Round 3: The Team

Collingwood v Hawthorn Sunday, April 14 3.15pm MCG 7mate / Fox Sports Weather: Min 17 Max 21 Chance of rain 70%: 5-10mm Wind 18k SSW Betting: Collingwood $2.40 Hawthorn $1.58

B: Nathan Brown, Alan Toovey, Ben Reid
HB: Marty Clarke, Heath Shaw, Harry O'Brien
C: Steele Sidebottom, Dane Swan, Dale Thomas
HF: Jamie Elliott, Travis Cloke, Quinten Lynch
F: Ben Sinclair, Tyson Goldsack, Sam Dwyer
Foll: Ben Hudson, Scott Pendlebury, Jarryd Blair
Int: Alex Fasolo, Jordan Russell, Ben Johnson, Jack Frost
Emg: Brent Macaffer, Josh Thomas, Paul Seedsman

IN: Dale Thomas, Ben Hudson, Jack Frost, Alex Fasolo
OUT: Darren Jolly (ribs), Nick Maxwell (wrist), Brent Macaffer (omitted), Paul Seedsman (omitted)

NEW: Ben Hudson (34, Brisbane Lions)

Collingwood News

Club-hopping ruckman Ben Hudson will make his Collingwood debut in the Magpies' clash with Hawthorn at the MCG on Sunday. The 34-year-old is one of four inclusions to the side that defeated Carlton by 17-points last week. He is a like-for-like replacement for Darren Jolly who has succumbed to the rib injury that saw him substituted from Sunday's win over the Blues in the second quarter. Hudson is joined by star midfielder Dale Thomas, Alex Fasolo and Jack Frost, who comes in for only his second game after debuting against North Melbourne in round one. Captain Nick Maxwell (wrist) and Jolly will miss through injury while Brent Macaffer and Paul Seedsman have been omitted. The pair remains in the mix for a late recall as emergencies for Sunday's match. Josh Thomas joins them as an emergency for the second week in a row after he was one of the best afield in last week's win over North Ballarat in the VFL. Hudson will feature for his fourth AFL club after Collingwood coaxed him out of his second retirement and onto its rookie list last December. The former Bulldog, Lion and Crow enjoyed a spectacular debut in Black and White in the VFL at Victoria Park last weekend, laying his claim for best on ground honours with a masterful display in the ruck. He earned 22 possessions, seven clearances and 26 hitouts against North Ballarat and is in perfect condition to fill in for Jolly against Hawthorn's Max Bailey and David Hale. Collingwood fans will be pleased to see Dale Thomas make his first appearance for 2013. After undergoing ankle surgery in November, Thomas' compromised preparation forced him to miss the entirety of the NAB Cup as he fought to overcome any lingering concerns and build the requisite fitness to compete at the elite level. However, any doubts have been dispelled, with a pair of impressive outings with the club's VFL squad over the last fortnight and a consistently strong performance on the training track ensuring Thomas would force his way into first team consideration. Fasolo is another to have shrugged off lingering fitness concerns to force his way back into the senior side, with 25 touches and a goal in the VFL proving the sharpshooter is ready for action.

Media

Big Boys v Small Boys

REAL FOOTY If Collingwood has a weakness, many commentators feel it is its inability to shut down opposition small forwards. If this is true, then Hawthorn will be delighted its fleet of spring-heeled goalkickers found form against West Coast on Sunday. Excitement machine Cyril Rioli (four goals), Luke Breust (four) and Bradley Hill (two) combined for 10 of the Hawks' 23 goals in Perth. That can only be a positive sign leading into a game against a defence that has conceded 46 per cent of goals to small forwards in the first two rounds. Carlton coach Mick Malthouse made a point of hitting his former team with speedy playmakers forward of centre, and it worked, even though the Blues didn't win the game. Jeff Garlett (three goals), Andrew Walker (three) and Chris Yarran (three) provided 60 per cent of Carlton's score. But even though it doesn't have a recognised defender to lock down on the best small forwards, Collingwood's back six, as a unit, is ranked second in key stats after two rounds. And the defence generates plenty of counter-attack through Nick Maxwell and Jordan Russell. But the fact is the Magpies let a clutch of small forwards kick bags against them last year, and the problem still needs fixing. Pointedly, a prime example of how the defence can be exposed by small men came against Hawthorn in round 17 last year. Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson caught Collingwood off guard when he threw Jordan Lewis forward and the Pies had no one to go with him. The midfield star cashed in with five goals, and Breust also joined the party with five in a 47-point win. Hawthorn defender Josh Gibson said it was noticeable against West Coast on Sunday how much more dangerous the forward line became when Rioli, Breust, Hill and Paul Puopolo imposed themselves on the game, and hoped they would do so again this weekend. ''Those smaller guys, their forward pressure on the weekend was really good and they got rewarded,'' he said. ''When you've got those guys playing well and getting to the feet of David Hale, and 'Roughy' [Jarryd Roughead] and 'Bud' [Lance Franklin], it's pretty damaging.'' The question likely to cause Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley the biggest headache this week is who to play on Rioli? He is undoubtedly capable of tearing a game apart in the space of a quarter. History and statistics suggest the Pies are light on for A-grade options, and they added former Carlton defender Russell during the off-season to try to bolster their stocks. Harry O'Brien was one player assigned to shutdown roles last season, but he has shifted into the midfield this year and impressed in the first two rounds. The blistering speed of Hill provides the point of difference from last season for the Hawks. His first-quarter display against Geelong in the opening round was electrifying and Gibson said he had become an important player already. ''He has been a great injection of youth ... he give us that new lease of life,'' he said. Meanwhile, Hawthorn confirmed that midfielder Brad Sewell has been ruled out of Sunday's game against Collingwood because of a hamstring injury he sustained against West Coast. Scans on Tuesday revealed minor bleeding and a low-grade strain, placing the key ball-winner in doubt for the following game against Fremantle as well, acting football manager Chris Fagan said. ''Brad was able to jog lightly today and, depending on how quickly the injury site settles, we expect him to resume playing within the next one-to-two weeks,'' he said.

