By Peter Ryan
Collingwood star Nick Daicos said he can’t wait to get cracking with his rehab to repair a hairline fracture in his knee as his coach Craig McRae looks likely to go back to the well at the selection table before the Magpies face the Cats on Friday night.
It will be the first time McRae has coached the Magpies without Nick Daicos at his disposal as the 20-year-old Brownlow Medal favourite admitting he knew he was in trouble when he collided with Hawthorn defender James Blanck on Saturday.
Despite their loss to the Hawks, and losing Brownlow Medal favourite Nick Daicos to injury, the Magpies remain two games clear on top of the ladder.Credit: Getty Images
“I felt something in my knee a little bit when I went on the ground and it was pretty sore and then in the third quarter on the impact of the Hawthorn player I straight away knew that something wasn’t right,” Daicos told reporters on Monday.
“I was hoping it was just a corky but obviously it was something worse.”
Magpies football manager Graham Wright understood the disappointment in losing Daicos at this point of the season but also knows they have no time to dwell as they look to rediscover form.
Their main focus this week would be on picking a team to beat Geelong and cement top spot with Wright and McRae watching the VFL on Sunday.
“We have got Geelong on Friday night so that is what we are focusing on,” Wright said.
Craig McRae may get creative at the selection tableCredit: AFL Photos
The Magpies withdrew key defender Billy Frampton from the VFL match in a signal he will replace Nathan Murphy in defence after Murphy suffered a syndesmosis injury against the Hawks that will sideline him for two or three weeks.
Frampton and Murphy were both vying for the same spot at the start of the season but Murphy has cemented his spot as Darcy Moore’s main offsider through the first 19 games.
However, with Geelong key forward Tom Hawkins in doubt for the clash, the Cats could have just two key forwards with Jeremy Cameron and Gary Rohan alongside Ollie Henry as the Cats’ marking targets inside 50.
Former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley told SEN that the Magpies’ midfield would miss Daicos’ pace.
“The midfield is the place that Collingwood is going to have to have some answers with (Taylor) Adams, (Tom) Mitchell and (Scott) Pendlebury, it’s too one-paced and Daicos going in there has helped them,” Buckley said.
Tom Hawkins in action against the Bombers.Credit: Getty Images
“They’re going to have to find a way of manufacturing a little bit more grunt through the middle. De Goey becomes more important than ever.”
“Potentially there’s a need to inject some more ball-winning in there so that balance is going to be important.”
Will Hoskin-Elliott sat out the final quarter of the Magpies’ VFL loss to Werribee on Sunday after a relatively subdued performance on the wing in the first three quarters.
Hoskin-Elliott played the first 16 games of the season but only played 23 percent of game time in his one appearance since round 17 while Frampton, who has played 12 games in 2023 has not played the past three games.
Mason Cox also laid some claims to be included as he played as ruck/forward against Werribee. He gradually rediscovered his timing as the game went on and looked dangerous at times playing forward in the final quarter. He kicked two goals against the Cats in round one.
His presence could be considered as the Magpies have been heavily reliant on Jamie Elliott for goals in recent weeks, with Brodie Mihocek kicking just two goals in his past five matches.
McRae had a quiet word to Harvey Harrison as the 19-year-old took up his position for the final quarter. Harrison played four games after making his debut in round 12 with the Magpies unable to call on Finlay Macrae because of his unfortunately timed finger injury.
The other players pushing for a spot include clever forward Jack Ginnivan, who has been on the outer since round 12 and Reef McInnes who kicked two goals against Geelong in round one.
All told, 15 of the 35 players Collingwood have used this season have played at least 18 games while eight players – six of whom played VFL on Sunday – have not played more than five games each.
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