Managing workload matters as much as managing injury
In the long game of a football season, Collingwood's coach Craig McRae has chosen preservation over presence, resting four experienced players — Scott Pendlebury, Jordan De Goey, Brody Mihocek, and Brayden Maynard — ahead of Thursday's clash with Fremantle in Perth. The decision, made in the wake of a heartbreaking last-kick loss to Geelong, reflects a quiet truth about aging bodies and long seasons: sometimes the wisest move is to step back. A five-day turnaround and a cross-country journey became, in McRae's reckoning, an opportunity to restore rather than deplete.
- Collingwood's season hangs in a delicate balance after Jack Crisp's after-the-siren shot missed and denied the Magpies a stunning comeback against Geelong.
- Despite the loss, Pendlebury and Mihocek performed at their best — making the decision to rest them feel both prudent and quietly costly.
- Mihocek's abdominal complaint adds a medical layer to what is otherwise a calculated load-management call for a roster leaning heavily on its veterans.
- Four replacements — Jeremy Howe, Lachie Sullivan, Ed Allan, and Oleg Markov — must now step into a high-pressure interstate fixture and justify the gamble.
- The anticipated debut of young key forward Charlie West has been pushed back by a minor foot injury, leaving one more question mark hanging over the squad's depth.
Collingwood will travel to Perth without four of its most seasoned players on Thursday night, as coach Craig McRae opts to protect his veteran core ahead of the Fremantle fixture at Optus Stadium. Scott Pendlebury, Jordan De Goey, Brody Mihocek, and Brayden Maynard will all remain in Melbourne.
The backdrop is a narrow loss to Geelong the previous Saturday — a game that ended with Jack Crisp's post-siren shot drifting wide, denying the Magpies an unlikely win. Pendlebury had been outstanding with 26 touches and nine marks, and Mihocek kicked four goals including two in a late surge. De Goey, however, offered little, finishing with just nine touches.
Mihocek carries an abdominal complaint, though his output last week suggested he could have pushed through. McRae's broader intent is clear: with players like Pendlebury in his late thirties, a five-day break and a cross-country trip is a moment to reset, not grind through. Jeremy Howe, Lachie Sullivan, Ed Allan, and Oleg Markov come into the side as replacements.
A debut for young forward Charlie West had been anticipated, but a minor foot injury has made that unlikely. Whether the strategy pays dividends will depend on how the replacements perform — and whether the rested veterans return with something left to give.
Collingwood is sitting out four of its most experienced players for Thursday night's trip to Perth, a deliberate choice by coach Craig McRae to manage the physical toll on an aging roster. Scott Pendlebury, Jordan De Goey, Brody Mihocek, and Brayden Maynard will remain in Melbourne while the Magpies face Fremantle at Optus Stadium.
The decision comes after a five-day break following last Saturday's loss to Geelong—a game that came down to the final kick. Jack Crisp's shot after the siren missed, denying Collingwood what would have been an improbable comeback. Despite the loss, Pendlebury and Mihocek had performed at a high level. Pendlebury accumulated 26 touches and nine marks in what McRae's team would describe as another commanding display. Mihocek, meanwhile, kicked four goals, two of them in the closing minutes as Collingwood mounted its late charge. De Goey, by contrast, had little to show for his night—nine touches and minimal influence playing predominantly as a forward.
Mihocek carries an abdominal complaint into the decision, though his performance last week suggested he could have played through it. The choice to rest him, along with Pendlebury and the others, reflects McRae's broader strategy of protecting his veteran core as the season unfolds. At this stage of their careers, managing workload matters as much as managing injury.
Four replacements will enter the side: Jeremy Howe, Lachie Sullivan, Ed Allan, and Oleg Markov. The Magpies had also been eyeing a debut for young key forward Charlie West, but a minor foot issue has made that less likely. McRae confirmed the resting decision when he addressed reporters on Tuesday, framing it as part of the club's ongoing management of its roster composition.
The move signals that Collingwood is thinking beyond Thursday night—balancing the immediate fixture against the longer arc of the season. With Pendlebury in his late thirties and De Goey in his thirties, the calculus shifts. A five-day turnaround and a cross-country trip to Western Australia becomes a moment to reset rather than push through. Whether that strategy pays off will depend on how the replacements perform and whether the veterans return refreshed.
Notable Quotes
Coach Craig McRae confirmed the quartet will not play when he faced the media on Tuesday— 7NEWS reporting on McRae's announcement
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why rest Pendlebury now, when he just had 26 touches and played well?
Because five days between games and a flight to Perth is exactly when you protect someone his age. One good game doesn't mean the body isn't accumulating wear.
But Mihocek kicked four goals, including crucial ones late. Doesn't that suggest he should play?
It does suggest he could play. But an abdominal issue plus the travel plus the quick turnaround—McRae is reading the whole picture, not just last week's performance.
De Goey had nine touches. Is he being rested or is he struggling?
Probably both. Nine touches is low for him, and playing forward didn't suit him. Resting him gives him a reset and gives McRae a chance to see what the replacements can do.
Four new players coming in—is that a risk?
It's a calculated one. Howe and Sullivan are experienced enough. It's a chance to rotate and see depth, which matters over a long season.
What does this say about where Collingwood is right now?
That they're thinking long-term. They lost to Geelong in a game they nearly won. Rather than chase that immediately, they're managing the squad's age and building resilience through rotation.