Cricket
Racing
Rugby
League
Motorsport
Football
Golf
Combat Sports
Basketball
Tennis
Other Sports
Sport Nation
The aspect of Collingwood's game and star veteran that are impressing Champion Data
Connor Scanlon • April 11th, 2025 11:19 am
Champion Data analyst Daniel Hoyne has heaped praise on Collingwood’s defensive transformation, declaring it one of the most effective in the AFL through the opening month of the season.
After 104 points in Opening Round, the Magpies have conceded scores 45, 70 and 46 in their most recent three games.
“Four weeks in, they have the third best defensive profile in the competition,” Hoyne told SEN’s Sportsday.
“Without the footy is what we (Champion Data) value highly.
“(Collingwood are the) fourth hardest team in the competition to turn a possession into a score against.”
Hoyne noted the Magpies under Craig McRae have built a defensive system that is difficult to break down.
“They have the fifth best defensive 50,” he said.
“Defensively, (they are the) hardest team to punish on turnover and hardest team to score against on clearance.
“They’ve given up under 60 points a game, three weeks in a row.
“That defensive system in place at the moment is red hot right across the ground.
“Full tick there to the Collingwood defensive system.”
But it wasn’t just the team defence earning plaudits, with veteran Steele Sidebottom is also making noise in the data.
“Full recognition to an individual, Steele Sidebottom,” Hoyne said.
“After a shaky Opening Round where he “was taken to the cleaners a little bit, at times against Brent Daniels, the Pies have found a new role for the 34-year-old.
“They’ve thrown that half-back position in the bin (and) put him in as a centre bounce midfielder who can spend a little bit of time on the wing.”
In Collingwood's last three games, Sidebottom was the fourth-highest rated player against Port Adelaide, fifth against the Bulldogs, and best-on-ground against Carlton.
“Overall, right now four weeks into the season, he’s a top 50 player in the competition,” Hoyne said.
“It’s a remarkable effort given his age, and potentially where he was at halfway through last season.
“So credit to Collingwood’s defence and credit to Steele Sidebottom.”
