Round 23: The Team

Collingwood v North Melbourne Sunday September 1, 3.20pm MCG Fox Footy 3.00pm 7mate 4.00pm Weather: Min 15 Max 25 Chance of rain 10%: <1mm Wind: NW 28kph Betting: Collingwood $1.53 North Melbourne $2.50

B: Nathan Brown, Nick Maxwell, Heath Shaw
HB: Marley Williams, Lachlan Keeffe, Tyson Goldsack
C: Harry O'Brien, Josh Thomas, Brent Macaffer
HF: Steele Sidebottom, Quinten Lynch, Jarryd Blair
F: Sam Dwyer, Travis Cloke, Ben Reid
Foll: Brodie Grundy, Scott Pendlebury, Dane Swan
Int (from): Jordan Russell, Alan Didak, Dayne Beams, Ben Hudson, Ben Kennedy, Kyle Martin, Paul Seedsman

IN: Dayne Beams, Ben Hudson, Kyle Martin, Jordan Russell
OUT: Luke Ball (calf)

Collingwood News Collingwood’s Dayne Beams is likely to make an immediate return to action after he was named in an extended 25-man squad to face North Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday. Withdrawn from Collingwood’s side last weekend due to back tightness, the reigning Copeland Trophy winner’s impressive efforts on the training track appear to have been enough to convince senior coach Nathan Buckley that he is ready to resume his place in the match day squad. Excitement at Beams’ inclusion though is tempered somewhat by the absence of fellow midfielder Luke Ball, who will miss the round 23 clash due to a calf injury sustained during the second quarter of Collingwood’s 62-point win over West Coast. Despite initial optimism that Ball would be able to take his place in the side this weekend, with finals looming, the 2010 Premiership star was ruled out of contention. Though Beams’ selection would represent a like-for-like replacement, with fellow inclusions Kyle Martin, Jordan Russell and Ben Hudson named following influential displays at VFL level, Buckley possesses a plethora of options at his disposal. Arguably best on ground in the VFL Magpies crucial triumph over Werribee at Victoria Park last weekend, Russell’s lockdown effort on key forward Ben Warren was the bedrock upon which Dale Tapping’s side was able to eke out victory. Though finding himself the subject of a tag for the duration of the contest, Martin meanwhile instead drew plaudits for his intrepid efforts against the Tigers, with the coaching staff drawing attention to his increased defensive pressure. Veteran ruck Hudson completes the inclusions after the former Crow, Bulldog and Lion once again demonstrated his value with an assured VFL display that places him in line to feature during September. Highlighting the depth of Collingwood’s ruck stocks, fellow tall Darren Jolly will instead be presented with a chance to demonstrate his case for a senior return via the VFL for the third successive week. He will be joined by winger Clinton Young, who will hope to follow his storming efforts at training with an outstanding display at North Port Oval as he seeks to make a late, irresistible bid to feature in the Magpies’ 2013 flag tilt. With sixth place and a home final secured, Collingwood can likely only climb to fifth should it triumph over North Melbourne, and Richmond fall to Essendon, given the Tigers boast a decisively higher percentage.

Round 23 Preview: Collingwood v North Melbourne

SportsMatt It's almost finals time in the 2013 AFL premiership season with round 23 finally upon us. It's the last round of the home and away season and Collingwood and North Melbourne matchup at the MCG on Sunday both finding themselves well and truly alive. The Magpies are certain of being involved in their 8th consecutive finals series while the Kangaroos need a lot of things to go their way if they are to make the finals for the second season in a row. It's highly likely that the Pies will finish 6th and face off against Port Adelaide in week one of the finals, a game that they'd start favourites in for sure. North on the other hand need a string of results to go their way, and not all of those are on the field. The Roos need both Carlton and Brisbane to lose but they also required Essendon to be knocked out of the finals as punishment, something that only became official on Tuesday night. With Essendon out of the equation, if North were to pull of a victory this weekend over the Pies, they'd sneak into 8th spot and likely play Richmond if the other results fell their way. It's a long and complicated set of scenarios but by the time this game starts on Sunday afternoon the equation will be clearer for both teams. Since these two clubs last met back in round one (Collingwood came away with a 16 point lead) they have been through a range of challenges and hurdles that have ultimately left their fans to a large degree disappointed. Collingwood considered themselves a genuine premiership contender yet due to injuries and a somewhat changing of the guard they now sit outside the all important top four. The Magpies learned early on that they weren't going to have some of their best players available for large periods of the season so youngsters and newcomers were given opportunities galore. Some of those new faces have flourished while others have struggled but the Pies are arguably right now in their best form of their season. North Melbourne also have had a season of struggles, with injuries and the under performance of some of their big names leaving them languishing in 11th spot at the moment. In a normal season this game would be a dead rubber between a finals side that probably can't move forward and a team no longer with any goals to achieve. Thanks to Essendon though this isn't a normal season so come 3.20pm on Sunday afternoon the Kangaroos may be playing for a spot in the finals after all. PREVIOUS FORM North has under achieved this season, yet a few weeks back, after wins against Melbourne and Geelong it seemed as if the Roos were going to make a late charge for the finals. Recent losses to Adelaide and Hawthorn (with an easy win against Essendon sandwiched in between) means that the Kangaroos fate is basically out of their control now. The win against Geelong was probably a season high and came at a time when their fans needed hope that their season wasn't going to end prematurely. In that game North showed exactly what they are capable of on their day and that's probably why most football pundits are so disappointed in where they currently sit on the ladder. Last week they took on the ladder leading Hawks and another upset seemed on the cards as North led by 26 points early in the second quarter, but from then on the Hawks took control to eventually fight back and win by 14 points. It was no disgrace to lose to the Hawks like that but once again North had given up a lead and lost a game, something that has become far too familiar in season 2013. Collingwood has been a fascinating case study in season 2013, a team that at the start of the year was a premiership threat and even now could compete, and probably defeat just about anyone in the competition. Their recent form shows this with wins over Essendon, Sydney and the Eagles and a highly competitive loss against the Hawks despite circumstances being against them (back to back 6 day breaks). After that loss to the Hawks the Pies top 4 chances ended yet they bounced straight back to form with a stunning first quarter against the struggling West Coast Eagles last Friday night. The Pies opened the game in awesome fashion eventually taking an 8 goal to 2 lead at the first break. The rest of the game didn't quite reach the same level but the highlight of the 62 point win for most at the ground, and watching on TV was the return of Alan Didak. Didak came on as the sub midway through the third term and when he ran into an open goal and converted late in the last quarter the entire Magpie crowd were on their feet, and every Pies player ran to him in one of the best moments of 2013 so far. Didak has struggled in 2013 with both personal and fitness issues but it was great to see the whole club react that way to the return of the premiership champion. It was a win that ensured Collingwood would get a home final also. COLLINGWOOD PREVIEW While on the surface it would seem to be a disappointing season for the Collingwood Football Club, 2013 has turned into somewhat of a rebuilding year for the Magpies. The Pies have used 40 players in their senior side in 2013, more than the likes of Gold Coast, Melbourne and St Kilda. The game plan at the club is also starting to come together as senior coach Nathan Buckley puts his brand on a list that for so long belonged to Mick Malthouse. The Pies are more attacking now, they are willing to use the corridor when they have the opportunity to, but their pressure and tackling is still vital to their success each week. Over the past four weeks the Magpies intensity both at the ball and at the opposition has been noticeably higher than it has been for all of this season, and that's a great sign on the eve of the finals. The recent wins over Essendon and Sydney and the ruthless way that the Pies put the Eagles away showed that this side really is nearing it's top available form right now. North should be a great test for the Pies too and a tough, hard game may be exactly what they need leading into an elimination final. At the selection table this week Collingwood has a few options with Dayne Beams, Jamie Elliott and Ben Sinclair all likely to be fit to return after missing last weekend's win over the Eagles. Luke Ball was subbed out for Alan Didak in that game with calf soreness but from all reports the tough midfielder will be ready to go also. That means there's some tough decision to be made with three players having to be omitted from the 22 that played last Friday night. Those to come under pressure will include Paul Seedsman, Sam Dwyer, Alan Didak and Ben Kennedy and there's still the chance that anyone who isn't 100% may be rested just one week out from the finals. It's a nice problem to have, possessing so many players who could be in the final 22 but having to make some hard decisions at selection. There are two side stories to this weeks game for Collingwood and the first one is long overdue in the eyes of most Magpie fans. Brodie Grundy, the most impressive young ruckman in the league, finally got his rising star nomination (round 22 nomination) after several top quality games against some of the best ruckman in the AFL. The young South Australian was taken with pick 18 in last year's draft but may well turn out to be the absolute steal of last years' draft stock for sure. The second extra to this game revolves around Travis Cloke and the fight for the Coleman medal, the award given to the leading goal kicker in the AFL. Coming into the final round Cloke trails Hawthorn's Jarryd Roughead by just 3 goals, and it's Cloke on Sunday who will get last crack at any total as he is only real contender playing on Sunday. It just adds something extra to a game that already has so much riding on it. OPPOSITION ANALYSIS  It's been a below par season for North Melbourne in 2013 so far, but with a bit of luck they still could be playing finals. If they happen to defeat Collingwood this week and the other results fall their way, there's an argument to be made that they would be the toughest of the possible eighth placed teams to face in week one of the finals. North have set a record this year for losses under 16 points and have given up leads so often that the defensive of their game has come into question at times. There's no doubting this side is talented but it really does struggle to defend against an opponent who gets on a roll, with comparisons to the Richmond sides of the past probably being apt. Amongst all the heartbreaking losses though there has been hope for the future with the club's self admittance that they do possess one of the best young lists in the AFL. North Melbourne's midfeld has been a strength for them in 2013 with the club ranked 4th for both clearances and centre clearances. Having one of the best ruck divisions in the AFL also helps with Todd Goldstein in contention for the All Australian ruck role. North currently sit 3rd for hitouts for but more importantly they have conceded the least amount of hitouts against, a stat that shows Goldstein's improvement this year. The midfield brigade is deep and talented with Bastinac, Swallow (injured), Adams, Ziebell, Wells, Cunnington, Harvey and Greenwood all playing on the ball at different times. Of course they run into one of the most talented midfields in the competition this week with Beams, Ball, Swan, Pendlebury and co likely to test the limits of the Kangaroos midfield. North should dominate the ruck although every week youngster Brodie Grundy has continued to step up and match it with the best rucks in the AFL and off a 9 day break you'd think the young star might improve even further. This won't be where the game is won or lost because neither side will have a distinct advantage. The Kangaroos backline may well be their biggest weakness this week with the absence of Scott Thompson and Nathan Grima greatly effecting their ability to defend effectively. Thompson is the big loss as he may well have even been in All Australian contention before a lung injury ruled him out for the rest of the home and away season a few weeks back. In his absence the likes of Delaney, Hansen and Firrito will be given the task of restricting the Pies three tall forwards Cloke, Lynch and Reid. Reid is the one that has changed the Magpies forward line in recent weeks with most teams unable to fins a matchup for the agile former All Australian centre half back. Collingwood's small forwards aren't as dangerous as most teams and North will feel confident in restricting their influence, but if the ball is delivered more often into the Pies forward zone than the Roos it's hard to see this backline standing up and holding on effectively. North Melbourne's forward line is dangerous and also has it's own three pronged attack with Lindsay Thomas (50 goals), Drew Petrie (46 goals) and Aaron Black (31 goals) all capable of kicking a bag if they aren't defended well for an entire game. Black has stepped in this season and assisted Thomas and Petrie, both who it could be argued are having their best season as forwards in their AFL careers. The Pies backline has also struggled at times to contain dangerous opposition forward lines but the improvement of youngsters Lachlan Keeffe and Marley Williams has assisted the older brigade in the absence of the ever reliable defender Alan Toovey. If North can move the ball quickly inside their forward 50 they may be able to put enough pressure on the Magpie defenders to post a score that will be hard to beat indeed. North Melbourne will be wanting to win this game even if their chances of finals action are dead by Sunday and to do that they will have to defend more effectively than they have at times this season. Leigh Adams is a chance to return and forward Robbie Tarrant has been cleared to play despite suffering a broken nose in last week's loss to the Hawks. The major problem seems to be how to stop Travis Cloke, as even in round one Thompson could only restrict him to 4 goals and with Thompson missing it's hard to see Cloke not dominating this game. Accuracy may be the answer for the Roos though as they sit third for goal kicking accuracy while the Pies are languishing down in 14th, and Cloke as we all know is a major reason for that. Either way the Roos as a club will want to finish the 2013 home and away season off in style, even if their chances of making finals are gone by the time this game starts. TIP It's a tough game to tip because of the situation that presents itself going into the final round. There's a lot of "ifs" that will play themselves out before the 3.20pm start time on Sunday and how they eventuate may well decide who comes out the more fired up in this game. If the Pies still have a chance of finishing 5th, and therefore avoiding a probable second week trip to Perth their motivation will be high but if the Tigers win on Saturday there's not much other than personal form to play for. North on the other hand obviously need two results to go their way before Saturday ends if they are to still be alive heading into Sunday. If both the Blues and Lions lose North will be fired up but you have to still believe that Collingwood are the superior side and at the MCG they should head into the finals in style with a win by a small margin. PIES BY 11 POINTS.

