Preview Round 14: Collingwood v Hawthorn

SportsMatt

Round 14 Collingwood v Hawthorn Friday July 3, 7:50pm MCG 7mate / Fox Footy 7:30pm Weather: Min 7 Max 13 Chance of rain 60%: < 1mm Wind: NW 15kph Betting: Collingwood $3.90 Hawthorn $1.26

Fourth versus fifth, Friday night at the M.C.G, Collingwood against Hawthorn, it doesn’t get much bigger then this. A crowd of around 80,000 is expected at the M.C.G. to see two sides fighting for a top 4 spot go head to head. The Hawks of course are on a mission to do what very few clubs have ever done, win three premierships in a row. Collingwood are just starting to rise again after a fall from grace that saw them miss the finals for the first time in 9 seasons in 2014. The Magpies have performed above external expectations so far and sit with the same win/loss record as the Hawks, 8 wins and 4 losses. Only the Hawks superior percentage separates the young Magpies from the two time defending champions. It’s a mouth watering match up for sure.
There’s a problem for Collingwood though, they simply don’t beat the Hawks. In fact of the last 15 clashes, dating way back to 2007, the Pies have only won 3, with a brutal average losing margin of 38 points. The Hawks have dominated the Magpies in recent years especially with 7 wins in a row since the epic 2011 preliminary final where the Pies came from behind to end the Hawks season. In those 7 matches the Hawks average winning margin is 45 points showing just how dominant Hawthorn has been over the Magpies in the past 3 seasons. The Pies will have to find a way to improve against the Hawks or face another embarrassing loss to the defending premiers.

PREVIOUS FORM
Collingwood’s form has been top notch for a group with the 5th youngest list in the AFL. The Magpies notched up 4 wins in a row before the bye claiming some handy victims such as North Melbourne and the GWS Giants. A real test awaited the Magpies though after the bye as they headed West to face the top of the ladder Fremantle Dockers at Subiaco Oval on Thursday night. The young pies were impressive, they matched it with the older and more experienced Dockers for just about the whole game but a few crucial errors late on allowed the home team to come away with a 7 point win. It was a bitter-sweet night for coach Nathan Buckley and his boys, on one hand they had tested and competed with one of the stand out teams in the competition but they had also let an opportunity to win slip through their fingers. It was an impressive performance though even if they didn’t get the 4 premiership points.
After 8 games the defending premiers were sputtering as they sat with a 4-4 win/loss record. Could it be that these Hawks were over the hill? Could it be that their time was past and the new breed was of teams was going to come through an overtake them? The answer was emphatic as the Hawks went on a 4 game winning with the smallest winning margin being 29 points. It was like the old Hawks were back in town, they were unsociable, they were tough and they were damn effective as they over ran what they considered inferior opponents with relative ease. What that little winning streak has achieved is simple, Hawthorn are back in the top 4 with 10 games still remaining. The win against Essendon last Saturday may well have been the least impressive of those 4 wins but it was still Hawks like as they ran away with a 38 point lead to set up a massive clash with the Pies this Friday night.

COLLINGWOOD PREVIEW

By The Numbers 4,854,039 – The total number of fans who have attended a game between Collingwood and Hawthorn since 1925. 511,102 – The number of people that have attended a Collingwood-Hawthorn game since the 2011 Preliminary Final. That’s over 500,000 people that have been deprived of a Magpies win! 75,842 – The average attendance of a Collingwood v Hawthorn game in the past ten meetings between the two sides. 30,529 – The average crowd at a match between Collingwood and Hawthorn. 1925 – The year Collingwood met Hawthorn for the first time. The Magpies won by 17 points, handing Hawthorn their third straight loss. 2009 – The last AFL season in which Collingwood and Hawthorn only met on one occasion. The Hawks won by 45 points as Lance Franklin, Luke Hodge and Brent Guerra were awarded Brownlow votes. 1988 – The year Hawthorn drafted Alex McDonald with the first selection in the National Draft. McDonald later finished his career at Collingwood. 1190 – Days since Collingwood has beaten Hawthorn. The streak stems since the 2011 Preliminary Final. 224 – The number of games legendary Hawthorn player Leigh Matthews coached at Collingwood. Matthews coached the Magpies to the 1990 Premiership before moving to Brisbane and defeating Collingwood in two more Grand Finals. 201 – Games played by 1990 premiership wingman Graham Wright, who is currently Hawthorn’s recruiting manager. 169 – Collingwood’s highest score against Hawthorn. After missing the previous 12 rounds of football, Graeme Anderson kicked six goals as the Magpies won by 105 points. 96 – The number of times Collingwood has defeated Hawthorn in 159 encounters since the two sides first met in 1925. 96 – Collingwood’s average total score per game against Hawthorn. The Hawks average 86. 66 – The number of times Collingwood has scored over 100 points in a game against Hawthorn. 65 – The margin separating the two sides when Collingwood and Hawthorn met in round 22 last year. The Hawks got the result, despite the Magpies leading by five points at quarter time. 62 – Collingwood’s largest first quarter against Hawthorn. The Magpies kicked 10.2 to Hawthorn’s 1.3 in round 13, 1929. 49 – The number of disposals collected by Dane Swan against Hawthorn in round 17, 2012. The total remains a career-high for the 2011 Brownlow Medallist. 44 – Collingwood’s winning margin when the Magpies defeated the Hawks in the NAB Challenge earlier this year. 40 – The number worn by an 18-year-old Leon Davis in his debut against Hawthorn in round one, 2000. Davis had five possessions as the Magpies won by 54 points. 36 – Collingwood’s lowest score against Hawthorn. The Magpies lost by 54 points in Round 11, 1961. Hawthorn went on to win the premiership that year. 36 – The number of disposals collected by Steele Sidebottom the last time the two sides met in round 22 last year.  32 – Dane Swan and Scott Pendlebury both amassed 32 disposals each in the 2011 Preliminary Final against Hawthorn. 21 – Games played for Collingwood by former Hawthorn premiership player Clinton Young. Young joined the Magpies as a free agent after playing 116 games with the Hawks between 2005 and 2012. 17 – Years and 21 days before Hawthorn beat Collingwood for the first time. From 16 May, 1925 to 6 June, 1942, the Magpies defeated the Hawks every time the two sides met. 16 – The best individual goal kicking performance by a Collingwood player in a game against Hawthorn. Gordon Coventry kicked 16.5 as the Magpies won by 86 points. 10 – The number of games Collingwood lost at Hawthorn’s first home ground, Glenferrie Oval, in 48 years of the two sides meeting there. 10 – The number of players on Collingwood’s list that have played in a winning side against Hawthorn. 4 – Players made their league debut for Collingwood against Hawthorn in round one, 2000. For the record, the players were Josh Fraser, Ben Johnson, Leon Davis and Damien Adkins. 4 – Games played by Jason Taylor during his time at Collingwood. Taylor had earlier played 80 games for Hawthorn. 3 – The number of time Collingwood and Hawthorn have met at Etihad Stadium. Two of these (round 16, 2000 and round 13, 2007) were hosted by the Magpies while the third (round two, 2006) was Hawthorn’s home game. 2 – The number of goals kicked by Corey Gault in his AFL debut under lights at the MCG against Hawthorn last year. 2 – Two players won their last ever game against Hawthorn in the 2011 Preliminary Final. Leigh Brown and Leon Davis both retired after the 2011 Grand Final, just one game after beating the Hawks. 1 – The number of players on Collingwood’s list who have a winning record against Hawthorn. Travis Varcoe has beaten the Hawks three times, albeit in his days as a Cat. 1 – Year (1995) spent at Collingwood by Hawthorn champion Dermott Brereton. 0 – The number of games ex-Collingwood player Paul Sharkey played for Hawthorn after being traded to the Hawks in 1997. The player he was traded for, Shannon Gibson, played just the three games in one season in the Black and White.

