Craig McRae has named Collingwood’s side for Friday night’s Preliminary Final against the GWS GIANTS at the MCG.

48 days since injuring his knee in Collingwood’s Round 21 clash against Hawthorn, Nick Daicos will make his return to the side for his fourth career final.

Taylor Adams will miss the clash after sustaining a hamstring injury during match simulation last week. The midfielder has made steady progress in his recovery, running at training this week. 

Collingwood Coach Craig McRae spoke positively about Adams’ recovery during yesterday’s press conference.

“He’s progressing really well, it was a minor hamstring strain and what that means is he’s a chance (for selection again in the 2023 Finals Series). You would see the work he’s doing, he’s a race against the clock, but we’ve got to get there first.”

McRae also spoke on how he expects Nick Daicos to slot into the side upon his return.

“I think we’re going to use him where we need him to be honest,” said McRae.

“He might start forward, he might start mid, just whatever the game needs.

“It’s a great weapon to have when you’re bringing back one of your best players and he looks like he’s hungry and ready to go.”

Jack Ginnivan will start as the tactical sub for Friday’s clash, the fifth time he has done so in 2023. The Preliminary Final will be the small forward’s fifth career final after coming on as a substitute in the Qualifying Final victory over Melbourne. Ginnivan played in all three of Collingwood’s Finals in 2022. 

The clash will be Collingwood’s third Final against GWS, the most recent being the 2019 Preliminary Final defeat by a mere four points. Bobby Hill played his first  final for the GIANTS during this game, with Friday night’s encounter set to be his second final for Collingwood since joining the Magpies at the end of 2022.

Darcy Moore will lead the side in his first Preliminary Final as Captain. This is the defender’s second final and 23^rd game as Captain. The clash will be his 149^th career game after debuting in 2015.

Friday night’s clash will be Scott Pendlebury’s 30^th Final, placing him just one game behind Gordon Coventry’s Collingwood record of 31 V/AFL finals.

Remarkably, the clash will also be the 285^th time that Pendlebury and Steele Sidebottom have played at AFL level alongside one another – the most of any Collingwood duo.

McRae spoke highly of the impact the Magpie Army has had across September.

“It’s fantastic, we’ve said right from the start of this finals campaign that we’ve got a competitive advantage and it’s right here. “You turn up and you see all the black and white, we love it,” said McRae.

“The roar of the crowd when we kick a goal and when we do something well, we get inspired by that. We want to take the fans along for the journey.”

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Preliminary Final
Collingwood v GWS GIANTS
Friday 22 September, 7:50pm
MCG, Wurundjeri