Collingwood News Collingwood v North Melbourne Sunday September 1, 3.20pm MCG Fox Footy 3.00pm 7mate 4.00pm Weather: Min 15 Max 25 Chance of rain 10%: <1mm Wind: NW 28kph Betting: Collingwood $1.53 North Melbourne $2.50 The clock is ticking on the home and away season with all eyes on the fight for eighth place on the ladder. North Melbourne is one of five clubs battling for Essendon's place in the final eight. To qualify, the Roos need Carlton and Brisbane to lose on Saturday before overcoming Collingwood at the MCG on Sunday. It puts a whole new spin on Collingwood's own preparation for September but ensures that the Pies will enjoy the perfect tune up for the first week of the finals. Head-to-Head Collingwood: 102 North Melbourne: 49 Drawn: 2 Past Five Round 1 2013 Collingwood 15.13 (103) North Melbourne 13.9 (87) Goals – Collingwood: Cloke 4, Sidebottom 3, Goldsack 2, Lynch 2, Macaffer, Blair, Pendlebury, Swan North Melbourne: Thomas 4, Hansen 2, Cunnington, Petrie, Tarrant, Mullett, Bastinac, Gibson, Goldstein Disposals – Collingwood: Swan 31, Pendlebury 30, O'Brien 24, Sidebottom 21, Cloke 18, Maxwell 18, J.Thomas 18 North Melbourne: Swallow 34, Wells 25, Cunnington 23, Mullett 22, Bastinac 19, Firrito 19, Thompson 19, Ziebell 19 At Etihad Stadium Round 21 2012 Collingwood 8.13 (61) North Melbourne 13.13 (91) Goals – Collingwood: Beams 2, Didak, Fasolo, Tarrant, Sinclair, Blair, Pendlebury North Melbourne: Petrie 3, Tarrant 3, Thomas 3, Hansen 2, Ziebell, Garlett Disposals – Collingwood: Beams 38, D.Thomas 27, Sidebottom 26, Pendlebury 24, Blair 20 North Melbourne: Harvey 33, Gibson 28, Bastinac 25, Cunnington 24, Swallow 24 Brownlow: 3. S.Thompson (NM), 2. D.Beams (Coll), 1. T.Goldstein (NM) At Etihad Stadium Round 16 2011 Collingwood 22.15 (147) North Melbourne 3.12 (30) Goals – Collingwood: Sidebottom 4, Blair 3, D.Thomas 3, L.Brown 3, Swan 2, Cloke 2, Jolly, Wellingham, Shaw, Davis, Fasolo North Melbourne: Harvey 2, Goldstein Disposals – Collingwood: Swan 39, Pendlebury 29, D.Thomas 26, Shaw 25, Davis 22 North Melbourne: Wells 29, Ziebell 27, Rawlings 23, Swallow 23, Bastinac 17 Brownlow: 3. D.Swan (Coll), 2. L.Davis (Coll), 1. S.Sidebottom (Coll) At the MCG Round 2 2011 Collingwood 21.17 (56) North Melbourne 21.17 (143) Goals – Collingwood: Cloke 5, Beams 3, Dawes 2, Didak 2, Blair 2, Sidebottom 2, Krakouer, Pendlebury, Swan, D.Thomas, Jolly North Melbourne: Hansen 2, Thomas 2, Cunnington, Anthony, Goldstein Disposals – Collingwood: Swan 40, Pendlebury 39, D.Thomas 28, Sidebottom 27, Beams 26, Dawes 26 North Melbourne: Harvey 27, Rawlings 27, Adams 24, Grima 24, Wells 24 Brownlow: 3. D.Swan (Coll), 2. S.Pendlebury (Coll), 1. H.O'Brien (Coll) At Etihad Stadium Round 7 2010 Collingwood 23.19 (157) North Melbourne 14.7 (91) Goals – Collingwood: Sidebottom 5, Medhurst 3, Dawes 2, Jolly 2, Didak 2, Davis 2, Johnson, Toovey, Shaw, O'Bree, Cloke, Wood, D.Thomas North Melbourne: Thomas 3, Edwards 2, Hale 2, Wells 2, Warren 2, Harvey, Swallow, Garlett Disposals – Collingwood: Swan 38, Shaw 33, Didak 29, D.Thomas 29, Ball 28 North Melbourne: Rawlings 33, Harvey 32, Adams 25, Swallow 24, Anthony 23 Brownlow: 3. A.Didak (Coll), 2. D.Swan (Coll), 1. S.Sidebottom (Coll) At the MCG Stats and figures - Collingwood has enjoyed some remarkable success in front of goals against North Melbourne in recent years. The Magpies have kicked over 100 points in five of their last six meetings. In comparison, the Roos have never scored more than 91 points. You have to go back to round 16, 2008 to find a game in which the Kangas kicked more than 100 points against the Magpies. In fact, they've only done so three times since round six, 2000, something the Magpies have done 10 times. - The two clubs have met in the final round of the season on 14 occasions. Collingwood has won 11 of these encounters including the past five. They have never met in round 23. - The last time the Magpies faced North in the final round of the home and away season was in round 22, 2006. On an overcast afternoon at the MCG, the Pies were sluggish early and looked in danger of heading into the finals with a loss when it led by only eight points at half time. They eventually clicked into gear, kicking 10 goals in the final quarter to run out 68-point victors in Sav Rocca's final game of league football before heading off to pursue a career in American Football. - Many probably forget that current North Melbourne Brad Scott spent almost three years as an assistant to Mick Malthouse at Collingwood. Scott is one of the men credited with helping formulate a plan to use the interchange bench more effectively in the lead up to the 2007 finals series in which the Magpies came within a kick of the Grand Final. - Although North Melbourne ruled the football world in the 1990s, they often found the lowly Magpies difficult to overcome. Collingwood didn't make the finals between 1996 and 1999 (a period in which the Roos won two flags and lost another) but it fared well when pitted against Wayne Carey and his teammates. The Pies won three consecutive games between 1996-1997 and came within 13 points after leading by two goals at three quarter time in round 21, 1999. It was during this period that coach Tony Shaw would send Nathan Buckley to centre half back to combat Carey, a move that regularly produced good results. Swan watch It has seemingly escaped the public's attention all season, but Dane Swan could still be in the running for the Brownlow Medal – or at least a place in the top four or five. His recent history against North Melbourne suggests that he will be one of the men who catches the umpire's eyes. In his past five games against the Roos, Swan has averaged 36.2 disposals and has never dipped below 31. He polled nine votes in four games against them between 2009 and 2011 including two best on grounds in 2011. It should come as no surprise that he was an absentee in Collingwood's only loss to North in the past five years (round 21 last year).                                  Sportal HEAD TO HEAD: Played: 154, Collingwood 103, North Melbourne 49, Drawn 2 LAST TIME: Collingwood 15.13 (103) def. Richmond 13.9 (87), Round 1, 2013 at Etihad Stadium WALKING WOUNDED: The Pies won't see Alex Fasolo (foot), Martin Clarke (ankle), Dale Thomas (ankle) and Alan Toovey (knee) again this season, but are hopeful of regaining Dayne Beams (back) for this clash. Beams was a late withdrawal from the Collingwood side that beat West Coast last round and will be tested closer to game time. Luke Ball (calf), Ben Sinclair (shoulder), Clinton Young (hamstring) and Jamie Elliott (hamstring) will also need to pass fitness tests. The Kangaroos have delayed Nathan Grima's surgery to his foot and the key defender could still feature against the Pies. Andrew Swallow (Achilles) and Scott Thompson (lung) are definitely out, while Sam Wright (shoulder), Taylor Hine (ankle) and Robbie Tarrant (face) will need to pass fitness tests to be considered. FORM: The Pies were impressive in beating West Coast by 62 points last start, but have been rather inconsistent of late. We saw the best of them when they defeated Sydney and Essendon, but bad losses to Gold Coast and Hawthorn have scuppered any chance they had of finishing in the top-four. The Kangaroos currently sit in 11th place on the ladder, but Essendon's punishment during the week for the supplements saga means Brad Scott's side still has a chance to feature in September. Last week the Roos gave the Hawks a scare before going down by 14 points, while they defeated Essendon by 45 points the week before that. WE THINK: North have won just once away from Etihad Stadium in 2013 and we expect that trend to continue as the Pies head into the finals full of confidence. The Roos can sneak into the finals with a Carlton loss to Port Adelaide and a victory over the Pies, but they have had a poor season and don't really deserve to feature in September. They have won just nine of 21 in 2013, with five of their losses by less than a goal, and would only be making up the numbers if they snuck into the top eight. The Pies won't want to head into their finals campaign off a loss, so expect Nathan Buckley's men to be ready for a big performance. The Roos will provide some stiff opposition, but the Pies will prove too strong. Collingwood by 19 points.                            AFL SUMMARY North Melbourne will know when it turns up on Sunday whether or not it is playing for a spot in the final eight. The finals carrot will dangle if both Carlton and the Brisbane Lions lose on Saturday. If a win will earn North Melbourne a finals berth then this game shapes as a classic. Either way it will be a tough pre-finals battle for Collingwood as North Melbourne is an exceptional attacking team. It's also worth noting Collingwood has won just one final round game since 2006, having beaten Essendon in the final round last season. In the Magpies favour is the fact the Kangaroos are without its best defenders and it has Travis Cloke inside 50. The Kangaroos' challenge is to apply enough midfield pressure to reduce his supply. This is a big task, given that the Collingwood midfield is classy and experienced in games with finals-like pressure.  LAST FIVE TIMES R7, 2010, Collingwood 23.19 (157) d North Melbourne 14.7 (91) at the MCG R2, 2011, Collingwood 21.17 (143) d North Melbourne 7.14 (56) at Etihad Stadium R16, 2011, Collingwood 22.15 (147) d North Melbourne 3.12 (30) at the MCG R21, 2012, North Melbourne 13.13 (91) d Collingwood 8.13 (61) at Etihad Stadium R1, 2013, Collingwood 15.13 (103) d North Melbourne 13.9 (87) at Etihad Stadium THE SIX POINTS 1. Collingwood has dominated North Melbourne recently, winning five of the last six contests including four wins by more than 50 points. 2. The most recent time these teams met in the final home and away round was in 2006 at the MCG. Collingwood won by 68 points. It then lost every last round between 2007-2011. 3. Respective coaches Nathan Buckley and Brad Scott last clashed at the MCG in round 10, 2006 when playing for Collingwood and the Brisbane Lions. 4. Collingwood has had the most disposals this season averaging 383.8 per game. North Melbourne is 10th with 363.9 per game. 5. North Melbourne is the third ranked scoring side this season averaging 104 points per game. Collingwood is seventh with 97 points per game. 6. Collingwood has conceded the fifth least points in 2013. North Melbourne has conceded the seventh least points in 2013.

