Pre-Season Game 1: Collingwood 116 Hawthorn 72

THE FACTS

COLLINGWOOD   0.5.3.33    0.7.6.48    0.10.10.70   0.17.14.116
HAWTHORN         0.3.1.19   1.5.3.42      2.6.5.59       2.8.6.72

SUPERGOALS - Collingwood: Nil
GOALS - Collingwood: Fasolo 4, Karnezis 3, White 2, Gault 2, Goldsack, Sidebottom, Grundy, Greenwood, Elliott, De Goey

BEST - Collingwood: Varcoe, Sidebottom, Greenwood, White, Goldsack, Elliott, Grundy

INJURIES - Collingwood: Nil

SUBSTITUTES - Collingwood: TBC

REPORTS - Collingwood: Nil

OFFICIAL CROWD: 15,422 at Aurora Stadium, Launceston

STATISTICS

Player	K	H	D	M	HO	FF	FA	T	SG	G	B
13. Taylor Adams	10	13	23	2	0	0	1	1	0	0	0
22. Steele Sidebottom	12	11	23	4	0	1	0	3	0	1	1
8. Tom Langdon	9	11	20	5	0	0	2	1	0	0	0
24. Josh Thomas	15	4	19	3	0	1	1	2	0	0	1
26. Marley Williams	8	10	18	1	0	1	0	2	0	0	0
7. Ben Kennedy	7	10	17	1	1	3	0	5	0	0	1
1. Alex Fasolo	8	8	16	4	0	2	1	0	0	4	0
31. Jackson Ramsay	9	6	15	3	0	0	2	2	0	0	0
29. Tim Broomhead	8	7	15	2	0	0	1	4	0	0	1
19. Levi Greenwood	9	6	15	4	1	2	2	3	0	1	0
33. Patrick Karnezis	11	4	15	5	0	0	2	5	0	3	1
18. Travis Varcoe	9	5	14	3	0	0	3	0	0	0	1
9. Jesse White	11	3	14	5	0	2	0	1	0	2	2
44. Corey Gault	5	9	14	3	6	0	0	4	0	2	1
28. Ben Sinclair	7	6	13	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
21. Nathan Freeman	8	5	13	2	0	0	0	1	0	0	0
16. Nathan Brown	5	7	12	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
25. Jack Crisp	6	6	12	5	0	1	2	2	0	0	0
35. Jordan De Goey	4	8	12	2	0	0	0	2	0	1	0
4. Brodie Grundy	3	8	11	0	16	2	0	4	0	1	0
5. Jamie Elliott	7	3	10	3	0	1	2	4	0	1	0
34. Alan Toovey	5	3	8	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0
43. Adam Oxley	4	4	8	3	0	1	0	1	0	0	0
45. Jack Frost	3	4	7	3	0	0	0	1	0	0	0
2. Sam Dwyer	2	5	7	2	0	1	0	2	0	0	0
6. Tyson Goldsack	2	2	4	0	0	1	2	3	0	1	0
K: Kicks H: Handballs D: Disposals M: Marks HO: Hitouts FF: Free Kicks For FA: Free Kicks Against T: Tackles SC: Super Goals G: Goals B: Behinds

Of interest

• At 28 years of age, third-year rover Sam Dwyer was the oldest player in Collingwood's 26-man team.
• Fifteen of the 26 players were aged 22 or under.
• Collingwood's two starting substitutes for the evening were Adam Oxley and Sam Dwyer. Oxley replaced Alan Toovey at half time, while Dwyer replaced Tyson Goldsack at three quarter time.

THE MEDIA

COLLINGWOOD NEWS Travis Varcoe and Levi Greenwood's second comings as AFL players started in impressive fashion a Collingwood overcame a youthful Hawthorn side by 44 points in a feisty NAB Challenge opener on Thursday night. While it was only the first step in a marathon season, the star recruits and stand-in captain Steele Sidebottom led a Pies midfield lacking some of the game's biggest names. In recent seasons, it's been difficult to imagine Nathan Buckley's side without Scott Pendlebury, Dane Swan and Brisbane Lion Dayne Beams running the engine room. But cheered on by a vocal Magpie Army - despite the match being played at the Hawks' second home Aurora Stadium – ex-Cat Varcoe and former Roo Greenwood showed plenty in an encouraging 0.17.14 (116) to 2.8.6 (72) win. The toughness of No.5 draft pick Jordan De Goey – who already looks a ready-made player – and a fit-looking Jesse White also gave the Pies plenty to get excited about. De Goey was particularly influential early but contributed across the four quarters and kicked a long set shot goal, while White booted two goals and arguably had the better of Hawthorn's prized recruit James Frawley. White endured a mixed season after crossing from the Sydney Swans last year, but he enjoyed being the focal point with Cloke out of the side. What we learned It's fair to say Jesse White endured a mixed first season in the Black and White, but with Travis Cloke sitting out of the opening NAB Challenge match, White shone as the focal point of the Magpies' attack. At times last year the ex-Swan looked a little lost roaming up the ground while Cloke stayed at home. Nathan Buckley knows he needs to ease the reliance on his star goalkicker and a firing White, who has trimmed down after a strong pre-season, would ease his concerns significantly. New faces Collingwood: No.5 draft pick Jordan De Goey made his presence felt early with a crunching contested mark, impressed with his hardness at the contest and was very good as a link-up player across half-forward. Patrick Karnezis showed his class with a sublime checkside goal from outside the boundary line, while former Cat Travis Varcoe was prominent and had more time with the footy than most. Levi Greenwood barely missed a beat with his work at the coalface and Jack Crisp threw himself into the contest.                                  REAL FOOTY The rebirthing Collingwood rolled over the top of the rejuvenating Hawthorn by 44 points to win the first game of the year. It was February, in Tasmania and a pre-season game but still it was an engaging contest and enough to slake the thirst for football after six dry months for both teams. The recast Collingwood looked faster and stronger through the midfield with more options forward with a few more experienced bodies than the Hawks, who invested time in players who might displace their premiership players. Only eight premiership Hawks of last year were on the field. The window on the maybes and the whatabouts offered the first sight of James Frawley in brown and yellow. His first touch had a bit of Melbourne about it when he played on blind and coughed up a goal, but it was difficult to slip into a new side that actually looks nothing like the side he will play in. Frawley alternated on forwards including Jesse White who was looking leaner, running harder and leading more deliberately to the ball than he had in any game last year. Whether that was a sign of rediscovered confidence or the freedom of a Travis Cloke-less forward line was for now academic and only to be tested in weeks to come. Without Jarryd Roughead in the team Ben McEvoy played from the goal square and, like White, led at the ball with purpose and ever looked threatening booting three goals. Jonathan Ceglar, the man he displaced last September spent the game rucking with Sam Grimley against Brodie Grundy – another displaced person from last year – and Corey Gault. Ceglar and Grundy both had their moments but Grundy probably won the contest. The blend of smalls and mediums in Collingwood's forward line with recruits Travis Varcoe and Jack Crisp alternating on a wing and a forward flank looked threatening. Jordan De Goey showed he has not only a brutal attack on the ball but can go forward with confidence above his head and an eye for the goal. Alex Fasolo returned forward after an experiment last year as a running defender and found space and the goals. Ben Kennedy in particular looked good through the middle while Taylor Adams and Josh Thomas built on last year. “It’s good validation for what we’ve put in place over the off season. “This is really only the first step and it’s against a side that bought a young side down themselves. “We focused on the way we were going to go about it, playing the way we wanted to play, testing some younger leaders like Steele Sidebottom in his first game as captain. “I thought he stood up and played well with that responsibility. “We had everyone play their role and that was the most encouraging thing.”  Nathan Buckley

