St Kilda coach Ross Lyon isn’t concerned about Collingwood flicking the switch after the reigning premiers started the season 0-2.
Lyon’s Saints take on the Magpies on Thursday night at the MCG and was asked about whether he felt his opposition could immediately return to their flag-winning form this week after losing to GWS and Sydney to start their season.
Reflecting on his time at Fremantle in 2015 and 2016, Lyon doesn’t believe a side can simply flick a switch after he led the Dockers to a Prelim before starting the next season 0-10.
“I don't think the switch just gets flicked,” Lyon said at a press conference.
“I remember a Prelim, we (Fremantle) lost by 15 (27) points (in 2015), and we went 0-10 (to start 2016).
“You don't just flick a switch in AFL footy. You've either done the work or you haven't, and you can either bring it to life or you can't.
“It's a brutal competition.”
With Lyon doubting that the Pies can simply recapture their best from nowhere, Hawthorn great Luke Hodge says if he were Collingwood coach Craig McRae, he’d use that as some motivation for his players.
Hodge says he’d play that audio to the playing group if he were in charge of the Magpies to show Lyon that they actually have done the work this pre-season.
“Do you reckon that (Lyon’s comments) is going to get played in the Collingwood rooms?” Hodge asked on SEN Whateley.
“The best part about coaches these days is they can use anything anyone said from an opposition club and turn it around to how they want to portray it to the players.
“If I was McRae, I'd be doing the same thing, I'd be putting it up saying, ‘This is what Ross Lyon's saying about us. He’s doubting us’.
“He’d say, ‘Yes, we had a good finish last year, but we’re zip and two, he questioned if you haven’t done the work’.
“I don't think Ross was pointing at him that way, but if I was McRae, I'd be saying that to the players.
“You know how competitive and how motivated those players and the pride that those Collingwood players have.
“I'd be putting that up on the boards, just sort of saying, ‘Let's see how motivated and let's see how much work we have done’.”
We’ll see if Collingwood can flick the switch when they face Lyon’s St Kilda side at the MCG on Thursday night from 7:30pm (AEDT).
