Mason Cox hopes to cement place in Collingwood’s forward line after Travis Cloke’s exit
COLLINGWOOD big man Mason Cox wants to stake a permanent berth in the Magpies’ forward line next season in a bid to spread the goal kicking load.
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COLLINGWOOD big man Mason Cox wants to stake a permanent berth in the Magpies’ remodelled forward line in a bid to spread the goal kicking load next season.
Travis Cloke’s move to the Western Bulldogs has opened the door for Cox to continue his rapid rise after the 211cm American ignited his AFL career in exciting fashion in the Anzac Day blockbuster against Essendon last season.
But the third-year Texan recruit will face stiff competition in the forward half in 2017 after the Magpies picked up versatile goalkickers Daniel Wells (North Melbourne), Chris Mayne (Fremantle) and Will Hoskin-Elliott (GWS) in last month’s trade period.
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With Nathan Buckley’s men desperate to re-enter the finals mix next season after three years out, Cox said the Pies must sharpen their performance in attack.
“As a forwards group, we might feel a bit of pressure,” Cox said.
“Last season we didn’t really play the best and I think Alex Fasolo kicked the most goals (25) and he wasn’t even playing for half the season (12 games).
“So, I think we have got a lot to prove next year, and with Trav going a spot has opened up and that may be fortunate for me.
“For him, he just needed to do what was best for him at the end of the day, and you have to respect that because he is a legend of the club.”
The Pies’ first to fourth-year players, and captain Scott Pendlebury, stepped up their pre-season preparations on Monday as part of a training camp in Falls Creek.
The club also unveiled its new playing jumper for the Herald Sun after joining forces with new apparel sponsor ISC.
Cox, who is out of contract at the end of next year and spent much of the off-season travelling through parts of remote Western Australia and Queensland, said he was anxious to return to training and help claim a Round 1 berth.
The 25-year-old played 11 games last season but wants to become a mainstay as a forward and possibly back-up ruck next year, following the departure of second-ruckman Jarrod Witts to Gold Coast.
“The past two weeks I’ve just been itching to get back and itching to start playing again,” he said.
“You just want to get back and prove yourself.”
He said the contract situation was another incentive to perform.
“It is a bit daunting. If I don’t play well I could get kicked out of the country,” he said.
“I’m just concentrating on football and will leave that with my agent.”
Cox was adamant the returns of goalkickers Fasolo and Jamie Elliott, who missed the whole of last season with a back injury, along with the continued development of third-year ace Darcy Moore would put Collingwood in a strong position to begin next season.
“Fasolo kicks goals and does things where I just look at him like ‘I don’t know how he does it’, but it is natural for him and for Jamie just the way he can read the ball in the air and control his body (is impressive),” Cox said.
“Everyone brings their own skill set to the table and hopefully this year we can get everyone on the same page and see where it goes.”
Originally published as Mason Cox hopes to cement place in Collingwood’s forward line after Travis Cloke’s exit
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