BENDIGO Gold coach Aussie Jones says he can still take some positives out of Saturday’s practice match despite losing by 91 points.
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With just two weeks before the VFL season begins, Collingwood defeated Bendigo 16.14 (110) to 2.7 (19) at Victoria Park.
Jones said the scoreboard was irrelevant.
“The scoreboard didn’t really play a part of the game for us,” he said.
“We brought a lot of the younger guys down, who haven’t played at VFL level before. “Collingwood is probably the biggest club in Australia, so the game was more about education, showing the players what to expect when we play them later in the year.”
Collingwood had 14 players in its side who have played a game at AFL level, including premiership players Tyson Goldsack and Jarryd Blair.
Before the game Jones said he expected a red-hot Pies team after their senior side suffered a loss in the opening round of the AFL season.
Jones said one of his goals coming into 2014 was to bring more of the team’s younger players up to the level that is required to play VFL.
“I took more positives then negatives out of the game,” he said.
Jones said he would put the players through their paces this week before their last practice match against Frankston on Saturday.
“We have gone through recovery,” he said.
“Tuesday and Thursday’s training will be pretty solid.”
Jones said the Gold will pick close to a full-strength side to play the Dolphins.
“If some of the guys from the Collingwood game pull up sore they probably won’t play,” he said.
“But other than that the team will line up close to what they will in round one.”
Bendigo take on Frankston in Strathfieldsaye at 1pm on Saturday.