Magpies have learned their lessons from last Cats clash
Anna Harrington |
Last time Collingwood played Geelong, they got taught a lesson to the tune of 54 points.
But Magpies coach Craig McRae is adamant his charges have gone to school and gotten better.
Now, with a six-game winning streak at their back, eighth-placed Collingwood are ready to put that into practice against the ninth-placed Cats at the MCG on Thursday night.
“We played them three months ago and we got taught a lesson,” McRae said.
“A lot of the things we got taught, we’ve been slowly changing and trying to be better at.
“They’re a really hard opposition to play against. They ask a lot of questions.
“Obviously, they challenge your system. They do a lot of tactics, tricks and things that tie you in knots if you get caught up in it, and they’re extremely well coached.
“One thing: Jeremy Cameron’s not playing. He’s been such a weapon against us, and so that’s a huge opportunity for us if we make the most of that.
“But the outcome will be the outcome, and you win – you win, and you lose – you find a way to get better the next week, so it is a big game.”
Collingwood (11-1-7) have won seven of their 10 games since that encounter in May while Geelong (11-8) have gone 5-5 in that time, with both teams within touching distance of the top six.
The Magpie resurgence has been led by extraordinary form from Nick Daicos.
In that time, Collingwood haven’t conceded 100 points in any game and have proved more free scoring in their own right.
“Our scoring’s a different profile,” McRae said.
“That night in particular, they just scored at will against us.
“So some of our system stuff was taught a lesson, and l like to think we don’t get beaten at the same things twice.”
An undersized Collingwood backline is still wary of what Geelong, who are without Cameron, Patrick Dangerfield and Max Holmes, can do in an attack led by Shannon Neale.
That will be magnified by losing crucial defender Brayden Maynard (knee) ahead of the match.
“We don’t have to face Jeremy Cameron, but there’s so many more threats,” McRae said.
“There’s many. And like good teams, they find ways to score, and they’re scoring at will.”
AAP