Final Round Announced

Collingwood News
 

RUN HOME Round 19 Sunday, August 4 Essendon MCG 4:40pm Round 20 Saturday, August 10 Swans ANZ 7:40pm Round 21 Friday, August 16 Hawthorn MCG 7:50pm Round 22 Friday, August 23 West Coast MCG 7:50pm Round 23 Friday, August 30 North Melbourne MCG 3.20pm

The AFL has announced that Collingwood will play its final match of the home and away season against North Melbourne on Sunday 1 September at the MCG.
The match will begin at 3.20pm AEST.
Since 2009, the AFL has only confirmed the schedule for the final round with a handful of weeks remaining, rewarding the sides which are best placed to launch a tilt at the Premiership each season.
Chief Executive Officer Gary Pert said the club accepted the outcome of the round 23 schedule, stating its announcement would bear little influence on Collingwood’s priority of building form ahead of September action.
“We recognize the competing priorities in the fixturing process and understand the way the system works, in that the rewards go to those who finish highest,” Pert said.
“We’ve got no problem with that. What’s important for us is to concentrate on making our preparation as sharp as it can possibly be and producing our best football which, we know, is good enough to test anyone.
“An hour or a day here and there, in the grand scheme of the season, isn’t anything to be concerned about. It’s more important to take care of what we have control over – and that is our performance.”
Nathan Buckley
Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley is not perturbed about his team being the only likely finalist scheduled to play on Sunday in round 23.
But he said he would expect the Magpies to play its first final on the Sunday if it did make the eight. Collingwood will play North Melbourne on Sunday in the final round, leaving it with one fewer day to prepare than its opponent for the first final.
The Magpies sit seventh on the ladder with 11 wins and are two games clear of ninth-placed Carlton.
However they have a tough draw, playing three top four teams in the next three weeks. Buckley is more worried about the game ahead against Essendon on Sunday than the prospect of finals.
"It's probably another one of those things we can't control. If we look after all the elements within our control, within our grasp, the rest is just incidental to be honest," Buckley said.
"We have to look after this Sunday before we worry about a Sunday in five weeks."
Buckley said Dale Thomas was moving well and was one week away from joining in ball work as he recovered from a mid-season ankle operation.
"His application has been really good. He is doing everything in his power. Whether he is coming from too far back, we will only find that out in time."
Buckley remained cautious about being too definitive on Thomas' return date. He said Thomas would only need one game before the finals to play a part, but he would have to prove he was physically ready to play at the intensity required.
One obvious selection dilemma ahead this week for Buckley is whether or not to persevere with the two young ruckman, Jarrod Witts and Brodie Grundy, against experienced opposition. Grundy made his debut against the Giants and impressed while Witts was handy in just his seventh game.
However premiership ruckman Darren Jolly will be available for the first time since round 12 and Ben Hudson is likely to have recovered from a calf injury.
"Commonsense would tell you that the experience is going to be important," Buckley said.
"They were impressive. Those two [Witts and Grundy] are giving us questions to answer in match committee.
"That is a good position to be in … we have four legitimate options there as well as Quinten Lynch, who performed really well last week in the VFL."
Ben Reid's fitness will be determined later in the week as he left the ground late against the Giants with an ankle problem. Buckley said that if he played he was likely to remain as a permanent forward, with Lachie Keeffe and Nathan Brown filling the key defensive posts.
He was encouraged with what he saw against the Giants with Reid up forward and wanted to test the structure against a top four team.
"Last week 'Clokey' [Travis] was the target nine times, Reid six and Swan six going forward so that balance is better for us," Buckley said. "[We] just have to work a little bit harder to get numbers into our attacking area, to give ourselves the best chance to score, but also to find other options that the opposition need to defend.
"That helps us defend that territory a little bit better as well and we think that is probably an area that we haven't done as well over the last couple of weeks."
Collingwood's form has been patchy and the coach admits it's nowhere near the top three teams, yet it has still won six of its past eight games. After conceding on average 106 points against good opposition in the first five rounds, it has pushed that down to 85 points.
However it still sits eighth on the table for points against. Last week's team had eight players in the line-up who did not play against Essendon in round five, when the Magpies lost by 46 points.
"You look at the ladder and that is a real accurate reflection. We have played every side once now. We sit seventh and percentage of 110. That is where we deserve to be," Buckley said.

Injury List

Collingwood v Essendon Sunday August 4, 4.40pm MCG Fox Footy 4.30pm Weather: Min 9 Max 14 Chance of rain 90%: 1-5mm Wind: NW 25kph Betting: Collingwood $1.76 Essendon $2.05

INJURY LIST AS OF MONDAY 29 JULY 2013
Name	Injury	Estimated Return
Luke Ball	Calf	Test
Ben Hudson	Calf	Test
Darren Jolly	Knee	Test
Ben Reid	Ankle	Test
Paul Seedsman	Calf	Test
Jack Frost	Knee	1 week
Alex Fasolo	Foot	Indefinite
Dale Thomas	Ankle	Indefinite
Clinton Young	Hamstring	Indefinite
Michael Hartley	Shoulder	Season
Alan Toovey	Knee	Season

2013 Ladder: Round 18

REAL FOOTY

Veteran AFL coach Kevin Sheedy has dismissed Collingwood's premiership chances, also warning some parts of their list are becoming too old.
Sheedy's Greater Western Sydney was only two points behind Collingwood at three-quarter time on Saturday at the MCG, before the Magpies kicked clear.
The Magpies are struggling to build momentum with the finals only five weeks away.
Asked about Collingwood as potential premiers, Sheedy told Channel Nine's Sunday Footy Show: "I don't think so - I think Hawthorn and I think the Swans are going to get to them again.
"(Saturday) is the only time I've seen them and (coached against) them and we're not exactly in the top eight ourselves."
Sheedy said if Collingwood were to contend, they must have a flawless campaign for the rest of the season.
"They're going to have to improve a lot to win a flag," he said.
"It's not to say they couldn't, but you need everything going for you and they won't want to get any injuries to their major players.
"(Dayne) Beams coming back has been good.
"They probably have to watch they're getting a little bit too old in the wrong spots."
Collingwood chief executive Gary Pert said he understood Sheedy's point, but disagreed.
"It's a fair view from him watching us last night," Pert told Nine.
"We had the ball in the forward line a lot and we weren't able to convert.
"If we can get our best team out there, build some momentum and actually start to get that scoring happening, at our best we can beat any team."

Round 18: Collingwood 106 GWS 66

THE FACTS

COLLINGWOOD    3.3.21    4.6.30    9.12.66    15.16.106
GWS                     4.2.26    7.4.46    10.4.64    10.6.66

SCORERS - Collingwood: Swan (3.3), Cloke (3.2), Sidebottom (3.0), Reid (2.1), Beams (1.2), Witts (1.1), Elliott (1.0), O'Brien (1.0), Blair (0.1), Grundy (0.1), Shaw (0.1)

BEST - Collingwood: Swan, Sidebottom, Beams, Shaw, Pendlebury, Grundy

INJURIES - Collingwood: Reid (ankle)

SUBSTITUTES - Collingwood: Jamie Elliott replaced Ben Kennedy in the third quarter

REPORTS: Nil

OFFICIAL CROWD: 32,691 at the MCG

STATS CENTRAL

- The 32,691 strong crowd was the second biggest in Greater Western Sydney's short history. It was only the third time the club has drawn more than 30,000 fans to a game and ranks second behind the 38,203 who turned up to watch their first game against the Swans in round one last season. - Collingwood's ability to pull away in the final quarter can be attributed to the way it improved in the contested ball stakes. At three quarter time, the Magpies trailed the Giants 28-32 in clearances and 99-106 in contested possessions. In the final half hour, they broke even in clearances (9-9) and won the bulk of the contested possessions (44-31). The Pies held away in the inside 50 stakes all night and ended with 18 more forward entries than their opponents. - Harry O'Brien made a welcome return to senior football after a three week absence and it didn't take long for him to find his feet. He ended the night with 21 possessions and six marks, but it was his trademark goal on the burst during the third quarter that brought the fans to their feet.

- The performance of debutant Brodie Grundy was certainly eye-catching. The 202cm ruckman started at centre half forward and didn't look out of place after several strong performances in the VFL. He managed 14 disposals, laid five tackles, won 12 hitouts and took five marks. His aggression and ability to cover the ground were noteworthy and he looks set to form a dangerous ruck combination with Jarrod Witts in the years to come. - After Saturday's match, Dane Swan is now averaging 38 disposals per game against the Giants. Sure, he's only played them twice, but he has certainly left his mark on them. He had 37 disposals and kicked five goals in the corresponding game last year, and was travelling down a similar path on Saturday when he had 39 touches and kicked 3.3.

