With injuries forcing winger Clinton Young (hamstring) and utility Jarryd Blair (calf) to the sidelines, the path has been paved for Goldsack and Mooney to return to the senior side for the first time since rounds seven and six respectively.
Having established himself as a genuine swingman, carving a niche with his ability to offer both defensive cover and an additional tall option up forward, Goldsack’s versatility has been sorely missed by the Magpies since he was struck down by a hip injury.
Whilst enduring a frustrating period of recovery, Goldsack forced his way back into senior selection following a solitary outing at VFL level, his intensity and tackling strength ensuring he will inject added steel into an increasingly miserly Collingwood outfit.
Mooney meanwhile has once again been rewarded for a string of stellar displays at VFL level with elevation from the rookie list for the remainder of the 2013 season. He is not replacing any player currently on the long-term injury list, nor the recently retired Ben Johnson.
Revelling in his role across the half-forward line, Mooney has emerged a potent weapon for the VFL Magpies, his searing pace and attacking acumen seeing him boot 15 goals in 10 outings this season.
Despite his scoreboard impact however, Mooney has largely made his greatest impression defensively, developing a penchant for scything down opponents and applying suffocating pressure on ball carriers.
Though confined to a substitute role throughout his senior career to date, Mooney’s progress over the last 18 months has provided substantial reason for optimism that the Irish recruit is firmly on the road to fulfilling his undoubted potential.
Remaining on the cusp of selection, Lachlan Keeffe, Ben Kennedy and Adam Oxley round out the 25-man squad having been named as emergencies for the Sunshine State match.
On the VFL front, Alan Didak (calf) and Quinten Lynch (back) have overcome injury concerns to return for tomorrow night’s blockbuster under lights at the ‘Cattery’, bolstering Dale Tapping’s side in its bid to secure a finals berth for the first time since 2010.
Gold Coast v Collingwood
Round 17
Saturday 20 July
Metricon Stadium, 4.40pm
Collingwood
B: Nathan Brown, Nick Maxwell, Ben Reid
HB: Tyson Goldsack, Heath Shaw, Marley Williams
C: Steele Sidebottom, Brent Macaffer, Luke Ball
HF: Jamie Elliott, Jarrod Witts, Dane Swan
F: Dayne Beams, Travis Cloke, Josh Thomas
Foll: Ben Hudson, Scott Pendlebury, Andrew Krakouer
Int: Ben Sinclair, Paul Seedsman, Sam Dwyer, Caolan Mooney
Emg: Lachlan Keeffe, Ben Kennedy, Adam Oxley
IN: Tyson Goldsack, Caolan Mooney
OUT: Jarryd Blair (calf), Clinton Young (hamstring)