Injury List

Collingwood v North Melbourne Sunday September 1, 3.20pm MCG Fox Footy 3.00pm 7mate 4.00pm Weather: Min 11 Max 23 Chance of rain 40%: 5-10mm Wind: N 24kph Betting: Collingwood $1.52 North Melbourne $2.50

INJURY LIST AS OF MONDAY 26 AUGUST 2013
Name	Injury	Estimated Return
Luke Ball	Calf tightness	Test
Dayne Beams	Back tightness	Test
Jamie Elliott	Hamstring	Test
Ben Sinclair	Shoulder	Test
Clinton Young	Hamstring	Test
Marty Clarke	Ankle	Season
Alex Fasolo	Foot	Season
Corey Gault	Groin	Season
Michael Hartley	Shoulder	Season
Dale Thomas	Ankle	Season
Alan Toovey	Knee	Season

Collingwood News

Two of the keys to Collingwood’s midfield remain in with a chance to play against North Melbourne this Sunday.
Dayne Beams (back tightness) and Luke Ball (calf tightness) were casualties before and during Friday night’s win over West Coast and will face fitness tests later this week to determine their availability.
Ball, who was substituted out of the match after experiencing tightness in his calf early in the third quarter, has received a promising report from the club’s medical staff.
“The scans were clear, but he’s still feeling some tightness,” interim Director of Football Rodney Eade told collingwoodfc.com.au.
“He’ll be assessed later on this week.”
As for Beams, who was a late withdrawal owing to back tightness, the 23-year-old faces a similar scenario to that of Ball.
“Beamsy’s progressing well,” said Eade.
“He’ll train later this week and we’ll assess things from there.”
Hamstring pair Clinton Young and Jamie Elliott will have their legs tested later this week while Ben Sinclair’s shoulder will also be examined.
Should Young return, it is is likely against Port Melbourne in the VFL Elimination Final this Saturday.
The news isn’t as good for Corey Gault.
The young key defender will miss Collingwood’s VFL finals campaign due to a groin injury.
Gault, who is in his second year on the list, was a notable absentee from Saturday’s thrilling win over Werribee.

2013 Ladder: Round 22

Round 22: Collingwood 101 West Coast 39

THE FACTS

COLLINGWOOD    8.3.51    11.8.74    14.10.94    15.11.101
WEST COAST        2.2.14     3.4.22       3.6.24         5.9.39

SCORERS - Collingwood: Reid (4.1), Cloke (3.1), Swan (2.1), Lynch (2.0), Thomas (1.2), Didak (1.1), Kennedy (1.1), Seedsman (1.0), Grundy (0.2), O'Brien (0.1)

BEST - Collingwood: Swan, J.Thomas, Seedsman, Pendlebury, Williams, Reid, Grundy

INJURIES - Collingwood: Dayne Beams (tight back) replaced in selected side by Paul Seedsman

SUBSTITUTES - Collingwood: Luke Ball replaced by Alan Didak in the third quarter

REPORTS: Nil

OFFICIAL CROWD: 41,198 at the MCG

STATS CENTRAL

- Collingwood's eight goals and three behinds marked its highest ever first quarter score in 43 games against the Eagles since 1987. It narrowly surpassed the Magpies' 8.1 in the Qualifying Final at VFL Park in 1990. - Not only was it Collingwood's greatest ever first quarter against the Eagles, it was its best for the season (ahead of its 5.7 against Geelong in round eight). In fact, it was Collingwood's best first quarter since it kicked 8.2 against the Cats in round 16 last year. The last time the Magpies managed more than 8.3 in an opening quarter was back in round four, 2011, when they beat Richmond by 71 points. - The win continues the Pies' winning run against the Coasters at the MCG. It was Collingwood's eighth successive win against the Eagles at the home of football, with the run beginning with Brodie Holland's eight goal performance in round two, 2002. The only time the Eagles have ever beaten the Magpies at the MCG was in round two, 1995, when they were fresh off their 1994 premiership triumph. The match was Nathan Buckley's 25th for Collingwood and John Worsfold's 158th for the Eagles. Other notable names to feature for the Magpies included Brett James, Brad Rowe, Shane Kerrison and Nick Hider, while the West Coast line-up comprised Fraser Gehrig, Chris Mainwaring and Guy McKenna. - A fact that has quietly slipped beneath the cracks is that West Coast's 5.9 (39) was Collingwood's equal lowest score against all season (level with Melbourne in round 11). In fact, four of the Magpies' seven lowest scores against for the season have been registered in the past five weeks – a sure sign that the Collingwood machine is beginning to fire on all cylinders.

