Collingwood coach Craig McRae announced the return of key players Jordan De Goey and Bobby Hill to the VFL lineup as the team prepares to face the Frankston Dolphins at Kinetic Stadium on Saturday night. Both players are set to make significant contributions to the Magpies as they aim to regain momentum in their season.
De Goey has cleared concussion protocols and is ready to return after a lengthy absence due to Achilles inflammation, which has kept him sidelined since the beginning of May. This season, the explosive midfielder has participated in only five matches, but his return is considered crucial for Collingwood’s push for the premiership. “We’re excited for what that looks like,” McRae stated on Friday. “He’ll get some game time. He’s been out for I don’t even know how many weeks, but we’re excited to have Jordy back, fit and available.”
Hill’s comeback adds further optimism for the Magpies. The Norm Smith medallist has missed the last four weeks due to personal reasons and illness. McRae remains cautious yet optimistic about Hill’s readiness. “There’s still work to be done,” he noted. “You can’t say that with what he’s been going through it’s just going to be flick a switch and things change. But the reality is, it’s good to see him back training. He’s been back at work for the last week and a half, and training hard.”
As Collingwood looks to end a two-match losing streak, Dan Houston (abdominal strain) and Tim Membrey (managed) will also return to the AFL squad for their match against Richmond at the MCG on Sunday.
In addition to player returns, McRae is actively engaged in discussions regarding potential off-season recruits. The club has been linked to a move for Jack Silvagni from Carlton, an unrestricted free agent. “Unrestricted free agents are something that we want to continue to explore,” he explained. “Whether it’s Jack or someone else, we’ll step into that because we don’t want to stand still. We want to be better than what we are now next year and we’ll look to avenues to bring players in.”
The potential signing of Silvagni has sparked mixed reactions among supporters, given his connections to Carlton. Despite this, McRae expressed openness to meeting with him. “I would meet with Jack, yeah, if that was something that was important to us,” he commented.
As the Magpies prepare for their upcoming matches, the returns of De Goey and Hill are expected to bolster the team’s performance and enhance their chances of success in the remainder of the season.
