Pies to stick to game plan

NATHAN Buckley has opted against a dramatic overhaul of Collingwood’s game plan with the Magpies extracting hope from last year’s competitive performances against finalists.

While the Pies finished 13th with nine wins, they defeated Geelong and Sydney, drew with grand finalist Adelaide and pushed GWS and premier Richmond.

Star midfielder Adam Treloar yesterday said those results, coupled with last week’s impressive pre-season win against the Western Bulldogs, had helped fuel “enormous” belief.

“I don’t think there’s going to be much [different],” Treloar said yesterday. “It’s hard to say because we haven’t played finals the last couple of years, but yo you do see that when we’re at our best we beat a lot of the good teams.

“A “Although you don’t want to lose lose, our biggest losing margin [ [was] wa 37 points.

“We were in all of our games, g in those big moments m we just failed. Consistency was the thing that really cost us and that was standing up in big moments.”

Jordan De Goey’s suspension su ended yesterday with wit the midfielder returning to the th club and running laps as he recovers rec from a hamstring.

De Goey, 22, is likely to be available availa for AFL selection by Round Roun 2 or 3 and Treloar tipped he faced a big season.

“It’s awesome having him back, he’s a bubbly character to be around,” Treloar said. “We haven’t really had anything to do with him [the past month].

“If he can learn from his mistakes and know that us as a team and us as a footy club are well and truly behind him, because he’s such an important player and person to us, then we’ll welcome him back with open arms.”

Treloar, 25, said the Magpies had focused on tightening their defence and added he was “raring to go”.

The Magpies held an intraclub match on Friday to fine tune plans for Saturday night’s clash against Hawthorn.

“Our last couple of years we haven’t got off to a good start and it’s really set up our season from there for being inconsistent,” Treloar said.

The Magpies have slumped to 2-5 the past two years after losing in Round 1.

They have moved natural goalkicker Darcy Moore to the backline and Treloar said they wanted to emulate Richmond’s spread of goalkickers.

No.6 draft pick Jaidyn Stephenson and ex-Swan Sam Murray are in the frame to debut against the Hawks.

Ruckman Brodie Grundy says he likes Stephenson’s speed and Murray’s ball use.

“We’ve lacked that [running halfback] in the past,” Grundy said of Murray.

“I think he’s going to be a real asset for us.”