AFL 2021 Round 3: The Team

AFL 2021 ROUND 3 COLLINGWOOD v BRISBANE Time & Place:  Thursday April 1, 7.40pm EDT Docklands TV: 7mate / Fox Footy Weather: Min 12 Max 28 Chance of rain 5%: <1mm Wind: NNW 5kph Betting: Collingwood $1.80 Brisbane $2.05

FB:  [37] Brayden Maynard, [23] Jordan Roughead, [44] Jack Madgen 

HB:  [9] John Noble, [30] Darcy Moore, [38] Jeremy Howe

C: [25] Jack Crisp, [10] Scott Pendlebury, [6] Tyler Brown

HF: [17] Callum L. Brown, [41] Brody Mihocek, [2] Jordan De Goey

FF: [32] Will Hoskin-Elliott, [46] Mason Cox, [24] Josh Thomas

Foll:  [4] Brodie Grundy, [13] Taylor Adams, [22] Steele Sidebottom

I/C:  [16] Chris Mayne, [3] Isaac Quaynor, [7] Josh Daicos, [36] Brayden Sier

EMG:  [14] Darcy Cameron, [31] Beau McCreery, [28] Nathan Murphy, [21] Trey Ruscoe

In: Chris Mayne

Out: Jamie Elliott (10-12 weeks fractured fibula), Trey Ruscoe (Omitted)

COLLINGWOOD NEWS Round 3 Collingwood v Brisbane Chris Mayne is back (replacing injured Jamie Elliott). The 32-year-old veteran makes his return against Brisbane after sitting out the first two rounds of the season as he recovered from a bout of concussion. After the Magpies captains run on Wednesday, defender Jordan Roughead praised the Lions outfit and won't be taking them lightly on Thursday night. "We know they're a strong opposition. Obviously, their form last year was fantastic, saw them go deep in finals and their contest and spread in the middle is really good," Roughead said. "They've got some pretty strong forwards and strong backs, so they're good across the field and we're going to have to bring out best to roll them on Thursday night."

AFLW 2021 Round 9: Adelaide 31 Collingwood 17

AFLW 2021 Qualifying Final A COLLINGWOOD v NORTH MELBOURNE Time & Place:  Saturday April 3, 3.10pm EDT Victoria Park TV: 7mate / AFL Streaming Weather: Min 16 Max 27 Chance of rain 0%: 0mm Wind: NNW 20kph Betting: Not available

ADELAIDE              2.2.14   3.4.22   4.5.29   4.7.31
COLLINGWOOD      1.1.7     1.1.7     1.2.8   2.5.17

GOALS - Collingwood: Lambert, Molloy

BEST - Collingwood: Davey, Lambert, Bonnici, Chiocci, Rowe

INJURIES - Collingwood: Casey (concussion), Fowler (shoulder)

REPORTS - Collingwood: Nil

OFFICIAL CROWD - Not available

What The Pies Coach Said “The Crows have been up there for a while and we still describe ourselves as a building team so whether the girls were overawed in the first little bit, it was certainly a finals-like game, once they got into the groove we got some ball movement going. To have that game going into a finals series is the perfect scenario for us as we will get used to it and be ready to crack in next week. Defensively we thought we had some things that worked pretty well. It was just our ball movement, we started to handball too much and transfer the pressure to another teammate. We need to back ourselves to make the right decision at the right time.”  – Collingwood coach Steve Symonds