THE MEDIA

COLLINGWOOD NEWS Collingwood has survived a major scare from Jeremy Cameron and Greater Western Sydney on the way to a far from easy 40-point win. Cameron again showed his potential to become an all-time AFL great by kicking his first seven-goal haul, and he was clearly best afield in the twilight match on Saturday at the MCG. The Magpies only led by two points at three-quarter time, but kicked six goals to one in the final term to win 15.16 (106) to 10.6 (66). Midfielders Dane Swan and Dayne Beams were best for the Magpies with 39 and 37 disposals respectively. A loss would have been disastrous for the Magpies, who are only two games inside the top eight. Vote for your top three players following Saturday's win to help decide who will take home the Magpie Army Player of the Year Award. GWS remain winless, but were impressive for much of Saturday's match. Cameron kicked the Giants' first five goals and now has 50 goals for the season, putting him third on the Coleman Medal tally. It was the last game at the MCG as a player or coach for Giants mentor Kevin Sheedy. Collingwood forward Ben Reid kicked the first goal of the game inside the opening minute, but Cameron replied soon after. GWS suffered an early blow when key defender Tim Mohr was knocked out in a marking contest. His replacement Adam Kennedy was also forced off the field in the third term because of a blow to the head, but returned to the field. Teammate Will Hoskin-Elliott was concussed in the final term, the game held up for some minutes as the young Giant received medical treatment on the ground. It became evident early in the first term this was going to be no cakewalk for Collingwood as Cameron fired and the Giants sniffed an opportunity. Nathan Brown did not last on Cameron for long, with Keeffe moved onto the in-form forward before the end of the opening term. A late goal to Beams meant the Magpies only trailed by four points at quarter-time, but they were clearly misfiring. Mark Whiley performed a disciplined lockdown role on star Collingwood onballer Scott Pendlebury, and generally the Magpies lacked intensity. Coach Nathan Buckley started coaching from the boundary line during the second term, his body language as he prowled the dugout reflecting a growing sense of concern for Collingwood. Cameron continued to be the only Giants goalscorer when he put through his fifth early in the second. Midway through the term, a undisciplined attempt to shepherd by Ben Sinclair at a kick-out meant a free kick to Devon Smith, who became the Giants' second goalkicker. Dylan Shiel goaled on the run to give GWS an improbable 16-point lead at halftime. Nothing symbolised Collingwood's plight more than the pro-Magpies crowd booing as the players left the field at halftime. Collingwood kicked three goals in the opening three minutes of the third term to regain the lead, but the young GWS side did not give in, with Cameron kicking two goals in the term. His second goal of the quarter was a beauty. With Lachlan Keeffe pressuring him, Cameron calmly tapped the ball ahead, hugging the boundary line before leaving Keeffe in his wake and goaling on the run. GWS regained the lead 19 minutes into the term, but a goal to Jamie Elliott two minutes later meant the Magpies were in front at the last change. The Magpies kicked six goals to nil in the last quarter as the lead stretched out to 40 points, but after last week's loss to Gold Coast there is plenty for the club to work on in the lead in to finals. Buckley said the Pies' first half was as bad as they have played this season. "We were minus 17 in contested ball so it was really poor," he said. "You've got to give credit to the young players of GWS … Our work rate improved in the second half and we were a lot better after that … "We're not playing our best footy. We need to go up a couple of rungs. We're under no illusions about that." Sheedy was disappointed with the result but pleased with his side's development. "The boys were very committed and it was probably one of our better performances on the MCG, not that we've played here a lot," he said. "Our contested ball we were pretty good at, we moved the ball quite well, our kicking early was very, very good and some of our players were very courageous today, going for some balls that probably a lot of players might not have gone for over the years that I've coached."                                  FIVE TALKING POINTS 1. 'Jezza', you beauty! Giants' spearhead Jeremy Cameron has produced some special efforts in his brief AFL career, but his game against the Magpies will take some beating. The 20-year-old kicked goals with each of his first seven kicks by midway through the third quarter. He slotted the Giants' first five goals by the five-minute mark of the second term and kept his side in the contest with two quick ones in the third quarter. He showcased various modes of goalkicking: a booming set shot, a bouncing run and finish, a brilliant gather and snap. He also handballed one off to Tom Scully when he could have kicked his eighth. He isn’t the Next Big Thing; he's already fast becoming The Biggest Thing. 2. What's wrong with the Pies? Just when they were widely tipped to press for a top-four berth and boost their flagging percentage, the Pies have struggled against the AFL's two newest teams in successive weeks. A shock loss to Gold Coast last week was expected to produce a manic response against the winless Giants, but for much of the match the cellar dwellers were the cleaner, classier, harder and more organised team. Sure, the Pies are missing key players but they also have serious issues. Their spot in the top eight is starting to look increasingly shaky. 3. The unveiling of the Pies' prized draft pick One major positive for Collingwood is that they have found a potential superstar ruckman. Sporting a Sumo-wrestler-style bun atop his head and with the famous No. 35 of Collingwood greats Peter Daicos and Simon Prestigiacomo – as is now customary for the club's top draft pick in his first year – Brodie Grundy became the Pies' eighth debutant this season. (They blooded seven last year.) The athletic South Australian was widely regarded as a steal at pick 18, and could form a dominant ruck combination with fellow youngster Jarrod Witts. We got a great glimpse of the future, with Grundy starting in the ruck and displaying a spectacular leap, sure ball handling, great mobility and aggression. The commentators are already calling him "Reg". 4. The return of Harry O Until his recent three-match layoff as he dealt with personal issues, Harry O'Brien hadn’t been sidelined for consecutive games since mid-2007. Little wonder there was some fanfare when he ran onto the field for the warm-up. The section of the crowd closest to the Pies applauded as O'Brien broke from the group and jogged towards them. There was even a mini-chant of "Harry … Harry … Harry". O'Brien was a bit rusty, especially with some of his short passing, but he galloped and provided some much-needed life to a side almost bereft of spark in the first half. His running goal early in the third term lifted the Magpie army. 5. Sheedy's final bow at the MCG It was the 372nd and final time that Kevin Sheedy will grace the MCG. His record tally comprises 132 games (including four grand finals and three premierships) as a Richmond player and 240 (seven grand finals and four flags) as a coach of Essendon and the Giants. It's an effort that will probably never be surpassed, with the next-best on the hallowed turf being Mick Malthouse (285), Norm Smith (254), Kevin Bartlett (241) and Ron Barassi (219). The Giants' banner rightly paid tribute to "a giant of the game". For a while it looked like he might get the triumphant finale he was dreaming of against old enemy Collingwood, but he certainly enjoyed one last joust at the 'G.                                  AFL COLLINGWOOD has survived a major scare from Jeremy Cameron and Greater Western Sydney on the way to a far from easy 40-point win. Cameron again showed his potential to become an all-time AFL great by kicking his first seven-goal haul, and he was clearly best afield in the twilight match on Saturday at the MCG. The Magpies only led by two points at three-quarter time, but kicked six goals to one in the final term to win 15.16 (106) to 10.6 (66). Midfielders Dane Swan and Dayne Beams were best for the Magpies with 39 and 37 disposals respectively. A loss would have been disastrous for the Magpies, who are only two games inside the top eight. GWS remain winless, but were impressive for much of Saturday's match. Cameron kicked the Giants' first five goals and now has 50 goals for the season, putting him third on the Coleman Medal tally. It was the last game at the MCG as a player or coach for Giants mentor Kevin Sheedy. Collingwood forward Ben Reid kicked the first goal of the game inside the opening minute, but Cameron replied soon after. GWS suffered an early blow when key defender Tim Mohr was knocked out in a marking contest. His replacement Adam Kennedy was also forced off the field in the third term because of a blow to the head, but returned to the field. Teammate Will Hoskin-Elliott was concussed in the final term, the game held up for some minutes as the young Giant received medical treatment on the ground. It became evident early in the first term this was going to be no cakewalk for Collingwood as Cameron fired and the Giants sniffed an opportunity. Nathan Brown did not last on Cameron for long, with Keeffe moved onto the in-form forward before the end of the opening term. A late goal to Beams meant the Magpies only trailed by four points at quarter-time, but they were clearly misfiring. Mark Whiley performed a disciplined lockdown role on star Collingwood onballer Scott Pendlebury, and generally the Magpies lacked intensity. Coach Nathan Buckley started coaching from the boundary line during the second term, his body language as he prowled the dugout reflecting a growing sense of concern for Collingwood. Cameron continued to be the only Giants goalscorer when he put through his fifth early in the second. Midway through the term, a undisciplined attempt to shepherd by Ben Sinclair at a kick-out meant a free kick to Devon Smith, who became the Giants' second goalkicker. Dylan Shiel goaled on the run to give GWS an improbable 16-point lead at halftime. Nothing symbolised Collingwood's plight more than the pro-Magpies crowd booing as the players left the field at halftime. Collingwood kicked three goals in the opening three minutes of the third term to regain the lead, but the young GWS side did not give in, with Cameron kicking two goals in the term. His second goal of the quarter was a beauty. With Lachlan Keeffe pressuring him, Cameron calmly tapped the ball ahead, hugging the boundary line before leaving Keeffe in his wake and goaling on the run. GWS regained the lead 19 minutes into the term, but a goal to Jamie Elliott two minutes later meant the Magpies were in front at the last change. The Magpies kicked six goals to nil in the last quarter as the lead stretched out to 40 points, but after last week's loss to Gold Coast there is plenty for the club to work on in the lead in to finals. Buckley said the Pies' first half was as bad as they have played this season. "We were minus 17 in contested ball so it was really poor," he said. "You've got to give credit to the young players of GWS … Our work rate improved in the second half and we were a lot better after that … "We're not playing our best footy. We need to go up a couple of rungs. We're under no illusions about that." Sheedy was disappointed with the result but pleased with his side's development. "The boys were very committed and it was probably one of our better performances on the MCG, not that we've played here a lot," he said. "Our contested ball we were pretty good at, we moved the ball quite well, our kicking early was very, very good and some of our players were very courageous today, going for some balls that probably a lot of players might not have gone for over the years that I've coached."

