Collingwood v Adelaide
Thursday May 15, 7.50pmAdelaide Oval Fox Footy / 7mate 7.30pm Weather: Min 13 Max 23 Chance of rain 10%: < 1mm Wind: NW 23kph Betting: Collingwood $1.45 Adelaide $2.80 |
Collingwood entered the bye in fourth position, but has slipped to fifth spot with a game in hand, meaning a win this Thursday night will see the Magpies reclaim fourth spot. It was a magnificent start to the season for Collingwood as many experts predicted it would start the year poorly with a difficult draw. With four wins on the trot leading into the bye, the Magpies are now well placed to really challenge for that all-important top four finish.
Adelaide, on the other hand, has had an inconsistent start to the season. The Crows started the season very slowly, losing the first three games, before clicking into gear and then winning the next three. When it looked as if momentum had finally swung Adelaide’s way, a shock loss to Melbourne in round seven has brought the Crows back down to earth.
A win against Collingwood on Thursday night will see the Crows square their win-loss ledger at 4-4, and the season will be immediately back on track.
A loss, however, will see the Crows slowly losing touch with the top eight. Adelaide is currently in 11th spot on the ladder.
Both sides will have taken the bye to freshen up players and refocus on the next month. Collingwood enjoys travelling but it has not had the experience on the new Adelaide Oval as yet.
A bumper crowd is expected, with the hope that this game will break the all-time attendance record between these two sides.
Recent History
Collingwood dominates the recent history between these two sides, winning eight of the last nine matches. These sides last met in round 16 last season in a really good match where the Magpies eventually held off a gallant Adelaide to win by 27 points. This was despite the fact that Adelaide led by 25 points at quarter time. A seven goal to two second quarter turned the match on its head and the Magpies never looked back.
Scott Pendlebury was the clear man of the match with 42 possessions and two goals, with his partner in crime Dane Swan also dominant with 31 disposals and two goals. They polled the three and two Brownlow votes respectively. Chipping in with one vote was Adelaide’s Tom Lynch who was sensational with 4 goals and 22 disposals.
At the Selection Table
It will be an interesting week at selection for both sides.
Starting with Collingwood, and the injury list has eased substantially. Alex Fasolo, Alan Toovey, Nick Maxwell and Clinton Young were all out injured in the round seven win against Carlton but have all passed fitness tests. Therefore, the challenge for Nathan Buckley will be to try and find a way to fit all four important defenders back into a winning side. Although all deserve a recall, coach Nathan Buckley has indicated he will be cautious at selection, as he does not want to mess with a winning formula.
In other positive news, Sam Dwyer has also passed his fitness test and is available for selection despite sustaining a knee injury in the clash against Carlton, whilst Ben Sinclair is tipped to resume in the VFL following a hamstring injury.
Ben Reid (calf) is still listed as being two weeks away whilst Nathan Brown remains available for selection if need be.
Turning the attention onto Adelaide, and all eyes will be on the imminent return of Taylor Walker for his first game since his knee reconstruction in early 2013. He has kicked seven goals in two SANFL games and was rested over the bye weekend to be fully fit for this match. His return will be timely given the jaw injury to Tom Lynch, who will miss up to six weeks. Matthew Jaensch is also likely to miss after sustaining cracked ribs in the Melbourne match.
Keep an eye on rookie Charlie Cameron, who has been promoted for the injured Nathan van Berlo and could be in line for his debut this weekend. Richard Douglas should return from suspension to bolster the Adelaide midfield, while Patrick Dangerfield looks likely to play despite a sprained ankle in round seven.
There is a bit of depth waiting in the wings for the Crows with names such as Ben Rutten, Lewis Johnston and Andy Otten all in line for selection. Brad Crouch is also nearing his return, as is Jason Porplyzia. Nathan van Berlo and Ricky Henderson are likely to be out for the season.
Focus on Collingwood
There is a lot to be excited about at the Westpac Centre at the moment after four consecutive wins against tricky opponents. With a top four spot on the line, the Magpies will go in favourites despite playing away this weekend.
Defence remains a real strength for the Magpies in 2014, despite the inexperience down back. The return of Toovey and Maxwell should really strengthen the defensive unit. The Magpies are winning games of football with intense tackling pressure, ranking third in the AFL for tackles. Collingwood is also ranked high for marks inside 50 with Travis Cloke lifting his rating in this area in recent weeks.