SUPERFOOTY COLLINGWOOD took full advantage of Hawthorn’s undermanned backline to hand the reigning premier a 44-point hiding at Aurora Stadium. In front of a record pre-season Launceston crowd of 15,422, the Magpies grabbed the lead 19 minutes into the first quarter and the Hawks couldn’t catch them, running away 0.17.14 (116) to 2.8.6 (72). Big recruit James Frawley, picked up as a free agent from Melbourne, found himself under siege in his first game in brown and gold, taking Lake’s place at full-back. Despite kicking a supergoal, Hawks champion Sam Mitchell did a power of work dropping back to help in defence, but his efforts were not enough to curb the penetration of the Pies. Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley said it was a good first-up effort and showed preseason planning was on track. “It’s good validation for what we’ve put in place over the off season,” Buckey said. “This is really only the first step and it’s against a side that bought a young side down themselves. “We focused on the way we were going to go about it, playing the way we wanted to play, testing some younger leaders like Steele Sidebottom in his first game as captain. “I thought he stood up and played well with that responsibility. “We had everyone play their role and that was the most encouraging thing.” Magpie newbies Jordan De Goey, Jack Crisp and Travis Varcoe did enough to show they will be integral to Collingwood’s push for September action. Buckley was particularly pleased with De Goey, pick five in last year’s draft. “He’s an exciting talent, very clean with the footy, his defensive skills in tight, his ability to win his own football, all excite us,” Buckley said. “He’s worked pretty hard, done a fair volume through the preseason and we’ve managed him through as we have all our first and second year players. “He doesn’t look like he’s out of place and he looks like he can handle the speed of the game. “So every opportunity that’s been thrown his way he’s taken but there’s still a long way to go.” Frawley’s direct opponent Jesse White kicked two goals, while Alex Fasolo bagged four and Patrick Karnezis three goals. The Magpies will bring in captain Scott Pendlebury, Dane Swan and Travis Cloke for their next NAB Challenge match. “They know the game so it’s just a matter of getting them robust and ready to go for round one,” Buckley said. “There’s quite a few guys out there tonight who have asked questions of the match committee and that’s a good problem to have in the short term.” Things we learnt PIE PRESSURE: The Magpies fought hard to lock the ball in their forward half with Patrick Karnezis, Tyson Goldsack and Alex Fasolo among the chief contributors. SHARING THE LOAD: Collingwood had 10 individual goalkickers last night including four to Fasolo and three for ex-Lion Karnezis. OH MY GAULT: Standing at 198cm, Magpie rookie Corey Gault made his presence felt with two second half goals. Moved into the ruck briefly to relieve Brodie Grundy.                                  THE AUSTRALIAN PREMIERS Hawthorn last night faced a pre-season 17.14 (116) to 2.8.6 (72) drubbing in Launceston at the hands of a resurgent Collingwood. The Magpies led at every break during the NAB Challenge opener at Aurora Stadium, with the outcome sealed with seven final quarter goals. It is the first time since September 2011 that Collingwood have beaten the men in brown and gold. Alex Fasolo led the scoring for the Magpies with four goals. Youngster Jordan De Goey lived up to expectations, showing abundant athleticism in his step up to the top grade, kicking a goal in the fourth quarter. But it wasn’t an entirely one-sided affair witnessed by a crowd of almost 15,500 at the ground more commonly known as York Park. The Hawks made a crisp start with Ben McEvoy scoring a goal within a minute of the opening bounce. That was closely followed by a Luke Breust kick from within the 50 which found the middle. But the bad news then started to filter through, as Tyson Goldsack kicked the first goal for the Magpies, then Hawthorn defender Kaiden Brand was helped from the ground nursing a heavily taped left shoulder. After a frantic opening quarter, Collingwood led by 14 points. In a see-sawing second period the Hawks fired back early with midfielder Jed Anderson finding the middle posts, signalling his return to form after an injury-plagued 2014 season. James Sicily then kicked the first nine-point super goal from outside 50m. The Magpies shared the spoils as Patrick Karnezis booted three while there were single goals to several players including Jamie ­Elliott, Corey Gault and Brodie Grundy. Elsewhere, following a post season when numerous players required surgery, North Melbourne will experiment with a number of positions in their sellout NAB Challenge opener against Adelaide in Port Lincoln on Sunday. The club’s high profile recruits — long-time Carlton forward Jarrad Waite and Shaun Higgins from the Western Bulldogs — will join the experience of Brent Harvey, Jack Ziebell, Nick Dal Santo, Drew Petrie, Ben Cunnington and Daniel Wells in the squad. But the club will also field a number of players who are hardly household names. The Kangaroos could not name regular defenders Scott Thompson (knee), Lachie Hansen (hip) and Nathan Grima (back) who are recovering from operations, and veteran Michael Firrito, who was left out. A new-look defence will have to battle the Crows’ big forward targets Taylor Walker, James Podsiadly and Josh Jenkins. North Melbourne captain Andrew Swallow withdrew yesterday from the initial squad, as did ruckman Tod Goldstein. One of the other key omissions is Aaron Mullett, who is overcoming a shoulder injury. The Kangaroos claimed Swallow was never meant to play, but was included in the 29-man squad due to an administrative error. The club said there were no ­fitness issues surrounding his withdrawal. The Kangaroos’ makeshift defence on Sunday will include Joel Tippett, who played four senior games last year after two previous games with Gold Coast in 2011. Injury-prone forward Robbie Tarrant could be in line for a positional switch. “We’ve got the flexibility to structure up our forward line a bit differently, so we’ll have a look at all the different aspects and probably play a few guys through the midfield who haven’t spent much time in there before,” Scott said.

