Collingwood coach Craig McRae brazenly admits to having loads to fret about.
The fifth-placed Magpies meet the Saints, the one unbeaten aspect within the competitors, at Adelaide Oval on Sunday within the finale of the AFL’s inaugural Gather Round.
McRae, like all weeks, has forensically examined the opposition. And a quantity caught out: one.
“They (St Kilda) are in great shape,” McRae mentioned.
“We went through opposition (analysis) … and there’s a lot of number ones in everything really … it’s a really big challenge for us.”
McRae’s free-wheeling Pies might be pitted in opposition to a Saints outfit which, already, have exhibited the trademark of coach Ross Lyon.
“They’re hard to move the ball against,” McRare mentioned.
“They’re the number one team in terms of scores against so we’re going to have to try and score through that.
“Their (defensive) numbers again, the way in which they transition the ball very well from defensive 50 to ahead 50 and their outnumber on the contest is basically sturdy too.
“So there’s lots to be worried about.”
Lyon’s return to St Kilda has been a shocking early-season success.
Despite a prolonged harm listing, the veteran mentor is unbeaten in his second coming at St Kilda, who he coached between 2007 and 2011 earlier than shifting to Fremantle.
McRae final 12 months, his first on the helm of the Pies, took the membership to a preliminary last – a one-point loss to Sydney.
But he dismisses descriptions of Sunday’s twilight encounter at a sold-out Adelaide Oval as a battle himself and the wily Lyon.
“I don’t think Ross Lyon will get a kick or too many tackles,” he mentioned.
“I am not too sure we have to worry about each other.
“But their sport type seems to be prefer it’s fairly sturdy.
“It’s a great thing to have players out but still perform well, it’s a credit to the coaching team and the club.”
Lyon has largely caught to his successful formulation, although Jack Bytel has been dropped from the beginning 22.
And McRae has summoned Jack Ginnivan for his first AFL sport this 12 months.
Ginnivan, in February, was suspended for 2 video games by the AFL after admitting illicit drug use throughout a Collingwood coaching camp in January.
After serving the ban, the goalsneak performed two VFL video games.
“It has been a journey for him,” McRae mentioned.
Magpie wingman Will Hoskin-Elliott will miss due to sickness whereas Reef McInnes has been axed.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
