Collingwood v Gold Coast
Metricon Fox Footy 4:30pm Weather: Min 15 Max 22 Chance of rain 70%: < 1mm Wind: SSE 41kph Betting: Collingwood $1.35 Gold Coast $3.20 |
This Saturday they host their nemesis from that fateful July night, Collingwood. The Magpies aren’t exactly sailing along freely either with back to back losses. The Pies find themselves sitting inside the top 8 with a 4-3 record while the struggling Suns sit in 17th position with a 1-7 record with only percentage keeping them off the bottom. These 2 clubs do share one thing in common at the moment and that’s a long and talented injury list. This game is crucial for both teams, Collingwood needs the win to keep themselves ahead of a chasing pack while the Suns need a win to give their fans some hope for the rest of the season.
PREVIOUS FORM
Only two weeks ago Collingwood were seemingly cruising, having started the season with a 4-1 record. The last two weeks though the absence of some best 22 players has started to take it’s toll as the Pies have given up losses to Geelong and Richmond. The 5 point loss to Richmond would hurt most though, as it was a game the Pies led several times, even in the final 5 minutes. The Tigers kicked the most crucial 2 goals of the game late on though and despite a goal on the siren it was a tough loss for the men in black and white. It leaves them precariously placed in 7th, with only a superior percentage keeping them in the top 8 for now.
The Gold Coast Suns have been woeful this season, it’s not hard to say that at all. They started the season with losses to lowly Melbourne and St Kilda and it hasn’t got much better from there.
By The Numbers
103,968 – People have watched the four games between the two clubs. 17,728 more watched Collingwood take on Carlton in the 1970 Grand Final. 36,913 – People went along to the MCG to watch the two clubs in action in round 10, 2012. 19,721 – The lowest of the four crowds to watch the Magpies take on the Suns in round 17, 2013. 2004 – The year Guy McKenna joined Collingwood as an assistant coach. He joined Gold Coast as the club’s inaugural coach midway through 2007. 250 – Times Collingwood has taken the ball inside 50 against Gold Coast. 149 – Collingwood’s highest score (23.11) in four meetings with Gold Coast, kicked in round 10, 2012. 85 – Gold Coast’s highest score against Collingwood (13.7), kicked in round 17, 2013. 82 – Disposals won by Dane Swan in his four games against the Suns, at an average of 27.33. 75 – Collingwood’s lowest score (10.15) against Gold Coast, kicked in round 16, 2014. 53 – Disposals won by Gary Ablett Junior in a 97-point loss to Collingwood in round 10, 2012. 52 – Gold Coast’s lowest score against Collingwood (7.10), kicked in round 10, 2012. 49 – Disposals won by Gary Ablett Junior in Gold Coast’s first win over Collingwood in round 17, 2013. 36 – Disposals won by Gary Ablett Junior in his first outing against the Magpies as a Sun in round 18, 2011. 35 – Disposals won by Jaxson Barham for Collingwood’s VFL team in its first match of any kind against Gold Coast in round seven, 2010, at Southport. 35 – Disposals won by Paul Medhurst for Collingwood’s VFL team against Gold Coast in the final home and away game of 2010 at Victoria Park. 34 years, 147 days – The age of Ben Hudson, the oldest player to represent Collingwood against Gold Coast. 33 – Disposals won by Ben Johnson in Collingwood’s win over Gold Coast in round 18, 2011. 33 – Hitouts won by Jarrod Witts against Gold Coast in round 16, 2014. It remains his career-high. 31 – Disposals won by Sam Dwyer in Collingwood’s loss to Gold Coast in round 17, 2013. It remains his career-high. 29 – Disposals won by Alan Didak against the Suns in round 10, 2012. It was the best return of his last 20 senior games. 29 – Disposals won by John McCarthy against the Suns while playing for Collingwood’s VFL team in the final round of the 2010 home and away season. 27 – Hitouts won by Cameron Wood against old teammate Josh Fraser in round 18, 2011. 25 – Disposals more than any other Gold Coast player (as won by Gary Ablett Junior against Collingwood in round 17, 2013). 21 – Hitouts won by Ben Hudson in his seventh and final senior game for Collingwood, against Gold Coast in round 17, 2013. 19 – Disposals won by Gary Ablett Junior against Collingwood in round 16, 2014. He was on track for another big evening until he dislocated his shoulder in a tackle. He has played just two senior games since. 18 – Games played for the Suns by Josh Fraser in his final two years at the highest level. He played 200 for the Magpies between 2000 and 2010. 