> Watch Mick Malthouse front the media after the winCOLLINGWOOD could yet make unforced changes to its grand final side, despite a comfortable win over Geelong in Friday night’s preliminary final.
The Magpies defeated the reigning premier by 41 points at the MCG after leading by as much as 81 in the third quarter.
While coach Mick Malthouse was pleased with his side’s effort, he said there was every chance changes would be made to the 22 that plays next Saturday afternoon.
“It’s horses for courses. We are picking players on history, their current form, their fitness and their confidence,” Malthouse said after the preliminary final.
“That side won’t necessarily run down the race next week. That is just fact; that in this system the players are prepared. One or two maybe will be very disappointed. It is very much a team mentality and that is what you’ve got to have.”
One player who is sure to be heavily discussed by the Magpies' selection committee is forward Leon Davis, who was a late withdrawal from Friday night’s team with a hamstring injury.
Malthouse said the decision to rest Davis was line-ball and was partly made by the player.
“He’ll be available next week. You pick fit players. He was just a bit sore. Under the circumstances it just wasn’t worth it,” he said.
“I’d say he would be right. He was close enough to be disappointed. It was a courageous decision and one that he is now in line for next week by having that rest.”> Watch the team sing the song after the win
Malthouse said just about everything was working in the Magpies’ favour as they go into next week’s grand final against either St Kilda or the Western Bulldogs.
“We have got a fairly healthy list, we’ve got a game structure the players are very comfortable with. They run it, they’ve embraced it and they own it,” he said.
“When you’ve got that combination, then you come away with confidence that you are playing football that is good enough to finish on top of the ladder [and] therefore good enough to beat every side.
"We’ll go in next week, regardless of who we play, believing we can win it. Who’s going into a grand final not thinking 'We can win it?'”
Malthouse said his side had the perfect blend of youth, experience and players in their prime.> Watch Heath Shaw discuss the win in the MCG rooms
“It’s got a couple of older players who are very hungry and it’s got a lot of players in between who have got belief. When it comes together like that, you rate yourself equal chance as anyone and that has been some time coming,” he said.
“Perhaps the addition of (Luke) Ball and (Darren) Jolly may have been the catalyst to get us to the next stage but it is also the maturity of younger players and the availability of players. There is a whole combination of things why we’ve been able to get to where we’ve got.”
