Nathan Buckley: Profile

Nathan Buckley joined the 3AW Football team in 2008 after a stellar playing career for which he will now be remembered as one of Collingwood's all-time greats. Along with 3AW Football, Buckley also joins Sports Today every Monday night.

Buckley established himself as a football commentator of high class in 2008, with his insightful comments on the game often picked up as news stories such was their impact.

Biography:

In early 1992 the struggling Brisbane Bears drafted him for the 1992 AFL season through its Northern Territory state zone. Buckley challenged the AFL draft system and sparked controversy by initially resisting a move to Brisbane. His dreams were to play in Melbourne due to its culture in the sport, therefore felt the Bears were an undesirable career option. However, AFL draft rules prevented him from playing with another AFL club and so remained in the SANFL.

He signed with the Bears for the 1993 season only as part of a deal between Buckley and the Bears that allowed him to go to the club of his choice the following season. Brisbane hoped his time in 'the Sunshine State' would be long enough to change his mind. He immediately demonstrated his potential, playing 20 games, kicking 21 goals and impressing with his general play. He was the inaugural winner of the Norwich Rising Star Award and finished a close second in the Bears' best-and-fairest award.

During his first season Buckley's arrangement with the Bears became common knowledge. At the end of the contract he attracted strong interest from all Melbourne-based clubs, chiefly Collingwood, Geelong and North Melbourne. However it was Collingwood that successfully arranged a trade deal acceptable to all parties. Unbeknown to other AFL clubs and to the AFL itself, Collingwood and Brisbane had already agreed to make the trade happen. Collingwood selected ten players on its list who were 'untouchable', and the Bears could take any two players outside this list, as well as the Pies' first round draft pick, in exchange for Buckley. The move saw Buckley move to the Magpies in exchange for Craig Starcevich, Troy Lehmann and the Magpies' first-round draft pick (no. 12, future double-premiership player Chris Scott).

Buckley was adamant that the move was the right career direction, with the belief he had more chance of winning a premiership with the Magpies. Ironically, Brisbane would beat Collingwood in two consecutive AFL Grand Finals in 2002 and 2003. In his first season with Collingwood, the Magpies were eliminated by the West Coast Eagles by 2 points in Perth.