Collingwood v Port Adelaide
Sunday August 3, 4.40pmMCG Fox Footy 4.30pm Weather: Min 5 Max 14 Chance of rain 20%: < 1mm Wind: NNW 21kph Betting: Collingwood $2.20 Port Adelaide $1.68 |
HB: Paul Seedsman, Lachlan Keeffe, Heritier Lumumba
C: Steele Sidebottom, Brent Macaffer, Alex Fasolo
HF: Taylor Adams, Jesse White, Tim Broomhead
F: Jamie Elliott, Travis Cloke, Ben Reid
Foll: Jarrod Witts, Dayne Beams, Scott Pendlebury
Int (from): Sam Dwyer, Brodie Grundy, Ben Kennedy, Jarryd Blair, Clinton Young, Tony Armstrong, Kyle Martin
IN: Tony Armstrong, Sam Dwyer, Alex Fasolo, Brodie Grundy
OUT: Tom Langdon (omitted)
NEW: Tony Armstrong (24, Sydney)
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Collingwood has named four inclusions to an extended 25-man squad for the side’s cut throat clash against Port Adelaide at the MCG on Sunday afternoon. With first year defender Tom Langdon the sole omission for the side which suffered a 17-point loss to Adelaide last weekend, the Magpies have called upon a host of fresh faces, including one yet to feature for Collingwood at AFL level this season in Tony Armstrong. Utility Alex Fasolo, creative forward Sam Dwyer and emerging ruck Brodie Grundy comprise the further additions to a Collingwood outfit seeking to rectify its recent form slump, reclaim its place in the top eight and atone for an Elimination Final defeat to Port Adelaide in the side’s last meeting. Recruited as a free agent over the off-season, former Sydney Swan Armstrong is in line to become the 1116th player in Collingwood’s history after a pair of impressive performances in the VFL placed him on the cusp of senior selection. Despite the VFL Magpies enduring a 17-point defeat against the Frankston Dolphins on Sunday, Armstrong again shone, with his crisp use of possession proving particularly noteworthy as he collected 32 disposals, eight marks, four inside 50s and four rebound 50s. His display at Frankston Park followed a 28-possession effort against Werribee a week earlier, the 24-year old producing seven inside 50s to accompany three score assists. Season 2014 has represented a year of widely oscillating fortunes for second-year player Dwyer, who has struggled to consolidate his place within Collingwood’s match day 22 for much of the campaign. Though he has played nine matches, a combination of injury and form has conspired to force the former Geelong Falcon to the outer on several occasions, ensuring the 27-year old has been unable to build upon an impressive debut campaign last year. Dwyer’s fluctuating campaign may be headed for a final upswing however if the 2012 rookie draftee lines up against the Power, and produces a performance of nuance and deftness for which he has come to be renown. Enduring an injury interrupted campaign for the second successive season; Fasolo will be hoping to distance himself from his recent fitness woes should the West Australian be named to the final 22-man squad and make his return from a near two month AFL absence on Sunday. While he initially came to the fore as a silky skilled small forward, Fasolo has been recast as one of the Magpies most versatile assets in 2014, including a heralded move to defence which sought to capitalise on his pace and slick ball movement. Both those traits will undoubtedly prove valuable if Fasolo is ultimately called upon by senior coach Nathan Buckley, no matter which positional line he is ultimately fielded. A strong outing at VFL level against Frankston has paved the way for Grundy to return to the AFL fold, entering selection contention after a 22 disposal, 31 hit out display. After a breakout debut season, which earned Grundy a rising star nomination and status as one of the competition’s players to watch, the South Australian entered the current campaign as Collingwood’s number one ruck option. However, a struggle for consistency, combined with the rise of Jarrod Witts has meant Grundy has been largely confined to the VFL over the last six weeks, aside from an appearance against Gold Coast, as he seeks to build momentum heading into the closing stages of the season. |
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