2016: LADDER ROUND 19

Pos Position   C Change from last round   P Played   W Won   L Lost   D Drawn   F Points for

A Points against   % Percentage   Form Past five results   Next Next opponent   Pts Points

Round 19: Collingwood 91 West Coast 72

THE FACTS

COLLINGWOOD   2.5.17   7.7.49   8.11.59   13.13.91
WEST COAST      4.2.26   5.2.32    9.3.57      11.6.72

GOALS - Collingwood: Moore 3, Aish 2, Sidebottom 2, Cloke, White, Greenwood, Crisp, Treloar, Maynard

BEST - Collingwood: Adams, Sidebottom, Pendlebury, Moore, Smith, Aish

INJURIES - Collingwood: Moore (hip/glute)

REPORTS - Collingwood: Nil

OFFICIAL CROWD - 34,929 at the MCG

TALKING POINTS

1. Moore, please! The Pies took six contested marks inside their forward 50 in the first half (an AFL-high this season), and it was largely due to the efforts of young gun Darcy Moore. Before his game was over midway through the second term when he left the field with a hip/glute issue, the second-year key forward had contributed three of his team's six goals, from eight kicks and six marks, five of them contested (a game-high, with Eagle Josh Kennedy next best with two). The best of them was a soaring grab followed by his second goal, which kickstarted a five-goal-to-one second term. It was an exciting glimpse of the future that added further credence to AFL great Wayne Carey's belief that Moore has the potential to become a superstar. 2. Eagles' hoodoo continues This was meant to be the Eagles' best chance in some time of breaking a curse against Collingwood at the MCG that stretches back to 1995, but they have now lost their past 10 clashes against the Pies on the hallowed turf. In the process, the Eagles also did their top-four hopes considerable harm, given they are vying for that honour with a logjam of rivals. Of concern for the visitors was that after they led by nine points at quarter-time and threatened to race away with their cleaner ball use, they were generally outplayed for the remainder of an error-riddled contest. 3. Greenwood enjoys some hang time Collingwood lured Levi Greenwood from North Melbourne to do unfashionable grunt work, relieve pressure from Pies midfield stars Scott Pendlebury and Steele Sidebottom and tag opposition playmakers. But late in the first quarter, Greenwood took to the skies, assisted by a ride on the back of direct opponent Andrew Gaff to claim a rare screamer. More importantly, he went back and nailed a 45-metre set shot. He couldn't repeat that effort, though, muffing three more scoring chances, including two in the space of a minute in the second term. He sent a dribbling banana kick out of bounds, while a one-step shot from just inside 50 slewed at right angles to the goal and sailed out on the full.

4. Debutants show some promise Both teams blooded first-gamers, with the Magpies giving an opportunity to mature-age draftee Rupert Wills, 23, and the Eagles elevating third-year player Malcolm Karpany, 21, after Elliot Yeo was a late withdrawal due to illness. Wills was the Pies' sixth debutant this season, and they have now used an equal season-high 39 players, while Karpany was West Coast's first debutant for 2016. Big-bodied midfielder Wills, a former Old Scotch player, was particularly impressive with 17 possessions (eight contested), winning several hard balls and laying 11 tackles (equal second on the field). He was a key factor in the Pies' laying an amazing 47 tackles in the third quarter (a club-high), more than doubling their half-time tally of 44. Meanwhile, the diminutive Karpany, a South Australian, also got involved and showed he might have a future at AFL level. 5. Guv's half-century It's something of a surprise that Jeremy McGovern has only just reached his 50th game, given his importance to the Eagles' defence over the past two seasons and the fact he plays like a veteran. The 23-year-old didn't exactly celebrate the milestone in style, given he was quieter than usual with just 12 touches and six marks (one contested), and copped a heavy knock in a head-on collision with Travis Varcoe in a marking contest just after half-time. McGovern left the field but soon returned and resumed his drop-off, intercept role. The Pies took six contested marks inside their forward 50 in the first half (an AFL-high this season), and it was largely due to the efforts of young gun Darcy Moore. Before his game was over midway through the second term when he left the field with a hip/glute issue, the second-year key forward had contributed three of his team's six goals, from eight kicks and six marks, five of them contested ...

THE MEDIA

COLLINGWOOD NEWS WEST Coast's top-four hopes have received a major hit after a persistent Collingwood outfit overcame more injury misfortune to cause a 19-point upset at the MCG on Saturday. The Eagles would have sat equal on wins with second and third-placed Geelong and Greater Western Sydney had they beaten the Pies away from home. But their disappointing run of interstate performance continued in what could be a costly loss in their bid for a finals double chance. After holding a three-goal lead at half-time, the Pies looked set to be overrun by the Eagles, who took the lead for the first time three minutes into the final term. But that sparked the Pies into action, and they booted the next four goals to shoot clear of Adam Simpson's side to win 13.13 (91) to 11.6 (72) and claim their eighth win of the year. It extended West Coast's losing streak to the Pies at the MCG, where they haven't beaten Collingwood since 1995, and ended a run of five wins for the Eagles who had been eking out wins despite not playing their best. The performance was one of Collingwood's bravest of the season, particularly given the Pies lost damaging tall forward Darcy Moore midway through the second term after a brilliant start for the marking option. The Pies' midfield was far too strong, with Taylor Adams (36 disposals, 11 tackles), Scott Pendlebury (34 disposals, 13 tackles) and Adam Treloar (27, nine tackles) setting the tone. Steele Sidebottom kicked two goals from 26 disposals, as did James Aish, who enjoyed his best game in the white and black since crossing from the Brisbane Lions last year. Mature-age recruit Rupert Wills also impressed on debut, gathering 17 touches and 11 tackles in a dogged display. Collingwood's intent was on display with their ruthless tackling approach. They registered 46 alone in the third quarter, which is the most in the club's history for a single term. The Eagles will leave Melbourne again without the four points after a listless showing, with Andrew Gaff (35 touches) and Luke Shuey (28 disposals) among their best. Early on it looked like being a better day for the travelling West Coast line-up, as key pair Josh Kennedy and Jack Darling shared three opening-term goals to help the Eagles to a nine-point advantage at the first break. The Pies generated enough chances early but were wasteful, with Moore one of the culprits. He took four marks in the first quarter, including a high grab in a pack, to be Collingwood's focal point, but his only goal came from a free kick won at the top of the goalsquare. The role as Collingwood's 'go-to' man didn't seem to faze the 20-year-old, however, with Moore taking another huge mark in the second term over former Magpie Sharrod Wellingham. This time Moore was able to kick the goal from the tight angle in the pocket, rewarding Collingwood for its hard work. Moore was involved in Collingwood's next goal as Travis Cloke duly converted a straightforward set shot, before the Magpies took the lead midway through the second term when Aish's floating snap sailed through. Another goal to Aish in the final minute of the half saw Collingwood extend its lead to 17 points at the main break. It was a reflection of the Magpies' dominance around the ground against a largely lackadaisical West Coast unit. The Pies' position at the main break was even more impressive against the top-four contenders given Moore, who was piecing together the best game of his emerging career, left the field midway through the second term with a hip injury and headed straight into the rooms. He attempted to return at the start of the third term but couldn't be cleared by the Pies' medical staff. The Eagles lifted in Moore's absence, as West Coast's midfield begun to play with more fluency and direction. Where the Pies were all of a sudden missing Moore's presence in attack (he took five marks inside 50 before the injury), the Eagles' pair of forward dynamos started to prove difficult to contain. Kennedy and Darling kicked three of the Eagles' four goals for the third term as they closed to within two points of the Pies at the final change. It was West Coast's layer of class that kept it in the game against the Magpies throughout the contest, and that polish was on display early in the final quarter when Jamie Cripps slotted a clever shot from the boundary line to put the Eagles in front. Many at the ground – perhaps even the Eagles themselves – would have thought then that last year's grand finalists would run on with the game. But Collingwood's four-goal-in-eight-minutes patch saw them jump ahead and hold onto a morale-boosting victory and inflict a dispiriting (and likely damaging) loss onto the Eagles. It was what both sides deserved.                                  SUPERFOOTY COLLINGWOOD coach Nathan Buckley says the performance of his youth brigade in the win over West Coast should give success-hungry Magpie supporters confidence for the future. The Magpies' midfield — led by skipper Scott Pendlebury, Taylor Adams, Adam Treloar and Steele Sidebottom — ran rampant in the 19-point win over the Eagles at the MCG. Most pleasing though was the fact the younger players such as Darcy Moore, ruckman Brodie Grundy, Josh Smith, James Aish and debutant Rupert Wills all played pivotal roles in the hard-fought victory. "We've got a great belief of what we're capable of," Buckley said. "I think our supporters would leave the game tonight pretty happy with seeing the 22 that represented the club go out and do what we were able to do. "They've been tested at times over recent years and probably earlier this season, and for various reasons we haven't been able to reward the faith as quickly as they or we would have liked to. "But we've got some young guys coming up and they're well led, so we want to finish the season off strongly." Moore did not play out the game after succumbing to hamstring tightness and Buckley said he would be assessed during the week. "We didn't want to take any risks," he said. "He came out for another five minutes after (half-time) and we were touch and go on whether we were going to continue with him. "Whether it is a strain or a tear, I think there will be something there but we'll see." Buckley said Moore's display before he went off was up there with the best he had seen from the 20-year-old to date. "We've always thought with Darcy that when they start sticking, and when he starts understanding his teammates a bit better and where the spaces are on the field, that he can get utilised," he said. "He'll just get better and better, so we're pretty bullish about where he could go." The Magpies won the tackle count 118-89 and Buckley paid tribute to his players for their work rate. "It was four quarters of really solid footy," he said. "We didn't use the ball well at all, but we were able to play how we wanted to play long enough to get the job done."                                  NOTES MEDICAL ROOM Collingwood: Darcy Moore was on track for a career-best game before hurting his hip in the second term. He tried to get back there with some run-throughs on the boundary line in the third quarter but was ruled out. Key defender Ben Reid also suffered a knock to his ribs in the second term but played out the game. NEXT UP Collingwood will front up again at the MCG next Friday night against old rival Richmond. NEXT FOUR Richmond, Western Bulldogs, Gold Coast, Hawthorn

