Collingwood superstar Nick Daicos has touched down in Perth carrying the hopes of the Magpies’ faithful as the injury-ravaged side prepare to take at Optus Stadium on West Coast.
Daicos is already renowned as the most influential player in the AFL, but his importance for coach Craig McRae’s side has only been increased because more than 1000 games experience has gone out of the side.
AFL games record holder Scott Pendlebury was a surprise out for the Magpies because of a corked calf, joining important defender Jeremy Howe (fractured arm), in-form star Jordan De Goey (glute), Pat Lipinski (calf) and backman Harry Perryman (hamstring).
It compounds the absence of captain Darcy Moore (hamstring), vice-captain Brayden Maynard (knee/hamstring) and high-flying forward Jamie Elliott (knee).
Collingwood have already drawn criticism for being too reliant on the midfielder, who is the unbackable favourite to finally win a Brownlow Medal this year.
The 23-year-old is only going to carry more burden when he steps out against the Eagles on Sunday, with Andrew McQualter’s side to surely put plenty of emphasis on stopping the gun.
Asked about the tactics around stopping the three-time All-Australian, McQaulter conceded you’re “never going to stop him getting the ball”.
“He is as good as anyone, maybe as good as Gaz (Gary Ablett Jnr), as anyone I’ve ever seen at being able to get the ball,” he said.
“If you give him time and space he’s going to hurt you every time.
“We need to put some work into how we can restrict his impact on the game.”
While Collingwood may be far from full strength and coming off a 25-point defeat to Geelong, McQualter said they still had to be weary of the well-structed Magpies.
“It’s obvious for everyone to see the experience they’ve lost, but their system now, they’ve been doing it for six-years straight. So it will be plug and play,” he said.
“They’ll put guys in. They build their game on their pressure … that’s really where they build their game. Their attack of half-back is really threatening as well.
“I know Geelong got them last week, but they’re in good form, they’re playing for finals but we know on a big stage, only 10 or 11 weeks ago the way we played against them caused some problems and some challenges for them as well.
“We’ll look to replicate that game and even to play it a little bit better.”
McRae was among the travelling party despite not being at the club yesterday because of illness, while West Australian products Sam Swadling and Will Hayes have come into the side to take on West Coast.