The Australian COLLINGWOOD will go into Sunday's big match against Hawthorn without captain Nick Maxwell, No 1 ruckman Darren Jolly - and any excuses. While the Magpies regain star midfielder Dale Thomas from injury, their depth continues to be tested at the start of the season. Jolly (ribs) and Maxwell (wrist) were injured in Sunday's win over Carlton. Players such as best-and-fairest winner Dayne Beams and fellow midfielder Luke Ball also remain sidelined. But the Magpies have beaten North Melbourne and Carlton despite injuries during those games. "Players have stood up and done what's expected of them," coach Nathan Buckley said yesterday. "When you're preaching that through the pre-season, it's great to get examples of that so that you can reinforce how important it is." Jolly's absence means veteran ruckman Ben Hudson will come into the side. Hudson is at his fourth AFL club, having played for Adelaide, the Western Bulldogs and Brisbane before joining the Magpies through this year's rookie draft. The club went for Hudson ahead of younger ruckman Jarrod Witts. "Ben has been excellent through the whole pre-season," Buckley said. "He's performed well in the VFL, as expected." Maxwell is particularly tough to replace, because he is effectively an on-field defensive coach. But Buckley said the players were taught to help each other out, regardless of how many games they have played. "If you wait for experience, you could be waiting for a long time," Buckley said. "We expect any player that pulls on the Collingwood guernsey, that they tip into that part of the game. "It's not about experience. It's about if you're there, then we expect you (to) be proactive and play your role." The Magpies will need to be at their best against Hawthorn, which beat them three times last year. The Hawks also scored more than 130 points in each match. "They're not unstoppable (but) the best sides, their worst levels are higher than other sides," Buckley said of Hawthorn. "So even when they're not on song or when things aren't falling their way, they're still very competitive and find a way to win. "I put us in that category. "Hawthorn's ability, talent, aggressive attitude that they bring every time they play will test us." Buckley spoke after Collingwood's first session on Thursday morning at its new training oval. It is on the site of the old Olympic Park athletics track. While the Magpies' previous training venue, Gosch's Paddock, was smaller than the MCG, this oval is the same size. "The first thing you notice when you get out on this ground ... is the space," Buckley said. "In training, it's going to challenge our defence. It's probably going to have us exploring our offence a little bit more." Ball remains at least a fortnight away from resuming in the VFL. The Magpies are being very cautious with the 28-year-old, who needed a knee reconstruction a year ago. Coach Buckley said the club wanted to put Ball through much greater training intensity before testing him in a match. "We're really conscious of making sure we get enough match-simulated training into players who have missed large chunks of pre-season," Buckley said. "Getting that balance right when you actually get into home-and-away can become difficult. "There's an urgency about getting players back. "Bally still has, we feel, a couple of weeks of match intensity to get into him before we're happy to unleash him into a game." "We will use him as we see fit and we will work out whether that is as the sub." Buckley revealed it would be at least another two weeks before midfielder Luke Ball made his comeback through the VFL after a knee reconstruction. "We are conscious of making sure that we get enough match simulated training to players who have missed large chunks of the pre-season," Buckley said. He said the new Olympic Park oval - which is the same size as the MCG - would help the Pies become a better offensive team. "Gosch's (Paddock) is actually 16 per cent smaller than the MCG as far as surface size goes," he said. "In training it is going to challenge our defence and have us exploring our offence a little bit more."

SUPERFOOTY COLLINGWOOD has lost ruckman Darren Jolly and captain Nick Maxwell but regained Dale Thomas for Sunday's heavyweight clash with Hawthorn. Magpies coach Nathan Buckley said the match presented significant challenge for his unbeaten team considering its recent record against the Hawks. The Magpies have lost the past three games against Hawthorn - and eight of the past 11 - and will chase their first win since the 2011 preliminary final without their No. 1 big man and their captain. "It's going to be a great test against an opposition that knocked us over three times last year," Buckley said. "(They) scored 130 points each time. They are a great side. They have some great talent. " Jolly remains sore after a rib injury suffered against Carlton last week. He was reduced to walking laps of the new Olympic Park oval, officially opened yesterday. Ben Hudson, 34 and at his fourth AFL club, will replace Jolly in the ruck after Buckley opted for experience over youth - Jarrod Witts narrowly missed selection. It will be Hudson's first game for Collingwood. "He (Jolly) won't come up. He wasn't able to train today and is still mitigating the pain," Buckley said. "The rib condition has affected his ability to get out on the field on the weekend and it won't be right for Sunday. " Buckley said Maxwell, who will miss up to two months with a fractured wrist, would be missed, but insisted the skipper's absence would create opportunities for others. Thomas has been named for his first game of the season after two appearances in the VFL following off-season ankle surgery. "He is ready to go," Buckley said.