The young Magpies have made a splash already in season 2015 but they aren’t finished yet. After notching 4 wins in a row to get back into the top 4 the loss to Fremantle hurt the Pies ladder position but gained them plenty of admiration. No one tipped Collingwood to beat the all powerful Dockers on their home ground yet halfway through the last quarter it looked a distinct possibility. Yes, the result didn’t go the way the Magpies wanted in the end but the endeavour and defensive pressure was as good as any team can provide. This week they face an even bigger test versus the might of the 2 time defending champions. The young Magpies will see it as just another challenge that will better them on their rise up the ladder but they’ll also believe they can match it, and even defeat this Hawthorn outfit. You could almost go through the entire 22 who played for the Pies last week and say they are having a better 2015 then they did 2014. There’s new recruits, both old and young, that have added a much needed boost to a squad that finished last season on a down note. One of those recruits is Travis Varcoe, the 3 time Geelong premiership player who crossed to the Pies in the trade period as part of the Beams and Lumumba deal. Varcoe suddenly himself has been rejuvenated and has brought a sense of calm and experience to a group badly needed of both. His run down and tackle of Pearce last week was the stuff of inspiration and his physicality has surprised many as well at the club. Add in Jack Crisp and the draftees and this is a different Collingwood team to the one that faded poorly in the back half of 2014.
The game against the Hawks really is going to be the ultimate test and coach Nathan Buckley and the selection committee have a few decisions to make. On the injury front it seems the 22 who played in Perth will be available for selection even if a few are a bit banged up. Brodie Grundy and Levi Greenwood are fit and ready to return if called upon while youngsters like Jonathan Marsh, Brayden Maynard, Ben Kennedy and Darcy Moore will also come into consideration. The VFL Magpies had a gutsy win over the top of the ladder Box Hill Hawks on Saturday (Hawthorn’s VFL affiliate) and those names above plus a few others are really pushing their case. Of the side that played in Fremantle Paul Seedsman, youngster Jordan De Goey, Jesse White and Adam Oxley may be the ones stiff to miss out but the no change sign could even go up given that impressive performance versus the Dockers. No matter what the final line-up is this Collingwood side will be a different beast to the one that meekly lost to the Hawks twice last season.

OPPOSITION ANALYSIS
Hawthorn are still a scary proposition for any team. There’s little doubt that come the end of this season they will again be there fighting to win yet another premiership. Yes they started the season rather slowly (for them) but their last 4 games have been typical Hawks football. They also have the wood over Collingwood and that counts for a lot when going into a game like this. The loss of James Frawley to a shoulder injury last week weakens them a little but they have a few ready and able replacements that should get the job done. The Hawks will see Collingwood as one of their challengers, a team that wants to move up into the top 4 and knock them out and that in itself should provide enough motivation for the Hawthorn players.
The Hawks forward line is the potent and dangerous in the AFL, as show by the total points the Hawks have accumulated so far in season 2015. The Hawks have kicked more then 10 goals more then the next best attacking team in the AFL (West Coast) and 140 more points then the third best scorers, which happens to be the Magpies. The loss of Lance Franklin 18 months ago if anything has improved this Hawthorn attack as they now have a plethora of options to attack with. The Hawks have 7 players who average a goal a game or more with Bruest, Gunston and Roughead all going at a rate of over 2 goals per game. It makes it a really tough task for any team to defend against and while the Magpies backline has been good so far this season but even it will have trouble contending against this powerful hawthorn forward line.
The Hawks backline has for a long time been seen as the area where you can exploit them and with James Frawley out with a long term injury it may well be their weakest area on the ground. The problem is they still rank 5th for points conceded and that’s not even allowing for their more attacking game style compared to others in the top 5-6 on the ladder. This week, even without Frawley they will still have Lake, Stratton, Birchall, Burgoyne and Gibson down back and that’s a formidable grouping indeed. They do face a Magpies forward line that is much improved on the 2014 version with the Pies being the most accurate goal kicking team in the competition. If the Pies can get the ball inside 50 quickly the likes of Cloke, Elliott, White, Grundy and Fasolo may well be able to put a healthy score on the board.
The Hawthorn midfield is a beast, it’s strong, it’s flexible but it also has plenty of outside run to take advantage of the ability to win the hard ball. The Hawks rank in the top 7 for contested possessions, clearances and centre clearances showing that even with some of their star midfielders aging they still possess one of the best central cores in the league. They come up against a Magpies midfield that has improved on last season especially in regards to contested possessions. The Pies rank first in that category and will put up a real fight against an experienced and strong Hawthorn midfield. One area that is seen as an area where you can exploit the Hawks is in the ruck. But once again they even rankly highly in average hitouts sitting 6th in the league, well above the Magpies lowly 14th spot. Like in most games the midfield goes a long way to determining the outcome of the game and this one should be no different.
The Hawks are back in form and while they still may be a little bit off the all conquering team that ripped Sydney apart on Grand Final day last season they will be confident of winning this game. At the selection table a replacement for James Frawley will have to be found with Ryan Schoenmakers and Angus Litherland the two most likely to be considered. Matt Spangher may well have been considered also but he hurt an ankle in the VFL and will miss a few weeks at least. The Hawks should get Cyril Rioli back who was a late withdrawal last weekend and that only serves to make them even more dangerous. Hawthorn need to win this game to keep pace with the top 4 so you’d expect them to be their ruthless and aggressive best on Friday night.

TIP
Everything points to another comfortable Hawthorn win over Collingwood in this game. The stats back it up, the form backs it up and the likely line ups point to that too. But this is a different Collingwood team to the one that in the past 3 seasons has meekly laid down and allowed the Hawks to roll over them with efficiency and power. This Collingwood team hunts the ball carrier maybe better then any other team in the competition and it’s taking it’s chance inside 50 when they come.
The Magpies would love to have Reid and Greenwood out there this week but even without them they’ve developed into a team that can test anyone in the competition. The night time conditions suit the Pies too, it’s likely to be slippery and slightly difficult conditions and that may keep the score down considerably. If Collingwood can start this game well I believe they can get on top of a Hawks team that isn’t yet back to 100% full power. Collingwood to win a thriller at the G.

MAGPIES BY 4 POINTS.

Preview Round 14: Collingwood v Hawthorn

AFL

Round 14 Collingwood v Hawthorn Friday July 3, 7:50pm MCG 7mate / Fox Footy 7:30pm Weather: Min 7 Max 13 Chance of rain 60%: < 1mm Wind: NW 15kph Betting: Collingwood $3.90 Hawthorn $1.26

SUMMARY
This blockbuster battle between the fourth-placed Hawks and fifth-placed Pies, who are level on eight wins, will be played for high stakes. The winner will take outright fourth position and go a game clear of the loser, who will join a baying pack of clubs. It's the type of game the Hawks need to win to enhance their chances of a top-two finish – the best position from which to win a third successive premiership. The Pies, meanwhile, are in the midst of a tough block of games and remain desperate for a big scalp after coming so close against league leader Fremantle in Perth last week.

LAST FIVE TIMES

1. R23, 2014, Hawthorn 18.13 (121) d Collingwood 8.8 (56) at the MCG
2. R14, 2014, Hawthorn 17.13 (115) d Collingwood 13.8 (86) at the MCG
3. R21, 2013, Hawthorn 18.11 (119) d Collingwood 12.12 (84) at the MCG
4. R3, 2013, Hawthorn 22.13 (145) d Collingwood 13.12 (90) at the MCG
5. 1QF, 2012, Hawthorn 20.15 (135) d Collingwood 15.7 (97) at the MCG

THE SIX POINTS

1. Since Collingwood beat Hawthorn in the 2011 preliminary final, the Hawks have won their past seven clashes – a club record – by an average of 42 points.
2. It will be a battle of two of the top three highest-scoring teams this season. The Hawks are first, averaging 16.1 goals a game, and the Magpies are third with 14.6.
3. Collingwood is the most accurate side in front of goal this season, tallying 175.133 at a conversion rate of 56.1 per cent, while Hawthorn is eighth with 193.164 at 50.8 per cent.
4. The Hawks continue to kick the ball more than any other side, averaging 225.9 a game. They are also No.1 in average disposals with 395.7 a game.
5. Hawthorn dominated Collingwood in a 65-point win the last time the sides met – 455-284 in disposals, 132-66 in marks, 31-16 in scoring shots and 52-41 in insides 50s. Four Hawks had at least 30 possessions, compared to only one Magpie.
6. In Gold Coast skipper Gary Ablett's absence, Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury has taken the No.1 mantle in the Official AFL Player Ratings, but he could be overtaken this round by Fremantle superstar Nat Fyfe.

IT'S A BIG WEEK FOR …
Collingwood spearhead Travis Cloke. After bagging 12 goals in his previous two outings – an equal career-best fortnight – the big left-footer was held scoreless in the loss to the Dockers. He had just six touches after quarter-time. Pies goalsneak Jamie Elliott will also be keen to lift after a poor one last week. Good players do just that for big games such as this.

