Magpies adapt up forward

COLLINGWOOD’S forward line has reaped the benefits of continuity, according to Pies assistant coach Brenton Sanderson.

Mason Cox missed the Pies’ Round 17 clash with West Coast before Jordan De Goey missed Round 19 and 20 games against Richmond and Sydney, with Collingwood losing all three encounters. But they’ve won five of their last six with the two forward pillars in the side, the only loss being the defeat to West Coast in the qualifying final in Perth three weeks ago.

Sanderson said Collingwood’s makeshift forward line — which is missing the likes of Jamie Elliott, Ben Reid and Darcy Moore — had learnt how to play alongside each other.

“We’ve had different players play in different roles with varying success and we’ve just been fortunate we’ve had some continuity the last 6-8 weeks, we’ve settled down that forward group and the boys are getting good results,” he said.

The former Adelaide senior coach and premiership assistant at Geelong heaped praise on Cox, who he described as one of the hardest workers he’s seen in football, for Friday night’s performance against Richmond.

“He’s really worked his backside off behind the scenes to keep improving as a player,” he said.

“Thankfully it all came together on Friday night; he was able to get his timing right, his teammates looked after him — they were able to block and screen for him really well — and we got really good delivery inside forward 50 as well.

“It’s a credit to him because he does work as hard as any player I’ve ever seen.”

But Sanderson said the Pies midfielders had also mastered the best way to kick the ball to Cox, giving him a chance to run and jump at the football.

“Hopefully we can get a bit more of that delivery inside forward 50 on Saturday afternoon.”