- It's high time that Josh Thomas received his dues. The 21-year-old banana bender had to wait patiently for his injured feet to heel during his first three years at the club but it has proven to be worth the wait for both player and club. In his 17th match, Thomas feasted on 35 possessions (19 kicks, 16 handballs), of which seven took the ball inside 50. He also won a career-high 27 uncontested possessions and notched four clearances (one behind Scott Pendlebury who led the way with five). Thomas' 35 possessions easily outstripped his previous career-best of 28 against Fremantle in round seven. Importantly, he hit the scoreboard for the third week running after a four-week dry spell. Having featured in every match since round 10 and with a new two-year deal in his back pocket, it now appears that Thomas is a fixture in Collingwood's best 22.

TALKING POINTS

1. Grundy passes tall test Big, burly Brodie Grundy was all the rage this week after his brilliant showing last round against Hawthorn. But perhaps the hardest test of his young career came against West Coast ruckman Dean Cox, the leading man in the role for the best part of a decade. It was an important contest in the context of the game, too. Entering it, the Eagles were ranked second for hit-outs this season compared to the 18th-ranked Pies. Grundy lost the hit-out count (23-28), but had more impact around the ground and won the duel. Another scalp for the fifth-gamer. 2. Trading places Grundy came to the club via pick 18 at last year's NAB AFL Draft, which was acquired after the Pies traded premiership player Sharrod Wellingham to the Eagles. Wellingham's debut season at his new club hasn't been smooth; his pre-season ankle injury almost ruined his campaign before it started. He had another injury scare in the first quarter against Collingwood after limping from the field favouring is left ankle, but returned to finish with 14 disposals. Magpies forward Quinten Lynch, also playing against his old side for the first time, kicked two goals, both in the first quarter. Lynch crossed from the Eagles, where he played in the 2006 premiership, to Collingwood at the end of last season as a free agent. 3. 'Dids' he do enough? Alan Didak returned to the Collingwood line-up for the first time since round 11 in a bid to claim a finals spot. The 30-year-old Magpie has been playing with the club's VFL side and last week hit top form, gathering 33 disposals and kicking a goal. Against West Coast, Didak started as the substitute but came into the game at the start of the third quarter when Luke Ball was subbed out. Each of his 15 possessions was cheered loudly by the Collingwood faithful, and he looked at home zipping around the midfield and half-forward. The Magpie army was in raptures when Didak strolled in to kick a goal in the final term.

4. Macaffer's Gaff-er tape Andrew Gaff has had to deal with a few new things. Clubs have put more time into him this season, and it's meant taggers have come to him more regularly, making it harder for the young West Coast midfielder to sweep from half-back and set up the play. It was again the case against Collingwood, with Brent Macaffer limiting Gaff's influence. Macaffer, in his 50th game, kept Gaff to only eight first-half possessions when the game was won. He finished with 17, but Gaff became another notch on Macaffer's belt in his season of improvement as a defensive midfielder. 5. History repeats For the eighth consecutive time, West Coast left the MCG after playing Collingwood on the end of a loss. The Eagles last beat Collingwood at the ground in round two, 1995. In that game, the Eagles kicked five goals to one in the final quarter to win by four points. Current coach John Worsfold had 12 disposals, teammate (and now Gold Coast coach) Guy McKenna had 17, while Jason Ball kicked four goals. For the Magpies, current coach Nathan Buckley had 19 disposals. ..... Didak started as the substitute but came into the game at the start of the third quarter when Luke Ball was subbed out. Each of his 15 possessions was cheered loudly by the Collingwood faithful, and he looked at home zipping around the midfield and half-forward. The Magpie army was in raptures when Didak strolled in to kick a goal in the final term.

THE MEDIA

COLLINGWOOD NEWS Collingwood played the best football of its season in its first-quarter thrashing of West Coast on Friday night, according to coach Nathan Buckley. But Buckley insists his side needs to step up another gear to compete in September action after sealing an elimination final in Melbourne. The Magpies had the game won by quarter-time against the Eagles, holding a 37-point lead after booting 8.3 (51) in the first term – their highest-scoring opening quarter of the season. They did not continue at the same rate, ending up winning by 62 points, but Buckley was pleased the damage was done early. "The first quarter is as good as footy we've played," Buckley said. "[Our] contested ball, [we] defended really hard, put great pressure around the ball, and was able to take it inside 50 and be really damaging. "That's as good as we've played in in all three phases." It continued what Buckley described as the club's best form patch of the year, on the back of impressive wins over Essendon and the Sydney Swans, and a competitive showing against Hawthorn last week. "Our most sustained, solid batch of football has been in the last month against pretty good opposition. We fell short against Hawthorn last week but I thought there was some areas in our control that we could do a lot better when we next play Hawthorn," Buckley said. "There's no guarantees on that. We've got to keep winning if we want to meet them, and that's another thing in our control. "We're playing decent footy, but we're going to need to improve and go up a couple of rungs, which we're more than capable of, if we want to do the damage we'd like to inflict in the next five weeks." Collingwood is confident key midfielders Dayne Beams and Luke Ball will be available for next Sunday's clash with North Melbourne. Beams was a late withdrawal after pulling up with back tightness following training this week, while Ball was subbed off at half time with calf tightness. Buckley said medical staff advised him Ball was fine, and part of his substitution was to bring veteran Alan Didak into the game.                                  COLLINGWOOD NEWS Collingwood has enjoyed a timely confidence boost on the eve of the finals, dominating a flat West Coast to win by 62 points at the MCG on Friday night. After being humbled by Hawthorn seven days earlier, the Magpies bounced back in a powerful performance that re-established them as a September threat. In an even performance that will leave coach Nathan Buckley with selection headaches, Collingwood ran out 15.11 (101) to 5.9 (39) winners to improve its record to 14-7 for the season. The severity of West Coast's fall, however, is sure to be a major talking point after its lowest-ever score at the MCG, which came a week after its lowest score at Patersons Stadium. Incredibly, it was less than 12 months ago these two clubs played off at the MCG for a place in a Preliminary Final. The Eagles' inability to be competitive meant the contest fizzled by quarter time, with Collingwood 37 points clear and in no danger of surrendering that lead with its season still alive. Brownlow Medallist Dane Swan was best on ground, winning 34 possessions and kicking two goals, tearing through a lethargic Eagles midfield with his running power. The only concern for the Magpies was a possible injury to midfielder Luke Ball, who was substituted in the opening minutes of the third quarter with what appeared to be a calf concern. Otherwise, it was a night for the Magpies' faithful to enjoy, with the club's young players superb as they fought for positions in the team going into finals. Alan Didak, who was substituted into the match for Ball, also earned loud applause every time he won the football in his third appearance this season. Every Magpie on the ground ran to him when he kicked a goal halfway through the final term. Young midfielder Josh Thomas starred in the first half with 22 possessions and a goal, and he kicked on to finish with 35 disposals. Paul Seedsman was a late inclusion, replacing midfielder Dayne Beams (back tightness), and he took his chance, winning 30 possessions and kicking a good running goal from long range. Key forward Travis Cloke took the lead in the Coleman Medal race, kicking three goals to take his season tally to 61. Ben Reid remained forward and kicked four goals, while Scott Pendlebury (37 possessions), Marley Williams (27) and ruckman Brodie Grundy (11 and 23 hit-outs) were impressive. Scott Selwood (33 disposals) battled hard for the Eagles, as did Matt Priddis (32 and nine tackles) in his 150th game. They lacked support, however, on a dark night for the Eagles. Rubbing salt into the wound, young forward Jack Darling was substituted out of the clash early in the third quarter with a possible hamstring concern. Collingwood produced its best first quarter for the year and its best start ever against West Coast, racing to 8.3 (51) at the first break, with the Eagles held to just two goals. From that point there was a sense of inevitability about the result. "The first quarter is as good as footy we've played," Buckley said after the match. "(Our) contested ball, (we) defended really well, put pressure around the ball, and were able to take it inside 50 and be really damaging. "That's as good as we've played in in all three phases." While they held their own at the coalface early, the Eagles couldn't contain the run of their desperate opponents who had options and space whenever they won the football. By half time the Magpies had won 29 more uncontested possessions than West Coast, taken 19 more uncontested marks and laid eight more tackles. Out-of-contract coach John Worsfold said he knew what the Eagles needed to do to improve, but conceded the season had undoubtedly been disappointing after West Coast had been tipped by many as a flag favourite. "This club's always measured success on premierships, but also on performing up to expectations," he said, admitting the meek end to the season had challenged his self-belief. "This year we've been under expectations, and that's been really disappointing. "Whether it's a wasted opportunity or not, I'm not sure." There is a changing of the guard underway at West Coast as premiership heroes retire and others near the end of their decorated careers. The question that arose on Friday night was who, other than Selwood, is ready to drive the Eagles' response from a horror year in 2014.                                  THE AUSTRALIAN WITHIN 10 minutes of the opening siren at the MCG last night, Collingwood had five goals on the board and West Coast was beaten. Ostensibly, the Eagles were playing for a finals spot given the prospect that Essendon will be stripped of premiership points within days over the supplements scandal. Yet bar the odd effort here or there, West Coast gave nothing when beaten by 62 points, losing 15.11 (101) to 5.9 (39), though for a period it seemed the margin might blow out to triple figures. If any Eagle had September on his mind, it was not another date in Melbourne in a fortnight playing football, rather an escape from Perth on holidays to avoid Fremantle make its run at a maiden flag. Such was the lack of early intensity, West Coast's next board meeting may be interesting should coach John Worsfold confirm that he wants to continue next season, for the Eagles were woeful against Geelong last week and worse last night. The club has effectively offered him an extension, yet the team's form has mirrored that of a bottom side over the past fortnight, not withstanding the fact several topline players are missing. With West Coast now out of contention, the battle for ninth position - and a most unusual finals berth - now rests between the incumbent in Carlton and North Melbourne, with Brisbane the roughest of chances. That could be decided by tonight should Carlton, which is a game clear, beat the demoralised Bombers at the MCG, and North Melbourne, which boasts a vastly superior percentage, falter against premiership favourite Hawthorn at Etihad Stadium. With their opposition barely competitive, the goal for the Magpies last night was to build percentage and finish injury-free to face the finals. On that count, Luke Ball was taken off in the third quarter with calf soreness. The scale of the win will make it hard for Richmond to reclaim fifth spot tomorrow, even though it faces Greater Western Sydney. The Magpies' only casualty happened before the match, with Dayne Beams withdrawing with a tight back. But there were many positives. Midfield stars Dane Swan (34 possessions) and Scott Pendlebury (37 touches) ran amok. Josh Thomas, 21, also shone, gathering 35 touches in a performance aimed at securing his position come the finals. Young ruckman Brodie Grundy went up against champion Eagle Dean Cox and proved extremely competitive again. Alan Didak, the flecks of grey hair beginning to appear, played his first game since round 11 as a substitute yet was lively when injected into the match in the second half. A last-term goal pleased teammates and fans alike. Nathan Brown, too, gained some timely confidence when holding star Eagle forward Josh Kennedy goalless. That did his teammate Travis Cloke a favour, for the Magpie was able to claim the lead in the Coleman Medal with three goals in what is an extremely tight race. Cloke, who has kicked 61 goals, leads Kennedy, Hawk Jarryd Roughead and young Giant Jeremy Cameron by one, though the latter two both have a game in hand this weekend. While luck deserted Kennedy, who missed with the opening shot of the night and never looked likely thereafter given the poor quality of delivery into the West Coast forward line, it was certainly with Cloke, for all three goals could be considered the result of fortune. His first two came from the goal line courtesy of 50m penalties awarded against his opponent Eric Mackenzie. Both appeared generous. A third was a handball from a teammate while straight in front. Nonetheless, should Roughead and Cameron fail to fire this weekend, Cloke is a chance to claim his first Coleman Medal and it will not be the three garnered last night that he will remember.

