Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley hugs runner Alex Woodward.Source:Twitter
Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley hugs runner Alex Woodward.Source:Twitter
Heart-wrenching scenes of Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley embracing "shattered" team runner Alex Woodward have moved the AFL world.
Woodward became an unfortunate grand final villain when he played a part in a blunder that cost the Magpies a goal, in a game they'd lose by just five points.
Midway throughthe third quarter Woodward got tangled up with Magpies youngster Jaidyn Stephenson as Taylor Adams attempted to hit him with a pin-point pass in the back half.
Woodward's block prevented Stephenson from making a play on Adams' pass and allowed Eagles midfielder Elliott Yeo to intercept the ball. He nailed a running goal to put West Coast up by two points.
Woodward was in tears in the Magpies changerooms after the game, prompting Buckley to put his arm around him and offer words of encouragement.
"Woody's shattered and he's blaming himself," Buckley said. "The reason I grabbed him is he can't be blaming himself. Things happen in life, things happen in football. He was trying to get out of the way and it didn't work."
Chris Mayne of the Magpies cries after defeat during the 2018 AFL Grand Final . Photo / Getty
Woodward has endured a tough time in football. The 25-year-old was drafted by Hawthorn in 2011 but only played two games because of persistent knee injuries.
He joined Collingwood's VFL team in 2017 but ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament for the fourth time and was forced to retire.
This latest blow was arguably as cruel. "I saw the runner for Collingwood, walking off the ground. He was inconsolable," AFL legend Wayne Carey told Channel 7.
"Walking off the ground for that big moment. Stephenson probably could've got across to spoil that ball, so once again that little thing in a game that goes down to the wire that means so much. You feel for that man. I feel for him."
Oh I feel for Alex Woodward at moment. Before people start the abuse look up his back story. 4 knee reconstructions stopped him from playing more at the top and Buckley 😇 got him in as the runner. You can’t put that turnover as strictly on him & he didn’t cost the pies the game.
