Following our exes...................

[Axe Man]

How ex-Dog helped former teammate become a Roo

Good luck to Tom Campbell

Looks like Tom is determined to take Goldy's spot anyway he can!

[GVGjr]

Jordan Roughead fills Collingwood’s biggest needs after off-season arrival from Western Bulldogs

The Dayne Beams bombshell received a heap of the trade-time attention.

The will-he-or-won’t-he break his Brisbane contract was certainly a dramatic storyline as the Pies handed over two first-round picks for the All-Australian midfielder.

But it was Collingwood’s other, much-less-talked about end-of-season move which could ultimately prove to be even more important for the Pies’ flag prospects.

Certainly, the decision to snare former Western Bulldogs’ big man Jordan Roughead with pick No.75, even though he was a free agent, looks to be one of the most astute additions of the exchange period.

The premiership big man is not only on track to stand Tom Hawkins in the blockbuster season-opener against Geelong, he single-handedly addresses Collingwood’s biggest vulnerability.

This swap for a fifth-round pick has effectively popped a Panadol on Nathan Buckley’s greatest on-field worry for 2019.

The beauty of Roughead, 28, is that he can play reliable key defence, where Collingwood was severely tested last year, and can help cover ruckman Brodie Grundy.

Grundy going down injured was previously the doomsday scenario for the Pies.

Somehow, he played 26 matches last year.

But even if Grundy misses games, they’ve now got an athletic premiership big man as an adequate replacement.

While the past two years have been a write-off for a lot of Bulldogs, we remember how important Roughead was in the 2016 flag, recovering from a serious eye injury to take on the Swans.

The Pies could use Mason Cox as back-up ruck, but the truth is they don’t want to.

Collingwood desperately wants to keep Cox in attack to maintain the same forward structure.

Roughead’s role this year will be to stand the most dangerous key forward, and then give Grundy 5-10 minutes a quarter chop-out in the ruck.

Collingwood was beaten in the aerial battle by West Coast twice in September and the Pies subsequently put up the trade period Bat signal.

The club was forced to use veteran Tyson Goldsack, following his remarkable six-month recovery from a knee reconstruction, on spearhead Josh Kennedy. An unenviable task for an under-sized defender, and Goldsack performed valiantly.

But six months on, that job would now go to 138-gamer Roughead or Darcy Moore. Maybe Lynden Dunn.

Ben Reid could start in the VFL as a forward unless he leapfrogs Brodie Mihocek in the JLT Series.

Suddenly, the Pies have key position depth.

The new Collingwood role is a big change for Roughead from recent years where he played only three per cent game time in defence last year, and four per cent in 2016.

Ironically, Roughead seemed headed for the Eagles until things fell through and Collingwood list chief Ned Guy swooped with a two-year deal. West Coast ended up with ex-Saint Tom Hickey.

The bonus for Collingwood is that Roughead is a fabulous locker room guy, and was one of the most popular players at the Kennel, before things went sideways.

Adam Treloar said the Pies were thrilled with Roughead’s summer.

“He has been first class for us,” Treloar said.

“He’s really going to strengthen up wherever he plays. His experience and versatility is unreal.”

Roughead’s form hasn’t been great over the past two years, and perhaps the fresh start is a good thing.

He’ll have a point to prove and for Collingwood, his arrival comes at the perfect time.

You can hear Bucks breathe a sigh of relief from here.

[The Pie Man]

Best of luck to Jordan - he’s not a defender.

[chef]

Is Macca coaching at the Pies?

[Mofra]

Roughy can play on the slower Gorillas, he's still close to the best contested mark in the competition.

[Happy Days]

Geez good luck with that.

[G-Mo77]

It'll be interesting to see how he goes at the Pies, if he can stay healthy, if he can hold down a key defensive role, if he can do both well it just show our inability in those areas. He's a guy who should be still on our list, him or Campbell, and I hope he throws eggs on our faces and tears it up.

[hujsh]

Roughy can play on the slower Gorillas, he's still close to the best contested mark in the competition.

How many of them are left?

[boydogs]

How many of them are left?

Remember watching Tom Lynch make 2 metres on him from one end of the goalsquare to the other

[Axe Man]

How many of them are left?

If teams play 2 rucks he might be able to play on the resting ruckman, other than that I can’t I can’t think of too many suitable matchups for him.

[chef]

If teams play 2 rucks he might be able to play on the resting ruckman, other than that I can’t I can’t think of too many suitable matchups for him.

Tom Boyd?

[bornadog]

It'll be interesting to see how he goes at the Pies, if he can stay healthy, if he can hold down a key defensive role, if he can do both well it just show our inability in those areas. He's a guy who should be still on our list, him or Campbell, and I hope he throws eggs on our faces and tears it up.

I don't

[G-Mo77]

I don't

Why. What did Roughy do wrong. Bulldog supporter playing for the club he loves. Premiership player, great leader and person. Yeah, let's wish that he falls on his face.

[GVGjr]

Why. What did Roughy do wrong. Bulldog supporter playing for the club he loves. Premiership player, great leader and person. Yeah, let's wish that he falls on his face.

I wish we could have kept him but even though he is at the Pies I hope he has a good season or two with them.

[Twodogs]

I wish we could have kept him but even though he is at the Pies I hope he has a good season or two with them.

Yep. We were a bit too quick to wish him well and show him the door. If I were Roughy I would be seething and wanting to show us up really badly.

We have been a bit too wasteful with our 22 premiership players going right back to the Hamling disaster, we should have put our foot down and demanded at least a second rounder for our premiership key defender-any other club would have. We had to make a stand and say "no, a premiership player is an incredibly valuable commodity and if another club wants one of ours then they have to pay a premium for them." Not the "let's see how many premiership players we can give away for virtually nothing in this trade period" attitude we seem to have gone into the trade periods since with.