AFL A HAMSTRING issue appears likely to sideline Collingwood prodigy Darcy Moore, but first let's savour a brilliant cameo performance that he rated as his best at AFL level. On a bittersweet night for the second-year key forward, Moore played just a quarter-and-a-half, but his influence was so profound in a 19-point victory over last year's runner-up West Coast that most media outlets – AFL.com.au included - still named him among the Magpies' best handful of players. In that time, the 20-year-old contributed 3.2 of the Pies' 6.6, and would remain his team's highest goalscorer for the match. With his rare speed for his 200cms, his superb pure leap, fearless attack on aerial contests and seemingly sticky hands, Moore was marking everything at the MCG. He hauled in what would remain a game-high five contested marks. His nearest rival was West Coast champion Josh Kennedy with two. The Pies are licking their lips at the prospect of a fully filled-out 25-year-old Moore, but the current model is already a formidable package. Post-match, Moore was disappointed by his injury concern on his dominant right leg, describing it as "just a bit of hamstring tightness, nothing too serious". The 24-gamer was also naturally excited by his form, revealing he'd never felt better at the highest level. "It's a very, very tough competition and it's equally hard as a young forward, so to have patches like that is nice," he told AFL.com.au. "To have everyone working together, as we were in the first half, feels awesome. "It's always a challenge for a young, developing player to put it all together, so to do it even for a short period is pretty gratifying. "Now I've got a new challenge to get over this injury." The impressive, articulate youngster said that inexperienced players such as himself need to find a balance between conscious and subconscious thinking to build confidence but also remain grounded. "You need to have a subconscious understanding of where you're going and, yes, for other people that might be exciting, and for me that might be exciting, but I'm a professional athlete and the reality is that I've got to make a contribution to this team as a 20-year-old every day, every week," he explained. "Little wins along the way are always good but I think you've got to have, on some level, a sense of direction, a sense of where you're going. "But it often gets back to just worrying about the 24 hours in front of me." Whenever the ball was kicked high in Moore's direction, he moved towards it with such purpose and confidence that it was almost as though he was saying to himself: "This is mine." Asked to explain his actual mindset, Moore said he benefits from clarity of thought. "In those moments, your mind is characteristically very clear as an athlete," he said. "And that's how we try to structure our whole program, to go out there for two hours on game day and feel clear. It comes from preparation. "It's not so much what's going on in my mind, it's more about what isn't. "For every one (marking contest) that goes right, there's usually six, eight or 10 that go wrong. It's the ability to forget about those that's the biggest challenge." Not this day. Pies coach Nathan Buckley continues to be impressed by Moore's progress. "Darcy's one of those young blokes who wants to take ownership of our future," Buckley told reporters post-match. "The first 45 minutes tonight was an indication of what he wants to bring to the table." Buckley enthused that Moore still has a lot of scope for growth. "His contest has always been really strong," he said. "We've always thought that when they start sticking, and when he starts understanding his teammates a little bit better and where the spaces are on the field that he can get utilised, especially inside 50, he'll just get better and better. "We're pretty bullish about where he can go."                                  REAL FOOTY Collingwood may not be a top-eight side this year, but they took the measure of a second top-eight side in the past four rounds with a 19-point victory over West Coast at the MCG on Saturday. Headed at the beginning of the final term when Jamie Cripps coolly slotted a goal from 45 metres out on the boundary line, the Magpies refused to go back into their shell. Instead, Collingwood answered with five of the last six goals of the game. Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley had reached deep into the motivational hand-book this week, warning his side after heavy losses to Adelaide and North Melbourne that they were playing for their football futures. The Pies responded with one of their best performances of the season. Trailing only at quarter-time due to some wayward kicking and West Coast's greater efficiency going forward, Collingwood kicked five goals to one in the second term to wrest back the initiative, then withstood a West Coast comeback to run out the game much more strongly with a five-goals-to-two final term. Brodie Grundy gave his side a big advantage with a dominant 45 ruck hitouts while Taylor Adams and Adam Treloar capitalised by dominating the clearances. The Pies lost Darcy Moore in the second term after he had kicked three of his side's six goals to that point. For a long time they struggled to score goals, but when they came, they came with a rush. West Coast continued their indifferent form away from their Subiaco fortress. But while losses to Hawthorn, Sydney and Geelong on the road can be forgiven, this one will hurt last year's beaten grand finalists. Jack Darling was an effective forward with four goals and Josh Kennedy could have had as many with better conversion. But the Eagles did not have many other reliable scoring options. Matt Priddis and Andrew Gaff worked hard, but their efficiency was diminished by the hard-tackling Pies. Just two points separated the sides at the final change after a West Coast third-quarter fightback brought a 17-point half-time deficit back to just two. Collingwood had had 19 scoring shots to 12, though five of their 11 behinds were rushed through by the Eagles' defence. That, plus a couple of misses from gettable shots, contrasted with West Coast's ability to get the ball to their key forwards and convert. Darling added two of his team's four goals for the term to take his tally to four. Kennedy and Chris Masten got the other two from free kicks, Kennedy after Ben Reid dragged the ball in and was penalised for holding and Masten from a high tackle by Ben Crocker. A five-goals-to-one second quarter sent the Pies into the long break 17 points ahead. Moore, who had taken six marks and kicked three goals, went off and into the rooms mid-way through the term. But even the loss of their most productive forward could not stop the irrepressible Pies, with a James Aish goal after a 50-metre penalty against Jeremy McGovern, taking them further ahead. The 26-point turnaround for the term was demonstrated by the statistics. Collingwood had had 64 more disposals than the Eagles in the first half and dominated the second-term clearances with 14 to four. Taylor Adams had seven for the first half. The Pies easily won the inside 50 count for the quarter, too, taking the ball into their forward arc 17times to seven, turning around an 11-14 deficit in the first term. They were keeping the pressure on the normally productive West Coast mid-field, limiting the effectiveness of prime movers Priddis and Gaff, and had solved the problem of the Eagles' key forwards Darling and Kennedy by the simple process of not letting the ball inside West Coast's attacking 50. At that stage there was no sign of the impending Collingwood blitz. But Cloke marked and goalled after finding space out wide, Aish got his first for the quarter with a snap off one step and Moore took his sixth mark inside 50 for his third goal.

