By Melissa Woods
February 6th 2010 @ 5:43am
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Jolly puts a smile on coach’s face
New Collingwood ruckman Darren Jolly has set the scene for an impressive AFL season with a standout performance in the Magpies’ intraclub practice match.
While Carlton cancelled their intraclub game on Friday due to the inclement weather, the Magpies came through their game unscathed and looked sharp and fit a week out from their opening NAB Cup match against St Kilda.
Jolly, who spent the past five seasons with Sydney after starting his career with Melbourne, had more than a dozen touches and kicked two goals in a dominant display.
Collingwood engineered one of the top trades of the off-season when they picked him up.
“It was really pleasing, he rucked nearly the whole game,” said assistant Magpies coach Gavin Brown.
“I’ve been really impressed with him … just watching the way he goes about it, the way he trains, his leadership, he brings a lot to the footy lub, not just the playing side of things.”
Brown said Jolly would spend time going forward as well as in the ruck, sharing the duties with Josh Fraser and Cameron Wood.
“I think that’s the plan, he can take a good mark down there so he’ll move forward at times and obviously have fair stints in the ruck and have his time on the bench,” Brown said.
“I think that’s going to be a terrific advantage for the club.”
Fraser, who underwent a knee operation late last year, did not play in Friday’s practice match.
But he is expected to be fit for the NAB Cup opener on February 19 against St Kilda.
Dale Thomas, who has a lower leg injury, will also be available although soreness kept him out of the game.
Brown said all players except small forward Brad Dick, who underwent a shoulder reconstruction in December, would be available to take on the Saints.
That includes former St Kilda skipper Luke Ball, who joined the Magpies in the off-season.
Ball was quiet during the practice match, although Brown felt he did enough.
“He got through unscathed and had some good quality touches and some good strong tackles, all the stuff that you’d expect from him and you want from him,” he said.
Defender Harry O’Brien and small forward Luke Rounds turned in strong performances while Brown singled out West Australian teen Jarrad Blight and rookies Jarryd Blair and Tommy Hunter for their efforts.
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