Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse declared Josh Fraser had to nothing to prove despite the veteran ruckman producing a best-on-ground effort against Essendon in a 35-point win on Friday night.
Fraser was publicly lambasted for a tentative display when the Magpies lost to the Bombers in their Round 5 Anzac Day clash, with former St Kilda coach turned commentator Grant Thomas even claiming the ruckman 'dogged it’ when the chance arose to go in for a hard ball.
There was no repeat on Friday night when Fraser claimed 23 possessions, seven marks, one goal and a whopping 35 hit-outs to maul opponent Paddy Ryder – the man adjudged best on ground on Anzac Day.
Malthouse said Fraser's focus through the week hadn't been on redemption at the MCG.
"I don't think Josh nor myself would be taking too much notice of people outside the club," he said.
Malthouse praised the efforts of midfielder Scott Pendlebury and forward Travis Cloke.
Pendlebury had been expected to miss up to four weeks after wrenching his knee against Sydney but missed only a week and collected 20 touches on Friday night.
"His attention to detail to get back was outstanding because of his knee injury and the way he was able to conduct himself in that period to get back was, as I say, fantastic," Malthouse said.
Cloke had struggled for most of the season before turning the corner against Fremantle in Round 13 and building on that against the Bombers.
He struggled early as opponent Adam McPhee took charge across half-back but gained the upperhand with his strength and skill when used deeper in the forward line.
Cloke finished with four goals – three before half-time - and seven marks.
"I think the most important thing about that was that he was down early," Malthouse said.
"We didn't use the ball well. They (Essendon) played him well. They take the ground off the forward.”
"We have spoken about it. Perhaps he didn't work well enough early but I thought Travis' ability to actually fight back and score goals was telling."
"He is a young man. You are harsh if you think key forwards will perform like Jonathan Brown every week, it just doesn't happen."
Malthouse also praised another stellar performance from Alan Didak, who pocketed a game-high 35 possessions and now has what his coach calls 'football maturity'.
Six-straight wins have the Magpies primed for a top-four finish, although major challenges await with the Western Bulldogs, Hawthorn and Carlton in the next three weeks.
Despite being one of the form teams of the competition with a 9-5 record, Malthouse refused to speculate on what his team was capable of.
"I don't know. Do you want me to jump in there and do your job for you," he fired back at a journalist.
"I don't rate us outside of the fact we play each week. I don't get caught up in ladders and all that sort of stuff."