Collingwood power forward Chris Dawes was ‘pain free’ in his return to the field last Friday night after a seven-match layoff due to injury.
Dawes, 23, broke his knuckle in his right hand in the round 15 win against Hawthorn and played 92 minutes in his return.
“I was happy to be running around again pain free,” Dawes told CTV after the club’s recovery session on Monday.
“To have a big win like we did took a lot of pressure off me.”
Dawes had seven possessions and two marks in the win over Fremantle and will be looking to build on his form against Geelong this Friday night. The forward has been held goalless in three of his last four contests against the Cats with his most productive output in last year’s preliminary final taking 10 disposals, nine marks and booting one goal.
“We had a fairly unexciting game against them earlier in the year but the prelim final we played against them last year was one of the best games I have been involved in.
“We have had mixed successes but they are a good side which at this stage of the year is what we want to play against so we can give ourselves the best opportunity ahead of finals.
“It’s how you play the game. It’s how we prepare and combat their structures and how our systems work against them.
“If we can execute the way we want to, we should be right.”