The Illustrated Man

The Illustrated Man

2015 Opening Odds

2015 Season opening odds are from William Hill.

Squad Pre-Season Game 1

Collingwood News

Pre-Season Game 1 Collingwood v Hawthorn Thursday Feb. 26, 7.10pm Aurora Launceston Fox Footy 7.00pm Weather: Min 13 Max 25 Chance of rain 90%: < 1mm Wind: WNW 15kph Betting: Collingwood $2.90 Hawthorn $1.40

Collingwood will unveil as many as six new players when it meets Hawthorn in the NAB Challenge opener at Tasmania’s Aurora Stadium.
Experienced recruits Travis Varcoe (Geelong), Levi Greenwood (North Melbourne) and Jack Crisp (Brisbane) will officially pull on the Black and White stripes for the first time.
They will be joined by prized draft selection Jordan De Goey (Oakleigh U18) who has earned his first opportunity after an impressive pre-season on the training track.
Wingman Matthew Goodyear, the 48th overall selection in last November’s National Draft, is also in line to feature at senior level for the first time.
Patrick Karnezis, the 22-year-old former Lion who joined the Magpies during the 2013 trade period, is another potential first-timer.
A wretched run of injuries denied Karnezis the opportunity to represent the club at senior level for the entirety of the 2014 campaign.
He kicked 31 goals in 13 VFL games last year and was named as an emergency for the meeting with Greater Western Sydney in the penultimate round.
Another feature of the 29-man squad is the presence of Nathan Freeman, who is poised to play his first official match of any description since the corresponding fixture twelve months ago.
Freeman, the tenth overall selection in the 2013 National Draft, injured his hamstring during the second quarter of last year’s NAB Challenge clash against Geelong and did not reappear for the remainder of the year.
The former Sandringham Dragon, who performed well in Thursday’s intra-club match, will be primed to make an early impact, given his impressive performances in the team’s various time trials over the duration of the pre-season.
Collingwood will use 26 players against Hawthorn, with six players on the bench plus two substitutes.
Captain Scott Pendlebury and established stars Dane Swan and Travis Cloke will not feature against the Hawks.
In Pendlebury’s absence, Steele Sidebottom will lead the side for the first time.
Sidebottom, 24, is one of the four vice-captains in the club’s five-man leadership group.
The oldest player in the squad is 28-year-old Sam Dwyer, while Varcoe is the most experienced with 138 senior games to his name.

Collingwood’s Squad

1. Alex Fasolo 2. Sam Dwyer 4. Brodie Grundy 5. Jamie Elliott 6. Tyson Goldsack 7. Ben Kennedy 8. Tom Langdon 9. Jesse White 13. Taylor Adams 16. Nathan Brown 18. Travis Varcoe 19. Levi Greenwood 21. Nathan Freeman 22. Steele Sidebottom (captain) 23. Lachlan Keeffe

24. Josh Thomas 25. Jack Crisp 26. Marley Williams 27. Tony Armstrong 28. Ben Sinclair 29. Tim Broomhead 31. Jackson Ramsay 33. Patrick Karnezis 34. Alan Toovey 35. Jordan De Goey 38. Matthew Goodyear 43. Adam Oxley 44. Corey Gault* 45. Jack Frost* *Denotes rookie

About the new faces

18. Travis Varcoe
Recruited from: Geelong
Age: 26
Position: Half back/ half forward
A dual premiership player during his days at Kardinia Park, Varcoe has impressed his new teammates and coaches with his approach to training. Fellow newcomer Levi Greenwood ranks his forward pressure among the best in the team. Expect to see him encouraged to use his line-breaking pace across half back and on the wings, too.

19. Levi Greenwood
Recruited from: North Melbourne
Age: 26
Position: Midfield
A mature bodied onballer who burrows in hard, Greenwood ran third in North’s best-and-fairest last season. A leg injury hampered his progress pre-Christmas but it has been smooth sailing ever since. Greenwood won 27 disposals, laid seven tackles and kicked two goals in the Roos’ only meeting with the Hawks last season.

25. Jack Crisp
Recruited from: Brisbane
Age: 21
Position: Midfield/ half back
At 190cm, Crisp is taller than the average midfielder and his endurance and long left foot kick help give him a point of difference. He joined Brisbane via the 2011 Rookie Draft but made an impact late in the piece last season when he averaged a career-high 18.83 disposals in the final six games of the year (including a career-high 22 against Collingwood).

33. Patrick Karnezis
Recruited from: Brisbane
Age: 22
Position: Half forward
A rangy half forward who has the capacity to play in the midfield. Injuries denied Karnezis the opportunity to play senior football last year, though he made the best of his VFL appearances, kicking 31 goals in 13 games. His pre-season track form has been good and he has been rewarded with his first AFL appearance of any description since he played for Brisbane in round 10, 2013 – ironically, against Collingwood.

