Collingwood considering playing three tall forwards against Sydney Swans
Collingwood is considering playing three tall forwards for the first time in 18 months against Sydney on Friday night, with Ben Reid and Brody Mihocek in great form and American Mason Cox pushing to return from an ankle injury.
Collingwood will consider trialing a three-pronged key forward setup for the first time in 18 months against Sydney Swans.
Coach Nathan Buckley is faced with his biggest selection dilemma of the season so far as preliminary final hero Mason Cox pushes to return from an ankle injury.
Key forwards Ben Reid and Brody Mihocek should be retained for Friday night’s clash against the Swans after bagging seven goals and 15 marks in the 41-point win over St Kilda on Saturday.
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If he can prove his fitness at training, Collingwood will weigh-up whether to select Cox as part of a much taller set up on a smaller SCG ground.
The move would break new ground for Collingwood as Cox, Mihocek and Reid have never played together before in the same senior side.
Buckley has shown a strong preference for only two key forwards as Collingwood notched its sixth-straight win of the season over the Saints on Saturday.
Reid, 30, said the Magpies had hardly practiced the three key forward set up over summer.
“To be honest, we haven’t really trialled the three tall set up,” Reid said.
“We did it once against Melbourne (in a practice match), when we had a hit-out against Melbourne earlier in the preseason.
“'Checkers’ (Mihocek) is that real mobile type that could potentially play up higher up the ground and do that, but it’s one of those things that is up to the coaches.
“But we probably haven’t done it in the past.
“Whether they try it, hopefully they do because it means that all three of us get to play.”
Cox has missed the past three matches since hurting his ankle against Essendon.
Jordan De Goey is also under an injury cloud as the superstar goal kicker attempts to overcome shin and calf soreness.
De Goey missed the win over St Kilda on Saturday.
Originally published as Collingwood considering playing three tall forwards against Sydney Swans
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