PREDICTION: Hawthorn by 15 points

Injury List

Injury Update Tuesday, June 30			Round 14 Collingwood v Hawthorn Friday July 3, 7:50pm MCG 7mate / Fox Footy 7:30pm Weather: Min 7 Max 13 Chance of rain 60%: < 1mm Wind: NW 15kph Betting: Collingwood $3.90 Hawthorn $1.26
Player	Injury	Status
Nathan Freeman	Hamstring	1-2 weeks
Tyson Goldsack	Knee	Test
Brodie Grundy	Neck	Test
Brent Macaffer*	Knee	3-5 weeks
Ben Reid	Calf	Test
Jackson Ramsay	Shin	3-4weeks
*Placed on the club's long-term injury list

Collingwood News Brodie Grundy is free of his neck brace and training once again as he recovers from the neck injury which has kept him sidelined since Queen’s Birthday. Grundy cut a lone figure in the Westpac Centre gym on Friday as his teammates returned from a brave effort in Perth against Fremantle. He trained without a neck brace for the first time, with Director of Football Neil Balme confirming on Tuesday that he may be available for selection as early as this weekend. While Balme stressed the Magpies wouldn’t rush into selecting Grundy, he believes the ruckmen can now return to a normal routine. “He’s got rid of the brace, he’s trained a couple of times already and is in very good shape,” Balme told Collingwood Media’s ‘Blackmores Injury Update’. “Naturally we’ll be pretty conservative with him but there’s some chance he’d be available for this weekend.” In the VFL Ben Sinclair, Levi Greenwood and Darcy Moore all impressed in a variety of roles. Sinclair played three quarters in his first game back from a hamstring, while Greenwood and Moore played full games in the midfield and at full forward respectively. “Sinclair returned and did very well. He played a good three quarters with that hamstring so he’s very close to being fully available again,” Balme said. Mason Cox was absent from the thrilling two-point victory at Victoria Park on Saturday, however Balme says there is no related injury. “Cox was rested on the weekend in the VFL and didn’t play. He’ll certainly be available for this weekend,” he said. Balme said Nathan Freeman would return to the VFL within weeks after having hamstring surgery in May. The highly-talented 20-year-old is yet to play a senior game for the Magpies and will look to add to the four VFL games he’s played this year. “Freeman’s hamstring is going pretty well,” Balme said.

Collingwood News STOP PRESS Collingwood utility Tyson Goldsack has been ruled out of Friday night's clash with Hawthorn after knee tendinitis flared up. However coach Nathan Buckley says he has number of potential replacements to choose from who have displayed good VFL form and deserve a spot. The Magpies will determine at selection this afternoon whether to include first-gamers Darcy Moore, Jonathan Marsh or Matt Scharenberg, or replace Goldsack with ruckman Brodie Grundy who is available after suffering a neck injury at training a fortnight ago. Buckley said Ben Reid would be unavailable as the swingman had yet to complete a full VFL game. Reid's latest injury is a corked calf and the club will be cautious because of his battles with soft tissue injuries over the past 18 months. Buckley was non-committal about who might get the nod to replace Goldsack but said Collingwood's reduced injury list meant he had the luxury of picking players who were knocking down the door to be selected, rather than merely having to fill spots. He said Sam Dwyer and Patrick Karnezis were also in the mix due to their VFL form. "We feel like with the competition for spots that exists at the moment, when the players are ready, they're ready and they have had to earn their opportunities," Buckley said.

2015 LADDER: ROUND 13

Pos Position  C Change from last round  P Played  W Won  L Lost  D Drawn  F Points for  A Points against

% Percentage   Form Past five results   Next Next opponent   Pts Points

Collingwood: Next Three Crucial To Top Four Hopes

REAL FOOTY

Round 14 Collingwood v Hawthorn Friday July 3, 7:50pm MCG 7mate / Fox Footy 7:30pm Weather: Min 7 Max 14 Chance of rain 40%: < 1mm Wind: SW 20kph Betting: odds to come

Collingwood's top four ambitions are dwindling and depend heavily on how they perform over the next three weeks.
After the Magpies' four-game winning streak was cruelly ended by Fremantle at Subiaco on Thursday night, they may need to win as many as eight of their remaining nine games to finish in an important top-four position.

Round 14 July 03 Hawthorn Round 15 July 09 Port Adelaide Round 16 July 18 West Coast

The Pies threw everything at the Dockers on Thursday night, but fell seven agonising points shy of a fifth straight victory.
But waiting for them next week is reigning premier Hawthorn, followed by clashes with Port Adelaide (away) and a much-improved West Coast. A game in Sydney against the Swans in round 20 also needs to be considered - and will be crucial if the next three weeks don't go well.
In the past six years, Collingwood has finished in fourth spot twice – in 2012 with 16 wins and in 2009 with 15.
The Western Bulldogs scraped into fourth spot in 2010 with just 14 victories, meaning the Pies would still need six more victories to replicate that effort.
But the Eagles needed 17 to get there in 2011.
Last season, Fremantle had an 8-4 record after 12 games – the same as Collingwood has now – and finished in fourth spot, with a 16-6 record. Sydney had eight wins and a draw at the same stage in 2013 and then won seven from their following eight contests to finish among the top four and earn a second chance in the finals.
Regardless of the loss to the Dockers on Thursday though, Pies coach Nathan Buckley said everyone involved in the club would be comfortable that the players are on the right track.
"I'm disappointed that we didn't get the ultimate reward this evening, but there is plenty of reward that comes from this evening for the players and the club and potentially the supporters to understand that they have a group of young men, young leaders that they can be proud of that they know when they turn up and watch a game of football that we're gonna play the way we play," he said.
"Our consistency across this year has been first class in those regards, so there is plenty to take out of it.
"The effort was great, we didn't get the points - we move on to Hawthorn next week.
"Freo had to play pretty well to withstand our pressure and get the result. Our pressure was huge. Not many teams can withstand that onslaught of pressure for that long.
"It's a strong effort on our behalf to continue to put that on and obviously by Freo to be able to buffer it enough to be able to get the win.
"Our boys stood up and we didn't think we took a backward step at any stage, and we kept going. That's very encouraging and that's our brand, and that's what we expect."

Round 13: Fremantle 80 Collingwood 73

THE FACTS

COLLINGWOOD   3.4.22   7.6.48   9.6.60   11.7.73
FREMANTLE        3.2.20   7.4.46   9.6.60   12.8.80

SCORERS - Collingwood: Elliott (2.0), Fasolo (2.0), Adams (1.0), Blair (1.0), Broomhead (1.0), Crisp (1.0), De Goey (1.0), Pendlebury (1.0), Seedsman (1.0), Varcoe (0.1), White (0.1)

BEST - Collingwood: Pendlebury, Varcoe, Swan, Sidebottom, Brown, Adams, Cloke

INJURIES - Collingwood: Nil

SUBSTITUTES - Collingwood: Paul Seedsman replaced Adam Oxley at three-quarter time

REPORTS: Nil

OFFICIAL CROWD: 37,145 at Subiaco Oval, Perth

TALKING POINTS

1. Thursday night goes off in Perth The AFL had to be rapt with the quality of game as the Thursday night experiment hit Perth for the fifth time. The joint was buzzing all night with the only downside coming when smoke from the pre-match fireworks failed to clear for several minutes. The 6.10pm start on a workday saw many fans arrive late but the heat of the game was matched by the intensity of the purple army with a healthy sprinkling of the black and white crew. Definitely one worth persisting with, Gillon. 2. Sandilands v Witts Freo’s 211cm, 119kg walking lamppost Aaron Sandilands faced another man monster in Jarrod Witts, who himself weighs in at 111kg and stands an imposing 209cm. The 32-year-old Sandilands had the experience but the 22-year-old Magpie lacked nothing in spirit. He set up a goal to Alex Fasolo in the second term after Sandilands dropped a mark and didn’t take a backwards step all night. In the end big Sandi took the points with his 50 hit-outs but it wouldn’t surprise to see the tables turned in the next year or two. 3. Not just goals for Cloke Subiaco Oval hasn’t been kind to Collingwood spearhead Travis Cloke over the years. In nine previous games Cloke had booted just 13 goals and his record against Freo was moderate with 18 goals from 11 matches. He didn’t add to his goal tally but “goals scored” don’t always tell the story and Cloke’s high workrate found out Luke McPharlin for much of the night. He also had to contend with Garrick Ibbotson as well on many occasions and was among the Pies’ best.

