Collingwood gave up another start to their opposition in Thursday’s 85-85 Anzac Day match draw against Essendon at the MCG.
One week after trailing Port Adelaide by 31 points in the first quarter at the same venue, Collingwood were down by 24 points within the first eight minutes on Thursday as Essendon booted four quick goals to start the game.
While they fought back and had chances to win it late, SEN host David King thinks that these slow starts are beginning to cost them.
After starting games so well in 2023 in their premiership year, King believes that their sluggish beginnings are a sign that they’re not the team they were 12 months ago.
“My first thoughts were, what’s happened to Collingwood’s starts?” King asked on SEN Breakfast.
“They’re giving up six-goal starts quite regularly. It's unlike them.
“They were putting games to bed early last season, particularly when they were hot early in the year.
“They trailed by almost five goals late in the first quarter and I thought, ‘Jeez, this is nearly over’, but they somehow find their way back in.
“It was a cracking game to watch. It was very entertaining.”
King also feels that Collingwood’s senior players aren’t delivering as much because it is hard to get them up for early-season home and away games.
After 20-year-old Harvey Harrison came on as the substitute in the fourth term and kicked a goal to go with seven touches, King pondered whether it is time to give some more games to the youth in the squad to give the side some energy.
“Sometimes you’ve just got to trust the youth, you’ve got to pick them, you’ve got to back them in,” King said.
“Harrison when he came on was significant. Why can't you expose him to a bit more ball?
“You’ve got to manage this group, they’ve been there, they've done it.
“I think it's a real challenge to get them up for particularly early season home and away games.
“I'm not as doom and gloom on them, but they're not the same team they were last year and when you start to show those vulnerabilities, I reckon that's when you come back to the pack pretty quick.
“It's just hard to place where they're at. Are they absolutely a contender this year?
“Is it too early to have those discussions? There seems to be a bit of separation starting in the ladder and there's not going to be a lot of spots in the top four available.”
Collingwood will hope to go 4-1-3 when they face Carlton at the MCG next Friday night in Round 8.
