Collingwood coach Craig McRae has implored his players to enjoy and celebrate the extraordinary after-the-goal siren victory over Essendon.
Collingwood coach Craig McRae just wants to enjoy one of the all-time great Magpies wins as the surging AFL club prepares to welcome back two stars.
After finishing 17th last season, the Magpies are in the top-four with four rounds to play after winning nine straight games, six of them by less than 10 points.
It has been a remarkable turnaround for the AFL powerhouse, and it got even better for Collingwood (13-5) on Sunday as Jamie Elliott sunk an incredibly difficult after-the-siren goal to stun old rivals Essendon by four points in front of more than 72,000 fans at the MCG.
"I haven't stopped shaking," McRae, the first-year coach, said post-game.
"I haven't been part of a win like it, and I think most of our players haven't been part of a game decided after the siren.
"I just want to live in the moment to be honest; if we don't enjoy this, next week will come real quick with a six-day break.
"I reckon I might go home, have a red wine and watch the replay."
Controversial star Jordan De Goey will almost certainly return against Port Adelaide at the MCG next Saturday after two matches out with a quad injury.
Important ruckman Brodie Grundy is also ready to return after being sidelined with a knee injury since the Magpies' Anzac Day win over Essendon.
Mason Cox and Darcy Cameron have performed admirably as Collingwood's ruck-forward duo in Grundy's absence.
"I've said this before, Brodie will make us better, I'm really confident of that," McRae said.
"We're not going to throw him in the deep end, he hasn't played for 15 weeks so we want to set him up to be the best player he can be."
McRae is hopeful defender Brayden Maynard has avoided a serious injury after being subbed out with a shoulder issue against the Bombers.
"(Maynard's) had some shoulder issues in the past but without knowing the full medical report on it, it just seems like he's agitated a previous injury," McRae said.
"I saw him after the game and he goes 'I'll be right'."