4. Varcoe, 150 of the best He made his mark in 138 games at Geelong but Travis Varcoe may have found his most consistent form in his 12 matches at Collingwood this season. Geelong fans have a warm place in their hearts for Varcoe, after his heroics in both the 2009 Grand Final – when he rifled out the handpass to Paul Chapman for the winning goal – and in 2011 when he booted the opening two goals of the game and added a brilliant end-to-end snap late. However, Pies fans are learning to love him too. His 150th game on Thursday night was notable because of his astonishing winning record. Going into last night his 81.88 per cent winning record (122 wins-27 losses) was the best of any player who hadd played more than 100 games. And his milestone match was one of his best with fierce tackling, savage attack at the contest and sure ball handling the features. 5. Pavlich nearing the end? We’d love to see Matthew Pavlich get a flag before he calls it a day but it might have to be this year or never. He started the season well but his form has tapered a fair bit in recent weeks. He went goalless in the previous two weeks and made it three in a row against the Pies. He hasn’t gone three games without a goal since early in 2011 when Freo only won nine games. Pav was pretty good in the second half but he turns 34 later this year and like McPharlin at the other end desperately needs Freo to hurry up and grab that first premiership. Three-time runner-up coach Ross Lyon would be pretty happy to break through as well.

THE MEDIA

Collingwood News Fremantle has held off a gallant Collingwood in a seven-point heart-stopper at Subiaco Oval to maintain a buffer at the top of the AFL ladder. The Magpies lost no admirers and confirmed their legitimacy as a finals contender with a quality performance in a high-pressure game played in slippery conditions on Thursday night. Scores were level at three-quarter time but the Dockers took control in the middle and kicked three goals to two in the final term to win their 11th match of the season, 12.8 (80) to 11.7 (73), in front of 37,145 fans. The conditions made it tough for clean ball handling, but Freo’s spread of contributors gave it the ascendancy. Nat Fyfe was phenomenal again with 32 disposals and two goals, Michael Walters kicked four vital goals and Lachie Neale gathered 32 touches and kicked a goal, while Stephen Hill had 24 possessions and two goals. Garrick Ibbotson took nine marks in defence, many of them crucial intercepts, and Aaron Sandilands had 50 hit-outs, 16 of them in the last quarter. For the Magpies, Scott Pendlebury was superb, gathering 25 disposals and kicking a goal despite spending an unusual amount of time on the bench. Travis Varcoe was outstanding in his 150th game while Alex Fasolo and Jamie Elliott kicked two goals apiece. Collingwood started brightly in the opening term, using elements of Richmond's blueprint from round 10 to control the tempo before dominating the clearances through Pendlebury and Swan. Pendlebury had 11 disposals for the quarter and kicked a goal. The Dockers conceded a 15-point lead at one stage before arresting control around the middle. Neale gathered 12 touches and had four clearances and the Dockers cut the margin to two points at quarter-time. But all three Fremantle goals came through front-and-square snaps after long balls to a congested forward 50. The Magpies reclaimed the momentum at the start of the second despite Pendlebury spending the first eight minutes on the bench. But it remained an arm wrestle with the sides kicking four goals each for the term. The slippery conditions and intense pressure forced skill errors on both sides. It also showcased some brilliant crumbing goals at both ends from Fasolo and Walters while Fyfe pushed forward on Swan to take a huge contested mark and kick his second goal. The third term was even tighter as the pressure lifted another cog. Scores were level at three-quarter time as was the kicking efficiency of both clubs, which had dropped to 64 per cent apiece. The Dockers midfield took control early in the last. Both sides received free kicks in front of goal but while Walters slotted his for his fourth, Jesse White missed his chance at the other end to see the Magpies fall just short.                             AFL A LATE communication breakdown was a “significant factor” in Collingwood’s seven-point loss to Fremantle on Thursday night, Pies coach Nathan Buckley says. Buckley wanted to make a tactical move to close down Fremantle’s extra defender with the game on the line but was unable get the message through. “Structurally towards the end of the last quarter, really the last 15 minutes of the last quarter, we weren’t able to get clean communication to our on-field leaders to be able to square up numbers [in the forward line] which we thought was a significant factor in that last 15 [minutes],” Buckley said. “Fremantle basically played seven (defenders) for the whole last quarter. We had a decision to make half way through that quarter whether to compromise our stoppage structure to fix that up. We were a little bit slow getting that done. “It is something we will look at in review because it clearly has an impact.” Collingwood’s strong showing put them in calculations for a top-four spot at season’s end, but Buckley said he didn’t care what outsiders thought and the Pies hadn’t ”proven anything” in the tight loss. “External opinion is quite fickle, we’ll be up or be down or be the best or be the worst but internally on our measures and on the way we went about it, we think we are tracking in the right direction,” he said. “We are going about our footy the right way and we forced a pretty good side to dig deep to get a win. “When they play in games like that they learn a bit about themselves, about the club they are involved in, about the AFL and the standard that is expected. “We thought pretty much to the man we stood up and gave great effort.” But the challenges will come thick and fast for the Pies now, with games against reigning premier Hawthorn, Port Adelaide away, and West Coast in the next three rounds. However, the draw opens up a bit from there until they head to the SCG in round 20 to take on the Sydney Swans. Buckley was very happy with the brand of football the team was developing. “I’m disappointed that we didn’t get the ultimate reward but there’s plenty of reward that still comes from this evening,” Buckley said. “For the players and the club and potentially the supporters to understand that they’ve got a group of young men, young leaders they can be proud of and that when they turn up and watch a game of footy we are going to play the way we play. “There’s plenty to take out of it … we didn’t get the points and we move on to Hawthorn next week (Friday night at the MCG).”

SUPERFOOTY TRY telling Travis Cloke the bye is a good thing. Having kicked a total of 12 goals in his two games before Collingwood’s mid-season break last weekend, Cloke on Thursday night went goalless for the first time this season. The Magpies forward didn’t exactly go missing at Subiaco Oval, but he couldn’t have an impact inside the 50m arc as he pushed well up the ground for most of his touches. Cloke had a presence early, with eight disposals in the first quarter, and opponent Luke McPharlin was not able to offer his usual rebound. But while Cloke repeatedly sent the Pies inside forward 50, Nathan Buckley would have loved his focal point on the end of some of the entries on a night when both sides’ tall forwards struggled to kick goals. There wasn’t much love for the Magpie spearhead from the purple army at Subiaco Oval, but it could have been so different. Picture Cloke in purple teaming up with Matthew Pavlich in attack for the Dockers — that was the vision Ross Lyon had when Fremantle ­offered him $1 million a season to move west in 2012. The pursuit prompted a furious reaction from Magpies president Eddie McGuire. With youngster Matt ­Taberner axed for last night’s game, the Dockers are still ­searching for a reliable sidekick and successor to 33-year-old Pavlich.                             REAL FOOTY Note to the AFL's small defenders – you must watch Fremantle's Michael Walters from siren to siren. The young Docker kicked four crucial goals to see his side fall over the line against a fierce and clearly more than capable Collingwood, by seven points at Subiaco Oval on Thursday night. His fourth goal came at the 20-minute mark of the final term to give his side an eight-point lead, the biggest the home side had enjoyed all night. But again it was the class of Nat Fyfe and his young apprentice Lachie Neale – each with more than 30 possessions – that got the Dockers over the line. At three quarter-time, the scores were level; but only because of a Walters goal with just six seconds left on the clock. The clever Docker booted the game's first goal just 25 seconds after the first siren went. And his second came again with less than 10 seconds before the half-time bell to reduce the Magpies' lead to just two points. Fremantle won possibly the most important arm wrestle of this AFL season. And with only a few minutes to go Jesse White made a meal of a very gettable chance to get the Pies back to within a kick – that's how close they got. But if Dockers fans didn't realise that there is a long way to go in this season, they do now. A plucky Magpies hardly slipped up in trying to pressure every Docker at every turn over four quarters. At one stage midway through the third term the Dockers handball count was almost the same as their kicks, because they just couldn't get foot to ball. And after losing to Richmond at Subiaco Oval a couple of outings ago, teams will now see Fremantle vulnerable at home. And after looking almost unbeatable in the first eight games of the season, that now does not appear to be the case. The Tigers, Adelaide, the bottom ranked Gold Coast and now the Pies have shown sides plenty of kinks in the Dockers armour. Although the scoreboard showed a level game going into the final term and the possession count was with the home side, Collingwood appeared to hold the advantage. Travis Varcoe, in his 150th game, was leading the way with some ruthless tackling, as every Docker who picked up the ball had someone wearing black and white baring down on them. Dane Swan and Scott Pendlbury were winning the clearances when the Pies were looking at their best. And Collingwood is quick. Paul Seedsman and Jordan de Goey in particular made everyone on the ground look slow at times. And the Dockers just seemed to be working too hard for their goals. During the week, Lyon said the Dockers couldn't afford to rely on Fyfe to carry them to a premiership. Well, without him, Fremantle would have lost their second game in three outings. When the Magpies kicked out to a 14-point lead in the first term, Fyfe bobbed up with a freak goal to get the margin back to three. Again, in the second term, the Magpies kicked out to a 13-point lead and again it was Fyfe that took a spectacular mark and kicked the goal to give his side an unlikely lead. Fyfe had Pie Jack Crisp following him for most of the night and he did a good job. But the champion Docker still managed to amass 24 touches to three-quarter-time. Just before Fyfe kicked those two first-half goals, Stephen Hill had kicked one a couple of minutes earlier. Despite the Dockers being the top-ranked clearance side in the competition, averaging nine more clearances per game than their opposition, Collingwood won seven of the first 10 clearances of the match and hence took the early lead. The turnaround came from the stoppage of work on Neale. He won the clearances that led to both Hill and Fyfe's goals in the first term and earned a shot himself that he slaughtered. He finished the game with a game high 14.