REAL FOOTY Collingwood supporters are, rightly or not, renowned for their one-eyed view of matches involving their club. But even they were able to appreciate an instance of a young player, Jeremy Cameron, giving more evidence he could be a once-in-a-generation spearhead. By the 28-minute mark of the first quarter at the MCG on Saturday the 20-year-old had scored all four of Greater Western Sydney's goals against the Magpies. Two minutes later he was on the cusp of his fifth as he ran with the flight of a long pass forward that looked destined to land in his arms, despite the presence of a Collingwood defender on either side. When Magpies captain Nick Maxwell thrust out his fist to thwart a mark for Cameron at the top of the goalsquare it prompted a reaction that sounded suspiciously like a collective groan from the Magpies-dominated crowd. Within five minutes of the restart Cameron had his fifth goal, and a new opponent as Nathan Brown was demoted for Lachlan Keeffe. Notionally it was Collingwood versus Cameron, but the precociously talented forward had able supporters in the likes of Dylan Shiel, Taylor Adams and dependable captain Callan Ward. It was utterly deserved that the AFL's only win-less team went to half-time with a 16-point lead over league heavyweight Collingwood on its own turf, prompting boos from its stunned supporters. The reaction of the crowd of 32,691 was unsurprising considering what its players had produced from their 112 kicks, a total of 30 points, equalled what Cameron had contributed from just five. At the main break Collingwood's only area of superiority was for inside-50s, although that was not significant because its delivery to Travis Cloke and Ben Reid was poor. For contested possession and inside 50s the callow Giants led the fancied Magpies, whose general lack of intensity was conspicuous. Just how much more the Magpies had to give was evident with their devastating start to the second half. After managing only four goals across the 59 minutes of the first half they matched that feat in the first five of the second to reclaim the lead, thanks to Dane Swan, Cloke, Steele Sidebottom and Harry O'Brien. The response of the Giants to that barrage was admirable. By that stage they had already ensured they would leave the MCG with plaudits, courtesy of their shock half-time lead. Rather than a blow-out, however, GWS responded with the next three goals to reclaim the lead. While that was surprising what was not surprising that two of those came from the boot of Cameron, for a total of seven, the career-best tally he finished with. What makes Cameron such an excellent prospect is that his success is not one-dimensional. His marking is assured, his accuracy kicking for goal even more so. He also boasts pace, which he proved when he dispossessed Keeffe in the Giants' forward pocket and sprinted into an open goal. Despite that personal success he also demonstrated his team-first work ethic by leading all the way to the half-back flank and then laying a shepherd for a teammate when the ball was beyond his grasp. The Giants held a lead heading into time-on in the third-quarter before Collingwood's match-sealing riposte, which consisted of the last seven goals of the match, started by substitute Jamie Elliott's long-range goal five minutes after his entry. Coach Nathan Buckley returned to the boundary line for the second time in the match, but in much better circumstances than when he first prematurely left the coach's box mid-way through the second quarter. Swan and Sidebottom were among the Magpies' best, and it was fitting both were among the goalkickers as they swarmed the exhausted Giants. The final margin of 40 was not too far short of what the Magpies would have expected before the match, but it did not do justice to the Giants' effort. While it was the league newcomer's 17th consecutive loss for the season this undoubtedly rivalled their most credible of those losses. BRISTLING BUCKS GWS went to quarter-time with a five-point lead, but it was when it increased its superiority over Collingwood in the second quarter that Magpies coach Nathan Buckley demonstrated his ire. As the Giants' Devon Smith converted from the goal square just before time-on, Buckley left the coach's box and spent the rest of the quarter stalking the boundary line. It didn't lift the Magpies, as the Giants kicked a further goal to go to the main break with a 16-point lead. KUDOS FOR KENNEDY It did not count for much on the stats sheet but Giants midfielder Adam Kennedy provided one of the most memorable moments in the match. Approaching three-quarter-time the Magpies' substitute, Jamie Elliott, streamed inside 50 and was poised to kick his second goal, only for Kennedy to burst in from the side to lay an exceptional goal-thwarting tackle on him. While Kennedy was rewarded with a free kick he also had to leave the ground dazed after Elliott landed on his head. O'BRIEN RUSTY Harry O'Brien's return from a much-publicised three-week absence will not rank among his most polished performances. The dashing flanker had little trouble finding the ball but was imprecise with many of his 21 possessions. He did, however, play a part in Collingwood's stunning start to the second half, kicking the last of four goals within the first five minutes to reclaim the lead from the Giants.                                SUPERFOOTY COLLINGWOOD coach Nathan Buckley has conceded his team must lift its work-rate and shed its inconsistency if it is to be a contender this season. Speaking after yesterday's less-than-impressive 40-point win over Greater Western Sydney, he said matches against Essendon, Sydney and Hawthorn over the next 19 days would provide a real indication of where the Magpies are at right now. "After last week (against Gold Coast) the 'W' (win) is all that mattered to be honest,'' Buckley said. "We're not flash , we're not playing our best footy... we're under no illusions (as) to where we're at. "That first half is as poor as we've played all year. The second half redeemed it partially, but it doesn't have us much better placed. "We've seen enough evidence over the past month that when we're not on our game that we're easy to beat, and when we are on our game we're really hard to beat. We've got to get more of the latter and less of the former.'' The Magpies might have to do that without versatile key position player Ben Reid, who rolled an ankle late yesterday, and must be in doubt to take on the Bombers next Sunday. Buckley said he was confident Luke Ball, a late withdrawal yesterday, would overcome a calf problem to play. Collingwood trailed Greater Western Sydney - a team yet to win a game this season - by 16 points at half-time, with Giants forward Jeremy Cameron dominant. Cameron, a one-time Magpie supporter, was likened to a young Lance Franklin by Buckley after kicking seven goals. "I've likened him a bit to a Buddy Franklin-type who can impact in the air but (who) does just as much damage on the ground with his follow-up,'' he said. "That's a big rap, but when a bloke's kicked seven goals on you out of 10, he's obviously performed pretty well.'' Buckley was so frustrated by his team's performance in the first half that he came to bench to get a closer look during the second term. "I won't do it again because it's really not the best place to see the game,'' he said. Buckley is confident extra game-time for the likes of Dayne Beams, Tyson Goldsack and Lachlan Keeffe, as well as Harry O'Brien's return will boost his team. He was pleased with the efforts of young ruckman Jarrod Witts and first-gamer Brodie Grundy, who was lively. "We'll be tested from this point on, and we look forward to those tests,'' he said. "We've got to go up another couple of rungs to even be able to compete.'' Buckley admitted he was disappointed with Matthew Scarlett's criticism of Magpie skipper Nick Maxwell in his recent autobiography. "Maxy is held in the highest esteem internally,'' he said. "If I was heading for the fiction section, I'd probably head for 'Speccy Magee' before I went for 'Hold The Line'. I'll leave it at that.'' GWS coach Kevin Sheedy said of Cameron: "He's a very, very, very, very good player early doors . . . just as exciting as the players I've coached over the years like (Terry) Daniher, (Roger) Merrett and (Paul) Salmon and (Paul) Vander Haar, and lately (Scott) Lucas and (Matthew) Lloyd, those sort of boys.'' He said the Giants needed to carry their solid form over into Saturday's match with Melbourne, which looms as a real chance to win their first game of 2013. "We'll just play like we have been playing. We've played some good footy in the past month, except for the Swans.''

