2019 Round 23: The Team & Preview

2019 AFL Round 23 COLLINGWOOD v ESSENDON Time & Place: Friday August 23, 7:50pm AEST MCG TV: 7mate / Fox Footy 7:30pm AEST Weather: Min 5 Max 17 Chance of rain: 5% <1mm Wind: N 14kph Betting: Collingwood $1.38 Essendon $3.00

B: Levi Greenwood, Matthew Scharenberg, Jeremy Howe

HB: Jack Crisp, Darcy Moore, Brayden Maynard

C: Tom Phillips, Scott Pendlebury, Chris Mayne

HF: Josh Thomas, Brody Mihocek, Will Hoskin-Elliott

F: Jamie Elliott, Jordan Roughead, Callum L. Brown

Fol: Brodie Grundy, Adam Treloar, Taylor Adams

I/C: Jack Madgen, John Noble, Travis Varcoe, Rupert Wills

Emg: Tim Broomhead, Tyler Brown, Ben Crocker, Josh Daicos

In: Darcy Moore 
Out: Steele Sidebottom (Injured)

Collingwood News Moore returns to face Essendon Collingwood has called up Darcy Moore for the clash against Essendon on Friday night. The 23-year-old was a revelation in the first half of the season for the Magpies in defence, and returns to the MCG after a troublesome hamstring saw him sidelined since round 17. Moore replaces Steele Sidebottom who was ruled out after rupturing a testicle and undergoing surgery on Wednesday. The Magpies have a slim chance of a top 4 finish but rely on other results to go their way. Coach Nathan Buckley is focused on the task that lies ahead in the Bombers. “We’ve got Essendon… we need to narrow our focus on that and execute the footy we’re capable of and building towards whatever September looks like for us,” Buckley said on Wednesday. Collingwood have named Tim Broomhead, Tyler Brown, Ben Crocker and Josh Daicos as the emergencies. The first bounce is set for 7.50pm, with the MCG expected to attract 83,000 fans. Jordan De Goey (hamstring) and Jaidyn Stephenson (suspension) were unavailable for selection.

AFL Preview Round 23 Collingwood v Essendon Shaping as another classic What it means for Collingwood: A chance to finish as high as third if both West Coast and Richmond lose. A defeat could result in a cut-throat clash with the white-hot Western Bulldogs. What it means for Essendon: Win and the Bombers will almost certainly remain seventh and face an away elimination final against Greater Western Sydney; lose and they will play an elimination final against either the Pies or perhaps even Richmond or West Coast. The stat: The Magpies have won their past three encounters with the Bombers, restricting them to an average score of just 61. The match-up: Adam Treloar v Dylan Shiel The former Greater Western Sydney teammates might well square off at stoppages, where it will be a battle between the game's most prolific ball-winner Treloar (ranked No. 17 in the Official AFL Player Ratings) and the second-ranked Bomber (No. 34). It’s a big week for: John Noble The Pies' mid-season recruit has played two AFL games and both have been road trips to Perth and Adelaide, so he finally gets his first opportunity to play in front of a big crowd at the MCG. But don't expect the occasion to faze the speedy little man, who has made a strong start to his career. Big call: Essendon coach John Worsfold will become animated on the sidelines while Collingwood counterpart Nathan Buckley watches on with apparent indifference. Prediction: Collingwood by 19 points