GIANTS coach Leon Cameron is hoping for an on-time delivery for baby Pendlebury with the Magpie captain set to head home should wife Alex go into labour with their first son.
“It’d be great if she went into labour and he missed the whole game,” Cameron said with a laugh during his weekly media conference on Friday morning.
“He’s a superstar, he’s a super player and I totally understand the thought process for any player.
“I think it’s a great choice he has to make and the birth of your first child is going to be pretty special. He’s got the right to make that decision.
“On a lighter note I do hope she does goes into labour half way through the the first quarter and he has to take off because it’s one elite midfielder that we don’t have to worry about.”
Cameron’s tongue was firmly in his cheek with his Pendlebury comments but there is another elite midfielder who the GIANTS won’t have to worry about when they clash with Collingwood at Spotless Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Former GIANT Adam Treloar has been ruled out of the clash with his old side with the Magpies saying he has an ankle complaint.
“He’s another mid that fits into that category of quality,” Cameron said.
“In saying that, he’s gone out and Wells has come in so it’s a fair replacement.
“Is him no being there a bonus for us? He’s a great player but they just have quality to replace him so we have to make sure this midfield battle is even, if not in favour of us this weekend.”
The GIANTS return home to Spotless Stadium for the first time since round two and are looking to bounce back after a disappointing fourth-quarter loss to St Kilda last weekend.
“We’ve had a pretty open and honest review. We let ourselves down,” the coach said.
“Our midfield, at stoppages, we let ourselves down. St Kilda were outstanding in the last quarter so I’d expect a lift in that area and I’d expect some of our forwards to bounce back as well.
“It’s going to be a great game, it’s a great opportunity to play back home at Spotless and no doubt there’ll be a really big crowd which is great for footy up here and great for us.”
The Magpies are one of just two sides the GIANTS are yet to beat with Collingwood winning all five clashed between the two sides.
Last year’s clash at Spotless Stadium was the GIANTS’ worst effort for the year as the ‘Pies went on to win by 32 points.
“They seem to match up pretty well against us and they got us last year off the bye and gave us a real touch-up,” Cameron said.
“We know when Collingwood are absolutely flying that they’re a very, very good team. Clearly they could be sitting here coming into round eight, they could be at 5-2.
“They get the ball inside 50, they win contested ball most times, they’re an outstanding stoppage team and that can really hurt you.
“There’s no doubt they’re going to come up to Spotless really confident they can get the job done again so it’s a great challenge for us.”
Cameron earmarked the battle between Collingwood’s Brodie Grundy and GIANT Shane Mumford in the ruck as telling in the result on Saturday afternoon.
“It’s a fantastic battle and Grundy’s probably the premier ruckman in the competition. He runs, he wins his own footy, he covers the ground really well,” he said.
“I think he had 25 possessions against us last time so that’s midfield stats. It’s a huge challenge for Mummy.
“He was down last week, he puts his hand up straight away when he’s down, so he’s looking to bounce back and I think that’s probably going to go a long way to the outcome of the game.”
Cameron also provided an update on recruit Brett Deledio who is continuing his recovery from a persistent calf injury.
"He did a lot of running on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and did a bit of ball work,” Cameron said.
"But he has to train with the group fully for three weeks, and he hasn't done that yet.
"He's done a fair bit with the rehab guys and he's actually chugging along really, really well, but he's at least three or four weeks away.”
The GIANTS return to Sydney this weekend to take on Collingwood at Spotless Stadium at 4.35pm on Saturday afternoon. Click here for tickets.