Round 19: The Team

Round 19 COLLINGWOOD v WEST COAST EAGLES Time, Place, TV: Saturday July 30, 4:35pm MCG Fox Footy 4:30pm Weather: Min 9 Max 16 Chance of rain 90%: 1-5mm Wind: N 29kph Betting: Collingwood $2.25 West Coast Eagles $1.65

IN: Jordan De Goey, Rupert Wills, Ben Crocker

OUT: Alex Fasolo (shoulder), Jarryd Blair (groin), Ben Sinclair (comcussion)

NEW: Rupert Wills, 23, Collingwood VFL

B: Jonathon Marsh, Nathan Brown, Jeremy Howe

HB: Marley Williams, Ben Reid, Brayden Maynard

C: Steele Sidebottom, Adam Treloar, James Aish

HF: Rupert Wills, Travis Cloke, Travis Varcoe

F: Darcy Moore, Jesse White, Ben Crocker

Foll: Brodie Grundy, Scott Pendlebury, Taylor Adams

Int: Jordan De Goey, Levi Greenwood, Jack Crisp, Josh Smith

Emg: Tyson Goldsack, Adam Oxley, Mason Cox

Collingwood News Rupert Wills has averaged 24 disposals in 11 VFL games this season. Photo: Shane Barrie. Collingwood will blood its sixth debutant of the season when Rupert Wills runs onto the MCG on Saturday afternoon. Youth appears to have been the theme for the Magpies' selection committee. Jordan De Goey returns after a week on the sidelines, while Ben Crocker has also been named in the side to take on the Eagles. Leaving the team due to injury is 283 games of senior experience. An assortment of concerns mean Ben Sinclair (concussion), Alex Fasolo (shoulder) and Jarryd Blair (groin) won't play this weekend. Collingwood Director of football Neil Balme on Thursday said a "resilient" Blair couldn't reach full fitness, while adding that Fasolo was "keen to play" but wasn't given the all clear. Wills, 23, is a Collingwood VFL success story. The strong-bodied midfielder spent 2014 and '15 playing under Dale Tapping for the VFL Magpies, before this season becoming the first VFL graduate to Collingwood's AFL list. His upcoming debut comes with big expectations from Collingwood's VFL coach. "The thing that stands out is his power. He's got amazing power," Tapping told Collingwood Media. "If you're looking in comparison, I think he's got a lot of Patrick Cripps about him." Wills returned to the VFL level this season, this time as a full-time footballer. He started the year with 30 and 34 disposals, before injury and form concerns led to a quieter patch in the middle of the season. The long-awaited opportunity to play AFL football now presents itself with five rounds remaining in the AFL home and away season. Another member of the 2015 draft class entering the team is forward Crocker. Crocker already has a taste of AFL action in 2016. The 19-year-old played six straight from round seven to round 12, kicking five goals and averaging 8.7 disposals per game. Meanwhile, a former Oakleigh Charger teammate in De Goey will once again line up in the Black and White. After being omitted last weekend, De Goey this week proved that training form can be good enough form to regain a place in the senior side. The midfielder didn't play any football last weekend because of a VFL bye. But he no doubt impressed the coaches enough with a determined effort at the Holden Centre during the week that followed. De Goey, Crocker and Wills will join teammates in attempting to ensure West Coast's interstate record remains a shaky one. Despite boasting a 9-1 win-loss tally at home, the Eagles have struggled on the road this year, winning just three of seven games.

Preview Round 19: Collingwood v West Coast Eagles

SportsMatt

Round 19 COLLINGWOOD v WEST COAST EAGLES Time, Place, TV: Saturday July 30, 4:35pm MCG Fox Footy 4:30pm Weather: Min 9 Max 16 Chance of rain 90%: 1-5mm Wind: N 28kph Betting: Collingwood $2.35 West Coast Eagles $1.60

With five games left in the 2016 AFL premiership season the Collingwood football clubs' hopes of playing finals are gone. If you're being honest the Pies never really looked like a finals contender this season anyway, as a 4-8 win/loss record after 12 games showed. They did give their fans some hope though with wins over Carlton and GWS but losses to Adelaide and North Melbourne have ended their chances. No matter what excuses the club and it's staff try and make, it's simply been another failure of a season for the biggest sporting club in Australia. To miss the finals for a third consecutive season provides little hope for the future also. But there are still five games to be played, and this week the Pies go back home, to the M.C.G. to face a team that will play finals, the West Coast Eagles. The Eagles have had a pretty good season so far backing up from a grand final appearance last year. They find themselves with a 12-5 record after 17 games and sit just a few percentage points away from second spot. There have been questions raised about West Coast's away form in 2016 but they are positioned about where they would have wanted to be with 5 rounds remaining. Recent history between these two is split at 3-3 at piece, although the Eagles have won the final three games, including a 62 point win in round 6 earlier this year. It's a game that West Coast have to win if they want to finish top 4 and be seen as a genuine premiership contender.

COLLINGWOOD PREVIEW

Most articles written about Collingwood at the moment are of a negative nature. That's understandable too given that the Magpies will miss the finals for the third season in a row. But there are positives out of the mess that is the Pies at the moment. They actually have some of the best young talent in the AFL and some of them are developing at a really good rate. The likes of Moore, De Goey, Aish, Marsh, Maynard, Grundy, Phillips, Crocker and Smith have all shown they have a big future in the senior side. Marsh and Moore may well be the most important of those two in the near future, with key position players so scarce that if they can hold down spots at either end, it will fast track this Magpies rebuild on the run. Apart from the youngsters the Pies have shown that even now this team is capable of beating anyone on it's day, with dominating wins over top 4 sides Geelong and GWS. That just adds to the frustration for a lot of Pies fans though, with such inconsistency in effort and performance throughout the season. The final 5 games will be important for this team going forward though, and that starts this week of course against the Eagles.
Collingwood got relatively lucky at the Match Review Panel for once with no players suspended or even fined despite some very heated moments in the loss to North Melbourne. Ben Sinclair will miss though, after suffering another concussion in the loss to the Roos. There is still likely to be other changes too, and with the Pies once again losing the centre clearances, the coaching staff may seek to remedy that area. The VFL Magpies had a bye last weekend but still there's plenty at the next level who could be called upon to take on the Eagles. One that may be considered is Rupert Wills. Wills has been in the best players just about every week in for the VFL team, and is a clearance machine. Others that may be considered include Phillips, Goldsack, Frost,Witts, Oxley, Cox and De Goey. The Pies do have players to choose from so they can select a side based on the opposition as much as their own strengths. One of those main strengths is of course the Eagles forward line, so Goldsack and Frost may be called upon to provide defensive backup if the coaching staff deem it necessary. Last week that Pies backline didn't perform so well, but a lot of North's goals did come from turnovers, which are damn hard to defend against.
It's difficult to tell which Collingwood will turn up this weekend. If it's the version that took care of the Cats and Giants with relative ease then they'll win this game. If it's the bad version though, the one that all but gave up in big losses to Port Adelaide and Melbourne, then the Eagles will win easily. My guess is it will be somewhere in between, which will at least give them a chance of notching their 8th win of season 2016.

