Collingwood trade bolter Sam Murray holds the key to beating Hawthorn hoodoo

WHEN Collingwood handed over a future second-round draft pick for an untried Sydney back pocket, fans’ stomachs turned. But the move could be about to pay instant dividends.

JLT Community Series. Collingwood's Sam Murray. Pic: Michael Klein

IT WAS one of the most stunning moves of last year’s trade period.

When Collingwood handed over a second-round pick in this year’s bumper national draft for Sydney rookie Sam Murray and a third-round selection, many Collingwood fans’ stomachs turned.

Why so much for an unknown back pocket?

Yet, for all the trade-time sniggering, the left-field move could pay early dividends as the Pies look to overturn their miserable record against Hawthorn’s vaunted small forward combination in Saturday night’s season-opener.

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Hawthorn has won 10 of its past 11 matches against Collingwood and livewires Cyril Rioli (average 2.5 goals), Luke Breust (2.2) and Paul Puopolo (1.1) have regularly filled their boots against the Magpies since 2013.

The Hawks have an average winning margin of 33 points over the Pies since 2012.

When Magpie backman Ben Sinclair retired last year (concussion) and tough-nut Brayden Maynard put his hand up for a move into the midfield, Collingwood’s list management team officially sent up a flare.

Sam Murray brings the ball out of defence. Picture: Michael Klein

There was a void to fill in the last line of defence at a time when most rival clubs are getting smaller, and quicker, inside forward 50m.

It is why the Magpies went left-field in the exchange period, hoping line-breaking defender Murray, 20, can add a strong shut-down element to his game and quell the most dangerous small forwards in the league this season.

But there was work to do over summer after some hip and knee trouble.

Coach Nathan Buckley said the Wodonga product was left out of the first JLT Series loss to Greater Western Sydney because he still had some areas of his game to brush up on.

Murray had to tighten up on his man.

But the 187cm rebounding backman sparkled in the second JLT Series win over Western Bulldogs in Moe, racking up 24 possessions. He was ranked No. 1 for metres gained, clinching his senior debut against the Hawks at the MCG.

It will be a baptism of fire for the former untried Swan, especially if there is a wet and slippery ball, with some rain forecast.

But Buckley is confident the speedy defender is ready.

“He hit the ground running against the Bulldogs last week,” Buckley said.

“He’s got really strong dash off the half-back line and we think he can add something to us.”

Sam Murray did enough in the NEAFL to impress Collingwood recruiters.

Sydney tried to keep Murray on its list for a third season and offered him a senior spot, forcing Collingwood to play ball at the trade table.

A second-round pick was seen as a high price, but the Pies said there was method to the madness.

Murray, who was originally a small forward in 2016, was rated elite for uncontested possessions (15.2) and score involvements (6.2) and above average for intercept possessions per game (5.8) last year in the NEAFL, according to Champion Data.

National recruiting manager Derek Hine said Murray had weapons.

“What I really like about him is that he does lift his vision and he can punch the ball really deep. So that was really important for us,” Hine said.

“The lock-down side of his defensive game is still a work in progress. But we like that run and overlap come naturally to him, because of his speed.

“And what Collingwood people probably haven’t seen yet is he’s really strong overhead.”

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