Round 13: The Team

Round 13 Collingwood v Fremantle Thurday June 25, 8:10pm Subiaco Oval, Perth 7mate / Fox Footy 8:00pm Weather: Min 5 Max 19 Chance of rain 5%: < 1mm Wind: NNW 15kph Betting: Collingwood $4.25 Fremantle $1.22

B: Tom Langdon, Nathan Brown, Marley Williams
HB: Alan Toovey, Jack Frost, Tyson Goldsack
C: Adam Oxley, Dane Swan, Steele Sidebottom
HF: Jamie Elliott, Jesse White, Jordan De Goey
F: Alex Fasolo, Travis Cloke, Tim Broomhead
Foll: Jarrod Witts, Jack Crisp, Scott Pendlebury
Int: Jarryd Blair, Taylor Adams, Travis Varcoe, Paul Seedsman
Emg: Ben Kennedy, Jonathon Marsh, Brayden Maynard

IN: Jarryd Blair
OUT: Ben Kennedy (omitted)

Fast Fact
James Clement, one of the staples of Collingwood’s teams of the early 2000s, played 84 games for Fremantle between 1996 and 2000. He went on to win two Copeland Trophies and play in two Grand Finals for the Magpies.

Collingwood News Collingwood has opted to take a settled line up across the Nullarbor for its clash with the ladder leading Fremantle on Thursday night. The match committee has opted to switch smalls Jarryd Blair and Ben Kennedy (omitted), while the remaining emergencies, Jonathon Marsh and Brayden Maynard, have been in contention for several weeks. Now recovered from an ankle injury, Blair is enjoying one of the finest seasons of his seven-year career. In ten senior games, the 25-year-old is averaging 17.30 disposals (down only on 2012), a career-high 3.0 marks and 1.20 goals per game. Playing predominantly up forward, Blair ranks fourth at the club for goals and equal first for tackles (56). Blair has missed just seven games since making his debut in 2010, underlining the esteem in which he is held by his coaches and teammates. Thursday night’s match will be an important test of how far Nathan Buckley’s Magpies have come. The team’s last meeting with Fremantle was in round one, 2014 – a full thirty games and 468 days ago. Of the team that lost to the Dockers by 70 points at Etihad Stadium that evening, ten players will be absent on Thursday night. The newly renamed Domain Stadium (formerly known as Patersons Stadium and best known as Subiaco Oval) has not been a happy hunting ground for Buckley’s Magpies. They have not won at the venue since Buckley took the reigns in 2012 and have won eight of their 23 meetings at the ground since 1987.

Preview Round 13: Collingwood v Fremantle

Collingwood News - David Natoli

Round 13 Collingwood v Fremantle Thurday June 25, 8:10pm Subiaco Oval, Perth 7mate / Fox Footy 8:00pm Weather: Min 5 Max 19 Chance of rain 5%: < 1mm Wind: NNW 15kph Betting: Collingwood $4.25 Fremantle $1.22

Round 13 kicks off on Thursday night at Domain Stadium with the blockbuster clash between Fremantle and Collingwood. Both sides are fresh from the bye and have had two weeks to prepare for this game.
Fremantle is currently on top of the AFL ladder, with only one loss to its name. But its final two matches before the bye were lacklustre and, in many regards, the break may have come at a good time.
The Dockers were looking unbeatable until the round 10 defeat at the hands of Richmond, and then only just scraped across the line against the bottom of the ladder Gold Coast. In fact, Fremantle’s form line has trended downwards over the last three rounds, only averaging 64 points per game during this time compared to 97 in the opening eight rounds of the season. But despite this, the Dockers are beautifully placed on top of the ladder and should bounce back after the bye.
Collingwood has also enjoyed a very good start to the year, currently sitting in fourth spot on the ladder. There has been much conjecture about Collingwood’s claims to being a genuine top four side considering its early season fixture has been generous, and the only win against a current top eight side was against Greater Western Sydney.
I think it is unfair to judge the Magpies on this basis, considering there have been some challenging victories along the way, and there has been undoubted improvement. In any event, the next month poses the greatest challenge so far this season with Fremantle, Hawthorn, Port Adelaide and West Coast to come. The proof will be in the pudding.
I think this Collingwood side is a lot more mature than the side that fell away from a similar position in 2014. The injury list is a lot better and the depth is very strong. In this regard, I think the Magpies will be better equipped to deal with any losses while still maintaining the confidence in what they are doing to continue to push for a high finish. It is a huge test this week, though, against the premiership favourite, and a side that exposes any weaknesses. A good performance will go a long way to silencing the critics.
It should be an intriguing battle as well. Fremantle has the competition’s tightest defence and is the best side at preventing marks inside its defensive 50. On the other hand, Collingwood is the number one ranked team in the competition for marks inside forward 50, largely due to the good form of Travis Cloke, Jesse White and Jamie Elliott.
Collingwood is the best contested football team in the competition, but Fremantle is the most damaging from clearances with Aaron Sandilands and Nat Fyfe dominating all season. It will be a real test for both side’s structures, and will also be a fascinating tactical battle between the coaches.

Recent History
These two teams have not faced each other since round one last season, where it was Fremantle who annihilated an injury-riddled Collingwood by 70 points. Aaron Sandilands was the chief destroyer, polling the three votes. He had 39 hitouts and 19 disposals. Michael Barlow polled two votes with 29 disposals and a goal, and Tendai Mzungu was also rewarded with a vote for his 27-disposal game.
For Collingwood, Dayne Beams and Dane Swan were prominent with 31 and 27 disposals respectively, but a wayward score line of five goals and 16 behinds meant there was little else to talk about.

At the Selection Table
After a week off, both sides will have some selection dilemmas.
Starting with the Magpies, and coach Nathan Buckley has quickly ruled out any chance of Ben Reid, Clinton Young or Levi Greenwood returning from injury. All have performed strongly at VFL level and are no longer on the injury list, but need more match fitness before they can be considered. It will be a headache for Buckley to squeeze them into a well performed side, but it will put the onus on everyone in the senior team to perform strongly considering there are such experienced players to select. Darcy Moore also returned strongly but will need more match fitness before he can be considered.
Jarryd Blair may be the only change for the Magpies after he was a late withdrawal in Collingwood’s last match with his ankle injury. The bye round should ensure he has freshened up. The only other injury concern relates to Brodie Grundy who is still in a neck brace following his training mishap. He will miss at least another week, which leaves a massive burden on Jarrod Witts to tackle Sandilands on his own. Also keep an eye out for Brayden Maynard who could be a sneaky chance to debut.
Turning the focus to Fremantle, and coach Ross Lyon has some issues in the defensive end and forward line. Zac Dawson, Alex Silvagni and Michael Johnson are all injured and not ready to return, leaving the backline a bit thin. But Chris Mayne should come straight back into the side following his withdrawal with illness last round. Ruckman Zac Clarke was also omitted and will be staking his claim for selection.