REAL FOOTY On a wintry night at the MCG, West Coast picked up where it left off in last week's thrashing by Geelong, and Collingwood resumed its late season purple patch after last week's statutory interruption by Hawthorn. The result was an eight-goals-to-two first quarter, seven goals to three in the balance of the match and a 10-goal win for the Magpies. Since they had nothing materially to gain from this match, and the Eagles nothing at all, it made for a dry business, sensed in advance even by diehards, which meant that the crowd was 10,000 fewer than expected. For Collingwood, there was plenty to cherish. Dayne Beams was a late withdrawal, but into his role stepped bullocking Josh Thomas to play his best game. Ben Kennedy and Paul Seedsman, replacing Beams, were crucially involved, gratifyingly relieving Dane Swan and Scott Pendlebury of some of their burden. Tyro ruckman Brodie Grundy, confronted with Dean Cox, took another step, and you can be certain it was straight ahead. Heath Shaw and Quinten Lynch, both latterly beset in their different ways, both found semblances of form. Ben Reid kicked four more goals as the remodelled forward line structure again produced. Nathan Brown put his Kurt Tippett nightmare a further match behind; he kept Coleman leader Josh Kennedy goal-less and his cohorts kept the Eagles to their lowest ever score at the MCG. Luke Ball played a finals standard first half - earning as many possessions as all bar five of the Eagles for the entire game - but did not appear for the second because of an apparent injury, and it must be said that Collingwood's hard edge was blunted by a degree or two then. A reckoning awaits. Best of all in terms of entertainment, Alan Didak, upon replacing Ball, was cheered to the echo for his every hard-running touch, and when he kicked a goal in the last quarter, gift-wrapped by Swan, he was mobbed as if he had had just put away the winner in an FA Cup final. Forgetting or ignoring protocol, he did not run off the ground. This all was stimulating for the Magpies as they draw up the blueprint, but it must set against what was at first another insipid performance by the Eagles, rising in the second half to adequate. Their only joy from the match was, well, the knowledge that their season's travels are done. The two signal of Collingwood's eight first quarter goals were kicked by former Eagle Lynch in his first appearance against his old club. Latterly wretchedly out of form, he began as if the Eagles had awakened something in him. The first was on the run, not really a term much associated with Lynch. But another goal was just as telling. As the ball trickled over the boundary line on the wing, Jack Darling inexplicably pulled at Shaw's jumper, though the ball was dead. Doubling his mistake, Darling then made for the interchange gate, leaving Shaw with the free kick and no opponent. Seconds later, Thomas had converted the break into a goal. Darling's dereliction summed up the Eagles. Inexplicably, on a damp night, they tried to sweep the ball by hand on a great arc, and under the Magpies' ferocious pressure invariably came unstuck. The Magpies also used plenty of handball, but under less pressure, and so more cleanly. Effectively finished at quarter-time, the match became for the Eagles an exercise in shutting the gate after the horse has bolted. They tightened, reducing Collingwood's scoring, but as a corollary creating even fewer scoring chances of their own. For the Magpies, it became a rehearsal for September, but scarcely full dress. Didak's entry enlivened the entertainment, but had no other bearing. Inevitably, as the margin widened, the intensity fell. The keynote moment was at the end of the third quarter when Cox was lumbering towards goal with no one ahead of him, fumbled a bounce and by the time he recovered the ball, the siren had rung. It would have been a mercy for all if, like the AFL and Essendon, they had agreed then on a suitable margin and all gone off to rehab. CLOKE IN FRONT Travis Cloke took the lead in the race for the Coleman Medal when he accepted a handball from Sam Dwyer and booted his third goal for the night, from the goal square 10 minutes into the second half. The big forward edged ahead of Jeremy Cameron, Jarryd Roughead and Josh Kennedy, who were tied on 60 goals at the start of the round. Importantly for Collingwood, Ben Reid provided a second target and the pair worked well together; Cloke grabbed a typically strong mark on the boundary line and delivered to Reid to present the former defender with his fourth. Kennedy was goalless for the second week in a row. GOAL GIZMO The second of Reid's goals gave the umpires the first chance to play with the AFL's new toy. The revamped goal review technology gives the umpires multiple camera angles on one screen, designed to improve accuracy and cut down the time taken to reach decisions. Reid's soccered kick seven minutes into the match looked like a goal, and it was a goal. It just took five camera angles on one screen, of West Coast's Mitch Brown lunging in an unsuccessful bid to touch the ball, to establish it. WELCOME RETURN When Luke Ball was subbed out of the match after half-time, veteran Alan Didak came on for his first AFL match since round 11. Didak ran hard and gathered seven touches for the quarter, and every Collingwood player ran to him when he waltzed into an open goal in the last term.                             SUPERFOOTY REMEMBER how a finalist squandered an eight goals to two opening quarter to lose at the MCG a week ago? Well, Collingwood was never going to relive Richmond's embarrassment and effort on Friday night. Tigers coach Damien Hardwick witnessed first-half from the grandstand how the Magpies maintained the intensity to bury West Coast by 62 points. Nothing fancy. Just a relentless attack on the ball and the ball-carrier to run and spread or force a turnover. And the Pies kept at it, despite getting a little tardy at times in the second half when it had long ceased to be a geniune contest. Collingwood built on the 8.3 opening, its best ever first quarter against the Eagles, with clinical efficiency, laced with gut-running to complement that intense harassment. Admittedly, the depleted and demoralised Eagles was vastly inferior opposition than the Tigers encountered with Carlton last Saturday afternoon. But Magpies coach Nathan Buckley would be hard to please if he wasn't satisfied with the collective commitment of his hard-working team. Only left calf soreness that forced midfielder Luke Ball to be subbed out at half-time could dim the Magpies' performance. And Ball had virtually completed a night's work anyway with 18 possessions in an outstanding first half contribution. His early night allowed the Pies to get valuable game-time into the experienced Alan Didak whose every touch prompted rousing cheers as the second half meandered to its limp and inevitable conclusion. Nearly every teammate ran to Didak to deliver their own welcome-back pat when he goalled on the run from close range in the last quarter. Aside from Ball's soreness, everything fitted like a Travis Cloke glove for the disciplined Magpies. From key defender Nathan Brown severely denting Eagle Josh Kennedy's Coleman Medal aspirations, to the understanding between tall targets Ben Reid and Cloke at the other end to share seven goals. West Coast was like a group on an early footy trip to Melbourne, a Friday night outing in which, sadly, several were almost as ineffective as if they were sitting beside Hardwick in the stand. Collingwood's only other concerns may be video checks on first half incidents involving Ball and Heath Shaw. Ball found himself confronted by inevitable front-on contact, albeit light, when Jamie Cripps ducked into a tackle in the first quarter. And Shaw was fortunate Eagles forward Jack Darling wasn't injured after a push from the Pies defender propelled him into the advertising hoardings on the boundary fence in the second term. Collingwood was relentless almost from the opening minute. Little Jarryd Blair displayed that valued forward pressure with a tackle to dispossess Blayne Wilson and chipped a pass to Quinten Lynch for the first goal after just three minutes. By the 10-minute mark, the menacing Magpies had set the agenda, running up a dozen pressure acts inside their forward 50 compared to a measy three from West Coast. It was the contrasting pattern of the contest. Collingwood players hungry for the ball, particularly those younger ones whose positions aren't secure in the team. Like Paul Seedsman, a late replacement for onballer Dayne Beams' back soreness, with his run and rebound out of defence. And Ben Kennedy's attack on the loose ball up forward. Kennedy's contesting instincts, in fact, induced a rare Eagles show of aggression. The Magpie was a little over-exhuberant with a tackle on Darren Glass early in the second quarter, prompting the veteran West Coast defender to pin the smaller Kennedy in a brief but violent wrestle behind play. Not only did the Eagles struggle to match Collingwood's leg speed, they emphasised the frustration with costly ill-discipline at times. Even normally reliable defender Eric MacKenzie, who had held Travis Cloke goalless at their past two meetings, gifted his foe two goals in the lopsided first half. A late push after Cloke had marked on the lead provoked a 50m penalty. And the same occurred when Cloke was dragged to the goalline again when the Eagles defender backchatted the umpire midway through the second term. Literally pushing Cloke closer into Coleman Medal contention was an illustration of West Coast's inability to even hold their own in the mental games on a forgettable night.                                   Nothing fancy. Just a relentless attack on the ball and the ball-carrier to run and spread or force a turnover. And the Pies kept at it, despite getting a little tardy at times in the second half when it had long ceased to be a geniune contest. Collingwood built on the 8.3 opening, its best ever first quarter against the Eagles, with clinical efficiency, laced with gut-running to complement that intense harassment. SUPERFOOTY