Media Clippings Fox Sports The AFLW finals have been locked in after Adelaide’s victory over Collingwood on Sunday afternoon. The loss has resulted in Collingwood slipping out of the top two, meaning they will be forced to play next weekend rather than earn the week off. The finals will run over three weeks with the top two teams having a week off. The other match-ups will be 3rd versus 6th and 4th versus 5th. It means Collingwood will play North Melbourne and Melbourne will host Fremantle for a chance to reach the Preliminary Final. The winner of Collingwood and North Melbourne will play Adelaide, while the winner of Melbourne and Fremantle will play Brisbane. AFLW ADELAIDE has clinched the minor premiership and booked a home preliminary final in the second week of the 2021 NAB AFLW finals series with an impressive 14-point triumph over Collingwood at Norwood Oval on Sunday afternoon. It was a dominant performance throughout from the 2019 premiers as they outclassed a fellow premiership threat to register the 4.7 (31) to 2.5 (17) victory and earn a week off in the first week of the finals series. Conversely, the disappointing Magpies drop from first to third on the ladder and will now have to re-group before they face the dangerous Kangaroos in a cut-throat elimination final next week. Herald Sun Collingwood lost top spot and has to regroup for a qualifying final against North Melbourne. When the final siren sounded, Collingwood’s key forward Sophie Alexander slumped on the Norwood Oval grass, head in hands and inconsolable after her side went down by 14 points to Adelaide on Sunday. It was the visible proof of just how much was on the line. With the tight, contested win, the Crows claimed the 2021 AFLW minor premiership, pushing Collingwood – which had been ladder leaders for most of the season – back to third and out of automatic qualification for the preliminary finals in a fortnight’s time. The Magpies will face North Melbourne in a qualifying final at Victoria Park on Saturday, for the right to play second-placed Brisbane in the preliminary final on the weekend of April 9.  The Age Collingwood tumbled from top spot and a week off to third place after losing to Adelaide at Norwood Oval on Sunday. The 14-point win gave the Crows top spot and knocked the Magpies’ percentage low enough to fall below Brisbane, who claimed second spot and direct entry to the second week of finals. ... The Magpies will face a nervous wait on defender Erica Fowler (shoulder) who was hurt on Sunday although she did finish the game despite landing awkwardly on her arm and needing treatment. But they will likely be without another defender Sophie Casey, who suffered a head knock and will miss the next 12 days should she be diagnosed with concussion. Collingwood’s defence is already without mainstays Lauren Butler (hamstring) and Jordyn Allen (foot) who are not expected to return this season.

AFLW 2021 Round 9: The Team

AFLW 2021 ROUND 9 COLLINGWOOD v ADELAIDE Time & Place:  Sunday March 28, 12.40pm EDT Norwood Oval SA TV: 7mate / AFL Streaming 12.30pm EDT Weather: Min 13 Max 23 Chance of rain 20%: <1mm Wind: WSW 14kph Betting: Collingwood $2.26 Adelaide $1.62

B: R.Schleicher [18] S.Casey [22]
  
HB: A.Brazill [10] S.Livingstone [12] A.Porter [9]

C: S.Chiocci - C [17] J.Lambert [13] J.Lin [20]

HF: A.Sheridan [14] S.Alexander [24] M.Cann [25]

F: C.Molloy [2] A.Newman [16]

Foll: S.Norder [1] B.Davey [3] B.Bonnici [8]

I/C: B.Smith [19] E.Fowler [15] T.Brown [26] S.Rowe [7]
  
Emerg: M.Shevlin [35] K.Stratton [41]  
  
In: B.Smith
Out: K.Stratton (omitted)

Collingwood News

The final challenge of the home and away season awaits, with the Pies set to take on the Crows at Norwood Oval on Sunday afternoon

Coming off Round 8:

Collingwood set their sights on a top-two finish, taking care of the Saints comprehensively at home last Saturday.

There were standout performers on every line, with Brittany Bonnici (29 disposals) and Brianna Davey (23 disposals) leading the midfield, Aliesha Newman (three goals) contributing her best game in the black and white and Ruby Schleicher putting in a career-best performance with 23 disposals, 11 intercepts and 10 contested possessions.

St Kilda were no match for Collingwood’s spread and composure, with the Pies demonstrating intent from the get-go to run out the game 46-point victors.

An eye on the opposition:

A clinical 56-point victory over the Western Bulldogs assisted the Crows into third position, led by Ebony Marinoff with 25 possessions and Chloe Scheer with three goals.

The Crows bounced back from their loss to Melbourne in Round 7, stifling the Bulldogs to receive a healthy boost to their overall percentage.

Adelaide’s pressure was too much for the Bulldogs to withstand, who could manage just three goals for the game.

The Crows have their eyes on a top-two finish and with the game to be played on their home deck, a significant challenge awaits the Pies in order to secure a preliminary final berth.

Pies to look out for:

After 385 days on the sidelines, Ash Brazill made her long-awaited return from an ACL injury last week.

Brazill didn’t look a step off the pace, finishing with eight disposals in limited game time and will only continue to build heading into the pointy end of the season.

And while there are plenty of big names in the Collingwood backline, there are equally a number of unsung heroes.

While Alana Porter may fly under the radar, there’s no question that she’s one of the Pies’ fiercest competitors.

Since her outstanding debut season in 2020, in which she ran out for all seven games, Porter has only improved – her strength in the one-on-one contest and dash from defence has proved a key cog in the Collingwood machine.  

