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Collingwood head into their mid-season break sitting pretty atop the AFL ladder, having continued to defy what could have been a debilitating run of injuries.
Small forward Alan Didak only lasted a few minutes of Monday’s clash with Melbourne at the MCG before succumbing to a groin complaint for the second time this year.
But as they have done throughout 2012, the Magpies simply got on with the job, trouncing Melbourne by 42 points to move one game clear at the top of the table.
“We’d back up next week if we needed to,” said Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley, whose team heads to Port Douglas on Tuesday.
“Satisfied and content are really dangerous words but we’re happy in the position that we’re in.
“We’ve worked very hard as a unit – not just the 22 that played today.
“The baton keeps getting handed over and the 22 of the day are expected to stand up and take the responsibility at different times.”
With an injury list that includes Scott Pendlebury, Heath Shaw, Ben Reid, Ben Johnson, Luke Ball, Andrew Krakouer, Lachlan Keeffe and – once again – Didak, the Magpies have been forced to use 35 players in the first half of the season, including six debutants.
“When you find and expose a little bit of depth and those players have the wherewithal to stand up and play their role within the structure, then that’s encouraging – not just for the short term but down the track,” said Buckley.
After having this weekend off, West Coast and Adelaide can draw level with Collingwood on 36 points if they win their upcoming matches against Carlton and St Kilda respectively.
The match review panel seems certain to monitor a couple of incidents from Monday’s match involving Melbourne players Luke Tapscott and Colin Sylvia.
But Buckley had no complaints with the spirit in which the match was played.
“The game of footy is tough and you’re not going to get it all your own way,” he said.
“We expected Melbourne to be fairly physical.
“We’re a physical side, we play the game hard and I’m not surprised by the fact that our guys are going to continually put their body in the line of the ball and put their head over it when they need to and go back with the flight when they need to.
“Every now and then, you’re going to cop a few, so we’ll wear that.”
After a tumultuous first half of 2012 that included only one victory last weekend against Essendon, Melbourne and their coach Mark Neeld could be excused for looking forward to their week off.
Neeld said Monday’s opening term – when the Demons were outscored by six goals to nil – was one of only two quarters in the past three games against heavyweights Carlton, Essendon and the Magpies where his team had been found wanting.
“We’re seeing some glimpses – individually and as a team – of some good performances,” he said.
“That’s heartening and there’s some positives to take into the second half of the season.”
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