Nonetheless, Nathan Buckley will not be oblivious to the fact that Collingwood is ranked last for kicking and disposal efficiency.
This area has been highlighted to the players over the bye round as an area the side must improve in if it is to challenge the top sides. In some regards, it is positive news for the Magpies that there is still room for improvement despite such a good start to the season.
Player Focus
Tom Langdon – The youngster earned his just rewards last week with a Rising Star nomination. It is terrific recognition for a player that was overlooked in his draft year and was snapped up with pick No. 65 in last year’s draft. Importantly, he has really stood up over the last fortnight in big games against Essendon and Carlton picking up 22 and 23 disposals respectively. His match against Carlton last week was very important and he filled in for the injured Nick Maxwell and covered the void seamlessly. He has played every game so far and does not look like losing his spot in the near future despite stiff competition as he can play on an opponent but also offers a lot of drive off half back as well.
Dayne Beams – After a luckless 2013 season, Beams has re-established himself as one of the competition’s prime midfielders averaging 28 disposals and over a goal a game. It won’t be long before opposition coaches begin tagging him over the higher profile names such as Swan and Pendlebury. This is due to the fact that Beams hits the scoreboard so often and also is a very strong contested ball winner. There is no doubt he has made a huge difference to the Collingwood midfield in 2014.
Marley Williams – The 20-year-old made a promising return to the side last round in his first game for the season against Carlton in round seven and highlighted his value to the side. Buckley loves the way Williams goes about his football because he is an incredible contested ball winner and a brilliant man-on-man player. He is also really quick and generates a lot of run out of defence. He may be given the job this round on the dangerous and in form Eddie Betts.
Focus on Adelaide
Despite draft restrictions over the last two seasons, the Crows were very clever recruiters over the off-season adding James Podsiadly and Eddie Betts to the line-up, whilst trading Bernie Vince for the draft pick which ultimately secured Matthew Crouch. Crouch has been terrific already for the Crows and has earned a Rising Star Nomination.
At full strength, Adelaide has a really strong midfield and a dangerous forward line with numerous options. But the Crows have struggled with injuries so far this season. The defence lacks big names, but has been a strength with players such as Brodie Smith, Matthew Jaensch and Brent Reilly in great form and creating a lot of run out of defence. Smith and Jaensch, in particular, have had break out seasons.
A constant issue for Adelaide remains its tackling, as it is currently ranked 16th in the competition in this area. The Crows are also ranked 16th for contested football. This is a surprise with strong contested ball winners such as Dangerfield and Scott Thompson.
Player Focus
Patrick Dangerfield – After a slow start to the year, Dangerfield has exploded over the last month. He is carrying a dodgy ankle, which flared up last round, but he looks set to take his place this Thursday despite walking around in a moon boot last week. Brent Macaffer is likely to take the tagging job on the star Crow who is averaging 24 disposals and 1.6 per game. He ranks sixth in the competition for contested ball and 14th for contested marks. This is vital in a team that struggles statistically in these areas. Therefore, Collingwood will believe that if it can shut down Dangerfield, it can get on top around the stoppages.
Josh Jenkins – Jenkins has had a positive month of football having missed the opening two rounds of the season. He is averaging 2.6 goals and 14 disposals per game, which is great for a man in his position. He is a ruckman’s height but has amazing versatility and speed for his size, which makes him a difficult match up. He also assists in the ruck when needed. The presence of Podsiadly and Walker in the same forward line should mean that Jenkins will get the third tall defender which should really suit him.
Sam Jacobs – The big red headed ruckman had a poor 2013 season but has bounced back to be in All-Australian form so far this season. He averages 30 hitouts a game but is also finding enough of the football, averaging over 17 disposals. I feel he needs to hit the scoreboard more, having only kicked one goal all season, but his influence around the stoppages is telling. It is yet another test for the inexperienced Magpie ruck division against the in-form Sam Jacobs. With players such as Thompson, Dangerfield and Rory Sloane in the middle, the Magpies cannot allow Jacobs to dominate.
The Wrap Up
It’s hard to go past the Magpies this round based on recent form.
The Crows will be out to redeem their loss to Melbourne, and the inclusions of Douglas and Walker will bolster the side.
Adelaide has a solid midfield, but I expect Collingwood’s midfield to utilise its superior depth to run the Crows off their feet as the game goes on.
Collingwood by 18 points.
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