Round 18: The Team

Collingwood v GWS Saturday July 27, 4.40pm MCG 7mate / Fox Footy 4.30pm Weather: Min 6 Max 16 Chance of rain 80%: 1-5mm Wind: N 28kph Betting: Collingwood $1.01 GWS $15.00

B: Nathan Brown, Nick Maxwell, Ben Reid
HB: Harry O'Brien, Heath Shaw, Marley Williams
C: Steele Sidebottom, Brent Macaffer, Luke Ball
HF: Jamie Elliott, Brodie Grundy, Dane Swan
F: Dayne Beams, Travis Cloke, Josh Thomas
Foll: Jarrod Witts, Scott Pendlebury, Jarryd Blair
Int: Tyson Goldsack, Lachlan Keeffe, Ben Sinclair, Sam Dwyer
Emg: Ben Kennedy, Kyle Martin, Caolan Mooney

IN: Jarryd Blair, Nathan Brown, Brodie Grundy, Harry O'Brien
OUT: Ben Hudson (calf), Paul Seedsman (calf), Andrew Krakouer, Caolan Mooney (omitted)

NEW: Brodie Grundy (19, Unley/Sturt)

Collingwood News Collingwood has responded to its last start defeat by making four changes to its personnel ahead of Saturday’s clash against the GWS Giants at the MCG. Highlighted by the return of Harry O’Brien following a three-week absence, the Magpies will also be bolstered by the inclusion of Jarryd Blair and Nathan Brown from injury enforced lay-offs, while highly-rated rookie Brodie Grundy will feature for the first time at senior level. The eighth player to make his senior bow in Black and White this season, Grundy’s selection elevates Collingwood to top of the AFL for debutants fielded in 2013, a remarkable feat given the Magpies remain firmly placed to feature in September for the eighth successive season. Overcoming a back complaint which derailed his pre-season training, and threatened to curb his season, Grundy has fast adapted to the rigours of VFL football, revelling in his responsibility as number one ruckman over the last fortnight as Ben Hudson and Jarrod Witts found themselves called up to the senior side. Renowned for his athletic prowess, Grundy’s aggression and ferocious attack at the ball has seen the South Australian demonstrated glimpses of the quality which prompted his selection at pick 18 in the 2012 National Draft. While Collingwood’s top four ambitions were dealt a blow against the fast rising Gold Coast Suns last weekend, coach Nathan Buckley and his charges will be keen to make immediate amends, and consolidate a finals berth on Saturday. And in the form of additional inclusions Blair, Brown and O’Brien, it would appear Collingwood is well equipped to do so, their respective introductions poised to aid the Magpie cause as the home and away season approaches its final stanza. While Collingwood will be expected to emerge triumphant against the still green Giants, their crop of fledgling stars are certainly capable of rousing concern, particularly in front of a crowd expected to be the biggest audience in GWS’ short history. Youngsters Ben Kennedy, Kyle Martin and Caolan Mooney have been listed as emergencies for the match, while Andrew Krakouer (omitted), Ben Hudson (calf) and Paul Seedsman (calf) are the absentees.

Round 18 Preview: Collingwood v GWS

 

SportsMatt Collingwood are in trouble, there’s no other way of putting it as the Magpies enter into the last 6 games of the 2013 home and away season. Last week up on the Gold Coast the Pies were expected to defeat the upstart Suns yet from early on nothing went to plan. The Magpies use of the ball was atrocious really, whether it be kicking for goal or turning the ball over in open play. Eventually, despite a comeback in the last quarter, the Suns won the game by 7 points, a defeat that left the Pies hanging on to a spot in the eight, and all but ended any slight hope of a top four or premiership for season 2013. This weekend the Pies will get what they need, a win and a percentage booster as they face off the second year Greater Western Sydney Giants. It will be a false sign of hope though for the Magpie army as playing GWS really doesn’t give you any clue as to how your team is travelling, whether they win by 80 or 150 points as some teams have done. That’s not to say that GWS are a waste of time or anything, they are in a similar position to the one the Suns were in this time last year, and we’ve all seen the way they’ve become very competitive in such s short time. The Giants senior coach Kevin Sheedy hates the Magpies with a passion and will attempt to embarrass the Pies, at least for a while on Saturday afternoon. PREVIOUS FORM Coming in to the 2013 season no one expected the Giants to climb off the bottom of the ladder, but it must be of some disappointment to those at the club that after 16 games they are still yet to notch up a win. Some of their recent performances have been better though with a narrow loss to the Western Bulldogs and a very competitive effort against the rampaging Bombers last week. The loss to the Dogs was a promising sign, but at the same time must have been heart breaking as the Giants fell just 4 points short of their first win of the season. Last Saturday the Giants also took it up to Essendon for large periods, before the Bombers ran away with a 39 point win. These are promising signs indeed for a club that wants to be a power of the AFL within 3 seasons, but they still need to win a few games this year to show they are on the right track. The loss for the Magpies against the Suns was devastating really, especially as it was starting to look like the Pies were finding form after two strong wins over Carlton and Adelaide. Collingwood started well but kicking 2 goals and 7 behinds in the first quarter really hurt their chances of winning. The Suns to their credit capitalised on these errors and built a handy lead going into the final quarter. The Pies got the margin back within a goal but never got closer as the Ablett led Suns pulled off their most famous victory. Collingwood’s form now looks pretty ordinary for a team that had premiership hopes leading into the season. COLLINGWOOD PREVIEW It’s been a frustrating season for everyone involved with Collingwood as injuries and form slumps have seen them never really reach the heights that were expected. Last week’s loss to the Suns was probably the low point of the season so far. The club has to move forward though and will do so first with a win over the Giants, but more importantly by planning for a tough three week stretch against the Bombers, Swans and Hawks following this game. To plan for that the Pies will have to manage their players this weekend, meaning that anyone with any injury complaint or slight niggle won’t play, meaning some youngsters may get their first opportunity. The two obvious inclusions are Jarryd Blair and Nathan Brown who missed the Suns loss with minor injuries and they will be welcomed back with open arms if fit and ready to play. Another player Collingwood will want to return this week is Harry O’Brien, who was in great form before an argument with senior coach Nathan Buckley saw O’Brien voluntary take a few weeks off. He is back and training with the club but may return through the VFL this weekend. Outside of those senior players, and others like Didak, Lynch, Clarke, Martin and Russell who played in the VFL last weekend, the Pies may look to youth this week against the young GWS outfit. Brodie Grundy, Ben Kennedy and Jackson Ramsay all starred in the reserves last week and any or all of the three could play against the Giants. It’s Grundy though that has created the most buzz around the place, as the 202cm giant has performed some amazing feats for a man his size over the past few weeks. Grundy is a massive part of the future of Collingwood and plenty of fans are hoping they get a glimpse of him at senior level before the year is out. The Pies are in trouble though, and it’s obvious something has to change if they are to do any damage over the coming month and once the finals roll around. The forward line is still too reliant on Cloke and Elliott and the backline is leaking goals unlike it has for the past few years, meaning that the “wonder cure” of moving Reid up forward may not be possible until the backline is strengthened significantly. Whatever changes the Pies make this week, it will surely be with one eye on next week’s game against Essendon because it will be then that these Magpies get a chance to redeem themselves for last week’s loss to the Suns. This weekend is more about getting through with no new injuries while maybe trying a few new things, or players. OPPOSITION ANALYSIS The Giants entered 2013 fully knowing, and accepting, that this would be another tough year for the expansion club after only achieving two wins in their maiden season in the AFL. But few would have thought that after 16 games (17 rounds) the Giants would still be win less in 2013. It’s not a dissimilar situation to the Gold Coast Suns in 2012 though who hadn’t won a game after 14 attempts in their second season. The Suns however went on to win 3 of their last 8 games and now have taken that one step further and notched up 6 wins already this season. The Giants will for a long time be compared to the Suns previous seasons achievements and this year they need to notch up a win or two on the run home or risk being called a problem child of the AFL. There’s little doubting the Giants have some of the best young talent on their list, and it shows on every line of their team. If the Giants have a strength at the moment it has to be their midfield. They sit 5th for centre clearances in 2013 which is a staggering statistic for a side that is so young and still in development. The problem it seems for the Giants is once those stoppages are over they are dominated in the midfield spread by just about every other team. In that midfield though GWS has some names of the future with the likes of Coniglio (injured at the moment), Shiel, Treloar, Whitfield, Adams, Hoskin-Elliott and the experienced pair of Callan Ward and Tom Scully you can see why the Giants midfield is able to be competitive most weeks, even if the scoreboard doesn’t show that. It was the main reason why they almost defeated the Bulldogs a few weeks ago and also took it up to the Bombers without Jobe Watson to dominate against them. This week the Giants midfield will face a real tough test though up against a stacked Magpies central core that even last week dominated in stages despite the poor result. In the ruck we may get the chance to see two of the young guns of the AFL go head to head with Tom Downie a chance to make his debut in the same game that Collingwood’s youngster Brodie Grundy may make his first senior appearance also. Both have been dominating at the reserves level and it would be a glimpse of the future indeed if this match up was to occur. The GWS forward line has the long term potential to be the best in the AFL, with Jeremy Cameron, Adam Tomlinson and Jonathan Patton all man mountains who play football the modern way. Of course Patton is out for the year but he should return next year and assist a forward line that may also have either/both of Lance Franklin and Tom Boyd in it, and that’s just a scary though indeed. At the moment though Cameron is the man, the one that is consistent on a week to week basis already, as shown by his season tally of 43 which has him in the Coleman medal race. After that the goals drop off significantly though with Setanta O’hAilpan the next best on 13 goals. Apart from Devon Smith who has spent some time up forward and kicked 11 goals this season, it’s clear to see that small forwards and midfield assistance is a major problem for the Giants up forward. Of course this forward line doesn’t get the opportunities that most others do but it’s return is still down on what the club would have expected, although the loss of Patton has to be a major reason for that. This week the Giants will match up with a Pies defense that has been struggling, allowing teams to score far too easily on the counter attack for most of the season. The Giants, not unlike the Suns will try and exploit this weakness to keep the game as close as possible, for as long as possible. Where over the rest of the ground the Giants lack experience when it comes to their backline this isn’t entirely so with co captain Phil Davis and ex Hawk Stephen Gilham leading a defense that has been under more pressure than maybe any team in the history of the game. Assisting them in the key position area is the young Tim Mohr who is developing into one of the best young defenders in the AFL. The Giants get belted most weeks in the inside forward 50 comparison and that places a massive amount of pressure on this defense, yet under the circumstances at times it has held up well. The three tall defenders are able assisted by youngsters such as Hampton, Darley, Bugg, Haynes, Kennedy and Corr and it’s this young depth that will build this backline into something special in times to come. This week they face a Pies forward line that is dysfunctional to say the least, it simply isn’t working and hasn’t worked to anywhere near an efficient beast so far this season. Travis Cloke, not unlike Jeremy Cameron at the other end is the stand out forward and it will be interesting to see which of the three Giants tall defenders start on Cloke on Saturday. The GWS Giants may well go through the 2013 season without a win, in fact with six rounds remaining it seems that the most they could chalk up is one win. Yet when you assess their list you can see why many good judges in the AFL are afraid of just how powerful this team will become over time. They have played 43 different players this year and there is sure to be another massive turnover of players at years’ end but if they can add some experience from other clubs they will improve remarkably next season. If you are being honest though the majority of their improvement will come from within their young playing ranks and this weekend it’s the Magpies fans turn to get a small glimpse into the future of this competition, coming only a week after seeing, and being defeated by the other future power, the Suns. The Giants won’t win this week, but it’s not all about winning for them at the moment it’s all about developing their youngsters and giving them as much exposure to AFL senior football as possible. TIP Collingwood will win this game, there is no doubt about that, so the interest then becomes how much of a nuisance can the Giants be to a Magpies outfit that needs a confidence boosting win before they head into 3 very tough games. The absence of Patton and Coniglio does make the Giants a little weaker but it has also given them the chance to expose even more youngsters to positions that they may not have played in other wise. The Magpies will rest anyone who is sore at all, with Ben Hudson an almost certain out meaning that the Magpie army might get to see the future ruck combination of Witts and Grundy together for the first time. That’s really what this game is about too, both teams still trying out new things in an effort to reach their full potential, even if that potential may not come to fruition this season. The Magpies will win, although I think the Giants will hang around and take it up to the Magpies at times during the game. PIES BY 65 POINTS.