Round 22: The Team

Collingwood v West Coast Friday August 23, 7.50pm MCG 7mate / Fox Footy 7.30pm Weather: Min 10 Max 15 Chance of rain 90%: 1-5mm Wind: WSW 31kph Betting: Collingwood $1.13 West Coast $6.00

B: Nathan Brown, Nick Maxwell, Heath Shaw
HB: Marley Williams, Lachlan Keeffe, Tyson Goldsack
C: Harry O'Brien, Dayne Beams, Luke Ball
HF: Steele Sidebottom, Quinten Lynch, Jarryd Blair
F: Alan Didak, Travis Cloke, Ben Reid
Foll: Brodie Grundy, Scott Pendlebury, Dane Swan
Int: Brent Macaffer, Josh Thomas, Ben Kennedy, Sam Dwyer
Emg: Jordan Russell, Ben Hudson, Paul Seedsman

IN: Alan Didak, Ben Kennedy
OUT: Jamie Elliott (shoulder), Ben Sinclair (hamstring)

Milestone: Brent Macaffer (50 games)

Collingwood News Collingwood has made two changes to its side for tomorrow night’s clash against West Coast at the MCG, with Alan Didak and Ben Kennedy poised to make their returns following extended stints at VFL level. Selected in the place of injured pair Jamie Elliott and Ben Sinclair, Didak and Kennedy’s selection, emphasises the impressive level of depth available at the club’s disposal, with the duo primed to make an immediate impact. With his last outing for the VFL Magpies hailed by Development Manager Craig McRae as his best yet in Black and White, Kennedy’s selection is due reward for a series of progressively improving displays, which has seen the South Australian impress with his ball use and attack at the contest. Fielded in a midfield role against Sandringham last weekend, Kennedy collected 28 possessions, including nine clearances and four inside 50s, while laying two tackles, helping drive the side to an emphatic 10-goal win at Trevor Barker Oval. Having struggled to force his way back into the Magpies side since overcoming a calf injury, Didak produced a timely star turn at the home of the Zebras, with his 33 disposals, including four inside 50s and four rebound 50s to highlight his effective ball use. While Didak hasn’t featured at senior level since Collingwood’s emphatic round 11 triumph over Melbourne, the former Copeland Trophy winner has remained among the club’s leading contributors at VFL level, where his class and poise has been telling. With Didak and Kennedy the sole inclusions, and Ben Hudson, Jordan Russell and Paul Seedsman named to the emergencies list, Darren Jolly will once again be forced to press his claims for a return to the fold via the VFL, with the form of 2013 debutant Brodie Grundy proving irresistible. While recently confirming Grundy has consolidated his place as Collingwood’s number one ruck option following a series of increasingly impressive displays, senior coach Nathan Buckley believes the towering duo can operate in concert. “To be honest, Brodie is our No.1 ruckman right now - the way he's performed over the last month has been exceptional,” Buckley said. “That doesn't discount the fact that both of them (Grundy and Jolly) can play together.” Meanwhile, wingman Clinton Young is likely to see his first tentative steps back to competitive action in the VFL after recovering from a hamstring injury which has sidelined him since round 16.

