Giant test for Pies
COLLINGWOOD was back in Melbourne preparing for its sudden-death semi-final against GWS before the hardiest West Coast fans had finished celebrating their side’s qualifying final win.
Coach Nathan Buckley and his players left Perth on a redeye flight at 11.45pm Perth time on Saturday — less than three hours after the final siren of the Magpies’ tense 16point loss to the Eagles at Optus Stadium, 12.14 (86) to 10.10 (70).
The swift departure was in keeping with Buckley’s message to his team immediately after West Coast reeled in a 10-point deficit at three-quarter-time to earn a weekend off and a home preliminary final.
It was a prize that appeared destined to be snared by the Magpies before they conceded five goals to one in the last quarter.
“When you get a chance in a qualifying final and you don’t win it, that’s an opportunity lost,” Buckley said. “As simplistic as it sounds, absolutely, it is.
“(But) we haven’t been a group that have dwelled too long.
“We are still in the fight, so we have an opportunity now to make sure that we, in some ways, take the lessons and dust ourselves off and go again.”
The Pies will at least be buoyed by the successful returns from injury of Tyson Goldsack, Adam Treloar and Jeremy Howe.
The Giants weren’t so lucky on the injury front in their 49point elimination final smashing of Sydney, with star midfielder Josh Kelly leaving the game with a knee injury in the first half.
He will have scans to determine the extent of the damage suffered in a clash with Swans star Isaac Heeney at the SCG.