Star Pies looking to return
COLLINGWOOD’S Steele Sidebottom and Mason Cox didn’t train yesterday, but the Magpies maintain both will take their spots in Saturday’s blockbuster sell-out clash with Richmond.
And Darcy Moore also remains a chance to take on the Tigers in what looms as the highest attended clash between these two old foes since the 1980 Grand Final.
Moore was a late withdrawal with hamstring tightness moments before the team ran out for last Saturday’s match against North Melbourne, but the club expects him to spend this week in full training.
“The examination and the scans following up show that there has been no further damage to Darcy in terms of the hamstring that had kept him out for a while previously, which is good news,” Collingwood general manager of football Geoff Walsh said.
“Functionally, we would expect him to be able to put a full week in on the track and by the end of the week be putting his hand up for selection.”
Collingwood only had a light session yesterday, with their main session coming on Thursday.
Walsh said Sidebottom was a certainty to play against the Tigers, despite speculation he had suffered serious damage to his jaw last weekend.
“There was some wild media speculation about Steele Sidebottom having sustained some serious damage to his jaw,” he said. “But pleasingly, we can say that they are absolutely rumours. Steele will train this week and will certainly be available to play against Richmond on Saturday.”
Cox had scans following the North Melbourne game, but also seems certain to play.
Tyson Goldsack is almost back to full training in his recovery from an ACL injury, with Walsh saying there could be “some bright and strong news on the horizon” in coming weeks.