Australia
Dan McStay Opens Up on Move from Brisbane to Collingwood
A Tough Decision
Last off-season, Dan McStay made a free agent move from Brisbane to Collingwood. Despite wanting to be a one-club player with Brisbane, McStay was convinced to join the Magpies after meeting with coach Craig McRae.
“It was a really tough decision,” McStay said on SEN Sunday Crunch Time. “It was definitely out of Brisbane and Collingwood. I always wanted to be a one-club player, but as soon as I met with ‘Fly’ (McRae) and had a meeting with him, I just felt like he really trusted what I could do for the team.”
McStay signed a five-year deal with the Magpies after playing 161 games with the Lions from 2014 to 2022 and kicking 138 goals. He is happy with his decision and feels he can have a positive impact on the team.
Chopping and Changing Roles
At Brisbane, McStay tended to play higher up the ground. But under the Magpies, he is sitting deeper inside 50. However, his role changes week to week to suit the opposition they face.
“Yesterday they had some aerial power with (Aliir) Aliir down back, he was probably one of the best players on the field last week when they played Brisbane,” McStay said. “It was kind of about nullifying his influence in the air, we knew if we could get it to ground that our ground-level game was going to be hard to match.”
McStay has already scored goals in both of his games for the Magpies, resulting in wins for the team against the Cats and Power.
Collingwood Support
One of the biggest changes for McStay was going from a non-traditional football state to the biggest state in the land with Collingwood. He played in front of 147,339 fans in his first two games in black and white.
He praised the Magpie army for their amazing support. “They’re just incredible, they’re so loud,” he said. “They back us in, they ride every bump and every wave with us. It’s definitely like having a 19th man out there with us.”
Upcoming Game
McStay and the Magpies will battle reigning premiers Richmond at the MCG on Friday. Both sides will be looking to continue their unbeaten start to the AFL season.
Credit: https://www.sen.com.au/news/2023/03/26/how-mcrae-convinced-mcstay-to-choose-collingwood-and-not-be-a-one-club
