Playing career Nathan Buckley

1 playing career

1.1 career
1.2 port adelaide (sanfl)
1.3 brisbane bears
1.4 collingwood

1.4.1 collingwood captain

playing career
early career

nathan buckley born in suburban adelaide, south australia on 26 july 1972. family travelled around australia quite frequently, , age of 12, buckley had been major states on australian mainland. grew supporting melbourne football club. however, buckley spent majority of football developing years (aged around 10–17) in northern territory, , has been regarded territorian (he played @ ainslie football club in canberra-based actafl season). in state of origin considered of north territory origin , selected combined queensland/northern territory team , allies team, amalgamation of players northern territory, queensland, new south wales, australian capital territory , tasmania.

port adelaide (sanfl)

buckley s footballing talents noticed age. joined south australian national football league (sanfl) club port adelaide where, in 1992, won senior premiership magarey medal (the sanfl s league best , fairest), jack oatey medal (best on ground in sanfl grand final), , club best , fairest.

brisbane bears

in 1991 afl draft struggling australian football league (afl) club brisbane bears drafted him through northern territory state zone. buckley challenged afl draft system , sparked controversy resisting move brisbane. dreams play in melbourne due culture in sport, therefore felt bears undesirable career option. afl draft rules prevented him playing afl club , remained in sanfl.

buckley signed bears 1993 afl season part of deal between buckley , bears allowed him go club of choice following season. brisbane hoped time in queensland long enough change mind. buckley demonstrated potential, playing 20 games, kicking 21 goals , impressing general play. inaugural winner of norwich rising star award , finished close second in bears best-and-fairest award.

collingwood

during first season buckley s arrangement bears became common knowledge. @ end of contract attracted strong interest melbourne-based clubs, chiefly collingwood, geelong , north melbourne. however, collingwood arranged trade deal acceptable parties. unbeknown other afl clubs , afl itself, collingwood , brisbane had agreed make trade happen. collingwood selected ten players on list untouchable , , bears take 2 players outside list, collingwood magpies first round draft pick, in exchange buckley. move saw buckley move collingwood in exchange craig starcevich, troy lehmann , magpies first-round draft pick (no. 12, future double-premiership player chris scott).

buckley adamant move right career direction, belief had more chance of winning premiership collingwood. ironically, brisbane beat collingwood in 2 consecutive afl grand finals in 2002 , 2003. in first season collingwood, magpies eliminated west coast eagles 2 points in perth.

from here, buckley consistent performer collingwood. winning brownlow medal in 2003, finished in top 3 twice before turn of century. named collingwood s best , fairest 6 times in 10 years (including 1 tied), 6 consecutive years in all-australian team 1996 2002.

in 1999, buckley suffered broken jaw playing against carlton in round 2. returned in round 8 collingwood first win of season , first in 13 matches. collingwood finished season last, second time in history (the other being in 1976). buckley competed in last game @ collingwood s long-time home ground victoria park against 1 of main rivals, brisbane lions.

collingwood captain

in 1999, coach tony shaw made buckley collingwood captain, replacing still-active gavin brown mentor buckley in role until retirement. throughout late 1990s/early 2000s collingwood had several major changes in personnel. eddie mcguire became president of club in 1998 , mick malthouse appointed coach in 2000. collingwood finishing 15th in 2000 , ninth in 2001, buckley starring in both seasons. in round 2, 2001, buckley set record amassing 46 disposals, highest total since quarters shortened twenty minutes in 1994 afl season, remained record until round 10 2009, when surpassed dane swan (48 disposals).

in 2002 collingwood made afl grand final first time during buckley s tenure @ club. in 1 of great individual grand final performances captain nathan buckley won norm smith medal best on ground, first time since 1989 player losing side had won. fact collingwood close in end had dominance against vaunted brisbane midfield, including captain michael voss. in 2003, buckley received highest individual honour, brownlow medal in three-way tie fellow south australian born players mark ricciuto (adelaide) , adam goodes (sydney). following saturday buckley played in second losing grand final, collingwood losing brisbane lions. buckley team s leading ball winner, 24 disposals.

after perhaps best season of stellar career in 2003, magpie skipper endured 2004 , 2005 season rather forget. started season in usual domineering fashion in opening 3 rounds, missed 7 of next 8 matches hamstring problems. when returned, appeared play under duress, spending more time across half-forward or half-back. buckley honoured life membership of collingwood football club in 2004.

during 2006 season, buckley awarded afl life membership after playing 300th official match since debut in 1992, comprising 267 premiership games, 24 preseason games, 4 state of origin games , 4 international rules games.

buckley rested twice during season, once match against west coast @ subiaco in round 7, , again in round 21 clash against carlton. @ end of 2006 season buckley indicated possibility of him standing down captain of club, saying james clement might choice position. clement later said did not wish become captain. collingwood president eddie mcguire played down rumours of buckley standing aside.

following serious hamstring problems, buckley played first game of 2007 playing williamstown seagulls in vfl on 18 august 2007. judged best on ground, gathering 29 possessions , kicking 4 goals.

he returned collingwood side following week , played in club s 2 remaining home-and-away games , 3 finals, including 18-point semi-final win against west coast in time, , five-point loss against geelong in preliminary final sitting on bench in disappointment when final siren sounded. 3 weeks later, on 5 october 2007, buckley announced retirement.