Focus on Collingwood
In Collingwood’s last match against Greater Western Sydney, I was pleased to see a more even four-quarter performance. For a period of two months now, the Magpies have experienced huge drop-offs during matches which have allowed opponents to kick multiple unanswered goals. In many respects, the Magpies have got away with these in-game form lapses. However, Collingwood will need a four quarter performance against Fremantle as any lapses will be punished. The Dockers are such a battle hardened team and thrive on wearing their opponents down. This is going to be a huge test for the resolve of the younger Magpies.
The other big test for Collingwood will be how to quell Aaron Sandilands. With Brodie Grundy ruled out, the onus falls on Jarrod Witts alone. There are not many situations where Witts is not the tallest ruckman on the ground, so it is a monster task to ask him to come up against the competition’s most damaging ruckman without a recognised ruckman for back-up (but expect him to get good support from Jesse White when he is not in attack). Witts was very good against Shane Mumford, but there is no doubt this is a totally different challenge. In many regards, it is going to be up to Collingwood’s midfielders to rove to Sandilands and try to read the ball of his hands. This is easier said than done, especially if Sandilands is able to dictate where he palms the ball down.

Player Focus – Collingwood
Taylor Adams – Adams is quickly becoming one of Collingwood’s most vital midfielders. He returned to the side last week against his former team GWS, and picked up 36 disposals and seven tackles. He has become Collingwood’s best in and under player, and he was greatly missed the week before against Melbourne. He will be vital this week as he will square off against a player like Lachie Neale who wins so many clearances. Adams needs to lift around the stoppages, especially if Sandilands becomes dominant.
Marley Williams – Marley is quietly going about his business without a lot of fanfare, but he has put together a month of football which would have him in All-Australian calculations. He is spending more time higher up the ground, which has translated into a higher disposal average of 20. Expect to see him more in defence this week as he either takes on the dangerous small forwards of Fremantle in either Hayden Ballantyne or Michael Walters.
Jesse White – Jesse was really good against the Giants in round 11, booting three goals and also playing a part in the ruck with 13 hitouts. He is going to have to assist in the ruck again, and he needs to stand his ground. He will also need to play his role as a forward against one of the best defences in the competition. His contested marking has improved this year, but he still looks at his most dangerous when the ball is at the ground where he is always more agile than his opponent.

Focus on Fremantle
The biggest criticism of Fremantle over the last few years has been the inability to score. The Dockers have struggled to find a tall to play a back-up role to Matthew Pavlich, and the team’s ultra-defensive structures have often made scoring difficult. Ross Lyon has addressed this over the off-season, which is why the Dockers averaged 97 points in the opening eight rounds of the season. Most premiership sides average over 100 points per game. Although the Dockers are just below this mark, they have such a good defensive game that 97 points will beat just about anyone.
That said, the Dockers went back into their shell in the last month, and the goals have dried up. Perhaps this is due to the fact that a number of key defenders have been injured, so Lyon has set his team up more conservatively. Or, it could just be a case of experiencing some fatigue in the lead up to the bye round after a tough draw to start the season.
Either way, the Dockers will need to keep attacking if they are going to take the next step this season and win the premiership. Collingwood has been kicking big scores recently, so it will be interesting to see whether this game is a high scoring shoot-out, or a dour affair.

Player Focus – Fremantle
Aaron Sandilands – Much has already been made in this preview about Sandilands, but he really does hold the key this week. His hitout statistics have been ridiculous in the three rounds (70, 47 and 69), and this has come against some pretty decent ruckmen. The beauty of Sandilands is that his midfielders can set up how they want in the knowledge that he is going to win the hitout more often than not. It means they can implement set plays and always leave the opposition midfielders guessing. It also means that opposition midfields cannot set up any of their own structures, and are constantly playing defensively to try and minimise the damage.
Nat Fyfe – Fyfe has polled 90 out of a possible 110 coaches award votes, so there is no denying he is the in-form player in the competition. There is little doubt in my mind that Fyfe will win the Brownlow this year. The only question, perhaps, is by how much. The key to his game is his ability to dominate contests while also being able to be a genuine goal-scoring and marking option when played forward. He is the impossible match-up because it is rare that a side possesses an equally durable player. Collingwood will likely turn to Jack Crisp who has done some good jobs this year. Crisp has shown a strong ability around stoppages, is around Fyfe’s height and can match him aerobically. No one has been able to stop Fyfe this year, so it will be interesting to see how Collingwood plan for him.
Lachie Neale – Perhaps the player going under the radar is Lachie Neale, who is having a break out year in his fourth season. Much of the focus is on the Sandilands/Fyfe combination, but Neale has also been a great beneficiary of the brilliant tap work and he never gets a tag. This has translated into an average of 27 disposals a game, and he has also kicked nine goals for the season as well. He is not big in stature (only standing at 176cm), but he is very clever around stoppages and has a good work ethic.

The Wrap Up
The bye came at a good time for Fremantle, and it will enjoy playing in front of a full house at Domain Stadium. But its loss to Richmond has proven to the competition that this team is not infallible and can be beaten on its home ground. Collingwood is traditionally a good travelling side, and will be looking at this week as a real statement game to prove its credentials as a top four side.
Sandilands is obviously a key and how Witts competes will be vital. The Magpies also need to play four quarters and also match Fremantle’s intensity. There will be times when Fremantle turns up the pressure, and at these stages, playing the percentages will be the message from Nathan Buckley. A quick kick down the line to the boundary may be better than taking too many risks and trying to bring it back through the corridor. However, there will also be other times when Collingwood simply has to pull the trigger, and the maturity of the younger Magpie players to sense these key moments in the game will be tested.
Fremantle always provides a thorough examination of any side, and it will be great to see where Collingwood actually rates against a top side. It is a good time to play the Dockers, considering it will give Buckley his best indication of how good his side is and what work still needs to be done from now until the end of the year. It’s better to get this test now than late in the year on the eve of the finals. With experienced players like Reid and Greenwood to come back, it will also be a test for the young players as to who can stand up under real heat.
I really think this will be a cracking game. If Fremantle play in the same manner it did prior to the bye, then Collingwood can cause an upset. But I expect a much hungrier Fremantle who will be looking to really kill off a young competitor, as it did against West Coast earlier in the year.

Preview Round 13: Collingwood v Fremantle

AFL

Round 13 Collingwood v Fremantle Thurday June 25, 8:10pm Subiaco Oval, Perth 7mate / Fox Footy 8:00pm Weather: Min 5 Max 19 Chance of rain 5%: < 1mm Wind: NNW 15kph Betting: Collingwood $4.25 Fremantle $1.22

SUMMARY
The Magpies face their biggest test of the season as they travel west to take on the ladder-leading Dockers. Collingwood’s recent form has been irresistible, winning its last four and kicking 17 goals or more on each occasion. But the Dockers are the number one defence in the AFL and represent a far greater challenge. The home side will be refreshed after a week off, but they will need greater scoring output this week - in their last three matches they have averaged just 64 points per game compared to 97 over the first eight rounds of the season.

LAST FIVE TIMES

1. R1, 2014, Fremantle 17.14 (116) d Collingwood 5.16 (46) at Etihad Stadium
2. R7, 2013, Fremantle 15.10 (100) d Collingwood 10.13 (73) at Subiaco Oval
3. R14, 2012, Collingwood 15.17 (107) d Fremantle 12.6 (78) at the MCG
4. R23, 2011, Collingwood 20.12 (132) d Fremantle 8.4 (52) at Subiaco Oval
5. R8, 2010, Collingwood 20.13 (133) d Fremantle 15.7 (97) at Subiaco Oval

 THE SIX POINTS

1. Collingwood was held to its lowest score against Fremantle the last time the two sides met. Aaron Sandilands was the difference collecting 19 possessions, 39 hit-outs and the three Brownlow votes.
2. The Magpies are the number one contested possession team in 2015 averaging 148.3 per game. The Dockers are ranked sixth with 139.5 per game.
3. Collingwood is ranked third for goals per game this season averaging 14.9. Fremantle is ninth with 12.9 goals per game.
4. The two teams have clashed eight times at Domain Stadium, winning four games each. The Magpies have lost their last three games at the venue.
5. The Magpies are number one for marks inside 50 in 2015 with 15 per game. Travis Cloke, Jesse White and Jamie Elliott are all ranked amongst the top 20 players in the AFL for marks inside 50.
6. The number one and two ranked players on the Official AFL Player ratings go head to head this week. Nat Fyfe is leading the AFL Coaches Association award and is the reigning AFLPA MVP, but the ratings have him second behind Scott Pendlebury.

IT'S A BIG WEEK FOR … Hayden Ballantyne
The 2014 All Australian has played well at stages this year without much going his way, but he hasn't been able to impact the scoreboard as much he would have liked, kicking just eight goals so far this season. A bag of goals would be the perfect start to the second half of the year.