Collingwood News Collingwood v GWS Saturday July 27, 4.40pm MCG 7mate / Fox Footy 4.30pm Weather: Min 6 Max 16 Chance of rain 80%: 1-5mm Wind: N 28kph Betting: Collingwood $1.01 GWS $15.00 There are no guarantees in footy. It’s an adage that Collingwood fans know all about after last week’s loss to a Gold Coast side on the rise and will keep in mind as its side takes on Greater Western Sydney on Saturday afternoon. The Giants are yet to win a game this season, but they don’t play at the MCG very often and with Kevin Sheedy stepping down as coach at the end of the year, he’ll be keen to fire one last salvo at his old rival. Head-to-Head Collingwood: 1 Greater Western Sydney: 0 Drawn: 0 Past One Round 18 2012 Collingwood 26.18 (174) Greater Western Sydney 7.12 (54) Goals – Collingwood: Cloke 6, Swan 5, Dawes 2, Beams 2, Elliott 2, Goldsack 2, Maxwell, Mooney, Blair, Tarrant, Fasolo, Shaw, Sinclair Greater Western Sydney: Smith 3,Cameron 2, Giles, Palmer Disposals – Collingwood: Swan 37, Pendlebury 33, Beams 30, Reid 25, Young 25 Greater Western Sydney: Treloar 37, Greene 35, Scully 27, Adams 26, Bugg 26 Brownlow: 3. D.Swan (Coll), 2. T.Cloke (Coll), 1. D.Beams (Coll) At Skoda Stadium Stats and figures - The Magpies made light work of the Giants in their one and only home and away meeting in round 18 last season. Greater Western Sydney gave its more senior opposition an early shock when it kicked the first two goals of the evening through Devon Smith. But that was where the fun ended as Collingwood went on a rampage, kicking the last seven goals of the quarter to open up a 25-point lead at the first change. The Pies went on to win by 120 points with Travis Cloke (six goals) benefitting from the presence of Chris Dawes (two goals) and Chris Tarrant (one goal) alongside him in attack. Dane Swan kicked a career-high five goals and also managed to win 37 possessions along the way, while Tom Young (now at the Western Bulldogs) played his best game in the Black and White with 25 possessions. - Many will have forgotten that Collingwood was one of the two clubs to play against the Giants on their first night in the competition. Kevin Sheedy’s new team began its time in the big league with round-robin matches against Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs in the NAB Cup last February. After losing to the Bulldogs, the Giants put up a real fight against the Magpies and pushed them all the way the shortened match. Collingwood got home by three points by the virtue of debutant Jackson Paine’s freakish goal in the forward pocket late in the night. - Greater Western Sydney’s General Manager of Football Operations Graeme ‘Gubby’ Allan has a strong Collingwood connection. He was a key figure at Victoria Park during the late 1980s and early 1990s as the club’s Football Manager and was even embroiled in the famous quarter time brawl against Essendon on Grand Final Day, 1990. - Kevin Sheedy has a strong record when taking on Collingwood from the coaches box. During his 27 years at Essendon he won 34 of his 55 games against the Magpies including the 1984 Preliminary Final. - A lot can change in 12 months. Just ask the Collingwood players that took to the field against the Giants in round 18 last year. Nine of the 22 players didn’t play against Gold Coast last Saturday, five of whom are no longer at the club. What can the Magpie Army do? The Magpie Army has another chance to break an attendance record on Saturday evening. Greater Western Sydney has only ever played in front of more than 30,000 fans on two occasions and haven’t drawn a crowd larger than the 38,203 that turned up for their first match against Sydney in round one last season. Last year’s match against the Giants drew only 8,102 fans at Skoda Stadium, which was Collingwood’s lowest turnout since 1997. That will surely be eclipsed at the MCG on Saturday.                                  AFL SUMMARY After an unexpected loss to Gold Coast, the Magpies will be smarting as they prepare to face the winless Giants on Saturday night. Collingwood is a game clear in seventh position on the ladder, but needs a percentage-boosting win to keep pace with sixth-placed Richmond. The Pies' inconsistency has been a cause for concern for coach Nathan Buckley and the gulf between their best and worst football is far too wide heading into the finals. The Giants were much improved against an undermanned Essendon, and even led the second-placed Bombers at quarter-time. But it's hard to see them matching it with Collingwood, which will hope Travis Cloke rediscovers his goalkicking radar – and fast. LAST TIME R18, 2012, Collingwood 26.18 (174) d GWS Giants 7.12 (54) at Skoda Stadium THE SIX POINTS 1. Collingwood and Greater Western Sydney's only meeting came in round 18 last season at Skoda Stadium, with the Magpies recording a crushing 120-point win. 2. In that game, Magpies star Travis Cloke kicked six goals and Dane Swan was brilliant with 37 possessions and five goals. 3. The Giants will be searching for their first victory at the MCG, following defeats to Melbourne (twice), and to Hawthorn by 78, 162 and 41 points respectively. 4. Kevin Sheedy will be aiming for his first win at the MCG since 2007 and for his first win against Collingwood since round 19, 2006. 5. The Giants remain the most worst defensive team in 2013, conceding an average of 138 points per game. 6. Collingwood has two players in the top 10 of the Official AFL Player Ratings – Scott Pendlebury (No. 5) and Dane Swan (No. 7). Greater Western Sydney midfielder Callan Ward is the only Giant ranked inside the top 100 (No. 31).                                  Sportal  HEAD TO HEAD: Played: 1, Collingwood 1, GWS 0 LAST TIME: Collingwood 26.18 (174) defeated GWS 7.12 (54), Round 18, 2012 at Skoda Stadium WALKING WOUNDED: The Pies will be sweating on the fitness of key defender Nathan Brown, who missed their loss to Gold Coast because of groin soreness, while Jarryd Blair will also face a fitness test on his injured calf. Darren Jolly will miss again with a knee problem, as will Jack Frost (knee), while Alex Fasolo (foot), Dale Thomas (ankle) and Clinton Young (hamstring) are all listed as 'indefinite' on the Collingwood website. Defender Alan Toovey is out for the season with a knee injury. The Giants will give hard-nosed midfielder Rhys Palmer a fitness test on his injured foot, but they are certain to be without young gun Stephen Coniglio because of a hamstring strain and number one draft pick Jonathon Patton, who underwent a knee reconstruction in April. FORM: Inconsistency has dogged Collingwood throughout 2013, with their best (a 34-point win over Richmond and a stirring six-point triumph over Geelong) offset by some poor losses (a 35-point capitulation against Port Adelaide probably the worst of the lot). Their most recent effort was on a par with that Port loss, when they went down by seven points to the Gold Coast on Saturday, ensuring they will be desperate to respond against the fledgling Giants. The Giants second season in the AFL has been terrible. They haven't won a game, and although they managed to hang with Melbourne for three quarters and ran the Bulldogs pretty close, they haven't really looked like winning one either. The Giants were annihilated by Sydney to the tune of 129 points a fortnight ago, before responding to a degree in their 39-point loss to Essendon in their last game. WE THINK: Collingwood have been up and down, but no matter how low they go they can't drop the points here. The Giants don't have the cattle or the legs to go with the Pies, who should canter away with this one. Collingwood by 86 points.                                  Injury List Collingwood Jarryd Blair (calf) – test Nathan Brown (groin soreness) – test Jack Frost (knee) – 1-2 weeks Darren Jolly (knee) – 2-3 weeks Alex Fasolo (foot) – indefinite Dale Thomas (ankle) – indefinite Clinton Young (hamstring) – indefinite Michael Hartley (shoulder) – season Alan Toovey (knee) – season Next Five Weeks Collingwood Round 19 – Essendon at the MCG Round 20 – Sydney at ANZ Stadium Round 21 – Hawthorn at the MCG Round 22 – West Coast at the MCG Round 23 – North Melbourne at the MCG

