AFL 2024: Collingwood to recall Billy Frampton for St Kilda clash

Collingwood will make personnel changes at both ends of the ground against St Kilda but coach Craig McRae is adamant its best football isn’t far away.

McRae said basic errors rather than structural changes would again be the focus for the Magpies as they try to avoid a shock 0-3 start to the season against a Saints side hungry for their own first win on Thursday night.

The coach said the tough opening fixtures against GWS and Sydney had been “a gift” for the Pies, but individual players will still pay the price for the heavy losses, with Charlie Dean and Ash Johnson set to be dropped to the VFL.

The key position duo both trained with second-string forward and backline groups during match practice at training on Tuesday morning, while Billy Frampton played alongside Darcy Moore in a first-choice defence and Reef McInnes replaced Johnson deep in the “A” forward line.

Frampton had trained mostly as a forward over summer until this week but is set for a recall to take on Saints key forward duo Max King and Tim Membrey, who were both impressive in round 1 against Geelong.

McRae confirmed premiership on-baller Tom Mitchell would also be available for selection after he was rested from the Swans’ clash due to a lingering ankle issue.

“(Mitchell) will be available to pick this week and we’ll weigh up where all of that fits very shortly,” the coach said.

“We’re going to go to match committee shortly but I think there will be some change – to what degree we’re not sure.”

Better decision-making and disposal out of defence and cleaner forward entries were key areas McRae said the Pies had to be better at against St Kilda as he prepared his side for a tough battle trying to unpick Ross Lyon’s defensive system.

“It could be a struggle (with) numbers back and parking the bus,” he said.

“We’re getting back to work here on things we know we can fix really quickly, I think that’s important to say.

“The reality is we’ve turned the ball over way too much in our defensive 50, I think everyone in the world can see that.

“Alleviate those simple giveaway goals, those errors in our system … we’ll make more mistakes this week, we’re allowed to make mistakes, we accept that and embrace it.”

McRae said Collingwood’s early-season struggles were “going to script” for a team trying to mount a premiership bid.

“It’s definitely a gift because we get to see where we’re at against good opposition and then see parts of our game that we need to improve,” he said.

“I’m sure at some stage this year we’ll look back at this period and go, ‘Gee that was important we went through that as a group’.”

“I do recall later in the year that we were apparently no chance to win the premiership because no one had won the premiership having lost three of the last five (home and away games).”

He said there was no angst at the club over football operations boss Clare Pettyfor’s departure to Melbourne, claiming there was far more upheaval in the Magpies’ football department last season.

“We had probably more change last year, all our coaches changed roles last year … we’re deliberate in that because we want to keep promoting our staff from within,” McRae said.