Preview Round 20: Collingwood v North Melbourne

AFL

SUMMARY

2017 AFL Round 20 COLLINGWOOD v NORTH MELBOURNE Time & Place: Saturday August 5, 7:25pm EST Etihad TV: 7mate 7:00pm Fox Footy 7:20pm Weather: Min 7 Max 14 Chance of rain 80%: 1-5mm Wind: NNW 28kph Betting: Collingwood $1.52 North Melbourne $2.55

North Melbourne's gritty triumph in Hobart over the Demons put tanking talk on the backburner, while Collingwood had to settle for a draw with Adelaide despite leading by 50 points in the third term. The 13th-placed Pies are gaining late-season momentum as Nathan Buckley coaches for his AFL life, but are still without skipper Scott Pendlebury. That leaves more responsibility on Taylor Adams, Adam Treloar, Daniel Wells and Steele Sidebottom. The Kangaroos' midfield depth is not as impressive, but Ben Cunnington, Shaun Higgins, Jack Ziebell and a resurgent Andrew Swallow are holding their own in recent times. They also boast a dominant key forward in Ben Brown, who is a legitimate chance of winning this year's Coleman Medal. Coach Brad Scott has made it clear North will fight out the season and is not thinking about the No.1 draft pick.

LAST FIVE MEETINGS

1. R18, 2016, North Melbourne 18.16 (124) d Collingwood 12.12 (84) at Etihad Stadium
   
2. R9, 2015, Collingwood 17.10 (112) d North Melbourne 14.11 (95) at the MCG
   
3. R5, 2014, Collingwood 13.15 (93) d North Melbourne 8.10 (58) at the MCG
   
4. R23, 2013, North Melbourne 19.11 (125) d Collingwood 17.12 (114) at the MCG
   
5. R1, 2013, Collingwood 15.13 (103) d North Melbourne 13.9 (87) at Etihad Stadium

THE SIX POINTS

1. North Melbourne had the game won by half-time the last time these teams met, leading by 39 points. Lindsay Thomas finished the night with five goals and Sam Gibson was best on ground with 33 disposals, one goal and four inside 50s.
2. The Magpies are a strong inside 50 team this season, ranked third with an average of 56.7, well ahead of the Kangaroos in 10th with 52.8 per game.
3. Collingwood averages the most disposals in the competition with 405.9 per game, while North's 365.3 ranks 15th.
4. This is the 14th Etihad Stadium meeting between the sides, and Collingwood holds the advantage, winning eight games to five. But North has won two of the last three.
5. The Kangaroos will hope history repeats: each time they've won a game this season, they've followed it with a second win. Collingwood's last three games were decided by a combined 23 points.
6. Adam Treloar remains the highest-placed Magpie in the Schick AFL Player Ratings at No.9, but Taylor Adams (No.28) is rising with a bullet. Adams was 52nd after round two, but repeat quality performances have him at a new personal best.

IT'S A BIG WEEK FOR … Darcy Moore.
The 21-year-old Pie has kicked just one goal across his last two matches, after managing 15 in his previous seven. North may not have won many games in 2017, but its tall defensive stocks stack up, with Robbie Tarrant and Scott Thompson among the best in the AFL. Moore's ability to provide a target and potentially multiple goals would go a long way to a Collingwood victory.

PREDICTION: Collingwood by 16 points