Magpies have firepower: Hoskin-Elliott

A fine goalkicking spread is one of the reasons Collingwood half-forward Will Hoskin-Elliott believes the Magpies can triumph in the AFL finals.

File image of Will Hoskin-Elliott during training.

Goal sneak Will Hoskin-Elliott believes the Magpies have the firepower to triumph in the AFL finals. (AAP)

The child in Will Hoskin-Elliot is going to enjoy September.

In seven AFL seasons, the Collingwood goal sneak is yet to play in a final.

That's understandable given the 25-year-old spent his first five seasons at GWS Giants, helping grow the expansion club from scratch.

But having secured a move back to Victoria at the end of 2016, there's a special reason the wait will be worth it.

"I was a Pies fan growing up so to play my first final is unreal," he said.

"There were a couple of other clubs (interested in me) but the Pies jumped on board late and I was like, 'I'd absolutely love to go there'."

When he takes the field against West Coast at Optus Stadium on Saturday night, he'll feel the weight of the club badge.

Hoskin-Elliott, with nothing against his former club, said playing for Collingwood upped his list of motivating factors.

"Up at the Giants it was all about the players. The club didn't really have a culture. It was developing so you just played for the boys," he said.

"Whereas here it's the club, the staff, the boys.

"You play for the club and the boys even more so."

Hoskin-Elliott is part of a revamped Collingwood forward line who have fired the Magpies to a qualifying final.

In 2017, the club went past the 15-goal mark in just two matches.

This season they've achieved that seven times - and in remarkably different ways.

Showing their different scoring avenues, in each of those big tallies they've boasted a different leading goalkicker.

Josh Thomas, Jaidyn Stephenson, Jordan de Goey, Hoskin-Elliott, Mason Cox, Brody Mihocek and Tom Phillips have each taken a turn.

Hoskin-Elliott said having such a big spread was one of the reasons Collingwood would take some beating.

"If Stevo (Stephenson) and Trav (Travis Varcoe) are really at the opposition it gets the whole team up," he said.

"Then I'll jump on and JT (Thomas) will jump on and everyone will go and follow from there.

"(Cox) attracts two or three defenders every time he goes for the ball ... he's willing to do that all day long for you.

"If you're at his feet or at the contest you're a chance."


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Source: AAP


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