Collingwood to face Fremantle off tight turnaround as Craig McRae works through plan to rest veterans

Collingwood will fly to Perth just three days after its loss to Geelong. With the oldest list in the league, who’s at risk of missing the long flight across the country?

Even as a stunning thriller against Geelong got away from Collingwood, then fell back into Jack Crisp’s hands, the Magpies were planning for the next week.

Boasting the oldest list in the league, the Magpies have put a detailed plan in place for its opening two months on how to handle ageing bodies, and the sternest test will come this week with a trip to Perth to face Fremantle off a five-day break.

As coach Craig McRae noted after Saturday night’s loss, the Pies had only three days to recuperate and go again, with the players to fly to Perth on Tuesday afternoon.

Steele Sidebottom played his lowest minutes of the year so far. Picture: Michael Klein

Port Adelaide is the only side to have played off a five-day break and travelled this year, beaten by Essendon in round 3, when the Bombers also played off five days but didn’t travel.

Only Hawthorn (round 10) and Essendon (round 15) have the dreaded five-day plus travel fixture to come in the current season slate.

Collingwood will hold main training on Tuesday before the flight and a captain’s run at Perth Stadium on Wednesday afternoon, likely the two lightest sessions of the year.

McRae said “if you look deeper you will see that we have been looking after a couple” of the veteran players, and some players clearly played on reduced minutes against Geelong.

The resurgent Steele Sidebottom played 75 per cent game time, his lowest mark of the year so far.

Patrick Lipinski likewise was greatly reduced on his usual on-field time, playing 76 per cent compared to his season average before Saturday of 85.1.

Forward Beau McCreery played just 67 per cent on-field, well done on his prior average of 76.3.

When players spent more time off the field, others have to pick up that slack, with Nick Daicos (up 4.9 per cent), Brody Mihocek (up 7.3 per cent) and Brayden Maynard (up 8 per cent) well above their season mark.

Wrecking ball Ned Long played 67 per cent on-ground in round 7 and 70 per cent against the Cats, well down on his average of 81 in the previous fortnight.

The Pies have clearly thought out their plans to nurse players through.

Defender Jeremy Howe was managed on Saturday, Tim Membrey had the same rest in round 6 and Brody Mihocek missed round 2 through general soreness.

Scott Pendlebury was initially supposed to start as sub in opening round against GWS, but instead took the vest in round 1 against Port Adelaide and has largely been in stellar form since.

Jordan De Goey is one played the Pies will look closely at this week, as he battles to find impact after an injury-interrupted pre-season and 2024 campaign.

He surely sits on the list of players considered for a rest instead of flying to face the Dockers.

And somewhat ironically, Crisp might be considered too, given the mental toll of his record-breaking week that ended with a shot after the siren.

Jordan De Goey has only been going. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

His usual burst was missing in a largely wing role against the Cats.

Rebounder Dan Houston had cramp late in the Cats loss but was cleared post-match.

“Watch this space this week, we have been a bit deliberate with that (resting players) and will pick a team according to that,” McRae said.

“You have to think ahead, you have to stay in the moment, but you have to plan for five days’ travel to Perth.”

The Magpies held all of their emergencies – Ed Allan, Lachie Sullivan and Oleg Markov – out of the VFL on the weekend, as well as Charlie West, a tall forward seemingly ready to debut.

The Magpies VFL team plays Northern Bullants on Saturday, so Collingwood can afford to bring extra players across the country and send those unused back for a run around two days after the AFL game.

Originally published as Collingwood to face Fremantle off tight turnaround as Craig McRae works through plan to rest veterans