opportunity that has been lost in the fierce debate on whether they’ll take the money in run. The focus should be on Collingwood’s 2011 Premiership Campaign.

It’s easy to get lost in the Player Movement Soap Opera, it’s easy to forget that we’re heading for Round 2 and we already seem more concerned about next season, then this season. Worrying about what Dale does or doesn’t do, should be made in October once the season ends.

My opinion is, if he does leave, good luck to him, it’s a huge opportunity he is going to be getting leaving for the Giants, and a few extra dollars. Collingwood will be fine if he leaves, that’s not to say he’s not important to Collingwood but the Magpies don’t rely so much on players like they may have when there was limited stars ready.

The compensation for Dale Thomas leaving as well would set the Magpies up to be able to replace Thomas, whether they use the compensation picks to trade on for someone else or just draft someone new. The Giants also do not have to take a player this year from all clubs, they have sent out their feelers, and now hoping for some bites.

They can still poach a player from a club next season, they are allowed a player from 16 clubs,  that can be done over 2 season, so if they cannot find someone at Collingwood this season they can go next season and take someone. But they cannot take a player from the same team twice, unless they are traded there.

But I am not focused on what could be lost from Collingwood, or any side next season, with this season only early in it’s life, there’s more to worry about. Should either Thomas or Pendleury leave, or even Malthouse once his coaching career at Collingwood ends, there is life after them.

Nathan Buckley will coach Collingwood, and one of Thomas and Pendlebury will stay, or even both, but if one goes, there’s still the compensation. Until the end of the Collingwood’s season, I’m not fussed with what happens in 2012.

But no doubt the Media Circus surrounding the Pies, will continue to bring up these stories, and even try and find a way to sell their newspapers by finding little hints they are gone.

With the players taking the piss on Twitter, it’s going to be a long season, but at least there is going to be a few funny moments along the way. But alas when the season ends, and players announce they’ve signed with the Giants, that’s when the fun ends.

But at least one team will be able to console themselves with the 2011 Premiership, Collingwood fans can still console themselves knowing they claimed one after the team they despise in the Saints. If they win 2011′s Grand Final, Virgin Blue may get back some of the business they lost last year with the meltdown.

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