WEST COAST EAGLES PREVIEW

After making the Grand Final last season many were tipping the Eagles to be Hawthorn's greatest challenger for the premiership in 2016. They didn't start like a premiership threat, and after 12 games at with a rather average 7-5 win/loss record. Fast forward though and West Coast haven't lost a game since and will go into this game at the MCG on the back of a 5 game winning streak. There are still critics of this Eagles team though, especially when it comes to their form away from Subiaco. That alone might give them the motivation for this game, where they can prove that they can win away from home against a competitive team. West Coast are hoping to welcome back two big names in Natanui and Sheed so they will run out on Saturday with a very strong lineup indeed.
The Eagles forward line is their obvious area of strength. Despite having an up and down year the Eagles sit third for total points scored in 2016, even though they've only had the 10th most inside forward 50 entries. Their forward line efficiency per entry is a huge advantage in any game. Of course it helps when you have two elite key forwards in Josh Kennedy and Jack Darling to build an attack around. Kennedy, the reigning Coleman medalist and current leader of that competition, is having yet another stellar year and just seems to get better every season. His battle with Brown and Marsh will be worth watching for sure. He has some help though, with 5 other regular first team Eagles averaging a goal a game or better. The Pies backline struggled last week at times against North Melbourne's forward line, and they don't get it any easier this week.
The West Coast defense is slightly under rated it seems. They sit fourth for least total points conceded through 17 games which shows the defensive side of the Eagles game is strong too. The backline is pretty stable for them too, with Mackenzie, McGovern, Butler, Hurn and Sheppard making up the core group of this defense. This weekend they matchup against a Pies forward line that basically cost it's team the game last week. Or at least combined with poor forward delivery they did. The Magpies forward line was disjointed and ugly against North, and when Blair and White are your two most dangerous forwards, something is wrong. The Eagles will feel confident of restricting the Pies to a low score no matter how many forward entries they get.
The Eagles midfield is average, being that they rank in the middle of the ladder for contested possessions and clearances. It's still higher than the Pies but it's an area that coach Adam Simpson would want to see some improvement in. Led by the indomitable Matt Priddis this is the one area of the ground the Eagles may have to clean up if they are to return to the grand final this season. After Priddis and Luke Shuey the clearance average for their midfielders drops significantly and there lies the problem. Only those two can be relied upon to win the ball, although the probable return of star ruckman Nic Natanui may help this week. Natanui has been in career best form this season when fit, as shown by him being ranked third for clearances for the Eagles. If he does play, it will be a battle between him and maybe the best young ruckman in the AFL, Brodie Grundy, that will be worth the price of admission alone.
This is a must win game for the Eagles. If they can't win on the MCG against a team who will not play finals, what hope do they have of winning a final or grand final on this ground in the coming months.

TIP
Most will be expecting the Eagles to come to Melbourne and win this game, especially given the respective positions on the ladder of the two teams. But the Eagles form isn't as good away from home and in past years their record at the MCG is poor. Of course the Eagles will know that so they may set themselves for this game seeing it as a chance to prove a point. The West Coast forward line is the real worry for the Pies. The Eagles don't even have to get more inside 50's than the Pies to be likely winners of this game.
But the Pies have improved, even if it isn't fully showing on the scoreboard. They are more stable now, have a capable ruckman in Grundy and that forward line surely will play better than last week. Where I think this game will be won is in the middle, and with the Pies usually being beaten in there by highly rated teams, they may be able to at least match it with the Eagles in the middle and come out with a small win.

MAGPIES BY 12 POINTS

Preview Round 19: Collingwood v West Coast Eagles

AFL

SUMMARY

Round 19 COLLINGWOOD v WEST COAST EAGLES Time, Place, TV: Saturday July 30, 4:35pm MCG Fox Footy 4:30pm Weather: Min 8 Max 16 Chance of rain 70%: 1-5mm Wind: N 28kph Betting: Collingwood $2.35 West Coast Eagles $1.59

This is a danger game for West Coast, but one that must be conquered if it is to make the top four. The Eagles have won five in a row, but their past fortnight has been uninspiring, just holding on to beat Carlton at the MCG and coming from behind in the last quarter to pip Melbourne at home after losing the inside 50 count 37-66. If they needed any added incentive, it's this: the Eagles haven't beaten the Pies at the MCG since 1995 (when current Pies coach Nathan Buckley was in just his second season as a Magpie and Leigh Matthews was in his final year at the helm), losing their subsequent nine encounters. Collingwood is expected to continue to be a dangerous opponent on the run home.

LAST FIVE TIMES

1. R6, 2016, West Coast 18.16 (124) d Collingwood 9.8 (62) at Domain Stadium
2. R16, 2015, West Coast 11.21 (87) d Collingwood 7.14 (56) at Etihad Stadium
3. R20, 2014, West Coast 19.12 (126) d Collingwood 10.6 (66) at Domain Stadium
4. R10, 2014, Collingwood 17.7 (109) d West Coast 15.11 (101) at the MCG
5. R22, 2013, Collingwood 15.11 (101) d West Coast 5.9 (39) at the MCG
   

THE SIX POINTS

1. Heavily in Collingwood's favour is their 10-1 record against West Coast at the MCG. The Eagles only win took place early in 1995. 
2. The Eagles are the most accurate side in front of goal, converting 55.2 per cent of their scoring shots, while Collingwood is 10th at 50.6 per cent. 
3. The Eagles could gain a big advantage in the ruck, ranked first for hitouts with 48.1 a game, compared to the Magpies 33.2, ranked 16th. When it comes to centre clearances, the Eagles are eighth and Collingwood 14th. 
4. No team handballs less than West Coast, which averages 148.7 a game. Collingwood is ranked sixth at 174.1 a game. They are 10th and 11th for kicks, separated by just one kick (3445-3444).
5. When they met at Domain Stadium in round six, the Eagles led by just 10 points midway through the third quarter before piling on 9.7 to just 1.3 to win by 62 points. 
6. Collingwood's rising ruck star Brodie Grundy has leapt to a career high ranking of No.138 (the sixth-best Pie) in the Official AFL Player Ratings. He started the season ranked 257th (18th at Collingwood).

IT'S A BIG WEEK FOR …Chris Masten.
The Eagles midfielder's 12-touch effort in the wet against Melbourne was his worst return of the season, so he'll be desperate to get involved more against the Pies. The 27-year-old is one player the Eagles need to strike his best form if they are any chance of repeating their heroics of last season.

PREDICTION: Collingwood by 19 points.

Injury List

Injury Update Tuesday, July 26, 2016
Player	Injury	Status	Round 19 COLLINGWOOD v WEST COAST EAGLES Time, Place, TV: Saturday July 30, 4:35pm MCG Fox Footy 4:30pm Weather: Min 8 Max 15 Chance of rain 50%: 1-5mm Wind: N 21kph Betting: Collingwood $2.45 West Coast Eagles $1.55
Jamie Elliott	Back	Season
Tom Langdon	Knee	4-6 weeks
Jackson Ramsay	Knee	Season
Matt Scharenberg*	Knee	Season
Brayden Sier	Back	Test
Ben Sinclair	Concussion	Test
Dane Swan*	Broken leg/foot	Season
Jarrod Witts	Dislocated finger	Test
* Placed on the club's long-term injury list

