Preview Round 1: Collingwood v Brisbane

AFL 

SUMMARY

Collingwood v Brisbane Saturday April 4, 7.20pm Gabba 7mate / Fox Footy 7.15pm Weather: Min 21 Max 27 Chance of rain 90%: 5-10mm Wind: E 15kph Betting: Collingwood $2.35 Brisbane $1.60

This season opener has plenty of spice for two teams that missed the finals in 2014. There's Dayne Beams switching from the Magpies to the Lions. There's Lions CEO Greg Swann's former affiliation with the Magpies (he was their CEO for seven years). And there's the Lions' fans hatred of Eddie McGuire for what they perceive as a continual anti-northern states agenda being run by the Collingwood boss. Then there's the tumultuous week the Magpies have endured with Josh Thomas and Lachlan Keeffe being provisionally suspended for failing a drugs test. From a purely footy sense, it's Nathan Buckley's restructured team against Justin Leppitsch's emerging youngsters, and with a near packed Gabba and few pre-season interruptions, the Lions will start this one as slight favourites.

LAST FIVE TIMES
R21, 2014, Brisbane Lions 18.15 (123) d Collingwood 8.8 (56) at the MCG
R10, 2013, Collingwood 14.16 (100) d Brisbane Lions 7.9 (51) at the Gabba
R7, 2012, Collingwood 17.14 (116) d Brisbane Lions 8.10 (58) at the Gabba
R22, 2011, Collingwood 14.18 (102) d Brisbane Lions 13.6 (84) at the MCG
R10, 2010, Brisbane Lions 13.10 (88) d Collingwood 11.14 (80) at the Gabba

THE SIX POINTS

1. The Lions crushed Collingwood when they last met, recording their biggest win over the Magpies since 2007. Tom Rockliff starred with 43 disposals and nine tackles, while Dayne Zorko had 36 touches and two goals.
2. Despite last season’s result, the Magpies have had the wood over their rivals in recent years, winning five of the past seven matches. They have won 22 of 41 matches between the clubs overall.
3. Collingwood was a terrific tackling team in 2014, ranked second with an average of 71 a game, while the Lions were ranked 14th despite Tom Rockliff (163) being ranked second in the league.
4. No team was worse for marking inside 50 in 2014 than the Lions, ranked 18th with only eight a game. Collingwood was ranked sixth, averaging 12 a game.
5. The Lions struggled at the Gabba last season, losing eight of 11 games. Collingwood has traditionally struggled at the venue, losing 11 of 17 games, but winning the past two.
6. It's a real midfield shootout, with these teams having five of the top 40 players in the Official AFL Player Ratings. Scott Pendlebury (two), Steele Sidebottom (17), Tom Rockliff (18), Dayne Zorko (28) and Dane Swan (37) are all among the competition's elite.

IT'S A BIG WEEK FOR …Dayne Beams – who else? After switching from the Magpies to return to his home state in the off-season, the eyes of the footy world will be on Beams. He's had a great first pre-season at his new club, been exceptional in the NAB Challenge and will want to start off on a good note against the Magpies.

PREDICTION: Brisbane Lions by 18 points