35. Jordan De Goey
Recruited from: Oakleigh U18
Age: 18
Position: Midfield
A tenacious competitor who thrives on winning the contested ball. De Goey enjoyed a stellar junior career, kicking three goals in Oakleigh’s TAC Cup triumph last season. His form in the team’s intra-club match was noteworthy and he is sure to represent the famous No. 35 jumper in fine fashion.

38. Matthew Goodyear
Recruited from: Calder U18
Age: 18
Position: Wing
An athletic midfielder with elite speed and endurance. Goodyear was a prolific ball winner in the TAC Cup and represented Vic Metro in the National Under-18 Championships. He also has the capacity to play at half back, and provide some solid run through the midfield during Thursday’s intra-club match.

Collingwood Pre-Season History

Collingwood News

Pre Season Game 1 Collingwood v Hawthorn Thursday Feb. 26, 7.10pm Aurora Launceston Fox Footy 7.00pm Weather: Min 13 Max 25 Chance of rain 90%: < 1mm Wind: WNW 15kph Betting: Collingwood $2.80 Hawthorn $1.42

The pre-season competition has been in a state of flux ever since its introduction in 1956, when it was known as the night series. It was played as a post-season competition, and originally comprised the eight teams that missed the VFL finals series.
The competition ended in 1971, but returned in 1977 as a midweek knock-out series played under lights at VFL Park during the pre-season and the home and away season. Further differentiating it from the VFL premiership season, the night series included all SANFL and WAFL teams as well as sides from NSW, ACT, Queensland and Tasmania.
In 1988, the night series evolved into the pre-season competition. The complexion of the tournament has changed over time – for example, the 2000-2003 competitions were conducted via a round-robin format of four teams in each pool. The concept was short lived, although it was partially revived in 2011 when pools of three teams played two 20-minute halves against each other on the one day.
Last year, the pre-season competition again underwent a major overhaul, with the abolition of the NAB Cup format which saw the two best performed teams meet in the Grand Final a fortnight prior to the home and away season.
Instead, each team plays three practice matches under the NAB Challenge banner ahead of the home and away season.
Collingwood’s record in the competition is not overly successful. It won its first night series flag in 1979 against Hawthorn at VFL Park, the club’s first senior silverware since the 1958 premiership.
It featured in three Grand Final losses in the ensuing 30 years. The most controversial was undoubtedly the ‘loss’ to North Melbourne in 1980.
The VFL Park siren sounded with Collingwood ahead, only for the field umpire not to recognise it. Play went on and North’s Kerry Good marked within goal kicking range. The umpire then acknowledged the siren a second time, and with fans streaming onto the ground, Good kicked truly to hand the Kangaroos the night premiership with a three point win.
The Pies reached the 2003 decider after thumping Carlton, Hawthorn and Geelong, but were no match for Adelaide who coasted to a 31-point victory.
Six years later the Magpies again played off for the pre-season flag but were belted by eventual day premier Geelong (76-points).
In the past decade, Collingwood have been a part of several nail biting pre-season contests.
The Magpies prevailed in the first week of the 2005 Wizard Cup when they overcame Richmond by seven points, courtesy of a last-minute nine-point goal from Andrew Williams, deep on the half forward flank.
Twelve months later, the Pies were again involved in a controversial finish. They defeated St Kilda in extra time in round one at Docklands. Both sides were locked on 66 points apiece – 2.7.6 (66) to 1.8.9 (66) – at full time. Two five-minute halves were played to determine the winner. Collingwood was victorious by one point, winning 2.8.8 (74) to 1.9.10 (73).
In 2010, they played an unusually highly charged first round match against St Kilda. The added intensity was born from St Kilda hero Luke Ball’s controversial crossing to Collingwood only months earlier. Ball managed a goal and was named in the side’s best, but a late goal to an unmarked Adam Schneider gifted the Saints a one-point win.

This time last year

Game One
Collingwood 1.13.15 (102) def. by Geelong 0.16.8 (104) at Simonds Stadium.

Game Two
Collingwood 1.10.7 (76) def. by Richmond 1.17.13 (124) at the Wangaratta Showgrounds.

Game Three (practice match not officially under the NAB Challenge banner)
Collingwood 16.15 (111) def. Gold Coast 14.13 (97) at Metricon Stadium.

Collingwood in the night series/pre-season competition

The jumper
Collingwood has worn several different designs during the night series and pre-season competitions. The images below are courtesy of footyjumpers.com.



In 1982, the club wore white jumpers with a black yoke and hooped socks against Swan Districts, who also wear black and white stripes. It is the only occasion a Collingwood jumper has not included black and white stripes. Swan Districts defeated Collingwood by 10 points at VFL Park. Image courtesy of footyjumpers.com.au.



In 1996 and 1997, the Magpies wore what looked more like a barcode than a Collingwood jumper. It included the black and white stripes and a cartoon Magpie on the front, as well as the outline of a Magpie’s wing on the side panel. Image courtesy of footyjumpers.com.au.



The Ansett Cups of 1999 and 2000 saw Collingwood adopt their 1998-2000 away guernsey as their pre-season strip. Image courtesy of footyjumpers.com.au.



In the Ansett and Wizard Cups of 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004, the Magpies wore their clash guernsey of the era as their pre-season top. Image courtesy of footyjumpers.com.au.

