This improved North Ballarat Roosters’ outfit has a huge test to its game ahead – Collingwood is getting ready to plunge into Victorian Football League finals and the Roosters must face them on spiritual Magpie turf, Victoria Park.
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We are ready to play Collingwood now
- Roosters head coach Gerard FitzGerald
The Roosters rattled heavyweight Box Hill four weeks ago, then chalked up huge wins against lowly ranked rivals Frankston and Northern Blues. Prevailing in the Cat fight on Sunday is a welcome confidence boost.
“We have Collingwood next, a team that will play finals and we have them on their home ground. But we are ready to play Collingwood now,” Roosters head coach Gerard FitzGerald told his players post-match before staff and supporters.
Collingwood is famed for its fervent Magpie Army but a new Roosters initiative has certainly been gathering a flock. The past two months, the Roosters have increased players’ time with family and friends to about 15 minutes in the immediate post-match before drawing players back to lines and team meetings.
Win or lose, the Roosters’ rooms are increasingly becoming packed out to listen to a brief coach’s address and a quick catch-up with players. FitzGerald said it was also quite poignant to have the Roosters’ oldest living life member Kevin Cunningham join players in the huddle to sing the club song.
