Veteran wingman Steele Sidebottom has welcomed Collingwood’s extra week off regardless of solutions one other break might hamper their AFL premiership probabilities.
Since 2016, when the league launched a pre-finals bye, solely 50 per cent of qualifying ultimate winners have backed as much as attain the grand ultimate.
The schedule leaves these groups with one recreation in about 4 weeks – a major shift from weekly matches all through the home-and-away season.
Collingwood famously knocked off qualifying ultimate winners Richmond in a 2018 preliminary ultimate, however fell sufferer to the prolonged break a yr later in a loss to Greater Western Sydney.
Sidebottom performed in each these matches and is not involved in regards to the Magpies dropping momentum this season.
The 307-game veteran will take advantage of the downtime as Collingwood wait to find whether or not they’ll face Port Adelaide or GWS subsequent week for a spot within the grand ultimate.
“With finals pressure I still feel a little bit sore today, so to be able to have a week off and rest is going to be good for everyone,” Sidebottom informed reporters on Monday.
“If you ask any team, they would’ve preferred to have the week off. We’ll definitely use it as an advantage.
“We’ve performed 24 video games now, so an additional week (off) is advantageous.
“We lost that (2019) game but that’s in the past. It’s a long time ago now and we’re a completely different team.”
The extra break offers Collingwood’s rising famous person Nick Daicos one other week to show his health after he fractured his proper knee through the round-21 loss to Hawthorn.
The Brownlow Medal fancy was initially given a six-week restoration timeframe and seems nearly sure to return within the preliminary ultimate.
Daicos on Monday educated with the principle group for the primary time since his damage, beginning off with some sprints with Scott Pendlebury earlier than progressing into kicking drills.
Collingwood may have an even bigger session on Tuesday when Daicos will once more step up his bid to be totally match.
“I’m sure he’s happy that we got the result. It gives him an extra week to get ready,” Sidebottom stated.
“Nick’s an ultimate professional and we’ve got such good people at this footy club that have the best interests for him.
“I’m positive if he wasn’t proper then they would not be rolling him out to play, but it surely’s simply good that we get that additional week now for him to get himself proper.”
Sidebottom does not expect coach Craig McRae to wrap Daicos in cotton wool in his return appearance.
“(Daicos) has proven that he can play wherever on the bottom,” Sidebottom stated.
“I’d simply be comfortable for Nick to be on the park, wherever that’s.
“He’s a special player and he’s someone that’s only going to help our team.”
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