Most Pre-Season games (players listed between 2000-2015)
25 – Ben Johnson
24 – Nathan Buckley
22 – Simon Prestigiacomo
21 – Travis Cloke, Tarkyn Lockyer, Dane Swan
20 – Shane O’Bree
19 – Alan Didak, Nick Maxwell
18 – Scott Burns, Scott Pendlebury, Anthony Rocca, Heath Shaw, Steele Sidebottom
17 – Gavin Crosisca, Heritier Lumumba, Dale Thomas
16 – Josh Fraser, Mark Richardson, Ben Reid, Chris Tarrant
15 – Alan Toovey
14 – Gavin Brown, Shane Wakelin

Most Pre-Season goals (players listed between 2000-2015)
31 – Travis Cloke
26 – Chris Tarrant
21 – Nathan Buckley
17 – Alan Didak
15 – Tarkyn Lockyer, Saverio Rocca
14 – Dane Swan
13 – Anthony Rocca
12 – Gavin Brown, Chris Dawes
11 – Dale Thomas

Most Pre-Season games (current players)
21 – Travis Cloke, Dane Swan
18 – Scott Pendlebury, Steele Sidebottom, Clinton Young (Haw/Coll)
16 – Ben Reid
15 – Alan Toovey
13 – Travis Varcoe (Geel), Jesse White (Syd/Coll)
12 – Lachlan Keeffe, Brent Macaffer, Ben Sinclair

Most Pre-Season goals (current players)
33 – Travis Cloke
14 – Dane Swan
13 – Jesse White (Syd/Coll)
11 – Travis Varcoe (Geel)
*The record for the most goals kicked by a Collingwood player in a pre-season/night series competition is held by Peter McKenna (10 goals v Fitzroy in round 1, 1968).

Most Nine-Point Super Goals (current players)
2 – Travis Cloke, Paul Seedsman, Dane Swan, Jesse White
1 – Ben Sinclair, Travis Varcoe, Clinton Young
*The record for the most nine-point super goals kicked by a Collingwood player is held by Ryan Lonie (5). Alan Didak kicked three in his 19 pre-season matches.

Collingwood Pre-Season/Night Series Premierships
1979 Escort Cup Premiership
Collingwood 12.8 (80) def. Hawthorn 7.10 (52) by 28 points at VFL Park.

Captain: Ray Shaw
Coach: Tom Hafey

2011 NAB Cup Premiership
Collingwood 1.15.9 (108) def. Essendon 0.13.8 (86) by 28 points at Etihad Stadium.
Nine-point goals – Buckley.
Goals – Krakouer 3, Dawes 3, Cloke 2, Swan, Ball, Pendlebury, D.Thomas, McCarthy, Wellingham, Beams.
Best – Shaw, Krakouer, Davis, Buckley, Pendlebury, D.Thomas.

2011 NAB Cup Premiership Team
B: Harry O'Brien, Chris Tarrant, Alan Toovey
HB: Brent Macaffer, Ben Reid, Heath Shaw
C: John McCarthy, Dane Swan, Sharrod Wellingham
HF: Andrew Krakouer, Chris Dawes, Luke Ball
F: Alan Didak, Travis Cloke, Leigh Brown
FOLL: Darren Jolly, Scott Pendlebury, Dale Thomas
I/C: Leon Davis, Lachlan Keeffe, Cameron Wood, Jarryd Blair, Simon Buckley, Steele Sidebottom, Dayne Beams, Ben Johnson
Em: Ben Sinclair, Tyson Goldsack, Tom Young

Captain: Scott Pendlebury
Coach: Mick Malthouse

Michael Tuck Medal (Best on Ground): Heath Shaw

Pre-season/night series record (1956-1971; 1977-2014)
Premierships: 1979, 2011.
Runners Up: 1980, 2003, 2009.

Played: 87
Won: 42
Lost: 45
Drawn: 0*

Past 10 years
Played: 25
Won: 14
Lost: 11
Drawn: 0*

*Collingwood defeated St Kilda in extra time in Round 1 of the NAB Cup in 2006 at Docklands. Both sides were locked on 66 points apiece – 2.7.6 (66) to 1.8.9 (66) – at full time. Two five-minute halves were played to determine the winner. Collingwood was victorious by one point, winning 2.8.8 (74) to 1.9.10 (73).

Competition Sponsors
Golden Fleece (1965-1969), Radiant (1970), Heinz (1971), Amco/Herald (1977-1978), Escort (1979-1982), Sterling (1983-1984), CUB (1985-1986), National Panasonic (1987-1989), Foster’s (1990-1994), Ansett Australia (1995-2001), Wizard Home Loans (2002-2005), NAB (2006-2014).

2015 Club Memberships

SUPERFOOTY

Pre Season Game 1 Collingwood v Hawthorn Thursday Feb. 26, 7.10pm Aurora Launceston Fox Footy 7.00pm Weather: Min 13 Max 25 Chance of rain 90%: < 1mm Wind: WNW 15kph Betting: Collingwood $2.80 Hawthorn $1.42

HAWTHORN is closing on Collingwood as the country’s most popular AFL club.
And Richmond, hot on the back of last year’s late-season revival, is not far behind.
The Magpies still head the AFL’s membership ladder with 64,507, slightly down on the same time last year.
But the Hawks are on their tails with 61,490, 5500 more than at the same time in 2014.
And Richmond has 5183 more signed-up fans than this time last year with 58,260 members on its books.
The Tigers’ mob includes 18-day-old Alice Butler, who was signed when she was just four days old to follow in the footsteps of her dad, Joe, 31.
But Collingwood chief executive Gary Pert is confident his club can land more than 85,500 members before season’s end.
“Collingwood members have always shared a deep emotional connection to the club and today this connection lives on,” Pert said.
St Kilda is also punching above its weight, signing up 3803 more members than last year, putting the club on track to eclipse its target of 35,000.
Carlton and Essendon have seen their numbers take a hit after the Blues disappointing 2014 and the Bombers off-field woes.
But it is Port Adelaide that leads the pre-season charge for members, with the club just 1400 short of its 2014 tally more than a month before the 2015 season has started.
Power has attracted 13,000 more members than it had 12 months ago for a total of 54,342. It is one of 14 sides to be ahead of this time last year.
Marketing manager Matthew Richardson said his club owed its membership boom to its “fantastic style of footy” and its Adelaide Oval home.
Port has sold out its reserve seats at Adelaide Oval, and Adelaide expects to do the same.
Adelaide has enjoyed a successful off-season, attracting about 8000 more members than a year ago.
More than 680,800 AFL fans have signed up, up from 642,000 this time last year.
Carlton has work to do, as it is about 4000 members short of this time last year with almost 34,000.
But the club has a chance to catch up during its ­“Membership Marathon”, when it will aim to enlist 5000 members in five weeks.
AFL general manager for clubs Travis Auld said the league’s membership numbers had grown annually for the past 14 years, and were looking to do so again in 2015.
Auld said about 50,000 new members had already signed up this year, driven in part by fan-friendly changes made to this year’s fixture, ticket allocations and pricing.
“Members are really the lifeblood of clubs,” he said.

