2018 Round 23: The Team, Preview, Injury List

2018 AFL Round 23 COLLINGWOOD v FREMANTLE Time & Place: Saturday August 25, 4:35pm EST Perth Stadium Fox Footy 4:30pm EST Weather: Min 7 Max 20 Chance of rain 5%: < 1mm Wind: WSW 11kph Betting: Collingwood $1.15 Fremantle $5.50

B: Brayden Maynard, Tom Langdon, Jack Crisp

HB: Nathan Murphy, Jack Madgen, Levi Greenwood

C: Travis Varcoe, Scott Pendlebury, Tom Phillips

HF: Will Hoskin-Elliott, Brody Mihocek, Jordan De Goey

F: Josh Thomas, Mason Cox, Jaidyn Stephenson

Foll: Brodie Grundy, Taylor Adams, Steele Sidebottom

Int: Brayden Sier, James Aish, Chris Mayne, Adam Oxley

Emg: Flynn Appleby, Josh Smith, Josh Daicos, Sam McLarty

COLLINGWOOD NEWS COLLINGWOOD V FREMANTLE A host of inexperienced players, including Nathan Murphy, will get another chance to shine at the highest level when Collingwood takes on Fremantle at Perth Stadium on Saturday. The Pies have named the same 22 that easily defeated Port Adelaide last weekend. The emergencies are Flynn Appleby, Josh Smith, Josh Daicos and Sam McLarty. Murphy, who was a late inclusion for the Port game after Sam Murray withdrew due to personal issues, will play his second AFL game. Mature-age recruit Jack Madgen will continue to hold down a key post in the backline, while youngsters like Brayden Sier and rising star favourite Jaidyn Stephenson will look to hone their skills ahead of the finals. A Collingwood win will cement the club in the top four, with its qualifying final opponent to be decided by the results of the clash in Sydney between the Swans and Hawthorn and the game in Brisbane involving the Lions and West Coast. The Pies scored an easy win over the Dockers at the MCG back in round 11.

AFL PREVIEW ROUND 23 COLLINGWOOD V FREMANTLE AFL LAST FIVE TIMES R11, 2018, Collingwood 21.12 (138) d Fremantle 12.5 (77) at the MCG R11, 2017, Collingwood 15.15 (105) d Fremantle 12.13 (85) at Subiaco Oval R14, 2016, Collingwood 12.13 (85) d Fremantle 5.7 (37) at the MCG R13, 2015, Fremantle 12.8 (80) d Collingwood 11.7 (73) at Subiaco Oval R1, 2014, Fremantle 17.14 (116) d Collingwood 5.16 (46) at Etihad Stadium LADDER POSITIONS Collingwood: 3 Fremantle: 14 INJURY LIST Tyson Goldsack (knee / back) - available Flynn Appleby (hamstring) - available Jeremy Howe (corkie) - 1 week Darcy Moore (hamstring) - TBC Ben Reid (calf) - TBC Adam Treloar (hamstrings) - 2-3 weeks Jamie Elliott (hamstring) - season Kayle Kirby (medical condition) - season Matthew Scharenberg (knee) - season Tim Broomhead (broken leg) - season Lynden Dunn (knee) - season Daniel Wells (foot) - season SUMMARY Despite a nightmare run with injuries that would cripple most sides, Collingwood travels west with the very real chance of booking a home qualifying final. If the Magpies can touch up the Dockers and boost their percentage, they are likely to fly home on Saturday night inside the top-two, with West Coast then needing to topple Brisbane at the Gabba on Sunday to claim the right to two home finals. If the Pies lose, they could still fall to fifth and face an elimination final, so there's plenty at stake for Nathan Buckley's men. The Dockers were horrendous in Geelong and suffered a club record 133-point hammering on one of the darkest days in their 23-year history. Couple that humiliation with veteran defender Michael Johnson's likely farewell game, and probably Danyle Pearce's as well, and Freo should have more than enough motivation to finish 2018 strongly, but whether Ross Lyon can inspire a competitive effort remains to be seen.  AFL THE SIX POINTS Collingwood's mobile forward line proved the difference in round 11, with Will Hoskin-Elliott kicking a career-high six goals, Brody Mihocek slotting four and Tom Phillips adding three. The Magpies have spent most of the season as the highest disposal team (averaging 404.2 per game), while the Dockers average 361.2, ranking them 15th. Collingwood is among the most dynamic and highest scoring teams this season, averaging 93 points (AFL No.3), but Freo has generally lacked firepower, and averages 70 points (AFL No.15). Fremantle has won two of the past three against the Pies in Perth. Collingwood has claimed interstate wins against Adelaide, Brisbane and Gold Coast this year, and lost to Sydney by two points in round 20. Collingwood will be aiming for their 15th win, which would be the most in the home and away season for the Magpies since 2012. A loss for the rebuilding Dockers and it will be back-to-back seasons of eight wins.  Michael Johnson will bid farewell to the Freo faithful after an exceptional 244-game career. The 33-year-old was ranked the League's third-best key defender at the start of 2015 by the Schick AFL Player Ratings. IT'S A BIG WEEK FOR … Ross Lyon The Dockers can't accept efforts like they dished up in Geelong and it's up to coach Ross Lyon to find a way to rally the troops and inspire a competitive effort at home, or else it will be a long off-season.    PREDICTION: Collingwood by 42 points