World Footy News

After two and a half seasons in the VFL, has Shae McNamara's time come? With the injury to Collingwood's Lachy Keefe last weekend adding to an already heavy injury list, McNamara has moved one spot closer to his AFL debut. The opponent this week is the winless Gold Coast which could make a soft landing for a debutant which could be in his favour.

But the Magpies are not likely to gift an AFL debut out of sympathy, so it would have to come on the back of them needing a tall defender, which is where McNamara has been spending time this year in the VFL. He is also competing for a spot against his VFL teammates in Ceglar, Witts and the Irishman Caolan Mooney who continues to advance in his adopted game.

While Collingwood has some injuries they also have some players on the way back from injury in Tarrant, Brown and Reid who all are some chance to return this week which would probably be coach Nathan Buckley's preference with the team already down on experience.  So all in all his chances are probably better than ever, but still slim at this stage.

In his time in Australia McNamara has won many fans and friends, but his playing ability still leaves many in doubt as to whether he is really up to playing at the highest level.  While his application can't be faulted his game sense is questioned by the VFL watchers amongst the Collingwood fans.

For McNamara to be selected Collingwood would have to upgrade his rookie status (for Keefe who would go onto the long term injury list).  And that would most likely happen today.  Collingwood will this afternoon name their team for this week which will most likely have an extended bench named for their twilght clash on Sunday and then on Friday trim to the final team.

It may be coincidence but the conspiracy theorist in me noticed that the Collingwood website this week giving some good coverage to their US affilliate club the New York Magpies - was this in anticipation of the US interest that may come with the American Pie's debut?  On the other side of the coin, Collingwood announced a press opportunity this morning, but with Darren Jolley and not McNamara. 

For those of us who have watched his journey since the Youtube audition, know he is a trailblazer on a difficult path and we hope that his time has come and if not there may still be time.