Bobby Hill’s Swift Return on the Horizon for Collingwood
Collingwood coach Craig McRae has provided a positive update on livewire small forward Bobby Hill, hinting at a potentially shorter-than-anticipated return-to-play timeline. Speaking for the first time since the 2023 Norm Smith Medalist rejoined training following a significant period of personal leave, McRae expressed optimism about Hill’s reintegration into the team.
“To see Bobby smiling is encouraging for all of us,” McRae remarked. “To see him fit and well and healthy, he worked really hard inside. We’re conscious he’s in pre-season mode now, but to the eye, I think he’s a bit fitter than what we thought he would be, so we’re excited to have him back.”
When pressed on whether his return would be measured in weeks rather than months, McRae indicated a strong possibility. “I probably think so. He’s the sort of guy who shines when the balls come out; pre-season’s never been his greatest time of year. But I’m happy to update that as we go through in the next period, but it’s great to have him back around the club.”
Defensive Stalwarts Set for Return, Minutes May Be Managed
The Magpies’ defensive unit is set to receive a boost with the confirmed returns of experienced defenders Jeremy Howe and Darcy Moore. However, McRae did not rule out the possibility of managing their game time in their initial outings.
“Maybe not full 100 per cent (game time) because those roles as key defenders usually play 100 per cent – we might (manage them), so we’ll see how that plays out,” McRae explained. He also floated the idea of Howe having an impact further up the ground. “I’d like to see ‘Howie’ go forward – apparently his GPS (shows) he does twice as much work as a forward, but I think he has the capability to swing a bit in games.”
Untried Ruckman Oscar Steene Earns AFL Opportunity
Emerging ruckman Oscar Steene is poised to make his AFL debut after impressing the coaching staff with his pre-season efforts. His inclusion comes at a time when the Magpies have been scrutinising their forward line’s potency.
Forward Line Focus Amidst Rule Changes and Departures
Collingwood’s forward line has been a talking point, particularly in light of recent rule changes designed to increase scoring and speed of play. The club’s decision to part ways with forwards Brody Mihocek and Mason Cox in the off-season has amplified this discussion.
“I thought our connection inside 50 last game was really poor – we had enough entries. The game before, we connected really well but didn’t have enough entries,” McRae observed. “It’s a bit of a mixed bag for our forwards, and we’ve got to work in the last couple of weeks on our connection stuff.”
McRae dismissed concerns about the team failing to reach triple-figure scores. “I don’t get caught up in the narrative of (failing to reach 100 points), but we’re conscious of improving ourselves. There’s two different games right now: the one we played in Round Zero was numbers back and having to defend, and our backs did a great job against the tide. The last game was lots of entries and no connection, and you’ll find most teams have that. When you get forward half turnovers, you’re going into high density, and we’ll have to do that this week.”
He highlighted the challenge posed by teams like the Giants, who are adept at bringing numbers back. “The Giants get their numbers back as well as any team in the competition. We’ve got to get better at our connection and execution in those phases, so we’ve got to get to work on those things, but we have to get things moving with our key forward; we’ll try a couple of things.”
Daicos Brothers Thriving Amidst External Narratives
Coach McRae also addressed speculation surrounding Nick Daicos’ bye-week trip to Tasmania, where he was seen with Devils director Roger Curtis. McRae firmly backed both Nick and Josh Daicos, asserting their commitment to the club.
“It’s a great place to travel, Tassie, a bit of bass fishing, a bit of fly fishing, it’s good fun. All I’ll say about Nick and Josh is they are absolutely thriving in our environment,” McRae stated. “They are really well paid, as they should be; they’re in career-best form, and they train as good as anyone we’ve ever had. They’re thriving and well looked after, and that’s all we can control.”
He emphasised the strong rapport he has with Nick Daicos regarding such matters. “I speak to Nick regularly about this sort of stuff, and it is what it is. Others are creating this story; last time I looked, he had a four-year contract.”
Reef McInnes Returns for VFL Duty
Meanwhile, forgotten Collingwood defender Reef McInnes is set to feature in Collingwood’s VFL clash against GWS on Friday afternoon. His inclusion marks a significant milestone after an extended layoff due to an ACL rupture.
