Collingwood v Brisbane
Gabba 7mate / Fox Footy 7.15pm Weather: Min 21 Max 26 Chance of rain 90%: 10-20mm Wind: E 13kph Betting: Collingwood $2.40 Brisbane $1.58 |
HB: Marley Williams, Jack Frost, Adam Oxley
C: Travis Varcoe, Jack Crisp, Steele Sidebottom
HF: Dane Swan, Jesse White, Tyson Goldsack
F: Jamie Elliott, Travis Cloke, Alex Fasolo
Foll: Brodie Grundy, Taylor Adams, Scott Pendlebury
Int: Jackson Ramsay, Jarryd Blair, Tom Langdon, Jordan De Goey
Emg: Ben Kennedy, Patrick Karnezis, Corey Gault
New: Jack Crisp (21, Brisbane), Jordan De Goey (19, Oakleigh U18), Travis Varcoe (26, Geelong)
Fast Fact: Jordan De Goey will become the 20th Magpie to make his AFL debut since Nathan Buckley took the reigns in the opening round of the 2012 season. In the three years since, a total of 26 players have represented the club for the first time. With the advent of Crisp, De Goey and Varcoe, that number will swell to 29 on Saturday night.
Teenager Jordan De Goey, the fifth overall selection in last November’s National Draft, will join ex-Lion Jack Crisp and dual Geelong premiership forward Travis Varcoe as the three men to pull on the Black and White jumper for the first time. De Goey, who showed glimpses of his undoubted potential in the Magpies’ first two NAB Challenge matches, made the most of his final audition for round one in the VFL last Thursday, kicking two goals and displaying his appetite for the contested ball. “Obviously it’s a massive rush for me and a lot of excitement,” De Goey told CollingwoodTV. “I got told by Bucks not too long ago. It did seem like ages, though, but I’m just grateful to get the opportunity and I’m looking forward to representing the Collingwood Football Club.” Saturday’s match looms as particularly noteworthy for Crisp, who played 18 games in three seasons for the Lions before being traded to Collingwood in the deal that saw Dayne Beams return to Queensland last October. Crisp, a long-striding defender, showcased his thumping left foot kick during the NAB Challenge, where he averaged 12.0 disposals and 3.7 tackles across his three games. “I’m feeling very excited, especially being back up at the Gabba,” he smiled. “It feels like I’ve been away for a while but it’s only been six months. I’m looking forward to going back up there and running on familiar territory.” For Varcoe, it marks an opportunity to kick-start the next phase of his career. “I think I'm right to take the next step and hopefully Collingwood gets the best of it," he told CollingwoodTV during his first day at the Westpac Centre last October. During his time at the Cattery, Varcoe kicked 130 goals in 138 games and represented the hoops in three Grand Finals. Only eleven of Nathan Buckley’s 22-man team were a part of the side that was walloped by Brisbane at the MCG in round 21 last season. Retirement, list changes and injuries have each played a role, but it serves to underscore the fresh look the men in Black and White will take with them onto the Gabba on Easter Saturday. New recruits aside, Collingwood’s line up contains several players who are still relatively unknown to the Magpie Army. Adam Oxley is set to play his first senior match since June 2013 and only the third of his career. Ditto Jackson Ramsay, who only debuted in the penultimate round last season. Oxley’s selection marks the end of an arduous journey that started when he broke his ankle during an intra-club match 425 days ago. He could manage just a further three games before succumbing to mid-season surgery. A point of intrigue will be the way the Magpies handle the ruck duals. In the absence of Jarrod Witts, the stage is all Brodie Grundy’s as he takes on Brisbane’s Matthew Leuenberger and Stefan Martin, who have a combined total of 168 AFL games experience between them. Grundy is likely to receive support from Jesse White, who lent assistance to both Grundy and Witts at various stages last season. The three emergencies are Corey Gault, Ben Kennedy and former Lion Patrick Karnezis, who is yet to debut for his new club. |
No comments :
Post a Comment