CTV> Alan Toovey speaks to CTV in the rooms after the 46 point win against Richmond CTV> Assistant coach Paul Hudson fronts the media after he oversaw Collingwood's win
THE FUTURE is bright for the black and white.
That was the assessment from stand-in coach Paul Hudson after Collingwood recorded a 46-point NAB Cup quarter-final win over Richmond at Telstra Dome on Thursday night.
While the spotlight was on the return of Ben Cousins to senior football, Hudson put the post-match focus squarely on his young Magpies, and the former Brisbane Lions assistant was buoyed by their performance in the second half.
“The intensity and pressure was great. We thought the boys’ tackling was tremendous,” he said.
The Tigers were overrun by the fast-finishing Pies, with Collingwood piling on eight goals and one supergoal after half-time to Richmond’s two majors.
“The pressure they imposed on Richmond in the second half was the difference.”
Debutant Dayne Beams looked dangerous around the ground, setting up three goals and earmarking himself as an excellent foil to the tall timber up forward, while Brent Macaffer looked lively up forward before leaving the ground with concussion.
Hudson piled praise for the pair, as both look to cement starting positions for the round-one clash with Adelaide.
“Dayne has applied himself very well. He has come to the club with the right attitude, and is a ready-made footballer having played senior football in Queensland,” he said.
“Macaffer has had to work very hard for his position in the side through the ranks within the club.”
Equally impressive for the Magpies was the amount of goalkickers the side had, with 13 players registering a major, to the delight of Hudson.
“It is always good to get goals from the midfield and not just rely on the forwards, and if you can get one or two defenders floating down (to kick goals), that’s always pleasing to get that run,” he said.
Hudson linked the Pies’ impressive start to the NAB Cup with the work the club has done over the summer, both in Arizona, and on the training track in Melbourne, and believes his side is in primed to progress further in the competition.
“We’ve set ourselves up in a really good position,” he said.
“If you do win it, it’s a bonus.”
The Pies now face the winner between Essendon and the Brisbane Lions, who clash at Telstra Dome on Friday night.
