Collingwood’s clash with Richmond this week is shaping as the match of the season

NATHAN Buckley says Collingwood is playing the best football he’s seen his team play ahead of what shapes as the match of the season against Richmond on Saturday. Who will come out on top?

Levi Greenwood celebrates a goal against his old side. Picture: Getty Images

NATHAN Buckley says Collingwood is playing the best football he’s seen his team play ahead of what shapes as the match of the season against Richmond on Saturday.

The Magpies demolished North Melbourne at the MCG on Saturday by 66 points in a display that sent anticipation rocketing ahead of the clash with the top placed Tigers.

“Today was as good a team performance as we’ve put in, I thought we were just really solid,” Buckley said.

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“ … I thought it was a really mature, rounded performance from a group of blokes that wanted to respond from last week.

“ … We’re coming up against the best team in the competition and the reigning premiers so, that will be a good opportunity for us to test where we’re at and if we continue to focus on how we play as a team, we’re always pretty hard to beat.”

Richmond defeated the Magpies by 43 points in Round 6, but that’s not the same side, according to Buckley.

“We’d like to think we’ve developed and improved since that point,” Buckley said.

“I dare say looking at Richmond’s recent form, that they’ve been able to do the same.

Sam Murray returned for the Pies on Saturday. Picture: Getty Images

“We believe in the way we go about it. We’ve got confidence in our players, young and old, tall small, that they can bring their strengths and play the way that we want to play for long enough.

“We’re still exploring that, we’re still discovering what we’re capable of as a team unit and next will just be the next opportunity.”

Darcy Moore (tight hamstring) was a late withdrawal from Saturday’s game and Buckley said the defender would be sent for scans this week.

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Buckley said he made the final call not to play Moore about three minutes before the Magpies took to the field.

He praised the performance of Moore’s replacement, Josh Daicos.

“The youthful exuberance was great,” Buckley said.

“ … He was actually crook last night and crook through the game, so fair response from him and showed some real toughness.

“We were rapt with his ability to handle that challenge, the psychological challenge and then the physical challenge.”

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