Magpies embrace pressure on spots as injury list evaporates

Versatile Magpie Jack Crisp says teammates are ready to fight for their spots as they close in on becoming the AFL’s healthiest list.

Collingwood utility Billy Frampton faces a fight to keep his spot in the Magpies’ best 22 as Dan McStay’s comeback draws near. Picture: Michael Willson / Getty Images

Collingwood utility Jack Crisp says teammates are embracing the need to find new roles and fight hard for their spots as the club’s injury list rapidly dissipates.

The Magpies are poised to regain key forward Dan McStay (finger) and veteran wingman Steele Sidebottom (knee) in the next fortnight as they prepare for the run towards September blessed with the healthiest list in the competition.

If the pair are cleared from their respective concerns, it will leave only key defender Charlie Dean unavailable to a side that has won 10 of its last 11 games.

Crisp said Collingwood took its game to a “new level” as it thrashed Gold Coast by 78 points on Saturday and was adamant the mood among players on the fringe of the side was positive despite intense competition for spots.

First-year recruits Billy Frampton and Dan McStay are set to be locked in an intriguing three-way battle with Ash Johnson for a spot in the Magpies’ forward line. Picture: Michael Klein

“We played some exciting footy in different parts of the season, but we probably went to a new level again on Saturday on the Gold Coast which was great,” Crisp told SEN Breakfast on Monday.

“I think we kicked six goals from the back half in the first half alone, so we could see some great ball movement coming through.

“(Magpies coach Craig McRae) has been really good. We went back to school a bit last week in terms of our method and system … the Adelaide game probably let us down a bit, but our effort was always there, so it was just (about) finding the right balance.”

Key forward Ash Johnson was squeezed out of the team to face the Suns after kicking 15 goals this season to accommodate Billy Frampton’s return to the side, but while the former Crow impressed in attack with 15 disposals and two goals, he faces a significant challenge to hold his role when fellow recruit McStay makes his eventual return.

McStay was ruled out of his VFL return on the weekend at the last minute due to illness, which could delay his return after McRae said he would be available for the senior side off the back of one game.

Jack Crisp will overtake Adam Goodes to reach outright third for most consecutive VFL/AFL games played on Friday night. Picture: Russell Freeman / Getty Images

“There’s some tough conversations that will probably have to be had because blokes will be thinking they’re around the mark and then other blokes will be coming back from injury, so it’s probably a really good spot to be in from a club point of view,” Crisp said.

“Some blokes are probably going to be unlucky but that’s the reality of it, and Fly (McRae) has been really good about being open with the whole group about these conversations anyway.”

Crisp will move past Sydney champion Adam Goodes to claim the third highest streak of consecutive VFL/AFL games when he notches his 205th against the Western Bulldogs on Friday night.

He credited ballet conditioning expert and long-time Collingwood consultant Paula Baird-Colt as a key influence on his remarkable durability.

“She does a fair bit of work in terms of individual muscle groups and really dives deep into different people’s preparations and what they need … muscles that you wouldn’t think you had to activate to help ease the load on other parts of your body,” Crisp said.