Watch Dane Swan speak to the media at the St Kilda Sea Baths after the team's recovery sessionCOLLINGWOOD midfielder Dane Swan believes the Magpies are well placed to cope with a short turnaround this week as they have plenty of experience backing up for marquee games.
Swan said the Pies could be better placed than Geelong ahead of the teams' Thursday night clash as Collingwood's conditioning staff are used to getting players up in short amounts of time.
"Anzac Day can fall mid-week so the fitness guys and David Buttifant are really good at preparing the boys for games. We'll have no worries going in Thursday night," he said.
"If Geelong has had a hard game and a few players are sore, we might improve and be a bit better physically.
"We've all pulled up pretty well and it depends on Geelong. If they've pulled up okay, I'm sure we'll be similar."
Swan said the Magpies would not use their recent 76-point NAB Cup Grand Final loss to the Cats as motivation for this week's game, nor would they look at last year's round nine big win over the 2007 premiers in the lead up.
"Even though we were playing in a grand final, you don't get four points for it," he said.
"It's a completely different game. We'll just be looking at the positives and negatives from last week and try to build on what's been a slow start to the year.
"They were playing pretty ordinary at the time [last year] but they were still winning. Like good sides do, they find a way to win.
"We probably caught them at a pretty good time. We were up and firing and they were having a bit of a lull.
"We came out and beat them convincingly but having said that Geelong has been the best side over the past couple of years.
"We take no relevance out of that game and we'll be massive underdogs. Hopefully we can get close to them and sneak a win."
He said the Pies would look to replicate the stifling pressure they put on the Cats during that home-and-away win.
"There is such a big emphasis now on pressure and tackling and we like to pride ourselves on that type of footy," he said.
"If we can do that to the best of our ability, it will hold us in really good stead."
The Cats will be without No.1 ruckman Brad Ottens after the big man suffered a knee injury during Saturday's win over Richmond.
Swan said the absence of the former Tiger would give Josh Fraser a chance to assert his authority at the stoppages.
"It's very bad luck for Ottens but hopefully that gives us an opportunity to try and take advantage in the ruck and give our midfielders first use of the ball," he said.
"Josh has hit some good form and hopefully he can continue that this week."
Dale Thomas was absent from the Pies' Monday recovery session at St Kilda Sea Baths but the club said he was over the bout of gastro that kept him from playing on the weekend and should be fine to return for Thursday's game.