Walsh Quits

Collingwood News

Geoff Walsh

Collingwood director of football, Geoff Walsh, today announced to staff and players his decision to leave the Westpac Centre after seven years at the club.
Walsh plans a well-earned break with his wife, Jayne, and family which will include a visit to the US where their youngest son is embarking on a career as a college football punter.
In his time with Collingwood Walsh was a critical part of finals campaigns in each of the seven years he headed up the football program, a stint which included three grand finals and a premiership in 2010.
He will continue to consult to the club and work with key football personnel during a three month notice period. The day-to-day operations of the football department will be overseen on an interim basis by Rodney Eade.
Collingwood president, Eddie McGuire, paid tribute to Walsh: “Geoff Walsh’s contribution to the Collingwood Football Club has been profound. He was one of the key architects of the rebuild of the team and our 2010 premiership success. He leaves the football department in great shape, which is a testimony to his professionalism and skill.”
Walsh’s distinguished 28 year career in football has also included roles, a number of them senior, with Fitzroy, Carlton and North Melbourne.
“I’ve enjoyed the privilege of working for some great football clubs and Collingwood is certainly that,” said Walsh.
“I’ve got misgivings about leaving. Collingwood is a wonderful place to work. I’ve made some lifelong friends in my time and I’m certain that with Nathan and the many other good key people in place the club is preparing for another period of success.
“But it’s the right time personally and professionally for an extended break. Simply, I thank Collingwood for the opportunity.”

Injury List

Collingwood v GWS Saturday July 27, 4.40pm MCG 7mate / Fox Footy 4.30pm Weather: Min 6 Max 16 Chance of rain 80%: 1-5mm Wind: N 28kph Betting: Collingwood $1.01 GWS $15.00

INJURY LIST AS OF TUESDAY 23 JULY 2013
Name	Injury	Estimated Return
Jarryd Blair	Calf	Test
Nathan Brown	Groin soreness	Test
Jack Frost	Knee	1-2 weeks
Darren Jolly	Knee	2-3 weeks
Alex Fasolo	Foot	Indefinite
Dale Thomas	Ankle	Indefinite
Clinton Young	Hamstring	Indefinite
Michael Hartley	Shoulder	Season
Alan Toovey	Knee	Season

Collingwood News Collingwood hopes to regain Jarryd Blair and Nathan Brown when it plays Greater Western Sydney on Saturday. The pair, who missed the round 17 loss to Gold Coast due to injury, will undergo fitness tests at training later this week. Blair (calf) was not selected on Thursday night while Brown (groin soreness) was a late withdrawal, paving the way for Lachlan Keeffe to play his first game since round nine last season. In other injury news, Darren Jolly continues to edge his way towards a return from minor knee surgery while Jack Frost remains 1-2 weeks away from recovering from a PCL injury.

2013 Ladder: Round 17

SUPERFOOTY

COLLINGWOOD left Melbourne on Friday eyeing off a spot in the final four.
They arrived back from the Gold Coast fighting for a position in the eight.
The shock loss to the Suns has changed the goalposts dramatically in the run home for the Magpies.
While there is some brief respite next week with an MCG clash against GWS, after that the Pies face three of the top four teams.
A three-week block against Essendon (MCG), Sydney (ANZ Stadium) and Hawthorn (MCG) will decide the fate of Nathan Buckley's team.
Richmond's victory over Fremantle now puts the Tigers a game clear of the Pies in sixth position.
Port Adelaide is a game behind them in eighth but have an easier draw with games against Brisbane, Adelaide and Gold Coast at AAMI Stadium in the run home.
Carlton is two games away from the Pies but would need to win its next three games - Gold Coast (Metricon Stadium), Fremantle (Etihad) and Western Bulldogs (Etihad) - to put themselves in the equation.
Collingwood is hopeful Harry O'Brien will be ready to resume playing next Saturday against the Giants.
Key defender Nathan Brown, who was a late withdrawal against the Suns because of a tight hamstring, should return, while rover Jarryd Blair, who missed with a calf injury, is also a chance.
Goalsneak Ben Kennedy was best for Collingwood's VFL team while veteran Alan Didak and Irishman Marty Clarke also went around in the reserves.
Buckley was seething after the loss to the Suns about the Pies' ball use, particularly into its forward 50.
While Travis Cloke's inaccuracy again hurt - he's kicked 4.9 over the past two weeks - there were numerous other examples of woeful kicking that came back to haunt Collingwood.
The Pies kicked 2.7 in the first quarter and ended up having 12 more inside 50s and 24 more possessions than the Suns.
"We butchered plenty of opportunities," Buckley said. "I could rattle them off for you.
"There were six, seven, eight opportunities that we really should have converted, especially early, and then the game changes."
Vice-captain Scott Pendlebury also expressed his frustration afterwards.
"We had some easy shots in front of goal like 30 metres out. You have got to kick it."

