>Mick Malthouse discusses the AFL fixture for the upcoming season


There is no doubt the 2010 AFL fixture poses several challenges for Collingwood to navigate through in order to return to the finals for a fifth successive season. 

The Magpies face the tough task of playing three of the top four teams from 2009 twice as well as the 2008 premiers, Hawthorn.

Head coach Mick Malthouse, who is heading into his 11th season at the helm of the Magpies and 27th as an AFL head coach, stressed to CTV on the morning of the fixture release, that it is imperative to not get overwhelmed with the draw. 

“A draw is a draw.  You lock in round one and then you try to make sure that your entire bases are covered”, Malthouse told CTV.

“The general view is that (the fixture) is tough but the overriding history has shown to not get caught up in those sorts of things and just concentrate on what you have to do.”

Malthouse has already flagged the two contests against Hawthorn as potential danger games for the Magpies.

“We play the previous premiers in Hawthorn twice.  I am sure they will rebound on the back of last year’s injuries that they had.”

With just under five months to go until round one commences, Malthouse and his staff are already in preparation for the upcoming season.

“We won’t necessarily be looking at the Western Bulldogs.  We will plan for St Kilda in the NAB Cup series.

“It (NAB Cup) gives us four weeks to look at the Western Bulldogs in our preparation for that first game.  How long they stay in that competition for has relevance but not great relevance.”

“We can’t just plan for one game.  You have to be four or five weeks in front.  We will be analysing the first four rounds and staying abreast of the idiosyncrasies of those teams through the year.”