Collingwood track watch: Taylor Adams skips Monday session in race to be fit for GF

Collingwood veteran is racing the clock to be available for selection for the final game of the year, and the midfielder faces a nervous wait this week.

Collingwood Press conference. Collingwood players Josh Daicos, Darcy Moore and Nick Daicos Picture: Valeriu Campan

Thursday is D-Day for injured Collingwood midfielder Taylor Adams, who will face an intense fitness test before a call on whether he plays in the grand final is made by coach Craig McRae.

McRae admits he is “definitely a risk taker” – but he won’t when it comes to Adams’ hamstring in Saturday’s premiership decider against Brisbane.

McRae said the Magpies were likely to reveal Adams’ fate when teams were announced on Thursday night.

McRae said he and Adams, who injured his hamstring at training on the Pies’ week off, had spoken at length on Monday about what needed to be done to be considered for selection, but Thursday was the major test.

Adams is racing the clock to play Saturday. Photo by Michael Klein.

“He’s going well … I had a good chat to him (on Monday) about the boxes he needs to tick and what are the things that he needs to do to be available,” McRae told this masthead on Monday.

“He’s going to probably train lightly (on Tuesday) but then on Thursday, have a real crack at it.

“I am definitely a risk-taker … but also, this time of year, you’ve got to weigh up the risk and the reward. I won’t shy away from taking risks.

“If you come and watch training (on Thursday), he’ll either get through training well, or he won’t quite get there, and then obviously we’ll have a decision to make with that.

“I had a good chat to him today. He’s either going to be right or not. And if he’s right, then we’ve got a decision to make.”

Geelong made the difficult call to leave Max Holmes – who was also battling a hamstring – out of last year’s grand final, in which it prevailed over Sydney, while Swan Sam Reid and Giant Phil Davis have been risked in recent years and battled to play.

Adams’ former captain and current teammate Scott Pendlebury backed the Magpie to know within himself what was the right call.

Will the Pies risk Adams? (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

“It’ll come down to the medicos and Tay and how he goes, but he’s got a lot of time left to get himself right and recover. Three or four days is a long time, so see how he goes.

“He’ll know. That’s why I think it’s a bit of an easier call. Because you trust him. He’ll make the right decision, and he’ll make the best decision for the group.”

Former Magpies coach Mick Malthouse said on Sunday that Billy Frampton was the ideal candidate to replace injured forward Dan McStay to maintain team balance.

Pendlebury said the team had “great depth” and that the club had been “really smart in going out and recruiting guys like that to build the depth”.

“Tay will make the right call for the group and I feel like we’ve got options to cover either way it goes,” he said.

TRACK WATCH: WHICH PIES SKIPPED FIRST GRAND FINAL TRAINING RUN?

A word from assistant coach Scott Selwood made Collingwood’s attacking strategy clear on Monday as a host of star Magpies skipped a light training session.

Hamstrung midfielder Taylor Adams did not get on track with his teammates to kickstart grand final week, as the hard nut continues to work towards playing in the grand final on his own program.

Adams was not alone in missing out on the light session in front of about 1500 Pies fans, with neither Josh nor Nick Daicos or defender Jeremy Howe out on the track.

The Magpies will expect a full contingent on track on Tuesday for a large morning session.

Darcy Moore also didn’t train and waved to fans as he left the club right as his teammates were getting into action.

Heartbroken forward Dan McStay also left early, limping away with a brace on the knee injury that will rule him out of facing the Brisbane Lions on Saturday.

Injured forward Ash Johnson is essentially out of the running to replace McStay in the side, as he also left early with his broken left arm still in a brace.

Jordan De Goey heads out for Monday’s training session. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

Those fighting to break into the starting 22 were out on the track, with Jack Ginnivan, John Noble, Billy Frampton and Nathan Kreuger all aiming to impress.

Finding a way to kick a winning score after nabbing just 17 goals in their first two finals and losing McStay will occupy much of the week for the Collingwood coaches, and midfield coach Selwood was clear in his instructions during a kicking drill.

He urged the Magpies to “use the angles” in a bid to avoid Brisbane star defender Harris Andrews, who played a crucial role in Saturday’s preliminary final win over Carlton.

Beau McCreery and Bobby Hill on the track. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

Jack Ginnivan enjoys the sunshine. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

Every team aims to move the ball off different angles to avoid Andrews, and the Magpies’ tactic will not be a surprise at all to the Lions.

Veteran midfielder Tom Mitchell stayed out later than most on the track as he pushed through some extra sprint work.

Mitchell has been easing his way through a sore back all season but showed no discomfort on Monday.

After kicking the final goal of the preliminary final, Mason Cox spent 10 minutes working on taking hangars.