Round 17: Collingwood 78 Gold Coast 85

THE FACTS

COLLINGWOOD    2.7.19    6.9.45    8.10.58    11.12.78
GOLD COAST       3.4.22    7.6.48    11.7.73    13.7.85

SCORERS - Collingwood: Cloke (2.4), Swan (2.1), Elliott (2.0), Beams (1.1), Goldsack (1.1), Dwyer (1.0), Seedsman (1.0), Sidebottom (1.0), Reid (0.1)

BEST - Collingwood: Beams, Swan, Sinclair, Williams

INJURIES - Collingwood: Nil

SUBSTITUTES - Collingwood: Caolan Mooney replaced Andrew Krakouer in the third quarter

REPORTS: Nil

OFFICIAL CROWD: 19,721 at the Metricon Stadium

STATS CENTRAL

- The loss was Collingwood’s first against the Suns since the expansion team began its time in the AFL in 2011. The Magpies won their first two meetings by 54 and 97 points. Its record against other expansion teams reads as follows: Collingwood’s first loss to: Sydney: Round 8 1982 at the SCG Sydney 15.25 (115) def. Collingwood 13.19 (87) on 15 May 1982 West Coast: Round 10 1987 at Subiaco Oval West Coast 19.23 (137) def. Collingwood 11.14 (80) on 1 June 1987 Brisbane Bears: Round 14 1994 at the Gabba Brisbane 17.19 (121) def. Collingwood 11.11 (77) on 26 June 1994 Adelaide: Round 22 1993 at Football Park Adelaide 19.21 (135) def. Collingwood 17.9 (111) on 29 August 1993 Fremantle: Round 19 1996 at the WACA Fremantle 16.16 (106) def. Collingwood 11.16 (82) on 9 August 1996 Port Adelaide: Round 16 1997 at Football Park Port Adelaide 17.9 (111) def. Collingwood 8.10 (58) on 19 July 1997 - The result marked Collingwood’s first ever loss at Metricon Stadium. The venue, formerly known as Carrara, was a happy hunting ground for the Pies when it hosted the old Brisbane Bears’ home games. Collingwood won all five games against the Bears at the ground and belted the Suns in their first meeting at the newly renamed Metricon Stadium in round 18, 2011. - Players are sometimes wary of getting their face in the newspapers on the morning of a game lest it jinx their performance. Sam Dwyer, who featured in an article written by The Age’s Emma Quayle, put paid to any thought of that with a career-high 31 possessions and five inside 50s. He also continued to have a hand in several of Collingwood’s scoring thrusts, assisting in two of his side’s 11 goals.

- Gary Ablett Junior is creating a habit of recording possession counts against Collingwood that would be more suitable on a cricket scoreboard. In his final game for the Cats, he managed 40 possessions in a 41-point loss to the Pies in the 2010 Preliminary Final. Last year he helped himself to 53 disposals in a 97-point loss at the MCG. But he saved his most damaging display for Saturday evening when he won an incredible 49 touches, kicked two goals and held seven marks. Although he only operated at 59.2 per cent disposal efficiency, he cleared the ball from stoppages 10 times and took the ball inside 50 on six occasions. His masterful display was capped off with the sealing goal late in the final quarter that was reminiscent of his goal against the Magpies while playing for Geelong in the 2007 Preliminary Final. - Young Marley Williams had an interesting night at the office. He continued his sound form of recent times, gathering 17 possessions and laying five tackles. Williams, who got in a heated scuffle with Gold Coast’s Aaron Hall at three quarter time, took a game-high seven bounces and rebounded from defence four times. He also made a team-high six clangers. He looms as an important running defender in the post-Ben Johnson era. - Caolan Mooney must be getting used to wearing the green vest. He has begun as Collingwood’s substitute in five of his six senior games and was substituted out of the match at half time of the one he began on the ground. Once activated late in the third quarter he managed three disposals (one kick and two behinds) and laid three tackles. - Poor Travis Cloke’s tough run in front of goal continued. Since kicking 5.1 against Carlton he has found the going difficult, kicking 2.5 against Adelaide and 2.4 against the Suns on Saturday evening.

THE MEDIA

COLLINGWOOD NEWS Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley bemoaned key forward Travis Cloke's inaccuracy in front of goal after the Magpies' seven-point loss to the Suns. Cloke kicked three behinds in the first quarter and finished the game with 2.4 and one miskick when within range. It followed up from his 2.5 a week earlier. His inability to make the most of early chances meant the Magpies could not apply scoreboard pressure on the Suns. "It has come back to bite us on the arse eventually, hasn't it?" Buckley said. Noted for his inconsistency in front of goal, Cloke had kicked 12.2 in the three games before round 16 when he suddenly lost his radar. Scott Pendlebury was frustrated too by the team's inability to convert with Tyson Goldsack also hitting the post from within range early in the game. "[In the] first quarter we moved the ball really well. We had some easy shots in front of goal – like 30 metres out," Pendlebury said. "You have got to kick it." However the coach did say Cloke was just one of a number of Magpies who did not take their chances against the Suns, making reference to a particularly costly turnover from Dane Swan that let the Suns' Seb Tape in for his first AFL goal as an example of the malaise that took over the Magpies. "[We] butchered plenty of opportunities," Buckley said "I could rattle them off for you. There were six, seven, eight opportunities that we really should have converted especially early and then the game changes." What causes games to change is one of sport's mysteries but Buckley boiled it down in this case to belief. He called belief the key ingredient; football's economic lever that sends turns all ordinary players – to stretch the business jargon further – momentarily into good ones. "You either take it [belief] away from the opposition and feed your own or the equation goes the other way," Buckley said. "And we didn't do enough early in the game to take Gold Coast's belief away and it challenged ours." He said losing the clearances by nine in the second quarter compounded the problem of not taking its chances in the first. "When you give a run on to a side like that it breeds hope [and] it breeds opportunity," Buckley said. The inevitable questions came in relation to what could have been done from the coach's box to stop Gary Ablett. Apart from a lasso, the predictable choice of pundits was Brent Macaffer to run with him. After all, he had done tagging jobs on Nick Dal Santo and Pearce Hanley earlier in the season. Macaffer was however occupied with the busy long kicking defender Trent McKenzie. So Buckley backed Swan and Dayne Beams to hurt the Suns as much the other way as Ablett was able to hurt Collingwood. Ablett had 49 touches and kicked the match-winning goal when he escaped from a stoppage with Beams in his wake. Buckley described the loss as disappointing and acknowledged that, like any loss, it would have ramifications for its season. "What it does show is you need to be closer to your best to beat anyone and that is not being discriminatory to what Gold Coast is capable of and able to produce, but at our best we think we play pretty well," Buckley said. "We didn't play at our best tonight."                                  FIVE TALKING POINTS 1. Gary Ablett the matchwinner – again The Suns champion managed 53 disposals in the previous encounter between the two teams (in round 10, 2012 at the MCG). At half-time on Saturday, he had 26 disposals, a goal and a goal assist. His influence grew in the second quarter as he began to win clearances and space. Luke Ball was sent to him at the stoppages and then Dayne Beams, but Ablett just kept getting free. His last-quarter goal was the sealer and when he took a mark on the wing to bring up his 49th disposal his game was complete. 2. Trent McKenzie commanded a tag, Ablett didn't Collingwood's Brent Macaffer has had many jobs this season running with players but the Magpies decided it was more critical for him to cover Trent McKenzie's long left foot kick out of defence rather than the Suns' champion Gary Ablett. McKenzie still had 18 kicks and gave plenty of drive to still sit among the club's best. 3. Jaeger O'Meara is the heir apparent and Tom Nicholls has stood up In the third quarter, O'Meara shifted the game's flow. He kicked the first goal of the half from the pocket and two for the quarter. He signed a contract to stay with the club until 2016 during the week and seemed to propel him to greater heights. The 19-year-old was all class and ended the game with 23 disposals. The 21-year-old Nicholls has played just seven games but he can leap, has courage and was well deserving of his NAB Rising Star nomination last week. He has taken the chance the injury to Zac Smith has provided. 4. Is Travis Cloke's inaccuracy the difference? In the first quarter he kicked three behinds from set shots to make it 2.8 in his past five quarters and just two goals from his previous 15 shots. It has been a perennial problem for Cloke and one that might bedevil him for the rest of his career. To date, he has kicked 326.279 behinds and this year he sits on 43.39. With the Magpies' goalkicking accuracy hovering at 217.208 - slightly better than 50 per cent - his inaccuracy is an issue. He kicked his first goal four minutes into the third quarter and then a second from the goalsquare late in the quarter but he did not have the scoreboard impact he should. 5. Gold Coast beats a top eight team for the first time The Suns have broken through to beat a top eight team in their 60th game and they chose powerhouse Collingwood to make a statement. Close observers have noted that the Magpies have been playing patchy football in recent weeks and the Suns have not dipped below being competitive. But they knew they needed a big scalp and with the Magpies being perennial finals performers in recent seasons, the Suns have shown they are on the way as quickly as many Victorians feared.                                  AFL GOLD Coast has landed the biggest scalp of its short existence with a seven-point win over Collingwood at Metricon Stadium on Saturday night. The 13.7 (85) to 11.12 (78) victory is the first time the Suns have beaten a top-eight team in their three years. In the process it dents the Magpies' slim top-four aspirations and leaves them battling with Richmond for sixth. The Suns led at every change and deserved their victory in front of 19,721 fans. Collingwood moved within three points early in the last quarter, but the Suns steadied through goals to Jared Brennan and captain Gary Ablett to win their sixth game of the season. Ablett was at his prolific and inspirational best, finishing with an amazing 49 disposals and two goals. Despite having 27 touches in the first half, the Magpies decided to not tag the Brownlow medallist and he took full advantage. He had 10 clearances and was damaging forward of centre being involved in a number of goals, as well as kicking two. Magpies tagger Brent Macaffer ran with Trent McKenzie and was soundly beaten as the Suns half-back grabbed 24 touches. For Collingwood it was a case of missed opportunities. They jumped from the blocks and dominated large chunks of the first quarter, but could not capitalise on the scoreboard. Travis Cloke was particularly wasteful, kicking four behinds and missing everything with another shot during the first half. Dane Swan had 32 disposals and was one of his team's best, but cost Collingwood a first quarter goal when an errant left foot kick went straight to Seb Tape who kicked his first career goal. "We weren't real clean with the ball and we butchered a lot of opportunities, especially early and when the scoreboard pressure comes on it gives the opposition a bit of a sniff," Magpies coach Nathan Buckley said. "Clearly tonight they had that sniff and they were able to execute for longer than we were and it was too much to chase down in the end." Cloke finished with two goals as Suns defender Rory Thompson was hobbled with a third quarter ankle injury.

