AFL 2024: Collingwood coach Craig McRae orders player to get back to basics as Jeremy Howe returns s

Premiership defender Jeremy Howe is set to open his season against Sydney for Collingwood as coach Craig McRae demanded his players do the “simple things” better in pursuit of the first win of their title defence.

Howe, who missed the opening round loss to GWS, completed training including a lengthy match simulation on Wednesday to put his hand up for selection against the Swans as fellow premiership backman Nathan Murphy took a major step forward in his comeback from concussion.

Collingwood players stopped to applaud the 24-year-old as he joined the final 15 minutes of the Pies’ practice match wearing a blue cap to warn teammates against making contact.

McRae said he hoped Murphy would be match-fit within six weeks, but there is still no timeline on when he will return to action.

“It was really pleasing, he did his first contact work for this year. He’s in a program that will see him five, six weeks, whatever it takes, progress back to play,” McRae said on Wednesday.

“But it’s a week by week, session by session thing – it was pleasing he got through today.”

While goalkicking was on the coach’s mind after the Pies had more scoring shots but sprayed 11.16 in the 32-point loss to the Giants, McRae said the more pressing issue was to address basic errors which had cost goals at the other end.

“It’s amazing the little things that we just didn’t get right – simple things, so simple that we just have to get back to it and take pride in those little things,” he said.

“You’d be amazed we didn’t even man the mark, can you believe that? People having set shots, which means that those two (moments) in particular, they resulted in goals.

“We’ll get back to work on our fundamentals, and in a couple of days’ time hopefully we’ll see all of those things.”

McRae would not commit to persisting with Charlie Dean in defence after his challenging debut against the Giants, but even with Howe’s inclusion his height could be needed against a Swans forward line boasting three talls in Logan McDonald, Joel Amartey and Hayden McLean.

After performing strongly in the match simulation, McRae backed Howe for the Friday night clash provided his calf still felt fine on Thursday.

“We’re confident he got through … more than likely we’ll select him and then see how he pulls up,” he said.

Billy Frampton played as a forward alongside Ash Johnson in match sim, and McRae said the premiership player was in the frame for a recall, although he backed Johnson to hold his spot after he was held goalless from two disposals last week.

“I’ve always been a coach that likes to back people in, and give people the opportunity to go and be the best version of you,” McRae said.

“I’d like to think that we can move the ball slightly different and make Ash a better player.

“We had a lot of slow entries, which means he’s competing against four or five bodies versus one or two … we’ll see how that plays out.”

McRae also made a strong selection commitment to fringe midfielder Finlay Macrae, who could challenge Tom Mitchell for a midfield spot after the veteran was subbed out of the Giants clash.

“I like saying things out loud so people hear it and it holds me to account: we’re going to play Fin Macrae very shortly, whether that’s this week or next he’ll be playing … that puts pressure on me to pick him, doesn’t it,” he said.

“He’s someone we need to get into the team, so what capacity I’m not sure – I think it’s going to be hard to leave him out.”