Pie good to go after big scare

FOR one shocking moment, Collingwood star Jeremy Howe thought his grand final dream had come and gone in the same match.

With Collingwood well in control of the preliminary final against Richmond in the third term, Howe wrenched his ankle and immediately feared the worst, before post-match scans gave the former Dodges Ferry and Hobart high-flyer the all-clear.

“When the injury occurred I was concerned because it didn’t feel that great,” Howe, 28. “But to be able to run out after it occurred gave me the confidence it wasn’t going to be as bad as what I first thought.

“We had scans and X-rays and they came back OK. It is just a matter of getting a bit of swelling out, get it moving and it should be good to go.”

He admits the first half of the week would be about recovery and rehabilitation, but said he was in no doubt ahead of Saturday’s grand final clash with West Coast.

With the plethora of injuries to the Pies’ key defenders, Howe has found himself marking much bigger and taller opponents and this Saturday will be no different.

“I don’t mind, I feel like I have the ability to play on talls,” he said. “When it hits the ground it goes a bit more to- wards my way … I don’t mind that but if I have to play on a small I’m more than happy to do that as well.

“But the likelihood this weekend is it will be myself on (Jack) Darling and ‘Goldy’ (Tyson Goldsack) on Josh Kennedy and the rest will put the smalls away.”

Meanwhile, Jack Martin is the latest Gold Coast Sun weighing up his future with Essendon among a host of rival clubs pursuing the talented forward. Martin, 23, has not requested a trade from the Suns but is interested in joining the Bombers, who have long been admirers.

WHEN THE INJURY OCCURRED I WAS CONCERNED BECAUSE IT DIDN’T FEEL THAT GREAT … IT IS JUST A MATTER OF GETTING A BIT OF SWELLING OUT, GET IT MOVING AND IT SHOULD BE GOOD TO GO.