Collingwood nice Dane Swan and members of the notorious “Rat Pack” have come out swinging at footy greats Nick Riewoldt and Nathan Buckley.
Swan, together with Heath Shaw, Alan Didak, Ben Johnson and Chris Tarrant, earned the Rat Pack moniker because the Pies handled on and off-field points with the taking part in group en path to the 2010 AFL premiership.
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Riewoldt, whose St Kilda aspect misplaced the grand ultimate replay to Collingwood that season, sparked the controversy this week when he spoke about Buckley’s attainable appointment as head coach on the Tasmanian Devils AFL enlargement aspect.
Buckley, 51, hung up the boots with the Pies in 2007 earlier than teaching the membership from 2012-2021, failing to win a flag in both function.
“I adore it, I believe it will be a unbelievable acquisition,” Riewoldt stated on the Footy Speak podcast.
“He’s an Elliot Yeo (sic, it was Dom Sheed) wonderful kick at objective away from being a premiership coach (in Collingwood’s 2018 grand ultimate loss to West Coast), so he can coach.
“I believe at occasions the rationale ‘Bucks’ will get a little bit of a nasty rap as a coach is due to a sure section of Collingwood gamers that like to hold it on him on occasion.
“The Rat Pack, they like to hold it on Bucks.
“No I believe it will be an amazing acquisition (to Tasmania), soccer individual, a giant persona and he’s very well-balanced as an individual.”
Swan and Shaw had been amongst these to leap on these feedback and provides their take as members of the group.
“The Rat Pack dangle it on everybody, not simply Bucks,’’ Swan stated on his podcast Hump Day with Swanny and Buddies.
“With all due respect, what the f**okay would Nick Riewoldt find out about Nathan Buckley being a coach?
“I don’t know if he’s having a go at us … the Rat Pack beat him in a grand ultimate.
“Heath Shaw’s smother, one of many major leaders, smothered him and he price them the granny.
“Until Bucks has fed him that, how would he know?”
Shaw chased down Riewoldt and spoiled a sure objective within the first quarter of that sport, as you’ll be able to see above, in one of many extra well-known moments in AFL grand ultimate historical past.
Shaw and Dale Thomas, who was thought-about a “second-tier” member of the Rat Pack, additionally mentioned Riewoldt’s feedback on the identical Footy Speak podcast a day after the St Kilda nice’s feedback.
Thomas requested Shaw immediately: “Which bit specifically (of Riewoldt’s feedback) pissed you off?”
Shaw replied: “Properly, the bit that (Riewoldt) stated, ‘a sure section of Collingwood gamers like to hold it on him (Nathan Buckley) a bit’.”
Thomas adopted up with: “Is there any falsity in his assertion?”
Shaw stated: “No. However, that’s obtained nothing to do with why he will get a nasty rap as a coach.
“It’s as a result of his document wasn’t that good, for more often than not.
“Sure, they made a grand ultimate and sure, they had been a kick away, however they went slowly down hill for 5 years straight.
“Took a crew from the grand ultimate, that approach (pointing down). We’re speaking about stats, the AFL loves stats in the mean time, that’s not a really perfect stat.
“I simply don’t know why he would point out the Rat Pack, it’s obtained nothing to do with us.”
Thomas was extraordinarily extremely rated when he joined Collingwood with decide two within the 2005 AFL Draft, taking part in 157 video games on the membership earlier than he left to hitch Carlton after the 2013 season.
He performed one other 101 video games for the arch enemy Blues.
Shaw additionally left the Magpies in 2013, traded to the GWS Giants for Taylor Adams.
Thomas said his perception the general public has a false impression over why the Rat Pack group had a problem with Buckley, which clearly nonetheless exists as we speak.
“Do you assume it’s misunderstood, the connection between the Rat Pack and Bucks?” Thomas requested.
“As a result of I’m going so far as saying that most people consider it’s simply that they don’t like him as a result of he’s not Mick Malthouse.
“Somewhat than my motive for being barely aggrieved is just not solely having to go away the membership, but in addition as a result of we thought there was a possibility to win or have a possibility to be in rivalry for 3, 4, 5 years, just like the Tigers.
“We thought we had been in a (premiership) window, so a number of the frustration is on the again of that, fairly than simply making it a private agenda.”
Shaw went a lot additional, claiming Buckley held a grudge over Collingwood’s potential to snap a 19-year premiership drought when he was now not on the membership.
“Clearly it’s private for me as a result of he traded me,” he stated. “The entire crew didn’t get traded – it was simply you, me and a few mates.
“I believe (Buckley) was the one who had the problem with us, in a approach, as a result of we obtained the last word glory.
“Not less than these two have one thing in frequent, Bucks and Nick Riewoldt, they’re not premiership gamers.
“That’s in all probability why they’re hanging out and speaking up one another.”
The duo then debated Buckley’s suitability to educate the brand new Tasmanian outfit.
Whereas Thomas felt Buckley could be an improved coach in his second stint, following 117 wins, 99 defeats and two attracts in a decade at Collingwood, Shaw expressed doubts the 51-year-old could be the appropriate match.
“It’s a tough gig (being Tassie coach), you’re ranging from zero,” Shaw stated.
“I’ve been close to zero, I used to be near (zero on the Giants). It’s totally different if you’ve taken over a crew that’s performed off in a grand ultimate.
“You’re attempting to construct up a complete membership. On this regard, you’re increase a complete state.
“The strain is on from the AFL, you’ve obtained to win early. They should hit the bottom working. It is going to be a troublesome gig for whoever takes it.”
Thomas replied: “He’s a large enough title although that provides them instantaneous relevance.”
That gave Shaw a possibility for one final clip, firing again: “Will we simply desire a massive title or do we wish a very good coach?”