Membership

1) COLLINGWOOD So far in 2015: 64,507 This time last year: 64,900 Members in 2014: 80,456	2) HAWTHORN So far in 2015: 61,490 This time last year: 55,990 Members in 2014: 68,650	3) RICHMOND So far in 2015: 58,260 This time last year: 53,077 Members in 2014: 66,854
4) ADELAIDE So far in 2015: 57,103 This time last year: 49,000 Members in 2014: 57,231	5) PORT ADELAIDE So far in 2015: 54,342 This time last year: 41,200 Members in 2014: 55,750	6) WEST COAST EAGLES So far in 2015: 51,577 This time last year: 50,954 Members in 2014: 58,529
7) FREMANTLE So far in 2015: 47,343 This time last year: 45,331 Members in 2014: 49,942	8) ESSENDON So far in 2015: 45,735 This time last year: 46,851 Members in 2014: 60,714	9) GEELONG So far in 2015: 35,505 This time last year: 33,193 Members in 2014: 43,803
10) CARLTON So far in 2015: 33,957 This time last year: 38,079 Members in 2014: 47,485	11) SYDNEY So far in 2015: 30,214 This time last year: 29,602 Members in 2014: 40,126	12) NORTH MELBOURNE So far in 2015: 28,722 This time last year: 27,754 Members in 2014: 40,349
13) ST KILDA So far in 2015: 27,801 This time last year: 23,998 Members in 2014: 31,349	14) MELBOURNE So far in 2015: 26,770 This time last year: 26,759 Members in 2014: 35,917	15) WESTERN BULLDOGS So far in 2015: 22,113 This time last year: 21,611 Members in 2014: 31,814
16) BRISBANE So far in 2015: 17,501 This time last year: 16,082 Members in 2014: 24,032	17) GOLD COAST So far in 2015: 10,809 This time last year: 9658 Members in 2014: 13,480	18) GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY So far in 2015: 7115 This time last year: 7674 Members in 2014: 13,047

2015 Pre-Season Preview

SUPERFOOTY

Pre Season Game 1 Collingwood v Hawthorn Thursday Feb. 26, 7.10pm Aurora Launceston Fox Footy 7.00pm Weather: Min 13 Max 25 Chance of rain 90%: < 1mm Wind: WNW 15kph Betting: Collingwood $2.80 Hawthorn $1.42

NAB Challenge pre-season preview.

COLLINGWOOD

NEW FACES
Off-season acquisitions Levi Greenwood, Travis Varcoe and Jack Crisp all played this week’s intra-club and are scheduled to feature, as is No.5 draft pick Jordan De Goey who has impressed. American college basketballer Mason Cox has a solid pre-season behind him and is in contention.

STRATEGY
After last year, staying healthy would be a good place to start. Had a whopping 37 players available to play before its intra-club game and only four players in rehab. Last seasons injury crisis seems long forgotten, with Scharenberg and Macaffer the only long-term absentees. “We’re in very good condition at the moment,” football manager Neil Balme said.

NOT YET
Brent Macaffer and Matt Scharenberg are no chance to play as they continue their recovery from knee reconstructions, while Clinton Young (hamstring) is still some way off. Ben Reid (hamstring), Paul Seedsman (hip), Jarrad Witts (shoulder) and Darcy Moore (toe) should be ready to go before the end of the pre-season comp.

Intra-Club Match

REAL FOOTY If his performance in Collingwood's Intra-Club match on Thursday night is anything to go by, Dane Swan looks set for a big 2015 season. The champion midfielder put in an eye-catching display in the midfield at Olympic Park which was capped off by two lovely goals. Swan had a wretched 2014 campaign that was dogged by heel, foot and hamstring injuries and restricted him to his lowest tally of disposals in nine years. His preparation for last season was ruined by glandular fever and a wrist reconstruction, but fast forward 12 months and assistant coach Robert Harvey said the Brownlow Medalist was looking in much better shape. "He's not getting any pain in his body, he's been graduated into the system really well and he's been full training now for about four weeks," Harvey said. "The way he moved tonight was really positive. " He's clearly moving better than last year so now the challenge is to manage him and keep him up and going and get enough work into him to be right for Round 1." Harvey confirmed Swan would also play at least some practice matches over the next few weeks. Collingwood's three new recruits - Travis Varcoe, Levi Greenwood and Jack Crisp, who were all traded in from other clubs last year - took part in the match too and, while they didn't set the world on fire, did enough to please Harvey. "All three had their patches and I thought obviously Travis Varcoe with his finishing, we saw the class at times tonight. He's going to be really important for us," Harvey said. "Crisp, I thought, some of his tackling for an intra-club game was really strong and some of his work around the ball ... we're excited about and Levi coming from North he's looking like continuing that year he had last year – he hasn't put a foot wrong either." Untried youngsters Nathan Freeman, whose 2014 was written off by hamstring injuries, and top five pick Jordan De Goey also impressed through the midfield and Harvey said the pair would be pushing for selection come Round 1. "I thought he (Freeman) got better as it went on. To see him running so strongly at the end and some of his contest work in that last 10 minutes of the game were probably some of his best," Harvey said. "He had a horrific year last year and just to see a young kid - an early draft pick - get out there and do what he can do is positive and it's going to give him a lot of assurance going into the season. " He's ready to go." Another source of excitement on the night was American rookie Mason Cox who split his time between forward and ruck. The 211cm giant is still raw and requires more development but he kicked a goal and took a big pack mark and Harvey was impressed with what he saw. "The guy has only been in the game a couple of months so he's still learning the caper but we feel he's got a future clearly," Harvey said. "To be that athletic and that tall and he's picked up the game so well, we're excited with where he's at." Other players who stood out were captain Scott Pendlebury, Steele Sidebottom, Alex Fasolo up forward, Jesse White, Brodie Grundy, Marley Williams, Patrick Karnezis, Josh Thomas, Taylor Adams and Tom Langdon who kept Tyson Goldsack quiet. Nathan Brown pulled out of the game late due to a corked muscle but is fine, according to Harvey.

