Collingwood coach Craig McRae says personnel points have had no impression on his facet’s indestructible self-belief to return from behind in large video games.
A “plug-and-play” angle has helped foster an unshakeable religion within the Magpies’ recreation plan, which was on present for the primary time this season as they stormed dwelling with seven unanswered ultimate quarter objectives to say a 13-point victory in entrance of a file Anzac Day crowd.
McRae stated his makeshift ruck and key defensive choices have been slotting completely into Collingwood’s system with out requiring any vital changes to how he wished his facet to play.
“That’s actually the same language you used, ‘plug-and-play’,” he stated.
“You know, Trey Ruscoe got an opportunity today, he’s been playing terrifically at VFL level. We’re talking about selection integrity, we want to reward players that are playing above the level down there.
“Lots of injuries like you said, but Trey comes in and he just looks like us … we’re defending well as a team and he knows how to defend, he knows how to win one-on-ones, that’s his great strength, and we got to see that in the second half of the game today, I thought he was really important for us.”
McRae praised Billy Frampton’s efficiency within the ruck in opposition to Essendon’s in-form mixture of Sam Draper and Andrew Phillips, with the Adelaide recruit booting his first purpose for the Magpies at an important second within the ultimate time period to go together with 15 disposals at 100 per cent effectivity and 26 hit-outs.
With Darcy Cameron and Mason Cox out the ruck burden was left to Frampton, Ash Johnson and Nathan Kreuger, who was subbed out early within the ultimate quarter however had received by means of his AFL return unscathed, McRae stated.
“So it’s a plug-and-play mentality. We’ll get some troops back at some stage, but right now we trust the guys that are playing,” he stated.
Scott Pendlebury didn’t return to the sector after struggling a nasty poke to the attention within the ultimate time period, with McRae saying the Magpies star had been despatched to see a specialist following the sport.
The 35-year-old was bleeding profusely as he got here from the sector, and his coach stated the severity of his harm was unknown.
“He got a poke in the eye, he’s going to see a specialist right now. We’re hoping he’s going to be okay, we’re anticipating he is, but we’re just precautionary sending him off to a specialist,” he stated.
McRae stated Collingwood’s health and the extraordinary help within the stands was a deadly mixture for opposition groups on the MCG.
“You can just see the players just growing in confidence from the energy from the crowd, so thank you,” he stated.
“We have this thing: we want to play the minutes, you’ve got to play the minutes to beat us.
“We’ve created that over time and today we made it come to life again.”
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