PREDICTION: Fremantle by 20 points

Preview Round 13: Collingwood v Fremantle

SportsMatt

Round 13  Collingwood v Fremantle Thurday June 25, 8:10pm Subiaco Oval, Perth 7mate / Fox Footy 8:00pm Weather: Min 6 Max 19 Chance of rain 5%: < 1mm Wind: NW 13kph Betting: Collingwood $4.25 Fremantle $1.22

The Fremantle Dockers started the season on fire winning their first 9 games of the AFL premiership season. The Dockers have been the ultimate tease to their fans for several seasons now, with numerous top 4 finishes after the home and away rounds resulting in nothing more then one grand final appearance. This season though it seemed different, and after 9 rounds they remained undefeated and were looming as premiership favourites. Then they hit a wall of sorts, with a loss at home to Richmond followed by an unimpressive win over the bottom of the ladder Gold Coast Suns. All of a sudden the rampaging Dockers look beatable, even at the fortress that is Subiaco Oval.
On Thursday night the Dockers will look to regain their ominous form as they welcome Collingwood to Subiaco Oval. The Pies themselves have started the season above expectations and sit just a few spots below Fremantle on the AFL ladder with a 8-3 win/loss record. Both clubs are coming off a much welcome bye which should see a high energy and high pressure game played. The Magpies have this unwanted title of “not having beaten anyone” yet despite notching up 8 wins in the first half of the season. That title would disappear for good if the travelling side can cause an upset on prime time TV this Thursday.

RECENT FORM
Before the bye the Magpies strung together 4 very impressive wins over the Gold Coast, North Melbourne, Melbourne and the GWS Giants. It got them to an 8-3 record at the half way mark and has set them up for a real shot at the finals this season. The last win over GWS may well have been the best four quarter effort from the Pies this season as they systematically broke down a previously in form Giants outfit to win by 42 points. Ex Giant Taylor Adams returned from injury to play his best game for the Pies as did Tim Broomhead who earned a rising star nomination for his performance. Up forward Travis Cloke continued his strong recent form with a 5 goal haul to move well up the leader board for the Coleman medal. The Pies are ahead of expectations and really couldn’t have envisaged being in a better position then this at the half way point of the season.
Fremantle were flying after 9 games after getting some top notch wins including a vital way win against the Crows in Adelaide. The final 2 games before the bye though seemed to show a side that was looking for the break. The unexpected loss at Subiaco Oval to Richmond was followed by that very lacklustre effort against the struggling Suns. The shining light is though that the Dockers have banked 10 wins so far this season, and with only Sydney and the Eagles winning consistently they are still bang on target for a top 4 finish. Injuries have weakened the Fremantle backline though with Johnson, Dawson and Silvagni all with long term injuries. Fremantle have only dropped the one game at home all season though and they will be looking to regain their home ground advantage this week.

COLLINGWOOD PREVIEW
With a weekend off to reflect on their season so far the Magpies would be feeling good. Sitting at 8-3 with the fifth youngest list in the AFL is some achievement in itself, even if the job is only half done. As coach Nathan Buckley said after the win over the Giants this side has improved both on and off the field to a point where their goals may need to be re-assessed. The improvement is there for all to see. Marley Williams, Jack Crisp, Nathan Brown, Jamie Elliott, Brodie Grundy, Taylor Adams and Jack Frost are all having career best seasons. Then there’s the youngsters that are yet to cement a spot in the senior side but show plenty of potential. The Magpies lead the league in contested possessions and marks inside forward 50, two absolutely crucial stats with the way football is played today. They aren’t there yet though, even the most ardent Pies fan knows they have to improve plenty if they are to challenge for a premiership again in the near future. The signs of improvement are strong though and the only way is up from here really.
This week senior coach Nathan Buckley and his selection committee will have a few tough decisions on their hands. Apart from young ruckman Brodie Grundy and the usual suspects that have long term injuries the Pies list is as healthy as it’s been in a long time. Jarryd Blair and Levi Greenwood will push their case for selection while Ben Reid is almost ready to go as well. Greenwood, the Pies biggest off season recruit broke his ankle in the final pre season game but dominated in the half he played in the VFL before the bye. He would add much needed experience in a midfield that at times has allowed other teams to get on top in dominating patches. The Magpies can select a side now based on the opposition and venue and with a fast track in Perth predicted on a big ground, pace may be the weapon that the Pies need more then anything else. Ultimately if Collingwood are to win this game it will be by exploiting Fremantle’s injury concerns down back, so Cloke, Elliott and White will have to perform for the Magpies to cause an upset this week.

OPPOSITION ANALYSIS
Fremantle are gunning for a premiership, they have to be with the careers of some of their star players closer to the end then the beginning. They are in contention this season of that there is little doubt and despite the set back against the Tigers they still sit on top of the ladder. Under Ross Lyon they play a defensive brand of football but at times this season have looked more attacking then in seasons’ past. They have conceded less points then any other team in the AFL but only sit 9th for average points scored so far this year. They know how to win games though and the Dockers would be expecting to win against the Pies on Thursday.
The Fremantle backline has been hit hard by injury. Losing Michael Johnson, Zac Dawson and Alex Silvagni has meant senior coach Ross Lyon has had to re-jig his defensive setup. Into the backline has come youngsters Jack Hannath and Alex Pearce and while they don’t have the experience of Johnson or Dawson they are expected to hold down the fort until those players return. This week they come up against a Magpies forward line with two very dangerous scoring options in Cloke and Elliott. McPharlin surely will get Cloke while Lee Spurr is the most likely candidate for Elliott. Another area that the Dockers are struggling in down back is rebounds out of their defensive 50. They rank 16th in the league and with transition football so important in today’s game it’s an area they have to improve upon.
The area of complete strength for the Dockers is their midfield. They average the second most clearances in the league and are ranked 6th for contested possessions. It’s easy to see why they rack up so many clearances too. Nat Fyfe, Lachie Neale and Michael Barlow are up there with the best contested ball winners in the AFL and when you add the man mountain that is Aaron Sandilands in the ruck it’s a formidable foursome indeed. Thanks to Sandilands Fremantle average 7 more hitouts then any other team in the AFL and that’s a huge advantage to have in any game. This week they come up against a Magpies midfield that is ranked 1 for contested possessions but has struggled at the clearances at times in 2015. This is likely where the game will be won, if either team can gain dominance in the midfield they should come out on top on the scoreboard.
The Fremantle forward line has long been a point of discussion. Most experts state that the Dockers need a dominant tall forward if they are to win a premiership. They are yet to find that forward though and are still going with a familiar set-up this season. Long time club stalwart Matthew Pavlich is still leading the way and is the only Dockers player to kick over 20 goals so far this season. Michael Walters is also in decent form with 18 goals so far this year but then the figures drop off significantly. The usually dangerous Hayden Ballantyne is having a poor year averaging under a goal a game with star midfielder Nathan Fyfe third on the goal tally with 13. Youngster Matt Taberner has shown plenty of promise with 11 goals in 8 games this season and is surely someone they will persist with. The Dockers forward comes up against a Pies backline that fell away just a little bit in the 4-5 weeks before the bye. Fremantle is likely to have more forward 50 entries then the Magpies and they will need it too with the inconsistency of their attacking group at the moment.
This game will suit Fremantle perfectly, they love a hard fought, tight in game where the contested ball and clearances are the key to victory. At selection they will look to bring Chris Mayne back and might consider the likes of De Boer, Duffield and Clarke also to cover the Magpies strengths. If Fremantle want to be considered a genuine premiership threat this the type of game they should win.

TIP
Fremantle go into this game as heavy favourites and rightfully so. Apart from that most recent slip up against the Tigers they have been impossible to get near at home. The young Magpies like a challenge but with a few of their best 22 still not 100% right to go it will be a hard task indeed for them to get up. However it seems as if the Pies match up quite well with the Dockers with the midfield the area that will ultimately decide the game.
If Collingwood can get on top in the middle of the ground and dominate contested possessions like it has so far this season they may be able to cause an upset. The real area where Collingwood can exploit the Dockers is in the forward line though with a weakened Fremantle backline allowing the Pies forwards to get on top. With that in mind I believe Collingwood can pull off a remarkable upset and improve to 9-3 for the season.

MAGPIES BY 7 POINTS.

