Goldsack gratitude
TYSON Goldsack has praised his Collingwood teammates for allowing him to make a phenomenal comeback from a knee injury in time for the finals series.
The key defender, who had a pre-season knee reconstruction, said he could not “thank them enough for what they’ve done”.
“I’m just so happy to be playing. I don’t say it lightly,” Goldsack said.
“I’ve had the privilege of sitting back and watching it happen and it is nothing short of phenomenal,” he said.
“I cannot thank them enough for that work they’ve done.”
Goldsack said he felt for teammates Lynden Dunn and Matthew Scharenberg who had suffered year-ending knee injuries during the season.
“They didn’t deserve that and no one does, but they certainly don’t because they’re such good people,” he said.
“But the door opens for me and I’m looking to take my chance. I’ve been reluctant to celebrate up until hopefully after Saturday. The job’s not done.”
Goldsack faces the daunting task of stopping Eagles spearhead Josh Kennedy, but said he felt physically ready.
“The knee feels OK, there’s parts of it that don’t, but when I’m moving, when I’m functional, it’s 100 per cent,” he said. “There’s no mental Demons, really, to speak of. It’s never going to be 100 per cent. It was never going to be 100 per cent when I came back, but it moves functionally at 100 per cent.”
Meanwhile, All-Australian Ben Reid says just 12 minutes of match simulation a week was never going to be enough to force his way into Collingwood’s grand final side.
The 2010 premiership player has been fit for a fortnight after knee issues, but despite taking his gear to the MCG today he will be an emergency for the second week running.
Reid last played senior football in Round 10, but knee surgery and a lack of match practice means he couldn’t force Nathan Buckley’s hand at selection.
“I trained as hard as I possibly could to get myself in position to play,” he said.
“My body feels at a position to play but what hurt me realistically was not being able to play a game of VFL.”