Pie trio backed despite worries

COLLINGWOOD coach Nathan Buckley has no problem picking Jeremy Howe, Adam Treloar and Tyson Goldsack despite the trio’s lack of AFL match fitness.

Howe has missed a month with a corked quad, Treloar hasn’t played since Round 14 because of a dual hamstring injury and Goldsack hasn’t been sighted at all at AFL level after undergoing a knee reconstruction in the preseason.

Goldsack at least has two VFL games under his belt ahead of tonight’s qualifying final against West Coast but Buckley was backing his men to step up to the level.

“We’ve picked the best 22. If you’d seen the block of training these three have put in, you wouldn’t have doubt,” he told reporters as Collingwood flew out for Perth.

“Goldy is a competitor. And one of the realities is we’re coming up against a team that’s strong in the air. Goldy [and Howe] help strengthen us in that area.

“Adam has been really clear in what his destination was going to be, he’s trained really well and will be better for the run. He’ll improve us as well.

“You’ll see him running through the midfield and will run forward as well.”

The Magpies’ preparation was dealt a major blow as 13 players were left stranded in Melbourne after two flight delays. The likes of Scott Pendlebury, Mason Cox and Brodie Grundy had hoped to fly out to Perth on Thursday night but were delayed by more than four hours.

Buckley made light of the setback as the rest of the Magpies’ squad jetted out.

“I had a couple of red lights on the way here as well. Everything is going against us. But we’ll find a way,” he said.

The Magpies have had anything but a smooth lead-up with Travis Varcoe’s family tragedy, Pendlebury being sent to hospital and now major flight delays.