AFL's Magpies have done it hard: Buckley

2 Sep 2012, 1:00 pm   -   Source: AAP
Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley says the Magpies have had a tough road to the AFL top four. (AAP)

Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley says the Magpies have had a tough road to the AFL top four. (AAP)

Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley says the Magpies have had a tough road to the AFL top four but are happy to be there in good shape.

Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley says the Magpies have overcome as many obstacles as any AFL club in achieving their top four aim.

Collingwood will battle minor premiers Hawthorn at the MCG on Friday night for the right to a weekend off and a home preliminary final, after sewing up fourth spot with Saturday night's 14.20 (104) to 10.12 (72) win over Essendon.

Importantly, Travis Cloke hit top form with 16 marks and 5.4.

Midfield stars Dane Swan, Dayne Beams, Scott Pendlebury and Dale Thomas picked up 135 touches between them as the Magpies smashed Essendon in the contested ball count.

Buckley acknowledged the Hawks were the AFL's best team and the Magpies' form was not perfect, but said there were some good signs, particularly in winning contested ball and applying defensive pressure.

"We didn't use the ball particularly well and we will have to sharpen up in that area," he said.

"But if I was to list the priorities, I'd take the first two and we really need to work on the third."

While Tyson Goldsack sustained a minor ankle injury, Buckley said his side had mostly timed their run well in terms of fitness.

Andrew Krakouer made a solid comeback from a pre-season anterior cruciate ligament rupture, one of a string of major injuries the Magpies have sustained this year.

Captain Nick Maxwell and ruckman Darren Jolly also returned from injury and Jarryd Blair should be back against the Hawks.

"In many ways this club's been through as much as anyone," Buckley said.

"We believe that our challenges and obstacles have been fairly significant and we've been able to get through."

Buckley was reluctant to speculate on the possibility of recalling dropped key forward Chris Dawes, although he spoke favourably about replacement Jackson Paine.

"Jackson Paine didn't have a huge game, but he competed and he contested," the coach said.

In contrast, he said of Dawes: "He was down on confidence and we weren't getting the contest from him that we demand."

Hawthorn, who have lost defender Brent Guerra to a hamstring injury, possibly for the rest of the year, have beaten Collingwood twice already this season, but Buckley said the Magpies learnt plenty from those defeats.

"We've got to pressure the ball-carrier as much as we can," he said.

"They're very surgical with their skills, they kick it very well, they run very hard, they defend very well, they're a good contested ball side, they're going to be a huge challenge.

"But as I said, we're more than comfortable with our lot."

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