11 – Clearances won by Dale Thomas against the Suns in round 10, 2012. It remains his career-high. 10 – Marks taken by Travis Cloke in the first meeting between the two clubs in round 18, 2011. 10 – Collingwood players won 20 or more disposals in the team’s first meeting with the Suns in round 18, 2011. 8 – Disposals won by Kirk Ugle in his third and final game for the Magpies in round 10, 2012. He began the match against the Suns as a substitute, as he did in each of his three senior games. 7 – Games played for Collingwood by Sam Iles, who went on to play 26 games for Gold Coast. Iles, recruited to Collingwood with the second selection in the 2006 Pre-Season Draft, polled a Brownlow vote in his seventh last senior game. He was discarded by the Suns at the end of the 2012 season. 6 – Disposals won by Andrew Krakouer in his final outing as an AFL footballer, in Collingwood’s loss to Gold Coast in round 17, 2013. He had kicked two goals from 18 disposals against the Suns in the corresponding fixture two years earlier. 6 – Goals kicked by Travis Cloke in a practice match against the Suns in March 2014. 5 – Games played for Collingwood by Danny Stanley, who has since gone on to play 76 games for Gold Coast. Stanley was originally drafted to Collingwood with the 21st selection in the 2005 National Draft. 5 – Goals kicked by Josh Fraser in the final game of the 2010 VFL home and away season for Collingwood against Gold Coast. He would be a Sun just weeks later. 5 – Scoring shots recorded by third-gamer Lachlan Keeffe in round 18, 2011. 4.40pm – The start time for the past four games between the two clubs. 4 – 200 gamers (Leon Davis, Josh Fraser, Tarkyn Lockyer and Shane O’Bree) played for Collingwood in the final home and away game of the 2010 VFL season against Gold Coast. 4 – 2010 premiership players (Jarryd Blair, Leigh Brown, Nathan Brown and Tyson Goldsack) lined up in the VFL for Collingwood’s first ever match against Gold Coast in round seven, 2010, at Southport. 4 – Times the two clubs have met, one in each of the Suns’ years in the league. 3 – Disposals won by Irishman Caolan Mooney in his sixth and final senior game for the Magpies against the Suns in round 17, 2013. 3 – goals. An equal-career high in Ben Sinclair’s first 46 games as a Magpie, kicked against the Suns in round 10, 2012. 3 – Players played their final game for Collingwood in round 17, 2013. Little did Ben Hudson, Andrew Krakouer and Caolan Mooney know that it would be the final time they represented the club when they arrived at Metricon Stadium. 3 – The first three goals kicked by Jamie Elliott in his second senior game against the Suns in round 10, 2012. 2 – Wins to Collingwood from the four games between the two clubs. 2 – Wins to Gold Coast from the four games between the two clubs. 0.5 – Leigh Brown’s contribution to Collingwood’s first ever match against Gold Coast in round seven of the 2010 VFL season. Brown also won 22 disposals, won four hitouts, took the ball inside 50 four times and laid three tackles. |
COLLINGWOOD PREVIEW
The loss to the Tigers was unexpected by most involved with Collingwood yet in hindsight it wasn’t a huge surprise. Collingwood got beaten in the midfield when it counted and with the likes of Sidebottom, Greenwood, Reid, Macaffer, Ramsay, Thomas and Young missing through injury it wasn’t such a bad effort after all. Losing reliable defender Alan Toovey during the game hurt too and it seems unlikely that Collingwood will regain any of the above names for this Saturday’s trip north. There have been positives for the Pies though so far in season 2015. The form of young ruckman Brodie Grundy has been extraordinary for a third year ruckman really. The recruit of the year so far for the Pies is one of the unlikeliest too, ex Brisbane Lion Jack Crisp has played every game and has a healthy average of 19 possessions, 5 tackles and a goal per game to show for it.
This week against the Suns the Pies will be hoping Jackson Ramsay and Steele Sidebottom will pass fitness tests but at the moment it seems unlikely that both will play. The VFL Magpies did have another good win though hanging on against Richmond’s VFL outfit for a 3 point win at Punt Road Oval on Sunday. Out of that game Ben Kennedy, Alex Fasolo, Corey Gault and Jonathan Marsh will push for selection with Marsh a chance to debut as a replacement for the injured Toovey. This is an absolute must win game for Collingwood, with a tough game to come against North Melbourne next week they can’t afford to lose 3 in a row. The Magpies effort against the Tigers was good, apart from the second quarter, and if they can replicate that against the Suns they should come away with a win.
