Round 5: The Team

Round 5 COLLINGWOOD v ESSENDON Time Place TV: Monday April 25, 3:20pm MCG 7mate / Fox Footy 3:00pm Weather: Min 12 Max 24 Chance of rain 5%: < 1mm Wind: N 26kph Betting: Collingwood $1.41 Essendon $2.90

B: Jack Frost, Nathan Brown, Alan Toovey
HB: Adam Oxley, Ben Reid, Ben Sinclair
C: Jack Crisp, Adam Treloar, Steele Sidebottom
HF: Travis Varcoe, Darcy Moore, Levi Greenwood
F: Alex Fasolo, Mason Cox, Travis Cloke
Foll: Brodie Grundy, Scott Pendlebury, Taylor Adams

Int (from): Jordan De Goey, Tom Langdon, Jarryd Blair, James Aish, Brayden Maynard, Jeremy Howe, Josh Smith

In: Jack Frost, Mason Cox, Brayden Maynard, Josh Smith
Out: Jesse White (omitted)
New: Mason Cox, Josh Smith

Collingwood News Mason Cox has impressed in the VFL this season, particularly in a 51-hitout game against Casey last Sunday. Photo: Shane Barrie The future has arrived for two of Collingwood's newest players. The Magpies have named newly promoted rookies Mason Cox and Josh Smith alongside defenders Jack Frost and Brayden Maynard in their 25-man squad for ANZAC Day. Defender Jesse White (omitted) is the only absentee from Sunday's loss to Melbourne. The squad will be finalised at 4pm on Saturday. Cox's story is remarkable, for he only picked up a Sherrin in May 2014 and has played just 21 VFL games and three NAB Challenge games in the time since. But he is well and truly ready to make his mark on the AFL, having won 51 hitouts in the ruck against the Casey Scorpions in the VFL last week. He's already proven that he is not just a ruckman. Standing 211cm tall, Cox is difficult to counter when playing at full forward. He kicked 17 goals in 20 VFL games last year, including a haul of five against Richmond late in the season. At the other end of the scale is Josh Smith. At just 181cm, he is a good 30cm smaller than Cox, but his form has been just as impressive. He is averaging 21.5 disposals in the opening two rounds of the VFL season, this despite spending most of March on the sidelines due to a foot injury sustained during the NAB Challenge. The 22-year-old was recruited from Queensland club Redland, for whom he averaged 28.7 disposals last season. Collingwood's team includes eight players who are yet to play on ANZAC Day. Should they be selected, James Aish, Mason Cox, Jordan De Goey, Levi Greenwood, Jeremy Howe, Darcy Moore, Josh Smith and Adam Treloar will all run out on the biggest day of the home and away calendar for the first time.