Things couldn’t have gone a lot worse for Dan McStay early in his debut closing for Collingwood.
But taking part in for a coach who typically speaks about taking your second, McStay took his throughout a game-changing interval within the third quarter towards Melbourne.
The 28-year-old booted two of the Magpies’ 9 objectives of the qualifying in a six-minute burst, along with his second coming after taking a brave mark operating again towards the flight of the ball.
McStay had simply two disposals within the first half, not helped by spending 20 minutes both facet of quarter-time off the bottom being assessed for concussion.
He was compelled off the sphere after being collected by a excessive bump from Melbourne ahead Jacob van Rooyen throughout the first time period.
“A hit to the jaw, felt OK,” McStay instructed AAP of the incident.
“Got up and the doc obviously come over and grabbed me and said to come off and do a test.
“Went off for the 20 minutes, handed all that after which I used to be capable of come again on, and after halftime I most likely felt quite a bit higher on the market, simply was capable of get again into my groove and there felt like I used to be capable of have any affect.”
Arriving at Collingwood during last year’s trade period, McStay is featuring in his fifth-consecutive finals series after playing in the previous four with the Brisbane Lions.
The left-footer has slotted into a Magpies forward line that likes to share the goals around.
“It’s nearly taking your moments whenever you get them,” McStay stated.
“We do not anticipate any man in our ahead line to kick 5 or 6 objectives, particularly in finals.
“When your moment does come, you’ve got to execute and just lucky tonight that I was able to.
“I used to be actually grateful to play plenty of finals with the Lions and they are going to be a implausible outfit once more this 12 months.
“First round (with Collingwood) we played Geelong and I probably felt a bit uneasy about the (size of the) crowd, but now I’m used to it, it’s just what you expect every week and it’s awesome playing in front of just so many people.”
McStay’s third-quarter cameo was singled out, unprompted, by Magpies coach Craig McRae throughout his post-match press convention.
“(He) wasn’t playing well, I think everyone could see that,” McRae stated.
“And to be able to fight your way out of that, that’s a moment for him. That’s a moment of growth.”
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