AFL COLLINGWOOD midfielder Dane Swan reminded fans he had lost none of his brilliance in an electrifying five-minute burst in the third quarter of the Magpies' intra-club match at the Westpac Centre on Thursday night. The 30-year-old turned it on for the crowd kicking two goals and gaining two clearances in quick succession, demonstrating his readiness to bounce back from a disappointing 2014. He played all but the final 10 minutes and was busy all game. Assistant coach Robert Harvey said it was evident Swan was moving better at this stage than he did last season and his form reflected his impressive approach over summer. "The way he moved tonight was really positive," Harvey said. "Now the challenge is to manage him and get him up and going and get enough work into him to have him ready for round one." The Magpies were impressed with the early form of its first pick in the 2014 NAB AFL Draft Jordan De Goey, who was conspicuous around the packs, winning the ball in tight and showing great strength and pace. Harvey said there were still areas De Goey needed to work on but he could be pushing for senior selection early in the season. "He's a confident kid, who feels he belongs at that level … certainly the contest does not worry him," Harvey said. Although De Goey faded out of the game he did not look out of place while fellow top 10 draft pick Nathan Freeman – who missed virtually all of 2014 with hamstring problems – performed better the longer the game went. Harvey said Freeman should gain confidence from his performance after a horrific 2014. Another player cruelled by injury in recent seasons, Alex Fasolo, played up forward, signalling the experiment of playing him in defence might be over. He kicked a trademark snap in the final quarter. Harvey said Fasolo had trained as a forward this pre-season and was likely to begin the year close to goals. Fasolo also pushed up on the wing late in the game. Captain Scott Pendlebury showed his class at times but played an outside role while key forward Travis Cloke kicked two goals and was busy. Recruit Travis Varcoe played on the wing and forward of centre attempting to take the game on and showed he will add the run that Heritier Lumumba provided before he left for Melbourne at the end of last season. "We saw [Varcoe's] class at times tonight and he is going to be really important for us," Harvey said. The coach also praised Levi Greenwood – who crossed from North Melbourne in trade week – and said he had not put a foot wrong since joining the club. In front of an impressive crowd on a balmy night, Magpie supporters looked to enjoy the festive atmosphere. Harvey knows it's early days but he was satisfied with what he saw. "Bucks has talked a lot about how even we want to be this year as a team and that was a good start for us in that regard. There were guys putting their hand up at times all night." The only downside was the late withdrawal of defender Nathan Brown who pulled out of the game after receiving a corkie at training on Friday. Harvey said there was no point risking him in an intra-club game and the move was a precaution. With a squad of 37 available the only significant names to miss other than Brown were Ben Reid, Clinton Young, Darcy Moore, Matt Scharenberg and Brent Macaffer. Sharenberg and Macaffer are recovering from knee reconstructions.

SUPERFOOTY DANE Swan’s year of redemption has started, with the born-again midfielder lighting up Thursday night’s Collingwood intra-club match. Swan, who described his disappointing 2014 campaign as “horrendous” and “putrid”, turned back the clock in front of a large crowd at Olympic Park. The 30-year-old, who played through the midfield and off a wing, was excellent throughout, but particularly devastating in a third-quarter burst reminiscent of his very best. He ripped balls from stoppages, sidestepped tacklers, surged into space and kicked goals in an eye-catching performance. But perhaps most encouraging for Pies fans was the return of the trademark zip that made him one of the game’s most devastating on-ballers. Collingwood assistant coach Robert Harvey said the club had been buoyed by Swan’s fitness a month after he returned to full training from off-season hip surgery. “He’s played a lot of these games and it was just good for us to see that he’s moving the way we thought he’d move and that he still does what he does,” Harvey said. “That’s a good sign. It was just good to see him moving so freely and it looks like he’s enjoying his footy. “You can see he’s moving better. He’s not getting any pain through his body. He’s clearly moving better than last year so now the challenge is to manage him and keep him going and get enough work into him to be right for Round 1.” Former defender Lachie Keefe caught the eye in his first outing as a forward, competing well in aerial contests, while Alex Fasolo will also return to the forward line in 2015. American college basketballer Mason Cox also started inside 50m and showed glimpses of the raw talent that has the Pies excited, particularly in the ruck at centre bounces. “He’s still learning the caper but we feel he’s got a future, clearly, to be that athletic and that tall and he’s picked up the game so well,” Harvey said. Second-year midfielder Nathan Freeman, whose 2014 debut season was ruined by a nightmare hamstring injury, got better as the game went on. Jordan De Goey, the Pies’ first pick in November’s national draft, was equally impressive. Off-season recruits Travis Varcoe, Jack Crisp and Levi Greenwood all had their moments, with Varcoe’s outside pace and skill shaping as a key addition. The club reported no fresh injuries. Defender Nathan Brown was a late withdrawal after suffering a corked leg at training.

Players At A Glance

FanFooty

Average age of the senior list: 20 years and 316 day/s from 45 senior players.
Average age of the entire list including rookies: 23 years and 116 day/s from 45 players.

