Magpies flag changes for massive Hawks clash
Roger Vaughan |
Key defender Jeremy Howe will make a welcome return for Collingwood in Thursday night’s AFL blockbuster against Hawthorn.
But small forward Bobby Hill, who returned from several games out in last week’s loss to Brisbane, could be an absentee again because of illness.
Coach Craig McRae said another tall backman, Billy Frampton, was also closing on a return after strong VFL form.
The Magpies have lost three of their past four games and Howe has been sidelined since round 19 with a groin injury. Frampton has recovered from a calf injury.
“Jeremy will definitely play, he got through (training) today well,” McRae said.
“Billy’s name will come up into consideration, yep. I loved his game (in) the VFL, really enjoyed that. He performed well.
“He’ll put some question marks at match committee around his magnet.”
McRae added Hill, the 2023 Norm Smith Medallist, had gastro.
“It’s a bugger,” he said. “He may be in doubt. We’ll have to see how he goes in the next 24 hours.”
Despite losing top spot with the defeat to Brisbane, McRae remained upbeat about his team’s build-up to the finals.
“We did a lot right and then there are little parts of our game that we’re getting feedback around,” he said.
“We just have to keep tidying up.
“I’d much rather get those lessons learned now – or the feedback now – than in three or four weeks’ time … ‘Here we are, fighting for our lives’.
“There are little things that we can look at straight away and go, ‘We can fix that – we can fix that’.
McRae was asked if he had had any more contact with Carlton defender Jack Silvagni.
After saying last week he had met with Silvagni, who is about to come out of contract, McRae did not want to add to the issue.
“I will leave that alone – I think I’ve said enough,” he said.
Meanwhile, captain James Sicily’s return to form looms as a massive factor for Hawthorn against the Magpies.
While the Hawks lost to Adelaide last Friday night and Will Day is out for the season with a foot injury, Sicily took seven intercept marks against the Crows to continue his resurgence.
AFL commentator and former Magpies coach Nathan Buckley noted Harris Andrews was a major headache for Collingwood last Saturday night as the star Brisbane defender repeatedly thwarted their long kicks into attack.
Sicily can have a similar impact to Andrews at the MCG.
“They just couldn’t score off their long-down-the-lines (kicks). They usually score two in three. Harris Andrews absolutely controlled that aspect of the game,” Buckley told Fox Footy’s On The Couch.
“If you have a player who can control that aspect against Collingwood, you’re going to be well-and-truly in the match.”
AAP
