BERNIE Vince says Monday’s Queen’s Birthday clash against Collingwood is one of the most eagerly-awaited games of the season.
And it’s not hard to see why.
Vince has been brilliant in his three Queen’s Birthday matches, notching up three Brownlow Medal votes in 2014, two in 2015 and three last year.
The 31-year-old said it was a blockbuster match “you always look forward to”.
“It’s a big crowd and a big occasion. We’ll be ready come Monday arvo,” Vince said from AAMI Park on Tuesday.
“It’s massive for the football club with Neale Daniher having coached here.
“He normally comes down the week of this game and gives us a bit of a ‘gee-up’, so I’m looking forward to him coming down again.
“It’s a great cause and what he’s done has been outstanding for the cause.”
Given Collingwood has won its past three matches, Vince said he expected the Magpies to be a tough opponent, despite some injury concerns.
“I’ve heard they’ve had a few injuries, but we can only expect to play their best come Monday,” he said.
“Whether those guys come up or don’t, it doesn’t really matter. They’ve got some guys in the VFL waiting for their opportunity, so we expect for them to play their best.”
“They lost a few close ones early on … anyone can beat anyone. Their form over the last month has been really good.”
Meanwhile, Vince said a toe injury, which had troubled him early in the year was slowly on the mend.
“It still doesn’t look great. Grotesque is one way to describe it,” he said.
“It’ll probably took a good three or four weeks to actually start to heal and harden up.
“It was quite soft and it would bleed every game and they’d have to jab it every game and at half-time.”