Collingwood News Ben Sinclair leaves the ground with a trainer after suffering his second concussion of the year against West Coast. Collingwood director of football Neil Balme says the club is “very concerned” about Ben Sinclair’s fourth concussion of the season, despite the 24-year-old returning to training at the Holden Centre on Monday. Sinclair is extremely unlikely to play this weekend after being knocked unconscious in the first quarter at Etihad Stadium on Friday night. He didn't return to the game and was taken to hospital for precautionary scans before receiving the all-clear. The defender has already suffered concussions against Melbourne (round four), West Coast (round six) and at training before clashing with Kangaroo Jed Anderson in round 18. "Obviously we're very concerned about the whole concussion thing," Balme told Collingwood Media's 'Blackmores Injury Update'. "He's now had three or four this year. It's not an easy thing to overcome." After a full weekend of recovery, Sinclair returned to the club with teammates on Monday. According to Balme, he joined in training and showed positive signs. "He was at training today and he's actually going quite well," he said. "He may be feeling well enough to play on the weekend, but I think it's pretty unlikely that we'll ask him to do that. "It's really a matter of how he's feeling. We need to go through a range of things to make sure he can play safely." Sinclair has played 63 games in seven injury-plagued at Collingwood. Despite his concerns in recent times, his tally of 13 games in the first 17 rounds is his greatest return since 2013. The former Oakleigh Charger had 23 possessions and five clearances last week in arguably one of his best performances of the season. "We'll miss him as a player. He's been very importance to us," Balme said. "Obviously the concussion thing is more important than just a game or two. "We consider him only a short term risk at the moment and (will) just see how he goes." With the exception of Sinclair, Collingwood will face West Coast on Saturday afternoon with a relatively fit group of players to select from. Jarrod Witts (finger) and Brayden Sier (back) are players currently outside the AFL starting 22 with short term injuries, while Balme stated on Monday that the five players listed as long term injuries are almost certain not to play again this year. Sinclair's fourth concussion of the season, despite the 24-year-old returning to training at the Holden Centre on Monday.

Herald Sun ON THE BLOCK: The entire forward line is on notice, according to Nathan Buckley, after a jolting loss to North Melbourne. Convinced they were armed with one of its most potent forward set-ups this season, the Magpies struggled in attack in the face of North's relentless pressure. Held scoreless, Travis Cloke will be among several Pies to come under intense scrutiny. ON THE CUSP: Collingwood's VFL team had the bye on the weekend robbing fringe players the chance to impress. However, you'd think Mason Cox is certainly a chance to return after a few weeks out given the Pies' misfiring forwards on Friday night. Jordan de Goey was axed last week and could be given a reprieve. LEO SCHLINK'S FORECAST: Collingwood showed enough in the second half against North to confirm it is on the ascendant. It gave North a 46-point headstart on Friday night yet was good enough to seriously threaten midway through the last quarter. The quandary for Buckley remains inconsistency. Questionable discipline also remains an issue. With clashes over the next month against West Coast and Western Bulldogs, several Magpies are playing for their futures.

2016: LADDER ROUND 18

Pos Position   C Change from last round   P Played   W Won   L Lost   D Drawn   F Points for

A Points against   % Percentage   Form Past five results   Next Next opponent   Pts Points

Round 18: North Melbourne 124 Collingwood 84

THE FACTS

NORTH MELBOURNE   6.5.41    10.7.67   14.10.94   18.16.124
COLLINGWOOD            2.2.14      4.4.28     10.7.67    12.12.84

GOALS - Collingwood: Blair 2, Moore 2, Greenwood 2, White 2, Sidebottom 2, Pendlebury, Fasolo

BEST - Collingwood: Sidebottom, Adams, Grundy, Pendlebury, Treloar

INJURIES - Collingwood: Sinclair (concussion)

REPORTS - Collingwood: Nil

OFFICIAL CROWD - 36,041 at Etihad Stadium

TALKING POINTS

1. Have the Kangaroos slammed the finals door shut? Maybe not yet, but North Melbourne fans will be breathing easier with their side guaranteed to end the round at least two games clear in eighth spot ahead of Port Adelaide and St Kilda, who will start underdogs in their games this weekend. The Roos were much improved in the first half as they arrested a five-game losing streak, although the Pies at times resembled witches' hats before springing to life after half-time and surging back into the contest. The Maggies are now no chance of playing finals footy, despite what 'mathematics' might say, while the Roos have just about booked their third-straight trip to September. 2. Don't poke the Roos, Bucks Nathan Buckley ratcheted up the anticipation for Friday night's clash by declaring fans could expect "a finals-type game with high pressure" – but his team dismally failed to deliver when the game was there to be won early. Despite Buckley claiming his players were ready to put reputations on the line, it was the Roos who made a statement, unleashing a first-quarter blitzkrieg on the shellshocked Magpies. North dominated centre clearances 6-0 in the opening stages, putting Collingwood's defence under siege, and ran rampant in attack with five of the first six goals to seemingly kill the contest. Collingwood's fightback after the long break was typical of the Pies' frustrating stop-start year. 3. Wells' fright becomes North's delight A curveball was thrown at North Melbourne before the match even started with Daniel Wells hurting himself in the warm-up and undergoing a fitness test just 15 minutes before the bounce. Wells walked off Etihad Stadium with club doctors as his teammates went through their pre-game routines, reappearing minutes later for several 30m sprints along the boundary line. The classy veteran, who came back from a calf issue just last round, only stretched out to about 75 per cent speed, but he was cleared to play – and it was a crucial decision. Wells dominated the first quarter as the Roos went on a scoring blitz, with their star midfielder racking up 11 touches, three centre clearances and two goal assists.

4. Petrie bounces back Brad Scott has stuck by out-of-form forward Drew Petrie and his faith was repaid on Friday night, with Petrie's defensive pressure helping inspire the Kangaroos' blistering start. Throughout Petrie's form slump, Scott always maintained the big Roo's tackling and chasing was still invaluable, and the 33-year-old was clamping down on anything that moved in the opening half. The spillage from one tackle gifted Lindsay Thomas his first goal, before Petrie drilled Jeremy Howe in a clear signal of intent and then caught Marley Williams holding the ball in midfield as the Pies were sweeping forward in numbers. Petrie ended the game with seven tackles and two goals, and if he can exhibit this intensity every week, it will significantly boost his chances of a new contract. 5. 'Boomer' good to go for record-breaking celebration After powering through his 426th match unscathed, tying him with Hawthorn champ Michael Tuck for the all-time games record, Brent Harvey will be the centre of attention this week ahead of his momentous occasion against St Kilda next Saturday night. 'Boomer' was in vintage touch against the Pies, using the ball craftily with his 25 touches and screwing two clever goals over his shoulder. Although the 38-year-old marvel missed a couple of gilt-edged chances in the final term, he's bagged 29 majors this year and is averaging a tick above 20 disposals, suggesting a new one-year contract extension is a certainty and that 450 games isn't out of the question – a record that could stand for decades. Nathan Buckley ratcheted up the anticipation for Friday night's clash by declaring fans could expect "a finals-type game with high pressure" – but his team dismally failed to deliver when the game was there to be won early. Despite Buckley claiming his players were ready to put reputations on the line, it was the Roos who made a statement, unleashing a first-quarter blitzkrieg on the shellshocked Magpies.

