> Malthouse fronts the media in his weekly press conferenceCOLLINGWOOD coach Mick Malthouse expects “a hell of a fight” from a revved-up Port Adelaide in the final match of round 10 on Sunday.
The Magpies and the Power meet at the MCG in a twilight match, and while Malthouse’s men were being questioned last week, seven days later the spotlight is firmly focused on the men at Alberton.
Port Adelaide turned in a dismal first quarter against the Sydney Swans, kicking 1.0 to 8.1 to set the tone for a 55-point loss.
Skipper Dom Cassisi this week ordered his men to a punishing 7am pool session where they were forced to swim 100 laps and told to think about their opening 30 minutes.
And Malthouse is backing the visitors to hit back this week.
“Historically they’ve been very, very good on the rebound,” Malthouse said on Thursday morning.
“They’re a tough side … they really got blown away in one quarter of football last week, and couldn’t get back in the game.
“So we know we’re going to be in for a hell of a fight.”
Malthouse said he had “a lot of admiration” for Port Adelaide coach Mark Williams, and said the Power’s 2008 results – when the club was decimated with injuries – shouldn’t be given too much credence.
“This year, I don’t know where they are on the ladder, but I don’t take much notice of that ladder,” he said.
The Collingwood coach is known to work by his own methods when assessing an opposition – based on a side’s performance over a set period.
So how does the Power rate on the Malthouse ladder?
“Reasonably high … above us, put it that way.”
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