In brief
Andrew McGrath disagrees with the argument Collingwood has misplaced its capability to come back from behind to win tight matches.
AFL nice Jonathan Brown had urged the Magpies have misplaced their “aura”.
What’s subsequent?
Collingwood and Essendon meet in a top-eight conflict on the MCG on Friday evening.
Essendon vice-captain Andrew McGrath has rejected ideas Collingwood has misplaced a few of its late-match “aura” following a slender loss to Gold Coast.
Since Craig McRae took over as coach in 2022, the Magpies have turn out to be the AFL’s masters of closing out matches and working down deficits.
Once they hit the lead late within the final quarter towards the Suns in Carrara on Saturday, the outcome appeared a foregone conclusion.
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However the Suns have been capable of seize again the momentum, occurring to report a morale-boosting 11-point win towards the reigning premiers.
The outcome prompted Brisbane Lions legend Jonathan Brown to query whether or not the sixth-placed Magpies had misplaced their “aura” and demand that they had issues of their premiership defence.
However McGrath stated the Magpies remained a premiership risk and nonetheless had the power to struggle again late in matches.
“They’ve carried out it to us a number of instances previously and we all know and respect how good a aspect they’re,” stated McGrath, who will play his a hundred and fiftieth AFL match on Friday evening.
“They have been an important group for a protracted time frame and we’re making ready for them at their very best.
“We all know what methods they do late in video games, [but] it is one factor understanding and one other factor attempting to cease it and arrest it. We’re ready for that.”
After Essendon and Collingwood performed out an exciting draw on Anzac Day, Friday evening’s assembly shapes as an much more vital encounter given how the rivals are positioned.
The Bombers are additionally coming off a defeat final Saturday — a 45-point loss to Geelong — leaving them delicately positioned in fourth.
Though coach Brad Scott believes it’s not a difficulty, Essendon is but to beat a group at present sitting inside the highest eight this season.
McGrath insisted the Bombers had realized from their loss towards the Cats, notably the third-quarter collapse that Scott labelled a “sequence of unlucky occasions”.
“Just a few calls did not go our means, however that is footy and that occurs. We weren’t capable of arrest the momentum,” he stated.
“Geelong, like Collingwood, are an important aspect. You give them an excessive amount of time and house and so they make you pay.”
AAP
