Collingwood coach Craig McRae is intent on choosing Darcy Cameron and Mason Cox regardless of moist and chilly circumstances predicted for the Magpies’ qualifying remaining showdown towards Melbourne.
The minor premier Magpies will take each their large males into Thursday evening’s blockbuster finals opener on the MCG, irrespective of the climate forecast.
“I’m pretty happy to declare that they both will play,” McRae mentioned of Cox and Cameron on Tuesday.
“What capacity, whether one starts as the sub, I’m not sure. We’ll work through that.
“But the perfect model of us over the past 18 months is once they’ve each been at their greatest and we would prefer to assume they’re going to carry that.”
Factoring into Collingwood’s planning is the threat posed by Melbourne’s ruck superstar Max Gawn.
The six-time All-Australian put in a famous finals series in 2021 to lead the Demons to their drought-breaking premiership.
After struggling with a knee injury early in this season, Gawn, like the rest of his team, is peaking heading into finals.
Melbourne are likely to continue using Gawn as the sole ruckman, leaving former Collingwood big man Brodie Grundy on the sidelines.
The Demons’ attacking output has thrived without Grundy, after they struggled to score during a flat patch during the middle of the season.
Collingwood will be boosted by the return of captain Darcy Moore and fellow defender Nathan Murphy after the pair missed the final-round clash with Essendon.
Young superstar Nick Daicos was on Monday officially ruled out of taking on the Demons.
The Brownlow Medal contender failed to train in Collingwood’s main session on Tuesday, but McRae expects Daicos to be back in action on Wednesday.
“(Daicos) ran effectively on Sunday, and we’re all excited for that step ahead,” McRae mentioned.
“The plan is for him to coach (on Wednesday), so we’ll give him a few days off (to) recuperate from that and take the following step.”
As well as Moore and Murphy returning, pressure forward Beau McCreery is available after serving a one-game suspension.
Other than Daicos, Collingwood will be able to pick their strongest team for the bumper clash.
“There’ll be little match-up issues, there will be little system issues after which, ‘What does the staff want?’ and, ‘Who may give us a spark?’,” McRae mentioned.
“On that foundation we have got some (choice) complications in entrance of us.”
Collingwood can progress straight by way of to a preliminary remaining in the event that they flip the tables on their King’s Birthday loss towards Melbourne.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