Injury List

Injury Update Tuesday, June 23			Round 13  Collingwood v Fremantle Thurday June 25, 8:10pm Subiaco Oval, Perth 7mate / Fox Footy 8:00pm Weather: Min 6 Max 19 Chance of rain 5%: < 1mm Wind: NW 13kph Betting: Collingwood $4.25 Fremantle $1.22
Player	Injury	Status
Nathan Freeman	Hamstring	1 week
Brodie Grundy	Neck	1-2 weeks
Brent Macaffer*	Knee	3-5 weeks
Jackson Ramsay	Shin	2-3 weeks
Ben Sinclair	Hamstring	Test
*Placed on the club's long-term injury list

Collingwood News Collingwood Director of Football Neil Balme has ruled ruckman Brodie Grundy out of Thursday’s game against Fremantle, saying the club will "be conservative" with the 21-year-old. Grundy has been wearing a neck brace for ten days after suffering a neck injury during training before the Magpies round 11 clash with Greater Western Sydney. Balme says a visit to a specialist tomorrow will provide a more conclusive update on the injury’s progress. “He’s seeing the surgeon in the next day or so, so hopefully he’ll get rid of that neck brace,” Balme told Collingwood Media’s ‘Blackmores Injury Update’. “Naturally he won’t play against Fremantle and we’ll see how he goes after that. There’s a reasonable chance he won’t play the week after either.” A week of rest and recuperation has helped further strengthen an already healthy Collingwood list. Only five players are unavailable for selection due to injury this week, with Jarryd Blair over his ankle complaint and Corey Gault cleared fit from concussion. Balme listed the status of Ben Sinclair and Nathan Freeman as “short term” with the pair expected to have recovered from respective hamstring injuries in time for Collingwood’s round 12 clash with Sandringham in two weeks. “He just needs to get enough work into him to be comfortable and confident that he can play out full games,” Balme said of Freeman. “Sinclair is going really well. He’s been training well this week, running very well and that hamstring is about right to play. We’ll just see how he recovers. Having missed so much, we won’t be taking a risk. There’s some chance of this week, but certainly the week after. Balme stated that Brent Macaffer will “certainly” play at some stage this year and remains on schedule in his recovery from a knee injury that was described as being “a 12-month affair”. Concern surrounded the fitness of Jackson Ramsay as the 20-year-old attempts to recover from a shin injury. “Ramsay we’re a bit worried about. That shin isn’t coming on as quickly as we would like. We’ll get some expert advice on that and see how he goes. He won’t play this week, he would be medium term.” In more positive news, Balme said the quartet of Ben Reid, Levi Greenwood, Clinton Young and Darcy Moore had completed their recovery periods in the VFL and would now be available for full selection. The selection committee will meet on Wednesday to assess the list and pick a side for Thursday’s clash with Fremantle at Domain Stadium.

2015 LADDER: ROUND 12

Pos Position  C Change from last round  P Played  W Won  L Lost  D Drawn  F Points for  A Points against

% Percentage   Form Past five results   Next Next opponent   Pts Points

2015 Copeland Trophy: Pendlebury Favourite

Collingwood News

Round 12 BYE Round 13 June 25 Fremantle Round 14 July 03 Hawthorn Round 15 July 09 Port Adelaide Round 16 July 18 West Coast Round 17 July 26 Western Bulldogs Round 18 August 01 Melbourne

Collingwood players believe captain Scott Pendlebury is set to once again hold the Copeland Trophy aloft this year.
Only three players have ever won Collingwood’s best and fairest award four or more times. All of them are club legends – Bob Rose, Len Thompson and Nathan Buckley.
After victories in 2011, 2013 and 2014, Pendlebury appears on track to win his fourth Copeland Trophy at the halfway mark of the season.
He leads the club in handballs and uncontested possessions, while is second to Dane Swan in total disposals, contested possessions, clearances and inside 50s.
68 per cent of Collingwood players stated in Collingwood Media’s 2015 mid-season survey that they believe Pendlebury would be leading the prestigious award after 11 rounds.
The captain has averaged 27.9 disposals in 2015, 4.7 marks and 4.5 tackles in 11 games this year, including standout games against Adelaide in round two, Carlton in round five and Greater Western Sydney in round 11.
However it was Pendlebury’s 200th game against the Gold Coast that was perhaps his strongest performance of the year.
The 27-year-old celebrated the milestone in style, with 35 disposals and three goals.
15.8 per cent named three-time winner Swan as the mid-season leader, while Jamie Elliott and Jack Frost also received nominations.
The players selected in this year’s survey draw almost direct comparisons to last season’s results. Pendlebury was the standout leader, while Elliott and Frost joined Dayne Beams as other predicted winners.
Elliott has proved a goalkicking sensation once again in 2015.
The 22-year-old has kicked 25 goals in 11 games and is easily on track to surpass his previous best return of 33 goals in 2014.
Down the other end of the ground, Frost has been a model of consistency at full back. While imposing statistics will never be his strong-suit, he has embodied the spirit of the Copeland Trophy as being an award given to “a working man”.
The Copeland Trophy is named after Collingwood secretary from 1895 to 1923, Ernest W. Copeland.
The award can be won by any player to have played a senior game for Collingwood in the most recent season. Despite one player’s nomination, former NBL basketballer Lanard Copeland is not eligible.

Pendlebury’s best in 2015
Round 2 v Adelaide
18 kicks, 5 marks, 14 handballs, 32 disposals, 3 clearances, 5 inside 50s, 4 rebound 50s, 0 tackles.
Round 5 v Carlton
17 kicks, 9 marks, 15 handballs, 32 disposals, 5 clearances, 1 inside 50, 0 rebound 50s, 3 tackles, 2 goals.
Round 8 v Gold Coast
19 kicks, 7 marks, 16 handballs, 35 disposals, 2 clearances, 8 inside 50s, 0 rebound 50s, 3 tackles, 3 goals.
Round 11 v Greater Western Sydney
14 kicks, 1 mark, 15 handballs, 29 disposals, 10 clearances, 7 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50, 4 tackles, 1 goal.

Most Copeland Trophies won
6 – Nathan Buckley (1994, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2003)
5 – Len Thompson (1967, 1968, 1972, 1973, 1977)
4 – Bob Rose (1949, 1951, 1952, 1953)
3 – Albert Collier (1929, 1934, 1935)
3 – Gavin Brown (1989, 1994, 1997)
3 – Des Fothergill (1937, 1938, 1940)
3 – Phonse Kyne (1946, 1947, 1948)
3 – Dane Swan (2008, 2009, 2010)
3 – Murray Weideman (1957, 1961, 1962)
3 – Scott Pendlebury (2011, 2013, 2014)

Betting: 2015 Brownlow

Betting Before Round 1	Betting After Round 11

Betting: 2015 To Make Top 8

Betting Before Round 1	Betting After Round 11

Betting: 2015 To Make Top 4

Betting Before Round 1	Betting After Round 11

Injury List

Injury Update Tuesday, June 16			Round 12 BYE Round 13 June 25 Fremantle Round 14 July 03 Hawthorn Round 15 July 09 Port Adelaide Round 16 July 18 West Coast Round 17 July 26 Western Bulldogs Round 18 August 01 Melbourne
Player	Injury	Status
Jarrod Blair	Ankle	Test
Nathan Freeman	Hamstring	1-2 weeks
Corey Gault	Concussion	Test
Brodie Grundy	Neck	1-3 weeks
Brent Macaffer*	Knee	3-5 weeks
Jackson Ramsay	Shin	2-3 weeks
Ben Sinclair	Hamstring	1-2 weeks
*Placed on the club's long-term injury list

Collingwood News Collingwood hopes to have two of its injured players available for selection against Fremantle following this week’s bye. Jarryd Blair (ankle) and Corey Gault (concussion) did not play on the weekend but Director of Football Neil Balme says both will come into consideration for a return after the bye. “We are pretty happy with the way Blair’s ankle has come up. We will just have to see how he goes,” Balme told Collingwood Media’s Blackmores Injury Update. “We are reasonably confident that he will play our next game. Watch CollingwoodTV’s full Blackmores Injury Update in the video above. “Gault missed the VFL again on the weekend with concussion. He has come up very well and we are very confident that he will play next game.” Ruckman Brodie Grundy will don a neck brace for the next fortnight as he recovers from a nasty injury sustained during last Friday’s training session. “The good news is there’s no long-term problem with it,” Balme continued. “Obviously we will be conservative and look after it. He’s not out of the question for playing against Fremantle but we may well be conservative on that. “We’re very happy with the way he is.” Of the remaining injured players, Jackson Ramsay continues to work his way through the shin complaint that has sidelined him since round five, while hamstrung pair Ben Sinclair and Nathan Freeman are closing in on a return.