The Magpies’ NAB Challenge match against the Crows in Alice Springs will be Nathan Buckley’s first in charge of the team he will take control of from 2012.
As was the case last year, each of Collingwood’s assistants will enjoy a match in the main chair during the club’s pre-season campaign in a bid to further their education.
Buckley’s task this Friday will be made harder by the fact that several senior stars - including Jolly - are set to be rested.
While Adelaide will take a strong side to Alice Springs, Collingwood will rest stars such as Jolly, skipper Nick Maxwell, Luke Ball, Paul Medhurst, Travis Cloke and Tarkyn Lockyer.
Jolly’s absence means Cameron Wood, who rose to prominence in 2009, will do the majority of the rucking while Fraser finds his feet as he returns from a knee injury.
Buckley agreed the pair seemed likely to fight for the supporting role to the former Sydney Swan this season.
“A game like this is an opportunity for one or the other to stake their claim,” Buckley said following the Pies’ brief training session at Gosch’s Paddock on Thursday morning.
“Admittedly [for] Josh, this will be his first hit-out against an opposition but I think that [ruck battle] will evolve as the season progresses.
“Form will definitely be a factor. The fact that we have got competition for spots and in particular the ruck spot this year, I can only see positives from it.
“I think it’s going to bring the best out of all three of them, and the club can only benefit from that.”
Fraser didn’t train on Thursday morning, instead opting to travel to Alice Springs a day early.
The ever-competitive Buckley will be eager for the Pies to perform well on Friday night, despite the match only being a pre-season practice match.
Earlier this month, senior coach Mick Malthouse suggested his successor had a “lot to learn” about coaching.
When asked about Malthouse’s comments on Thursday morning, the former Magpies captain agreed.
“Ultimately he was spot-on,” Buckley said.
“He was talking about the [Victorian Country] under-16s and the quote was about how far under-16 level is from AFL and I don’t think any level-minded person would argue with that statement.
“My experiences in the 16s, they hold you in some stead as having a coaching role of some sort, but already in the three months that I’ve had in the assistant coaching role has superseded that, and this week’s another opportunity to go a step further.”
And the man many consider to be the greatest ever Collingwood player admits to feeling some butterflies ahead of his senior coaching debut.
“There’s no doubt that there’s an extra bit of pressure that goes on because there’s more responsibility [and] more ownership, I suppose of the whole team.”
