2017 Season Preview 4

Real Footy

2017 AFL Round 1 COLLINGWOOD v FOOTSCRAY Time & Place: Friday March 24, 7:50pm EDT MCG TV: 7mate / Fox Footy 7:30pm EDT Weather: Min 14 Max 26 Chance of rain 60%: 1-5mm Wind: ESE 15kph Betting: Collingwood $2.80 Footscray $1.46

Coach Nathan Buckley has drawn Collingwood's line in the sand more clearly than any other club's; if the Magpies don't make the finals, he doesn't expect to be re-contracted.
Since they have finished 11th, 12th and 12th the past three seasons, it is a big call.
Their recruiting reflects the urgency, but it hasn't filled all the holes. They need everything to go right.

Last year
12th.
W-L-D: 9-13-0

The upshot
Our experts are divided over whether the Magpies jump into the eight.

Big questions

• Can Ben Reid stand up? He is the club's most important player, but also one of the most fragile.
• Can Daniel Wells string together games? He adds fine midfield silk, but his record does not inspire confidence, and he is 32.
• Can the Pies play Brodie Grundy, Jesse White and Mason Cox in the same team and not be weighed down by top-heaviness?

Did you know?

• From Collingwood's 2010 premiership team, only five players remain at the club.
• The Magpies' best six midfielders as a group are statistically the second-best in the competition. The best two, Pendlebury and Treloar, compare favourably with Dangerfield and Selwood.
• With the departure of Nathan Brown and Jack Frost, Collingwood's defence looks to be its Achilles heel, but Champion Data ranks it top eight.
• Yes, Eddie McGuire is still president.

Ultimate Footy player ratings
Stars: Scott Pendlebury, Adam Treloar, Brodie Grundy.
Smokies: Josh Thomas, Will Hoskin-Elliott
Avoid: Daniel Wells, Levi Greenwood