THE MEDIA

COLLINGWOOD NEWS Collingwood's forwards have been put on notice by coach Nathan Buckley after a flat performance against North Melbourne that effectively eliminated the Magpies from the pack chasing September action. Finals are now a pipe dream after the form of the past month was undone with a six-goal-to-one start that left the Magpies on the back foot on Friday night. Coach Nathan Buckley described his forward line as "impotent" in the first half and said the entire group was on notice after failing to win the ground ball and kicking 12.12 from 49 inside 50s. "We keep shuffling it around and looking for who's going to be our next best side … but individuals had a chance to reinforce it and some did and some didn't," the coach said. "We were impotent forward of the ball for most of the first half, and we thought we went in with one of our better forward lines on paper for the year. "Our forwards just didn't work hard enough to provide clear and legitimate options for the ball carrier. "We just didn't have enough energy in the front half in that first half." The Magpies sent defender Jeremy Howe forward in the second half and benefited, but it was too little too late, Buckley said. Asked for his thoughts on Travis Cloke's scoreless game, the coach simply said he was "part of a forward line that really struggled". "I think all of the forwards are probably on notice at the moment," Buckley said. Friday night's game was billed a 'mini final', and the coach said that was how his team had approached the past month, resulting in a 4-1 run going into round 18. He was in no doubt the Kangaroos had taken a similar approach into the clash after a 0-5 run that saw them drop from first to eighth on the ladder. "This was the line in the sand … whatever you want to call it, this was it," the coach said. "Whether they communicate that or not, I'm pretty sure internally they needed to get their season back on track. "We knew all of that and it was going to be a tough ask. If we were able to get the job done tonight it would have been the performance of our season. "We were up against a motivated and experienced team that just needed to get the job done, and in the end that's what they did." Buckley welcomed looming matches against West Coast, the Western Bulldogs and Hawthorn as a chance to identify players who welcomed the big stage. "We've had that opportunity the past two or three weeks and we've got it in the last part of the season as well," he said. "We want to find out who can stand up and we want to give exposure to players who have actually put some pretty good form together and see how they handle this sort of pressure against really good footy sides. "We're getting some pretty good feedback at the moment."                                  AFL NORTH Melbourne has snapped a five-game losing streak and stabilised its sinking season, kicking away in a dramatic 'mini-final' on Friday night to beat Collingwood by 40 points at Etihad Stadium. In what was billed as a do-or-die clash for the Kangaroos, they built a 46-point lead in the third quarter but were made to fight to the end after a spirited Magpies' fightback. The margin was cut to just 17 points early in the fourth quarter after five straight Collingwood goals, but after a 20-minute deadlock that produced seven behinds, young Roo Trent Dumont roved cleanly and snapped the sealer. The final score was 18.16 (124) to 12.12 (84), with the Roos kicking the final four goals of the game to build a flattering margin. The win effectively eliminated the Magpies as a finals contender and ensured North would keep at least two games between it and challengers Port Adelaide and St Kilda for another week. It was a fitting result for Kangaroos champion Brent Harvey, who kicked a late goal in his record-equalling 426th game and finished with 25 possessions and eight inside 50s. Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley said in the build-up that his team was willing to put its reputation on the line on Friday night and would bring finals-like intensity, setting the stage for what turned into a feisty clash, full of spot-fires. The Kangaroos not only met that intensity, they raised the stakes again and built a 27-point lead at the first break, which it protected well for the next two quarters before the Pies' late rally. Midfielder Daniel Wells was the star, overcoming a pre-game back problem and working through a tight Levi Greenwood tag to emerge with 29 touches, six clearances and five inside 50s. Key forward Drew Petrie (seven tackles and 2.2) tackled his way back to form, while wingman Sam Gibson (33 possessions) and young Roos Ryan Clarke (27) and Trent Dumont (15 and two goals) played key roles. The Kangaroos' backline was superb, led by Michael Firrito and Robbie Tarrant, while Lindsay Thomas – who was again involved in a number of controversial moments – finished with a season-high five goals. The drama started early, with Wells walking from the ground with trainers 25 minutes before the bounce to seek treatment for what was revealed to be an upper back issue that was impacting his breathing. All signs pointed to the damaging midfielder being withdrawn, but the Kangaroos doctors worked on him frantically and allowed the game-breaker to flourish. Wells was the dominant player on the ground in the first quarter, racking up three of the first four centre clearances to get the game on his team's terms. By quarter-time the Kangaroos were 27 points clear and he had 11 possessions, two inside 50s and two goal assists to his name. "I thought the tone was set from pretty early on from our perspective," coach Brad Scott said. "Collingwood have been playing some really good footy, statistically their last month is just about as good as anyone's and they've beaten some pretty good teams. "So we knew it was going to be a tough battle and we certainly got that." The Magpies were one man down after defender Ben Sinclair suffered a head knock in the first quarter and eventually was taken for precautionary scans. They could have rolled over when the margin swelled to 46 points in the third quarter, but they fought back bravely on the back of ruckman Brodie Grundy (29 hit-outs and 19 possessions) and midfielder Steele Sidebottom (28 and two goals). Sidebottom's second goal five-minutes into the final term sparked the match to new life, cutting the margin to 16 points, but from there a series of missed opportunities will haunt the Magpies. Rather than wondering what could have been, Buckley was left reflecting on another flat start. "Effort was really poor early … again, that's our third week in a row when we've given proven finals sides and really good football sides a start," the coach said. "We've dug ourselves out of one of them and haven't been able to dig ourselves out of the last two. "We were gallant, but in the end you've got to give yourself a more of a chance by starting better." As well as Grundy and Sidebottom, captain Scott Pendlebury (30 possessions and seven clearances) and Taylor Adams (30 and four) pushed on for the Magpies. It was a horror night for forward Travis Cloke, who finished scoreless and with just three marks, while Alex Fasolo returned from a shoulder injury with four possessions and one goal.

REAL FOOTY Collingwood did not try hard enough in the first quarter of their loss to North Melbourne, an irate Nathan Buckley has said. The coach put his entire forward line on notice, including an underperforming Travis Cloke. Buckley said Ben Sinclair was likely to miss at least a week of football after suffering his third concussion this year. A fired-up North Melbourne ran away from the Pies in the first quarter, booting six goals to the home team's two. Speaking after the match, Buckley kept his answers brief, but he did not hold back in criticising his team. He said Collingwood did not push hard enough in the first term. "Effort was really poor early ... it's the third week in a row where we've given proven finals sides and really good football sides a start," he said. "We just weren't clean with the footy, we weren't hard enough in close, North's pressure was really good and we weren't able to get out when we had the ball." Buckley said he had been expecting an intense performance from the Roos and those occasions helped him observe his players in a high pressure environment. Cloke has spent time in the VFL this year as he struggled with a poor run of form and Buckley signalled he should not get too comfortable. Asked about Cloke's form, Buckley said like the rest of the forward line, he really struggled. "All the forwards are probably on notice at the moment," Buckley said. Sinclair went to hospital after suffering a concussion early in the game, his third of the year. Buckley said he was unlikely to play next week. "He's an important player for us, but in the end his health is the most important thing," he said.                                  SUPERFOOTY THERE has been a question mark on Daniel Wells. Beautiful player. Scintillating skill. But would he deliver when things got tough? When the gun midfielder limped to the boundary line with another calf flare-up 20 minutes before Friday night's cut throat clash against Collingwood, North Melbourne's whole premiership blueprint threatened to collapse. The anguish was all over his face. Yet, as easy as it may have been to pull out at that moment, Wells answered the challenge in emphatic fashion, producing one of the most inspired, and indeed important performances of his career to keep North's flag hopes alive on a dramatic night at Etihad Stadium. "For a bloke who hasn't always carried injury that well, he's been outstanding," Jason Dunstall said on Triple M. The silken midfielder won the hard ball in traffic, and used it brilliantly, to put North up by 37 points at half time. His first 18 possessions were at 91 per cent efficiency. But the scare was real after the main break. The Pies had all the momentum early in the last term to get within 16 points, as Alex Fasolo and Steele Sidebottom kicked clutch goals to get within arm's reach of a miracle comeback. Sidebottom, Adam Treloar, Scott Pendlebury and Taylor Adams drove the Collingwood comeback but Lindsay Thomas finished with five goals to fend off the Pies. And even though Brent Harvey fluffed a chance to ice the contest running in the kind of open goal he could kick with eyes closed, when they were 22 points down, North emerged with a 40-point win.. Youngster Trent Dumont was the hero of the last quarter, scrapping the sealer from about 15m out as he was slung to the ground in a tackle. Harvey also joined the party with the snap from the boundary line to help make up for his incredible miss. Now, he can enjoy this week as he prepares to break Michael Tuck's (426) all-time games record. But for a minute there, Harvey's doomsday scenario could have eventuated had the Pies capitalised on his error. Collingwood treated this one like it was a final, but it was the Roos who delivered the September intensity early. And there were statements everywhere across the field. Drew Petrie was another whose career was seemingly cooked after an average month, but the veteran key forward played with the ferocity and intensity that had been missing from North's whole campaign since they won nine-straight. By half time, he had had a hand in three goals, kicked two majors himself, and had laid out Ben Reid and Marley Williams with pounding tackles. No one will give North much of a chance to win the whole thing just yet, but at least there is a pulse, now. Ben Cunnington discovered some onball venom and Harvey kicked a critical goal in the second term, swooping on Jeremy Howe's spilt mark and snapping cleverly over his shoulder. The veteran pumped his first before the ball had even sailed over the goal line. They were 38 points up. And Michael Firrito held sway in the back end, standing courageously under high balls to keep the ball out of reach of the Pies' three-pronged forward setup before their late comeback. The chairman James Brayshaw said pre-game all of the veterans were essentially on notice, and they answered the call. "They have all got to prove to us (match committee) that they should go on (next season) and if they aren't able to do that then we have got to move them on and regenerate," Brayshaw said on Triple M. This week, rightfully, can now be all about Harvey, and not the Roos' previously ailing season, as he prepares to break Tuck's mark against St Kilda at Etihad Stadium. 'Boomer' kept playing in the past few years, he said, because he thought this group was close to a flag, and he could yet be proven right. And on Friday night his mates came good for him. The heat was on at Arden St this week, with coach Brad Scott directing their entire focus on reapplying some defensive heat on the opposition after a disgusting loss to Port Adelaide. He must feel justified, backing in the group, when the footy public wanted scalps. Magpie Ben Sinclair was taken to hospital with another concussion after a first quarter collision with Jed Anderson.                                  NOTES MEDICAL ROOM Collingwood: Defender Ben Sinclair suffered his fourth head knock of the season when he collided with Jed Anderson and he was eventually taken to hospital for precautionary scans. Given his history, the Magpies will be in no rush to clear the 24-year-old to play. NEXT FIVE West Coast Eagles, Richmond, Western Bulldogs, Gold Coast, Hawthorn "Effort was really poor early ... it's the third week in a row where we've given proven finals sides and really good football sides a start, We just weren't clean with the footy, we weren't hard enough in close, North's pressure was really good and we weren't able to get out when we had the ball."                         Nathan Buckley