Name	Type	#	DOB	Age	Height	Weight	Gm	SOO	Recruited from
Taylor Adams	Mid-Med	13	30 Sep, 1993	21 y 142 d	181 cm	80 kg	43	VIC	Geelong Falcons
Jarryd Blair	Fwd-Smal-Gen	11	14 Apr, 1990	24 y 311 d	174 cm	81 kg	98	VIC	Gippsland Power
Tim Broomhead	Mid-Med	29	22 Mar, 1994	20 y 334 d	183 cm	73 kg	8	SA	Port Adelaide
Nathan Brown	Def-Tall-Key	16	17 Dec, 1988	26 y 64 d	195 cm	101 kg	90	VIC	Nth Ballarat
Travis Cloke	Fwd-Tall-Key	32	5 Mar, 1987	27 y 351 d	196 cm	108 kg	210	VIC	Eastern Ranges
Jack Crisp	Fwd-Tall-Gen	25	2 Oct, 1993	21 y 140 d	190 cm	83 kg	18	VIC	Murray Bushrangers
Jordan De Goey	Util-Med	35	15 Mar, 1996	18 y 341 d	187 cm	82 kg		VIC	Oakleigh Chargers
Sam Dwyer	Mid-Smal	2	29 Aug, 1986	28 y 174 d	177 cm	74 kg	34	VIC	Port Melbourne
Jamie Elliott	Fwd-Smal-Gen	5	21 Aug, 1992	22 y 182 d	175 cm	75 kg	51	VIC	Murray Bushrangers
Alex Fasolo	Util-Med	1	8 Jun, 1992	22 y 256 d	181 cm	80 kg	51	WA	East Fremantle
Nathan Freeman	Mid-Med	21	16 Jun, 1995	19 y 248 d	181 cm	85 kg		VIC	Sandringham Dragons
Jack Frost	Def-Tall-Key	45	25 Feb, 1992	22 y 359 d	194 cm	87 kg	24	VIC	Williamstown
Tyson Goldsack	Util-Tall	6	22 May, 1987	27 y 273 d	193 cm	88 kg	120	VIC	Gippsland
Matthew Goodyear	Mid-Med	38	20 Jul, 1996	18 y 214 d	185 cm	77 kg		VIC	Calder Cannons
Levi Greenwood	Mid-Med	19	19 Feb, 1989	26 y 0 d	181 cm	85 kg	71	SA	Port Adelaide Magpies
Brodie Grundy	Ruck-Tall	4	15 Apr, 1994	20 y 310 d	202 cm	100 kg	22	SA	Sturt
Patrick Karnezis	Fwd-Tall-Gen	33	23 Apr, 1992	22 y 302 d	191 cm	80 kg	21	VIC	Oakleigh Chargers
Lachlan Keeffe	Util-Tall	23	14 Apr, 1990	24 y 311 d	204 cm	99 kg	40	QLD	Queensland under 18s
Ben Kennedy	Mid-Smal	7	3 Mar, 1994	20 y 353 d	174 cm	76 kg	20	SA	Glenelg
Tom Langdon	Def-Med-Gen	8	9 Jun, 1994	20 y 255 d	188 cm	84 kg	19	VIC	Sandringham Dragons
Brent Macaffer	Fwd-Med-Gen	3	29 Feb, 1988	26 y 355 d	187 cm	92 kg	70	VIC	Gippsland Power
Jonathon Marsh	Fwd-Tall-Key	17	17 Oct, 1995	19 y 125 d	191 cm	89 kg		WA	East Fremantle
Brayden Maynard	Mid-Med	37	20 Sep, 1996	18 y 152 d	186 cm	88 kg		VIC	Sandringham Dragons
Darcy Moore	Util-Tall	30	25 Jan, 1996	19 y 25 d	199 cm	93 kg		VIC	Oakleigh Chargers
Adam Oxley	Def-Tall-Gen	43	1 Nov, 1992	22 y 110 d	190 cm	75 kg	2	QLD	Redlands
Scott Pendlebury	Mid-Tall	10	7 Jan, 1988	27 y 43 d	191 cm	91 kg	187	VIC	Gippsland Power
Jackson Ramsay	Def-Med-Gen	31	20 Nov, 1994	20 y 91 d	183 cm	77 kg	2	WA	East Perth
Ben Reid	Fwd-Tall-Key	20	29 Apr, 1989	25 y 296 d	195 cm	94 kg	95	VIC	Murray
Matthew Scharenberg	Def-Tall-Gen	12	18 Sep, 1995	19 y 154 d	190 cm	89 kg		SA	Glenelg
Paul Seedsman	Util-Med	40	22 Jan, 1992	23 y 28 d	189 cm	72 kg	37	VIC	Eastern Ranges
Steele Sidebottom	Mid-Med	22	2 Jan, 1991	24 y 48 d	180 cm	84 kg	122	VIC	Murray Bushrangers
Ben Sinclair	Mid-Med	28	1 Oct, 1991	23 y 141 d	181 cm	76 kg	43	VIC	Oakleigh Chargers
Dane Swan	Mid-Med	36	25 Feb, 1984	30 y 359 d	185 cm	92 kg	230	VIC	Calder Cannons
Josh Thomas	Mid-Smal	24	1 Oct, 1991	23 y 141 d	176 cm	77 kg	32	QLD	Gold Coast
Alan Toovey	Def-Med-Gen	34	23 Mar, 1987	27 y 333 d	189 cm	89 kg	126	WA	Claremont
Travis Varcoe	Fwd-Med-Gen	18	10 Apr, 1988	26 y 315 d	180 cm	80 kg	130	SA	Central District
Jesse White	Fwd-Tall-Key	9	9 Jan, 1988	27 y 41 d	197 cm	107 kg	87	QLD	Southport
Marley Williams	Mid-Med	26	22 Jul, 1993	21 y 212 d	181 cm	85 kg	36	WA	Claremont
Jarrod Witts	Ruck-Tall	15	13 Sep, 1992	22 y 159 d	209 cm	113 kg	27	NSW	Sydney University
Clinton Young	Mid-Med	14	16 Feb, 1986	29 y 3 d	189 cm	87 kg	135	VIC	North Ballarat Rebels
Brenden Abbott	Def-Med-Gen	41	1 Jan, 1995	20 y 49 d	186 cm	92 kg		WA	Claremont
Tony Armstrong	Def-Med-Gen	27	29 Sep, 1989	25 y 143 d	185 cm	80 kg	34	NSW	NSW/ACT Rams
Mason Cox	Ruck-Tall	46	14 Mar, 1991	23 y 342 d	211 cm	106 kg		N/A	Oklahoma State
Corey Gault	Fwd-Tall-Key	44	28 Oct, 1992	22 y 114 d	198 cm	87 kg	1	WA	Swan Districts
Michael Manteit	Def-Med-Gen	39	18 Jul, 1996	18 y 216 d	186 cm	81 kg		VIC	Sandringham Dragons