REAL FOOTY For years, Collingwood boasted of not having a tagger. Why bother when you have a midfield featuring Dane Swan, Scott Pendlebury, Dayne Beams and Luke Ball? That was until this year, when coach Nathan Buckley decided to groom utility Brent Macaffer, coming back from a knee reconstruction, for the role. So the expectation was, going into the match against the Gold Coast Suns, that Macaffer would go to Gary Ablett. But Buckley instead decided to roll the dice, playing Macaffer as a defensive forward against the Suns' other weapon, Trent McKenzie, and letting his best midfielders worry about Ablett. Well, whether Macaffer might have made a difference or not - and he was beaten badly by McKenzie - it backfired. You can chalk up another three votes for Ablett. He had 27 possessions to half-time alone, finished with 49, and kicked two goals in one of his greatest performances. Advertisement The second goal was a gem, kicked on the burst out of traffic from 50 metres, and giving the Suns a 21-point lead in the last quarter. That was enough, and it was a deserved result, too: the Suns led for most of the contest, had most of the best performers, and did it all without several of their best players, especially up forward. The Suns had to withstand a late charge, with goals to Paul Seedsman and Beams bringing the margin back to seven points. But the longer this game went, the less likely Collingwood looked. The Magpies have come back from worse positions in their past two games, but this would have been a real steal. Jaeger O'Meara had another outstanding game, kicking three goals from 23 possessions, including a set shot threaded from beyond the boundary line in the third quarter, a dagger to Collingwood's heart. McKenzie, Jarrod Harbrow and Harley Bennell, who returned to his creative best, were all exceptional. Collingwood's best players all won a truckload of the ball: Beams had 34 possessions and nine clearances in just his second game for the year, Swan had 32, Pendlebury had 28, and outstanding rookie Sam Dwyer had 31. Yet still, they couldn't find a way to goal. Again, questions were raised about the Magpies' accountability. Suns coach Guy McKenna had told his team that Collingwood will give you a chance if you're prepared to work both ways. His boys worked harder for longer and reaped the rewards. It wasn't just Swan, either. Pendlebury, who famously roasted his peers for "cheating" by running forward of the ball earlier in the year, was 20 metres from his opponent, O'Meara, when the prodigy was allowed to mark and kick that goal from the boundary. It didn't help that Travis Cloke has another serious case of the yips, kicking four behinds and another that didn't make the distance before half-time They were chances that, it turned out, couldn't afford to be gifted. Likewise two 50-metre penalties that resulted in goals to Sam Day. Regular centre half-back Ben Reid wasn't sent forward until the last quarter, despite the presence of Lachlan Keeffe, in his first game back from a knee reconstruction. Again, Reid had an immediate impact, marking and goaling early in the last quarter, but it was too late. He hit the post - the Magpies' fourth for the game - after that. It's getting tiresome - and will very soon be redundant - to say this was the Suns' best win in the AFL, though Collingwood is probably its biggest scalp to date. They've already beaten some very good sides, pushed many others, and probably should have won a couple more games already this season. But there's no argument that this was a major breakthrough: a win against a top eight side, whose season was finally appearing to gel. This loss will hurt the Pies, and perhaps Buckley the most, but perhaps it also proves the immaturity of this Collingwood line-up. Their patchy performance was symptomatic of a team with so many young players. Doubtless, a few of them thought this win would just happen. AERIAL CONTENDER Jamie Elliott put his hands up for another mark of the year contender, with a soaring grab in the first quarter that knocked the wind out of his sails. It was one of the few highlights for the Pies. KEEFE COMEBACK Defender Nathan Brown was a late withdrawal for Collingwood with groin soreness, allowing the 204-centimetre Lachlan Keeffe to make his return from a knee reconstruction. SUN ON THE RISE Matt Shaw became the second non-imported Sun to notch 50 games. In 2½ years, the blond has blossomed, a consistent ball winner and tremendous runner who has significantly improved his disposal and decision making. ABLETT OWNS THE BALL Gary Ablett once again stole the show with a scintillating game-high 49 disposals - four short of equalling his previous best effort which was also against the Magpies in 2012. He recorded 20 contested possessions, 10 clearances, six inside 50s and two goals. CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE The Suns had the better of the Magpies at the centre bounces, generating 15 clearances to their eight, with Jaeger O'Meara and Dion Prestia recording three apiece. Gary Ablett led the way with four of his own. CLOKE OFF TARGET Travis Cloke's poor conversion rate once again let him down, returning 2.4 for the match.                                  SUPERFOOTY GOLD Coast posed serious questions about Collingwood’s finals aspirations while breathing new life into their own with a stunning seven point victory at Metricon Stadium. It was a Gary Ablett masterclass sure to win the Suns' skipper another three votes towards his quest for a second Brownlow medal. Ablett collected 49 possession, won ten clearances and booted two goals in the 13.7 (85) to 11.12 (78) victory, perhaps his best performance for the Suns. In front of 19721 fans, a lot of them in black and white, the Suns lead at every change, the greatest margin being the 15 point three quarter time buffer they held over the Pies. The Suns won the contested possession and clearances but more significantly worked harder than their highly fancied rivals. Collingwood face Essendon, Sydney and Hawthorn in the run to a September campaign that is looking far from promising. Suns coach Guy McKenna said in the lead-up to the match the way to defeat the Pies was to test their star-studded midfield's willingness to run both ways. It seemed the Pies had the same idea early in the game when Dane Swan found himself alone in his own goal square to kick his side's first goal –unchallenged. But the Suns tightened-up and exposed a flaw in the Pies workrate the rest of the competition will take notice of. Seven of their goals came from midfielders and one from defender Seb Tape. Young gun Jaeger O'Meara produced the best performance of his brief but already impressive career. Concerns there may be a let down days after re-committing to the club until the end of 2016 quickly evaporated. The 19-year-old followed his coaches instructions to the letter. His accountability would put more experienced players to shame. He was outmuscled by Swan for a second quarter goal but the point was he was there for the contest. He had pushed hard in defence. But he booted three of his own, all the result of hard running. Travis Cloke kicked four behinds and one complete miss before he got his first goal. He gave the Pies an injury scare when he left the field in the third quarter in the hands of trainers but returned soon after. Luke Ball and Andrew Krakouer also required treatment throughout the match for knee injuries. Ball completed the game with a heavy bandage while Krakouer was subbed off for Irishman Caolan Mooney. This was one of the more entertaining games at Metricon Stadium this season, despite players from both sides experiencing some ball handling problems due to the greasy conditions caused by an afternoon of heavy rain on the Gold Coast. Livewire Pie Jamie Elliott pulled-down a first quarter screamer that might challenge his effort against Port Adelaide in Round 14 as a mark of the year contender. He also snapped a clever final quarter goal after winning a ground ball and then breaking a tackle to drag the Pies back to within eight points.