Round 18: The Team

Round 18 COLLINGWOOD v NORTH MELBOURNE Time, Place, TV: Friday July 22, 7:50pm Etihad 7mate / Fox Footy 7:30pm Weather: Min 13 Max 17 Chance of rain 70%: 5-10mm Wind: WNW 31kph Betting: Collingwood $2.20 North Melbourne $1.68

IN: Alex Fasolo, Marley Williams

OUT: Jordan De Goey (omit), Brent Macaffer (omit)

B: Jonathon Marsh, Nathan Brown, Jeremy Howe

HB: Taylor Adams, Ben Reid, Ben Sinclair

C: Steele Sidebottom, Adam Treloar, James Aish

HF: Alex Fasolo, Travis Cloke, Travis Varcoe

F: Darcy Moore, Jesse White, Jarryd Blair

Foll: Brodie Grundy, Scott Pendlebury, Jack Crisp

Int: Levi Greenwood, Marley Williams, Brayden Maynard, Josh Smith

Emg: Jordan De Goey, Tyson Goldsack, Mason Cox

Collingwood News Alex Fasolo is Collingwood's leading goalkicker in 2016, with 24 goals to his name from 11 games. "If you want to see a finals-type game with high pressure, come along to this one on Friday night." Those were the words of Nathan Buckley on Tuesday as Collingwood begun it's preparations for a do-or-die round 18 clash with North Melbourne. Two days later, the Magpies have named their side to take to Etihad Stadium and face the Kangaroos. Alex Fasolo and Marley Williams return to the team, while Jordan De Goey and Brent Macaffer have been omitted. For Williams, the recall to the senior side is a reward for strong VFL performances in trying conditions. After being dropped from the senior team, the defender ventured to North Ballarat and Frankston in a bid to return to form. "He's deserved his spot back in the side," Collingwood director of football Neil Balme told 'Team Sheet'. Meanwhile, Fasolo's return to the side will be his second attempt to resume normal regime. The livewire missed four weeks with a shoulder injury from rounds 11 to round 15, returned against Greater Western Sydney, before once again missing with injury last week. He remains Collingwood's leading goalkicker in 2016 and will prove an impressive addition to the team. "Fas has come up pretty well after the shoulder (injury)," Balme said. "He's always going to be a good addition to the forward line." The Friday night match pits a reasonably in-form Collingwood outfit against a North Melbourne side which has lost five games in a row. The Kangaroos hang on to eighth spot on the AFL ladder, and have already possessed their firepower in 2016 – winning nine straight games before stumbling over their first hurdle in round 10. Brent Harvey will equal the North Melbourne games record on Friday night. The 38-year-old kicked two goals and had a team-high 29 disposals against Port Adelaide last weekend. Unfortunately Macaffer nor De Goey will get the opportunity to pull on the boots at any level this weekend. The VFL Magpies have a bye in round 16, meaning the pair will join the likes of Tyson Goldsack, Mason Cox, Adam Oxley and Alan Toovey on the sidelines.

Preview Round 18: Collingwood v North Melbourne

Collingwood News - David Natoli

Round 18 COLLINGWOOD v NORTH MELBOURNE Time, Place, TV: Friday July 22, 7:50pm Etihad 7mate / Fox Footy 7:30pm Weather: Min 13 Max 17 Chance of rain 70%: 5-10mm Wind: WNW 31kph Betting: Collingwood $2.20 North Melbourne $1.68

Finals in July. That's what Nathan Buckley has labelled this week's clash against North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium on Friday night. The same sentiment will be echoed by the Kangaroos, who have won only one of their previous seven games after winning the opening nine matches.
The Magpies' unlikely finals chances took a massive hit last week with a tough loss to Adelaide. They were definitely gallant in defeat, but it has left the Magpies in a position where they have to basically win every game from here on in to make the finals. The Magpies are three games behind the Roos on the ladder and any slim finals hopes will be dashed with a loss this week.
On the other hand, the Kangaroos face the real prospect of dropping out of the eight all together if they can't win this Friday night. With a number of teams beginning to close in, North Melbourne needs to turn its form around very quickly if it is to hold onto its finals position.
In many regards, North Melbourne's season is reminiscent of Collingwood's 2015 campaign. The Magpies had made the most of a good early season draw but had a few heartbreaking losses to quality sides around the midway point of the season. As injuries mounted, Collingwood's season completely fell to pieces and it was never able to recover.
This is quite similar to North Melbourne's 2016 season. After a flying start, the Kangaroos had a few hard fought losses which took a toll on the side's momentum. A number of players sustained injuries during this period, and their season has quickly fallen away. They also have a very difficult draw on the run home, so if the Kangaroos are unable to win this week, then missing finals is a real possibility.
Although Friday night is a Collingwood home game, it is actually the first time the Magpies have played at Etihad Stadium all season. On the other hand, the Kangaroos play their tenth match at this venue for the year. Having said that, the Kangaroos have lost their previous three games at the ground.
It should be a really fierce battle against two sides with a lot to prove.

Recent History
These sides last met way back in round nine last year, where the Magpies booted nine goals in the third quarter to overcome a 39 point half-time deficit. It was Dane Swan and Jamie Elliott who polled the three and two votes respectively, and both are currently sidelined by injury. Swan was on fire with 32 disposals and two goals, while Elliott lit up the MCG with five. Steele Sidebottom was also very prominent with 31 disposals. For North Melbourne, Ben Cunnington polled one vote with 25 possessions and eight tackles.

