Collingwood coach Craig McRae was back to his hilarious best at his Monday press conference, opting to see the lighter side of his club’s ruck crisis.
Already without Aiden Begg (back) and Mason Cox (ribs), the Magpies suffered a massive blow when Darcy Cameron went down with a knee injury on Friday night.
It leaves Collingwood without a fit recognised ruckman for their clash with Brisbane on Thursday night.
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But McRae could still find a laugh when speaking to journalists on Monday, as he asked one reporter if he was available to play.
“You’re a big lad, are you available?” McRae laughed as the journalist attempted to ask his question.
The Magpies famously traded star ruckman Brodie Grundy at the end of last year in a move to clear salary cap space.
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The Pies injury woes aren’t just limited to the ruck this season, with Jeremy Howe, Pat Lipinski and Charlie Dean all indefinitely sidelined.
Nathan Kreuger (shoulder) also remains a month away from a return to footy.
The lengthy injury list has seen McRae call for the implementation of a Mid-Season Trade period.
“I’m big on that mid season trade. I think it would be great for the game within the right parameters,” he said.
“Something for the fans, they’d enjoy that.”
Fox Footy’s Jason Dunstall said he was “not against” the introduction of such a trade period.
“There’s two ways looking at it. Is it a mid season trade where you look at a player on another list that maybe isn’t getting an opportunity or are you able to go outside of the AFL and give someone else an opportunity to come into the AFL landscape?” he questioned on AFL 360.
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“I think it’s a needs basis.
“We saw what happened to West Coast on the weekend – are they going to run into problems?”
But Eagles coach Adam Simpson was quick to downplay his support.
“I find it hard to recommend things for the future,” he said on AFL 360.
“I tried doing that after we won the premiership (in 2018), I thought I was Vince Lombardi there for a little while trying to get involved with every AFL rule or direction.
“I just realized I’ve got a job to do. Whatever they decide, I’ll follow.
“When it comes to those things, I’m taking a back seat on it.”
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Fellow AFL coach Luke Beveridge said there were already opportunities for clubs to place players on the long-term injury list.
“It’s almost circumstantial,” he said.
“I’m kind of OK with where it is at the moment.
“If you haven’t got (a ruckman) and can get one, maybe just have one for rucks,” he joked.