OPPOSITION ANALYSIS
The only way is up for the Suns really, that’s the train of thought they have to be taking into this weekend’s clash with the Pies. Their performance against the Eagles last Sunday was as bad as anyone has played so far in season 2015. Considering the game was played in wet and slippery conditions to almost lose by 100 points is unforgivable really. It did seem as if coach Rodney Eade did almost by pass the game though virtually resting several players from the longest trip in football. This week the Suns will hope to regain several players off their long injury list but with plenty still weeks away from returning, including Gary Ablett, most of the improvement will have to come from those that played in Perth.
If the Suns have a strength it’s the midfield. Even without Gary Ablett, Jaeger O’Meara and David Swallow the Suns still rank in the top 3 in the league for centre clearances and contested possessions. The loss of those 3 mentioned players has hurt them on the outside though as shown by the Suns possessing the worst disposal efficiency of anyone in the AFL. They can win the ball though, with the likes of Prestia, Rischitelli, Hallahan, Stanley and Bennell helping to put the Suns near the top in contested possessions. The ruck isn’t really as settled with Tom Nicholls out performing Zac Smith so far this season to the point where Smith may be dropped to make way for a youngster like Wright or Brooksby. They do face a Collingwood midfield though which is weakened also so this is one area the Suns may be able to win on the day.
The Gold Coast backline has been under extreme pressure so far this season and it’s held up quite well considering the level of inexperience in defense, especially when it comes to key position defenders. Last week Henry Schade and Jack Leslie started as the key defenders and they had a total of 4 games between them. With injuries to several key position players throughout the Suns list it really has left their backline severely weakened. They still have good run and carry out of defense with Harbrow, Kolodjashnij, Lonergan, McKenzie and Broughton using their pace and skill. Of course they run head long into Travis Cloke this week and with Rory Thompson unlikely to play whether the young Suns defense can restrict Cloke, Jesse White and Jamie Elliott may well decide this game.
The Suns forward line is still a work in progress but it is dangerous in it’s own way. Led by Tom Lynch (who missed last week but should return vs the Pies) and Charlie Dixon it possesses enough talent to trouble most defenses. The absence of Sam Day and Jack Martin does restrict their ability to really be efficient but it’s still a decent enough attack. The problem that the Suns has is that they really haven’t had enough help for their key position forwards so far in 2015. Brandon Matera hasn’t started the year well and outside of Matera and the 2 talls no one averages more then a goal a game this season for the Gold Coast Suns. This week they will face a slightly weakened Magpies defense with Jackson Ramsay, Ben Reid and Alan Toovey all likely to miss. At home you’d expect the Suns to get their fair share of inside 50’s it’s just a matter of whether they can worry the Pies defense enough.
The Suns have been severely hit by injuries so far in 2015 but it does seem as if they will get a few players back this week and in the coming weeks. The problem is that may be too late. This is a real must win game for the Gold Coast if they are even to be a chance of matching last year’s final ladder position, let alone improving on it. A loss here and it won’t matter when those injured players are returning as no one is making an impact after a 1-7 start to the season. They will pray that the likes of Malceski, Thompson, Lynch, Saad and Martin all come back earlier then expected but it’s very unlikely that all of those named will return. They do get a slight chance against a Pies outfit that is also injury hit especially in regards to talented players. The Suns simply have to show some fight here, it’s not so much about winning and losing now but more about showing the football world that they do care and do have a bright future indeed.
TIP
Both teams are banged up leading into this game so that evens the injury ledger out a fair bit. On form Collingwood should win, they’ve been competitive while losing against better teams then the Suns. Gold Coast are back home though, where they undoubtedly play their best football so by no means will this game be easy for the Magpies.
Final selection will play a huge part in regards to how strong each team is respectively but I can’t see any other result then a Collingwood win in this one.
MAGPIES BY 28 POINTS.
CONGRATULATIONS SCOTT PENDLEBURY 200 GAMES
Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury will play his 200th AFL this Saturday on the Gold Coast. Pendlebury, who is widely known as one of the best midfielders in the AFL has moulded himself into a strong leader also. To reach his 200th game at the age of 27 shows his reliability and durability over time. He is a champion player and loved by all Magpies fans alike. Congratulations Scott.
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