Round 22 Preview: Collingwood v West Coast

SportsMatt As the 2013 AFL Premiership season edges closer to the finals series, it gives us all a chance to reflect at the season that has come before us. Take the West Coast Eagles for example, a playing group that pre season were tipped by many not only as a top four chance, but as a genuine premiership contender. Many good judges had actually selected the Eagles as their premiership team for season 2013 yet after 21 rounds of action (20 games) West Coast sit in 11th place. The Eagles will not play finals this season and that’s a great shock to most. Then there’s Collingwood, yet another team that many good judges chose as a genuine premiership contender, yet the Magpies, who at least will partake in the finals series, have had a season of under achievement themselves. Collingwood currently sit sixth on the AFL ladder which is definitely a few places lower than what the club would have hoped for. Of course both clubs have excuses and reasons as to why they have fallen down the ladder this season but in the end, the ladder tells the story and both aren’t premiership threats. This Friday night, the two clubs get a chance to make some atonement for their season so far when they face off at the MCG in the round 22 opener. It will be the first time these twomassive clubs have faced off in 2013 which is itself another weird quirk of the AFL fixture. The last time these two sides met was also at the MCG, but under much different circumstances as they fought to avoid elimination in last years semi final. The Pies came out on top that night by 13 points in a tight game where one man was probably the difference, Dale Thomas. Thomas hasn’t played much since, in fact he’s only managed the 5 senior games in 2013 and last week broke down again while trying to return through the VFL. Injuries have been a major cause for the decline of both teams this season but realistically it’s not the only excuse, or reason. Both teams are at the cross roads with several of their more experienced players, with the likes of Didak, Johnson, Jolly, Krakouer and Hudson nearing the end for Collingwood while the Eagles have their own problems with Nicoski, Adam Selwood and Daniel Kerr. These problems though have meant that the clubs have tried plenty of youngsters and new players in 2013 and it is easy to see both teams fighting back hard next season. PREVIOUS FORM The Eagles have mixed their form all season and just when it seemed they may have been ready to make one last push at a spot in the eight, West Coast put up what might have been their most insipid performance of the season last week. The Cats smashed them from the first bounce, winning the first quarter by 4 goals and the second by even more to put the game to bed by half time with a 56 point lead. The final margin of 66 points may have even flattered the Eagles, that’s how bad they were at home last week. Before that they had given their fans some hope with wins over the Gold Coast Suns and Essendon yet any hope died early on during last weeks game. Rarely do you see the Eagles basically give up so easily at home and it’s increased calls from some quarters for coach John Worsfold’s head, although the club seems more likely to retain him. Maybe the only positive of the night was the performance from ex Magpie Sharrod Wellingham who was the Eagles best player on the night. Wellingham will help the Eagles for many years to come, and if their 2013 form is anything to go by they will need all the help they can get. The Magpies also gave their fans some hope leading into last weekend’s round with two wins over top quality opponents in Essendon and Sydney. Yet like the Eagles they were bought crashing back to earth as their nemesis, the side the Magpies just don’t seem to be able to beat, the Hawks, once again disposed of the Pies in pretty easy fashion by 35 points. Collingwood fans, and players alike went into the game with confidence a plenty after a great win over the reigning premiers in Sydney, yet early on the signs weren’t great as the Hawks piled on both the pressure and the score, to lead by almost 6 goals just before half time. Collingwood had their best period of the game just before the main break, kicking the last three goals to get the margin back to 15 points. After half time though the Hawks once again took over, starving the Collingwood forwards of scoring opportunities and the result was never really in doubt as the third quarter drew to an end. It was a loss that ended any faint hope that Collingwood had of a top four finish and may have all but ended their premiership dreams for 2013 as well. COLLINGWOOD PREVIEW  It’s been a tough year for Collingwood but may well be the year that we all look back on and see as the pivotal one in terms of their next premiership. Early in the season it became quite apparent that the Magpies would struggle to match it with the best sides, and apart from wins over Geelong and Sydney that has been true for the season so far. The Magpies have had their fair share of injuries, with Toovey, Thomas, Fasolo, Beams, Ball, Krakouer, Jolly, Keeffe and Williams all missing significant games but it has given plenty of young and upcoming players an opportunity to test themselves at senior level. Some have failed, some have starred while some are clearly developing before our eyes into stars of the future. It’s the path Collingwood had to take if it was to be a serious challenger for years to come although it may have come at the sacrifice of season 2013. The season isn’t over yet though and the Pies will play in their 8th consecutive finals series in a few weeks time, an achievement that is unmatched by any one else in the AFL at the moment. The positive of this season has been the emergence of some talented players with Keeffe, Williams, Elliott and Grundy now all firmly entrenched in the Magpies senior line up. This Friday night may see the introduction of a few more youngsters with injuries to Jamie Elliott (hamstring) and Ben Sinclair (shoulder) requiring at least two additions this week. On form Ben Kennedy and Paul Seedsman would be the most likely to replace those two, but there’s one familiar name that is making one last push for senior selection, maybe ever. Alan Didak was in the best players last week in the Magpies season saving VFL win and this is the closest Didak has come to claiming a spot back in the side since his last appearance back in round 11. Also in the VFL were ruckman Jolly, Hudson and Witts and with Quinten Lynch continuing to struggle at senior level one of those three may be included at the expense of the ex Eagle. The VFL side’s win over Sandringham kept it in contention for the finals and with a win in the final VFL game this Saturday, the Magpies will have a reserves side in action for at least one week longer than last year. This isn’t a must win game for the Magpies as it seems almost certain that they’ll finish 6th or 7th now, but if Richmond were to slip up at any point (again) the Pies could still finish 5th. Also it pays to enter the finals with a bit of form and if Collingwood can win it’s final 2 games it would have won 5 of it’s last 6 games, with the only loss coming to the premiership favourite. OPPOSITION ANALYSIS It’s been a tough year for the West Coast Eagles with injuries, form slumps and the beginning of the end for some players adding together for a wasted season. The list of Eagles players who have missed significant game time in 2013 is long, with Natanui (11 games played), Nicoski (0 games), Kerr (10 games), Waters (7), Wellingham (8), Hurn (12 – out for season now), LeCras (15 – out for season) among those affected. The current injury list has most of those names on it and all of those on the round 22 injury list have now been ruled out for the season. Added to that has been the less than stellar season of several senior players, as well as an un West Coast like home record. Even when the Eagles have struggled in seasons, Subiaco Oval has been a place where they could come home to and dominate at, yet the Eagles have lost a remarkable 8 games on their home ground this season. In fact their away record is better than their home record in season 2013. The Eagles still have an array of talent on their list and their forward line leads the way with a four pronged attack. Kennedy, Darling, LeCras and Hill have all contributed heavily to the Eagles scoring this year with Kennedy currently leading the Coleman Medal chase with 60 goals. When the Eagles have been able to get it inside their forward 50 they are a dangerous team indeed, and while the absence of Nic Natanui for long periods has restricted them a little bit, their forward line is still very effective. This week it runs into a Pies backline that does a nice impression of Jekyll and Hyde, one week it’s as good as any in the AFL and then the next week it’s leaking goals at an alarming rate. At one stage last week it looked as if the Hawks would post a massive total and even the 118 they ended up on was way too high for that defensive groups liking. If the Eagles can get the ball inside forward 50 enough, they could make a game of this one yet. If you go solely by statistics the Eagles midfield is still performing quite well, as it’s ranked 3rd for clearances, 6th for centre clearances and 7th for contested possessions. Yet in some games it’s seemed as if the Eagles midfield has struggled for large periods of the game to gain any ascendancy over their opponents. Champion ruckman Dean Cox is still going around for the Eagles, and while his best days may be behind him Cox has still carried the Eagles to the second most hitouts of any team so far this season. It’s an area that the Eagles will have to be very good at this week, coming up against a midfield that is in sparkling form, with Ball, Pendlebury, Beams, Swan and Sidebottom all gathering close to or over 30 possessions on a regular basis. Of course Cox should dominate the ruck, but it will be interesting to see if youngster Brodie Grundy is asked to carry the ruck duties or if the experienced Darren Jolly is included. The Eagles may well be missing several players through injury but apart from Kerr their midfield isn’t greatly affected by this, and should be assisting the rest of the team a bit more, even if the stats show a rosy picture. The Eagles backline may have been hardest hit by injuries this year with Hurn and Waters both missing a lot of football in 2013. Darren Glass has still been the rock down back and is almost certain to get Travis Cloke on Friday night, which will leave McKenzie or Mitch Brown to take Reid and the secondary ruck. Where Collingwood has improved recently though is finding goals from it’s small/medium forwards and midfielders and this may be an area that the Eagles find hard to restrict them in. The Eagles are also lacking that run off half back that makes the really good sides so strong, although with the missing players they have that’s not entirely a shock. West Coast have been using youngsters like Wilson and Carter to cover the loss and while they have shown promising signs, they aren’t near the level of Hurn and Waters yet. This may be the area of the ground that West Coast really need to lift in or else the Pies forwards may have a field day/night. It’s a tough game for the Eagles to get up for this weekend, their finals hopes are gone but there’s always pride as well as list places to play for. Coach John Worsfold stated just that in his weekly media conference that several players are playing for their careers in the closing rounds and with a long injury list of talented players hopeful of returning next season, you can see what Worsfold is on about. The Eagles injury list isn’t as long as some have been banging on about though and their fans will want to see them finish the season with a bit of fight, something that was missing for sure last Saturday night against the Cats. TIP Collingwood should win this game, they simply are the better team at the moment and have a lot more to play for. The Eagles will want to put up a better performance than last week but as soon as a club starts putting injured players out for the year, usually to get surgery done sooner rather than later, they seem to fall away on field. The Magpies do lose two players of their own to injury but I can’t see it making much difference, they should win this by plenty. PIES BY 38 POINTS.                            AFL SUMMARY Collingwood's loss to Hawthorn on Friday night dashed its flickering hopes of a top four finish at the end of the home and away season, so the task facing the Pies is to win at least one more match to ensure they play their opening final in Melbourne. They should get the points here, with a week to prepare and playing at home, against a side on a short week having to travel across the country.  West Coast was terribly disappointing in losing by 66 points to Geelong, ruling itself out of finals contention once and for all. This shaped as a Grand Final preview at the start of the season and it is hard to believe that after 22 weeks, it will count for virtually nought. LAST FIVE TIMES 1SF, 2012, Collingwood 10.13 (73) d West Coast 9.6 (60) at the MCG R22, 2012, West Coast 15.17 (107) d Collingwood 8.10 (58) at Patersons Stadium R13, 2012, Collingwood 12.13 (85) d West Coast 12.10 (82) at the MCG 1QF, 2011, Collingwood 12.10 (82) d West Coast 9.8 (62) at the MCG R10, 2011, Collingwood 16.9 (105) d West Coast 7.11 (53) at the MCG THE SIX POINTS 1.  Collingwood and West Coast haven't played since last year's first semi-final, which the Magpies won by 13 points. 2. The Magpies have dominated the Eagles recently winning eight of the last nine contests including a club record seven straight wins from 2007-12. 3. This will be the 43rd clash between the sides, with the Eagles holding a 21-20 edge. There has been one draw. 4. This will be only the second time in history Collingwood and West Coast have played a Friday night blockbuster at the MCG. 5. The game could be won and lost in the ruck - West Coast is ranked second for hit-outs this season compared to Collingwood, which is ranked last. 6. Magpie pair Scott Pendlebury and Dane Swan remain comfortably ensconced in the top 10 of the Official AFL Player Ratings. If Nic Naitanui (ranked 12) doesn't play, the next best-ranked West Coast player will be Shannon Hurn at No.30.

