New Collingwood recruit Lachie Schultz reveals how Pies move came to be
It surprised a few to see Lachie Schultz join the premiers in the trade period, but the time was right for the former Docker. He reveals how the move came about.
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A weekend back home in Echuca pushed Collingwood recruit Lachie Schultz to pursue a move to the reigning premier and he never seriously considered offers from other clubs.
The former Fremantle forward had been on Collingwood’s radar previously and was only ever really keen to play with the Magpies once he decided to move back to the east coast.
It was the Schultz camp who put feelers out to clubs before an October trade, after a weekend back home with family and a deep discussion with partner Maddie Oberin.
“Me and my partner were back home and we decided, we had a bit of personal things happen in the last 12 months that I don’t need to go into, but we decided now was the time to come home if the opportunity arose and we would go after it,” Schultz said.
“I’m absolutely privileged to have the best team in the comp come after me.”
Even as other clubs started calling, Schultz only had eyes for the Pies.
“Collingwood probably was the one that we really sort of went after and they came after us as well,” he said.
“There were discussions elsewhere but at the same time I was pretty set on going to the Pies after the success they have had and such a good club to come home to.”
The goalsneak said Collingwood’s bevy of seven Thursday and Friday games in next year’s fixture would let him hit the road back to Echuca regularly.
After bagging 63 goals across his final two seasons at Fremantle, Schultz said he expected to remain in his familiar role as a nagging, pressure forward in his new colours.
“I think they are my strengths and that is where I found my niche on the field and that is where my club sees me playing as well,” he said.
“I will delve into whatever the club needs of me but at the same time, they are really big on playing to your strengths and my strengths are my pressure and being a dangerous forward.
“At the moment I will aim for that position and we will go from there.”
Schultz said he could “confidently say” there were no signs of a premiership hangover within his new club after the Pies pushed through a sweltering two-hour training session on Monday morning.
TRACK WATCH: FLAG PIE GOES DOWN, SEARCH FOR MCSTAY ANSWER BEGINS
The surface at Victoria Park is no concern to Collingwood or new recruit Lachie Schultz, with a second injury picked up at the venue in as many training sessions no reflection on the oval.
Premiership midfielder Pat Lipinski rolled his right ankle halfway through a marathon session in Monday morning’s heat, following on from Dan McStay’s ruptured ACL at the same venue on Friday.
Lipinski’s injury was due to a teammate falling on his leg, not the surface, and he emerged walking with ice on his right ankle at the end of the session, with all signs pointing to a minor sprain.
The Magpies are training at their old home due to works on the oval at Olympic Park but had no qualms about the ground, even if it is more of a dog park than an AFL venue during most of the week.
“I have no problems with it at all, the club is happy with where it is at and we’re happy with where it is at,” Schultz said.
“I haven’t felt anything different. It obviously beats some of the country ground up in Echuca.”
Schultz, who was traded to the Pies from Fremantle in October, said he relished the chance to train on the famous old ground.
“It is the spiritual home so to be back here is awesome and it’s a great way to get back into the club and learn more about it,” he said.
The heat of a two-hour session at Victoria Park was literally miles away from the conditions for ruck Mason Cox, who posted photos on Instagram from an NFL match between the LA Rams and Cleveland Browns while his teammates were slugging it out.
Cox posted that he was back in the United States and part of a bachelor party, and he ran into footy commentator Kane Cornes at the NFL.
Midfielder Jordan De Goey was also absent from Monday’s session for personal reasons, while McStay was also unsighted.
McStay will wait for the swelling in his knee to go down before having surgery on his latest knee injury.
Pies coach Craig McCrae was also absent, as he soaks in a quick study tour at Harvard University, leaving Hayden Skipworth in the head coaching duties for the next week.
Defender Brayden Maynard largely spent the session on a stationary bicycle and only barely took part in a kick-to-kick drill, using only his left arm, following right shoulder surgery.
Darcy Cameron, Darcy Moore and Jamie Elliott mostly ran laps and kicked the ball between themselves, as they also recuperate from off-season surgery.
Defender Nathan Murphy completed a full session, even as a cloud hangs over his career while he waits for approval from the league’s concussion tribunal to continue playing.
FORWARD FOCUS
With McStay now off the board in Collingwood’s forward line, the Magpies cycled through a couple of marking options in a half-ground match simulation drill.
Ash Johnson played deep forward and Reef McInnes spent a lot of time in the goalsquare, presenting two scoring options to replace McStay.
“Obviously it is a huge loss losing Dan and we are disappointed for him but we will wrap our arms around him,” Schultz said.
“We have great confidence in whoever will come in and play that role.”
With McStay out, the Pies will be even more careful about filling their list out with train-on players.
Each of former Port Adelaide ruck Brynn Teakle, St Kilda onballer Jack Bytel, VAFA backman Sam Sofronidis and Pies VFL pair Campbell Hustwaite and Josh Eyre trained on Monday.
Sofronidis found himself at the front of a running group of tall players pushed through shuttle runs.
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