AFL 2021 Round 2: Collingwood 106 Carlton 85

AFL 2021 ROUND 3 COLLINGWOOD v BRISBANE Time & Place:  Thursday April 1, 7.40pm EDT The Gabba TV: 7mate / Fox Footy Weather: Min 20 Max 25 Chance of rain 0%: 0mm Wind: SE 20kph Betting: Collingwood $? Brisbane $? COLLINGWOOD   6.2.38   11.5.71   13.7.85  16.10.106 CARLTON             3.2.20     8.3.51   12.4.76      13.7.85 GOALS - Collingwood: De Goey 4, Mihocek 3, Elliott 2, Cox 2, Sidebottom, Hoskin-Elliott, Daicos, Adams, Ruscoe BEST - Collingwood: Adams, Moore, De Goey, Pendlebury, Crisp, Noble INJURIES - Collingwood: Elliott (ankle) REPORTS - Collingwood: Nil SUBSTITUTES - Collingwood: Ruscoe (replaced Elliott) OFFICIAL CROWD - 51,723 at the MCG What The Pies Coach Said "We had narrow losses in our practice matches against Geelong and Richmond, but we didn't (play) particularly well, and we didn't play particularly well last week. We think there's still so much growth on what we put forward tonight, but that was a more Collingwood performance in regard to our effort and our defensive shape. We've kicked 100 points and I know everyone will focus on personnel in front of the ball and ball use and offensive efficiency, but largely if you compete and defend well you're going to be able to get the ball back in some pretty damaging positions. In the first half, we were able to do that and we scored quite heavily as a result." – Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley Media Clippings Herald Sun Collingwood have made a habit in recent years of producing their best with their backs against the wall, and Thursday night was no exception with a gutsy victory against the old enemy Carlton. After enduring a week full of critics questioning the direction they were heading in, following their timid showing against the Western Bulldogs, Nathan Buckley’s men responded in the best possible fashion, taking the wind out Carlton’s sails following a pre-season full of promise, and consigning them to their ninth consecutive 0-2 start to a season. The Magpies turned the clock back to 2018 with their mosquito fleet up forward wreaking havoc in the first half especially as Jordan De Goey (four goals), Jamie Elliott (two), Will Hoskin-Elliott (one) and Josh Daicos (one) kicking eight goals between them, while Brody Mihocek added three. AFL THE QUESTION of where to play Jordan De Goey might have been answered. Collingwood has long been searching for the solution to that defining conundrum and on Thursday night, De Goey's scintillating four-goal first half went some way to providing it as the star Pie inspired his side's crucial 21-point victory over Carlton. The 16.10 (106) to 13.7 (85) win, which simultaneously resigned its arch rivals to an 0-2 start, was defined by De Goey's efforts as the mid-forward became a pure forward to haunt a Blues side that now has its finals hopes hanging by a thread. The Age Seldom has a club endured as tumultuous a period as had Collingwood since their men’s side last tasted victory way back in the first week of October. For that reason and more, Thursday night’s win over Carlton at the MCG - built on both hardness and flair - would be cause for major relief for those of black and white persuasion. Having worked their way to a five-goal lead during the second term, the Magpies were challenged in the second half by the Blues. And yet Nathan Buckley’s men held firm, squaring their ledger at 1-1 and leaving winless Carlton already facing an uphill task to make the finals for the first time since 2013. The sour note for the Pies though was an ankle injury for Jamie Elliott, who was substituted out of the game during the second quarter. “We don’t know [the severity of the injury.] We’ll wait until we see the scan and see what comes of that,” Pies coach Buckley said.

AFL 2021 Round 2: The Team

AFL 2021 ROUND 2 COLLINGWOOD v CARLTON Time & Place:  Thursday March 25, 7.20pm MCG TV: 7mate / Fox Footy Weather: Min 15 Max 20 Chance of rain 90%: <1mm Wind: W 16kph Betting: Collingwood $1.85 Carlton $1.98

FB:  [37] Brayden Maynard, [23] Jordan Roughead, [44] Jack Madgen 

HB: [25] Jack Crisp, [30] Darcy Moore, [38] Jeremy Howe

C: [9] John Noble, [10] Scott Pendlebury, [6] Tyler Brown

HF: [5] Jamie Elliott, [41] Brody Mihocek, [2] Jordan De Goey

FF: [7] Josh Daicos, [46] Mason Cox, [24] Josh Thomas

Foll: [4] Brodie Grundy, [13] Taylor Adams, [22] Steele Sidebottom

I/C: [32] Will Hoskin-Elliott, [3] Isaac Quaynor, [17] Callum L. Brown, [36] Brayden Sier

EMG: [21] Trey Ruscoe, [14] Darcy Cameron, [35] Oliver Henry, [28] Nathan Murphy

In: Callum L. Brown, Steele Sidebottom 

Out: Oliver Henry (Omitted), Trey Ruscoe (Omitted)

COLLINGWOOD NEWS Round 2 Collingwood vs Carlton Steele Sidebottom is back for tonight's game against Carlton. The 30-year-old returns for his first game since round 13 last season and the star midfield is pumped to be back out on the MCG. “Yeah, I’m sure I’ll spend some time there [in the forward line] tomorrow night. Hopefully, I can hit the scoreboard and celebrate with the crowd again," Sidebottom said on Wednesday. Sidebottom's experience and leadership will be of great value for the blockbuster clash against Carlton. Callum Brown has been elevated from the medical substitute and will play a role up forward for the Pies, while Jordan De Goey is set to play his 100th game for the club.