Collingwood News Collingwood v West Coast Friday August 23, 7.50pm MCG 7mate / Fox Footy 7.30pm Weather: Min 10 Max 15 Chance of rain 90%: 1-5mm Wind: WSW 31kph Betting: Collingwood $1.13 West Coast $6.00 The penultimate round of the AFL home and away season is upon us, with Collingwood and West Coast to open the round this Friday night at the MCG. In years gone by, this game would be considered a dead-rubber considering Collingwood can no longer make the top four yet is also secure in the top eight, and West Coast is mathematically out of contention for a top eight position. However, there is still a chance Collingwood could be forced to travel to Adelaide to play the Power if the Magpies lose their next two games and Port Adelaide win. A win this week secures a home Elimination Final. There is still something to play for this round in the context of both sides’ fate this season. Nonetheless, both sides had disappointing losses last week and will be looking to restore some pride. Collingwood played with good intensity and effort last week but was ultimately outclassed by ladder-leaders Hawthorn. The Magpies would have been disappointed with their skill level and inability to stick crucial tackles. It was a real let down after two terrific weeks of football whereby it looked as if the Magpies were back to their absolute best. West Coast on the other hand was blown away by a rampaging Geelong with the match effectively over by quarter time. The Eagles would’ve felt as if they were an outside chance to cause an upset given their impressive effort against Essendon the week prior. However, injuries have severely taken a toll on them and they met the full force of a hungry Geelong side last Saturday. Turning the focus onto Collingwood, and there could be a temptation for coach Nathan Buckley to be experimental with team selection, or alternatively rest some key players considering a top eight spot is now secure but a double chance is out of reach. I think Buckley will resist this temptation considering it has taken the better part of 20 rounds to obtain some consistency in regards to team selection. Now is the time to get stability in the side before September. It will be a tricky assignment this week against a highly unpredictable West Coast outfit that is capable of good footy. Collingwood will be looking at this match as an opportunity to start gathering momentum ahead of September. Recent History Amazingly, this is the first time these two sides have met so far this year. You have to go back to last year’s Semi-Final for their last encounter. It was Collingwood that won on that occasion by 13 points. Dayne Beams was terrific with 30 possessions, whilst the usual suspects in Dane Swan and Scott Pendlebury had 29 each. Dale Thomas also reminded the football world that he is a big game player booting three crucial goals and turning the match on its head. For the Eagles, Daniel Kerr had 29 disposals and Josh Hill booted two goals. Gaff was also impressive with 26 disposals, while Dean Cox was dominant in the ruck. Collingwood has won eight of its last nine matches against the Eagles. At the Selection Table Both sides have battled with injuries this year. Whilst Collingwood’s injury situation has slowly improved, West Coast’s has continued to deepen. Despite three weeks without a change to the side, Buckley will be forced to make at least two changes this week with Jamie Elliott and Ben Sinclair ruled out due to injury. Elliott’s injury may pave the way for Alan Didak, who was the leading disposal getter in the VFL with 34 disposals, to return. He was inaccurate with one goal and five behinds but the game was played in very windy conditions. Paul Seedsman seems to me to be the likely replacement for Sinclair after a 24-disposal game in the VFL. Darren Jolly was the other notable player to perform strongly at VFL level last week. He had 24 disposals and 34 hitouts. His selection may not be automatic considering Brodie Grundy’s strong form, however Buckley may consider playing the two designated ruckmen. Ben Hudson also performed well in the VFL with four goals. Others who will put their hands up include Ben Kennedy, who had 30 disposals at VFL level and Kyle Martin who booted three goals and found plenty of the football again. Both would be suitable replacements for Elliott. Andrew Krakouer did not play last week due to illness but was in solid form beforehand. The sad news to come this week revolved around Dale Thomas who re-injured his troublesome ankle and has now been ruled out for the year. More positively, Clinton Young is in line to play in the VFL this week as he makes a last minute bid to be available for finals.Turning attention onto West Coast, and it has been a struggle for coach John Worsfold to field his best side all season. Daniel Kerr, Mark LeCras, Nic Naitanui, Shannon Hurn, Mark Nicoski and Beau Waters have all been ruled out for the year and Luke Shuey is also likely to miss another week with a hamstring injury. Chris Masten will face a fitness test after he was a late withdrawal last week with hamstring tightness. Worsfold may be forced to call upon a number of fringe players to fill the void with Adam Selwood and Matt Rosa impressing in the WAFL. Other potential inclusions could be Cale Morton who had 32 touches or Brad Dick who kicked four goals. Dick, in particular, would be a great story if he could break into the team after years of battling injury for both the Magpies and West Coast. It would be great to see him play once more, especially against his old side. Focus on Collingwood There was a lot to like about the effort from the Magpies last week but also a lot to be disappointed about. Hawthorn threatened to blow Collingwood away numerous times yet the Collingwood midfield rallied and the defence held up in the second half. Collingwood would be keen to tidy up its disposal and stick its tackles this week against the Eagles. These are the two areas that cost the Magpies last week against the Hawks. Brodie Grundy – I have been hesitant to write about Grundy simply because I didn’t want to get too excited too soon. A part of me has always believed that he was only minding the ruck position until Jolly returned. However, in just four games, Grundy has just about cemented the number one ruck position and has shown everyone why he was rated so highly as a junior. He is getting better with every week as well. I thought his game last week against Hawthorn was his best yet, with 20 disposals and 28 hitouts. His aggressiveness is the key though. Grundy is never out of the contest, tackles with intent and is slowly beginning to show greater authority in marking contests. Considering he had no pre-season, there is so much upside to Brodie. It is going to be a huge test and learning curve this week against the West Coast champion Dean Cox. He may be aided by the support of Darren Jolly if he is recalled. Harry O’Brien – Since returning to the side in round 18, Harry has been in sparkling form. He looks angry and is tackling with great intent (taking six tackles in each of his last two games). Importantly, he is winning the ball offensively but also contributing defensively. He has also kicked a goal in each of his last four matches, which has added an extra dimension to his game. The team lifts when Harry kicks a goal and so does the crowd. Nathan Brown – It has been a mixed bag for Nathan Brown over the last month, having done terrific jobs on Jarryd Roughead and Scott Gumbleton but getting soundly beaten by Kurt Tippett and Jeremy Cameron. He will again be tested this week as he will likely play on Coleman Medal fancy Josh Kennedy or young Jack Darling. It is a huge test for Brown who will be hoping to find consistency given the fact finals is not far away and Collingwood has struggled to contain power forwards this year. He is forging a good partnership with Lachlan Keeffe who is growing in stature with every game he plays. Focus on West Coast The Eagles have had a year they would rather forget. Injuries are obviously an excuse, but the fact is that West Coast has simply been unable to find any consistency or fluency in their play. West Coast has been soundly beaten all year in the middle with so many key playmakers out and it is going to be a huge test against this star-studded Collingwood midfield. The one area that the Eagles remain strong in is the ruck division. They remain second in the competition for hitouts while the Magpies are languishing in last spot. Therefore, Cox could be the key considering he is likely to face a fifth gamer in Brodie Grundy. Josh Kennedy – Kennedy has been the shining light for the Eagles in 2013 and is equal first in the Coleman race with Jarryd Roughead and Jeremy Cameron (all have 60 goals). His contested marking remains a feature, as has his accuracy in front of goals booting 60 goals and 20 behinds. What is most impressive though is his ability to lead high up the field to produce a target, and also lay forward 50 tackles. His aggression for a big man is top class, and he averages three tackles a game. The Eagles will need a big bag from Kennedy this week if they are to win the game. Sharrod Wellingham – The former Magpie gets his first chance to come up against his old side this Friday night in front of the vocal Collingwood army. Wellingham was a part of the trade that saw Collingwood land the draft pick which secured Brodie Grundy. Sharrod got injured during the pre-season through a freak trampoline accident and did not play until round six. He has only played eight games for the season but has found his best form over the last month averaging 24 disposals and 1.5 goals a game. He will worry the Magpies with his pace and could be a very important player. With so many key players missing from the Eagles midfield, Wellingham needs to step up and continue his solid form. Matt Priddis – Priddis is one of the silent assassins in the competition. With Dean Cox tapping the ball down his throat, Priddis continues to notch up large numbers and always dominates in clearances. Although the Eagles midfield has struggled in 2013, Priddis continues to deliver solid numbers, averaging 26.2 disposals. He was one of his side’s better players last week with 29 disposals. He needs a big game on Friday night as the Eagles need to nullify the influence of the Collingwood midfield. He is likely to square off against Luke Ball and the battle between these two will be very intriguing. If Luke Ball gets on top around stoppages, there will be no stopping Dane Swan and Scott Pendlebury. If Priddis can feed the ball out to guys like Wellingham and Andrew Gaff, then the Eagles may be a chance considering they have the tall timber up forward to worry the Magpies. The Wrap Up Although the Eagles can never be taken lightly, I think the Collingwood midfield is too deep and too talented. I struggle to see West Coast stopping Collingwood’s fab four. Playing away should not worry the Eagles as six of their nine wins have been interstate this year. However, I think Collingwood will completely outrun West Coast and seal a home final. Collingwood needs to shut down Priddis and nullify the influence of Cox. This will help maintain the dangerous forward line consisting of Kennedy and Darling. Up the other end, Travis Cloke and Ben Reid will have their work cut out against Eric Mackenzie and Darren Glass, but should have enough goal-scoring options all over the field to kick a winning score. Collingwood by 30 points.                                  Sportal HEAD TO HEAD: Played: 42, Collingwood 20, West Coast 21, Draws 1 LAST TIME: Collingwood 10.13 (73) def. West Coast 9.6 (60), Semi Final, 2012 at the MCG WALKING WOUNDED: Ben Sinclair (shoulder) and Jamie Elliott (hamstring) will both miss, but Darren Jolly is available for selection. Nathan Buckley now must decide whether to include the veteran or continue with impressive youngster Brodie Grundy. Dale Thomas' bid for a late-season return has officially been scuppered after he broke down in the VFL last week. Clinton Young is also unlikely to be seen again this season due to persistent hamstring issues. Luke Shuey has been ruled out with a hamstring issue, but in better news, Chris Masten should return to the side after he was a late withdrawal last week. The cue is firmly in the rack for the Eagles though with Nic Naitanui and Mark LeCras done for the season. The duo have already turned their focus to 2013, along with Daniel Kerr, Shannon Hurn and Beau Waters. FORM: The Pies have been in top form in recent weeks, but were made to look second rate by the Hawks last week. Coming into the match off impressive wins over Essendon and Sydney, they proved no match for the ladder leaders, who ran away with an easy win. The Eagles were also made to look second rate by a premiership contender with Geelong running riot at Patersons Stadium last week. The Cats kept the hosts t o their lowest ever score at the venue and the Eagles were a far cry from the side that dismantled the Bombers the week before. WE THINK: At the start of the year you would have thought this would be a heavyweight clash between two top four sides, but instead it's shaping as a big Collingwood victory. The Pies are finals-bound and playing some pretty good footy, while the cue is firmly in the rack for the Eagles. Not only that, but Collingwood have close to a full team on the park, while West Coast are decimated by injury. Expect Scott Pendlebury, Dane Swan and Luke Ball to all run amok and give Travis Cloke plenty of opportunities to kick a bag. It's hard to see anything but a big Collingwood victory here. Magpies by 47 points.