By Mark Murray
IT was a case of a king returning to his throne at Port Melbourne’s TEAC Oval on Saturday. The king being Nathan Buckley and the footy field his throne.
While that may seem a little over the top, that’s how it felt for the hordes of Collingwood supporters who turned up to watch the Collingwood champion take the field for Williamstown after almost 12 months on the football sideline.
He moved freely, won a heap of ball, but most importantly got through the match with no sign of trouble from his dodgy hamstrings.
His every movement was watched with nervous anticipation from a 5000 strong crowd, and as he has done on so many occasions throughout his amazing AFL career, he delivered.
The script couldn’t have been written any better when Buckley slammed through the opening goal of the match from outside 50.
It was a strong message and a sign that perhaps, finally, he had shaken the hamstring problems that have plagued the latter stages of his football odyssey.
By mid afternoon he had gathered 28 touches, booted three goals and put smiles on the faces of an army of Collingwood supporters across Australia.
He started to show confidence in his body during the second quarter and kicked his second goal five minutes in.
Tucked in the pocket from 50m, he calmly slotted it through the vertical sticks and went on to win quality ball up until the half-time break.
He was rested on the bench in five minutes spells throughout the afternoon.
He unloaded his third goal on his immaculate right boot from 45 metres out in the last quarter in vintage Buckley fashion.
The second half started with some light drizzle falling, but it didn’t dampen Buckley’s day.
Perhaps the biggest test for the veteran 35-year-old came at the six minute mark of the third term.
He received a poor handball from team-mate Ben Davies, forcing him to bend down and fully stretch his hamstrings with the ball at his feet.
He did so, before a Port Melbourne player cannoned into the back of him.
He proceeded to get up and lay a bone-crunching tackle on Sydney’s David Spriggs to the raucous applause of the crowd.
Spriggs minded him for the bulk of the second half in a good test for the former Geelong small.
Williamstown went on to record a thumping win, but for most the day was never going to be about the result of the VFL match.
They only wanted to see Collingwood’s greatest ever player walk from the field on his own accord at the final siren, having got through unscathed.
They got their wish.