AFLW 2021 Round 8: Collingwood 59 St Kilda 13

AFLW 2021 ROUND 9 COLLINGWOOD v ADELAIDE Time & Place:  Sunday March 28, 12.40pm EDT Norwood Oval SA TV: 7mate / AFL Streaming 12.30pm EDT Weather: Min 13 Max 21 Chance of rain 0%: 0mm Wind: SE 15kph Betting: Collingwood $? Adelaide $?

COLLINGWOOD    3.3.21   4.6.30   6.6.42   8.11.59
ST KILDA                 1.0.6     1.1.7     1.1.7     2.1.13

GOALS - Collingwood: Newman 3, Molloy 2, Lambert, Layton, Lin

BEST - Collingwood: Davey, Lambert, Bonnici, Newman, Schleicher, Layton

INJURIES - Collingwood: Nil

REPORTS - Collingwood: Nil

OFFICIAL CROWD - 2,228 at Victoria Park

What The Pies Coach Said "We were pretty happy with that. We were looking for a response after last week (loss to Brisbane) … and we felt got that today. The girls' intent was pretty positive from the start and we did overdo the ball a bit today and made a few mistakes, but we did it with intent." – Collingwood coach Steve Symonds

Media Clippings AFLW COLLINGWOOD has shored up its top-two hopes with a comprehensive 47-point win over an embattled St Kilda on Saturday. Led by small forward Aliesha Newman (two goals in the opening four minutes and three overall), the Pies were switched on from the opening bounce in the 8.11 (59) to 2.1 (13) win at Victoria Park. ... As the game progressed, the Pies spread the ball with much more purpose, showing greater composure in the face of some fierce St Kilda tackling. ... Brianna Davey (23 touches) was outstanding all around the ground, with the Saints having no match for her physicality and marking ability, while the ever-industrious Britt Bonnici (29) and Jaimee Lambert (21 and seven tackles) found plenty of the footy. ... At this time of the season, percentage is especially vital for teams in finals calculation. The Pies now cannot drop out of the top six, and had entered the match with a percentage of 195.9. Thanks in part to two fearsome goal-saving tackles by Ruby Schleicher as the Saints pressed in the third, Collingwood's percentage now sits at 217.0, and the team is in first place halfway through the round. Herald Sun Collingwood bounced back from a heartbreaking loss with a percentage-boosting win against St Kilda that piles the pressure on the AFLW ladder leaders. Brianna Davey has roared back into form to help Collingwood back onto the winners list, with a 46-point win over St Kilda keeping the Magpies in top-two calculations. Following her uncharacteristically down performance against Brisbane last week, Davey (23 disposals) and midfield partner Britt Bonnici (29 disposals) were superb as the Pies notched a healthy percentage boost heading into their final game of the season against fellow finals contenders Adelaide. The Age Collingwood have kept in touch with the top two after a clinical 46-point win over St Kilda at Victoria Park on Saturday. Usual suspects Brittany Bonnici (29 disposals, five marks), Ruby Schleicher (23 disposals, five marks, three tackles) and Brianna Davey (23 touches) all starred as the Magpies flew to their seventh win of the season. Aliesha Newman, who had not kicked a goal this season prior to the match, booted three majors and two behinds from eight disposals.

AFL 2021 Round 1: Footscray 69 Collingwood 53

AFL 2021 ROUND 2 COLLINGWOOD v CARLTON Time & Place:  Thursday March 25, 7.20pm MCG TV: 7mate / Fox Footy Weather: Min 12 Max 17 Chance of rain 60%: <1mm Wind: WSW 15kph Betting: Collingwood $1.71 Carlton $2.15 FOOTSCRAY        3.2.20   6.5.41  9.7.61  10.9.69 COLLINGWOOD    1.2.8   4.6.30  5.7.37   7.11.53 GOALS - Collingwood: Mihocek 2, Elliott 2, Cox 2, Crisp BEST - Collingwood: Pendlebury, Moore, Maynard, Crisp, