> AFL Grand Final parade highlights with 17 Magpies speaking on CTVCOLLINGWOOD'S Tyson Goldsack and Nathan Brown harbour no ill feelings towards the Magpies' coaching panel, which omitted the young defenders from the side set to take on St Kilda in Saturday's grand final.
Goldsack and Brown made way for veteran backman Simon Prestigiacomo and forward Leon Davis when teams for the season decider were announced on Thursday night.
While the 23-year-old Goldsack admitted he was "pretty shattered" by being dropped for the biggest game of the year, he didn’t blame the coaches for leaving him out of the side.
“It’s my fault for not stringing enough games together and getting the form I’d like going into the finals,” he said on Friday.
“The coaches have to the do the job and pick the best team to win the game.
“I’m very proud to play with Collingwood and proud to be around the boys.
“This year, I played some good games here and there; just not enough to seal my spot.”
The 21-year-old Brown said he had plenty of respect for Prestigiacomo and didn’t begrudge the 233-game veteran his selection.
> Watch Mick Malthouse and Nick Maxwell speak to the media after the Grand Final parade“You’ve got to have that respect and do your time as an apprentice. This is the way it’s gone this time,” he said.
“Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a massive team man and team player. I always have [been], always will be ... so it’s not about me and it never has been.
“It’s about the team and it’s about Collingwood and it’s about the 22 other blokes out there on the park. That’s all that matters to me.”
Goldsack said he was concerned about his position in the side since his quiet performance against Geelong last week, and while a late reprieve is unlikely, he's not given up hope of playing.
“All week I knew I was going to be in a bit of strife. I didn’t play my best game last week, so I thought it was going to be touch and go," he said.
"But anything can happen. You’ve seen in years gone by that injuries can occur the day of the game or someone can get sick.
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“I’ll prepare like I’m going to play. If they need me, I’ll be right to go, and if they don’t, I’ll be there to support them.”
Brown said he hoped the experience of being dropped after playing the Magpies’ last five games would make him a stronger person.
“How you handle it shows how professional you are and how easy you can bounce back and go harder - that’s what I’m sort of getting out of it,” he said.
“It’s something that only a few players have experienced and it’s ... that burn deep down inside that you’ll have over everyone else that hasn’t experienced that.
“That’s something that I’ll have with me for the rest of my career.”
