Collingwood is set to regain a key trio for their match against Gold Coast on Saturday, though they will miss forward Lachie Schultz due to illness, and Isaac Quaynor remains uncertain to play. Jordan De Goey, Scott Pendlebury, and Brody Mihocek successfully completed training on Thursday and are cleared to play, but Schultz (gastro) is ruled out, and Quaynor (flu) missed the session at Olympic Park.
Pendlebury (bicep) and Mihocek (hamstring) haven’t played since round 11, while De Goey, who has been limited to one game since April due to groin and abdominal injuries, is ready to return. “(De Goey) is training well, he’s had a good week and he’ll play. We were hoping this was the game we were setting him for, and he’s ticked all those boxes and will play,” coach McRae said.
Emerging small forward Joe Richards is also a strong contender to return from a foot injury in Schultz’s absence. Despite the potential risk of making multiple changes from the previous game, McRae noted that the Magpies’ VFL program had shown it could be effective.
“Joey’s come fast because he was literally three or four weeks away … but he’s training really well, he’s put his hand up, so it’s an interesting conversation,” McRae said. He acknowledged the risk associated with many changes, considering team dynamics, chemistry, and connection.
Nick Daicos has expressed his desire to play 100 percent game time, inspired by Sydney star Errol Gulden, and demonstrated his endurance and effectiveness in Collingwood’s round 14 win over North Melbourne. “You look at Errol Gulden … he’s playing 100 percent game time at the moment, and Nick’s asking why he can’t,” McRae noted. Daicos’s ability to run harder as the game progresses makes him challenging to tag, and his performance in the second half, including two goals and setting up three, highlights his talent.
McRae did not deny interest in Swans key forward Logan McDonald but refrained from speculating about potential trades. “We can’t make comments about other players from other clubs, other than having a bit of a smile about what could be,” he said.
Regarding Gold Coast, McRae pointed out their strong home performance, attributing it to their midfield’s stoppage dominance. He emphasized the need for high intensity in clearances and contested possessions to match Gold Coast’s strengths.