At the Selection Table
Alex Fasolo will have his shoulder tested again this week after he failed to recover in time for last week's clash. If he passes, he will be a welcome addition back to the side. The VFL Magpies continue to fire as well and a number of names will again push for selection. Marley Williams, Tyson Goldsack, Rupert Wills, Tom Phillips, Tim Broomhead, Adam Oxley and Jack Frost, in particular, are all doing everything they can to break into the senior side.
North Melbourne's injury list is quite extensive at the moment, and it is unlikely to regain any front-line players this week. In particular, Shaun Higgins, Ben Jacobs, Luke McDonald, Kayne Turner, Sam Wright and Mason Wood will all be missing for quite some time. Majak Daw and Trent Dumont will press for selection again this week, while Robbie Nahas will also be considered as he booted three goals when these sides last met. The bigger issue for North Melbourne will be re-igniting a forward line which has been out of form in recent weeks. Veteran Drew Petrie has received a lot of criticism for his quiet game last week, while Jarrad Waite has also struggled for touch. Todd Goldstein has also been battling injury and is far from his best.

Focus on Collingwood

Robbie Tarrant and James Aish collide during Collingwood's win over North Melbourne in the second match of the 2016 NAB Challenge in Wagga Wagga.

The Crows are the highest scoring team in the AFL, and the Magpies were able to hold them to less than 100 points. This was a fair achievement considering Adelaide's fast start. Collingwood's defence held together really well, despite the fact that Adelaide was dominating through large periods of the game. Collingwood also had 97 tackles, which exemplified the fierce pressure it was putting on Adelaide.
There is a lot Collingwood needs to work on this week if it is going to challenge North. Firstly, the Magpies were yet again smashed in centre clearances 17 to seven. The Magpies are ranked last in the competition in this area, and it cost them majorly against Adelaide. The other issue was turnovers. Adelaide scored 11 of its goals from turnovers in comparison to the Magpies who only scored seven. Under a closed roof in perfect conditions, there will be no excuses for sloppy ball movement.
The Magpies have won three of the past four meetings against North Melbourne, and also a NAB Challenge battle earlier this year.
There is no disputing the effort Collingwood brought to the game last week against Adelaide. The Crows got off to a flying start, booting the first five goals, but the Magpies were able to steady and kept the game very even thereafter. It is the second week in a row that Collingwood has allowed its opponent a fast start, and this trend has to be extinguished on Friday night. The Kangaroos are lacking confidence, so the Magpies need to put the foot down early to prevent their opponent from regaining their touch.

Player Focus – Collingwood
Brayden Maynard – The 19 year old was thrown the frightening task of nullifying Eddie Betts last weekend. Although Betts still managed to boot three goals, Maynard did a remarkable job and limited him to only 10 disposals. Maynard has taken huge strides this year and has really cemented himself as a key pillar of Collingwood's defence. The challenges continue, as he will likely take the match-up against the dangerous Lindsay Thomas this week.
Ben Sinclair – After a promising game against Greater Western Sydney the week prior, Sinclair stood up to be one of Collingwood's best against Adelaide last round. He had 23 disposals running off half back and also defended really well. Importantly, though, he was one of Collingwood's only defenders who was willing to take the game on at all costs and take some risks. At times, Collingwood looked stagnant across half back, and it was up to Sinclair to try and break the game open. As a result, he set up a number of scoring opportunities. He is another player who has really cemented his position in the squad, which is credit to him considering the number of injuries he faced earlier in the year.
James Aish – It has been a difficult first year for Aish, as he has battled at times for form and confidence. After a horror 2015 season at Brisbane, it was always going to take a bit of time to re-adjust to a new team and build himself up again. But last week was his best match for the season, with 22 disposals and a quality goal. He was demoted to the VFL earlier in the year, where he put a real focus onto winning the contested ball. This move has seemingly paid dividends, as his form at AFL level has gradually improved over the last month. He seems to have cemented his spot in the short-term, and I think there are exciting times ahead for Aish as he continues to improve.

Focus on North Melbourne
The Kangaroos will face a lot of scrutiny this week as they risk becoming the first team in history to win the opening nine games and still miss the finals. For all the criticism, North Melbourne should still safely make finals and will be a difficult opponent considering how much experience is in the side. If it can regain a number of key players ahead of September, then it can still be a force.
But if the Kangaroos can't turn the tide around quickly, then season 2016 could slip away very quickly. On paper, they still have a very strong side despite the injuries. But the form of some of the key players is concerning. Daniel Wells was below his best last week and struggled to break a tag, while Drew Petrie's quiet form continued as well. The Kangaroos were beaten in clearances 38-28 and walloped in centre clearances 20-9. These statistics are completely unexpected for a side which possesses tough on-ballers such and Ben Cunnington, Andrew Swallow and Jack Ziebell.
North Melbourne likes playing three key forwards, but not a single goal was registered by Drew Petrie and Jarrad Waite last week, and both only had 11 disposals. Fortunately, Ben Brown and Lindsay Thomas have been in decent form. The selection panel will think long and hard about replacing a tall forward, but will also be hesitant to change the formula which saw the Kangaroos win the opening nine games.

Player Focus – North Melbourne
Todd Goldstein – The competition's best ruckman has been well down on form over the past month and looks to be battling with a knee problem. He isn't covering the ground as well as he usually does, and was exploited last week by Jackson Trengove. He faces a real competitive young ruckman in Brodie Grundy this week who has taken the scalps of Shane Mumford and Sam Jacobs in the previous two rounds. Grundy is in career best form right now and is registering midfielder-like numbers. With the season on the line, the Roos will do everything they can to get Goldstein back to full fitness, but may need to consider resting him soon if necessary. Goldstein is a proud player though, and the Magpies need to be very cautious of him.
Ryan Clarke – After a dominant year at VFL level, Clarke has finally broken into the senior side and has wasted no time in making his mark. He was a highly rated junior, and North Melbourne would have been ecstatic to pick him up at No. 31 in the draft. In just his second game last week, Clarke was one of his side's best players, picking up 22 disposals and providing some real life to the midfield. He is one to watch this week.
Robbie Tarrant – Many have had Robbie Tarrant in their All-Australian sides this year, which is a huge credit to him after he has battled so many injury issues in the past. He has strung 16 games together this season and has been a real rock in defence. He'll likely get the job on Travis Cloke, who was again quite strong last week against Adelaide. Cloke has a good record against North Melbourne, and this match-up could be one of the more vital ones on the ground.

The Wrap Up
It's been a long time since these sides have played on a Friday night, and I'm expecting a bumper crowd in to see an enthralling contest.
Even though Collingwood's finals chances are extremely unlikely now, the Magpies will be treating this game as a final and will be throwing everything into it. With a strong side to choose from, expect a very fired up Collingwood with plenty of confidence after some strong recent form.
I'm also expecting a revved up North Melbourne. It's not quite desperation stakes yet, but if the Kangaroos lose this match then the risk of dropping out of the finals becomes a serious possibility, especially given the tough draw to come.
At its best, North Melbourne can play Etihad brilliantly as it moves the ball quickly and has the firepower up forward to put the scores on the board. But when it's off its game, North Melbourne can look a bit slow all over the field. After last week's match, I'm expecting North Melbourne to put a real focus on clearances, as it was outmuscled in this area against Port Adelaide. The Magpies have also been really poor in this area, so the midfield battle becomes extremely important. Collingwood cannot allow North Melbourne to get its running game going, and also needs to move the ball quicker and more accurately itself.
Based purely on recent form, the Magpies have every right to go into this game confident. North Melbourne was disappointing last week and faces a very dangerous opponent. It's a real toss of the coin match, and one I think that will go right down to the wire.
Also, a big congratulations to 'Boomer' Harvey, who equals the all-time games record this weekend.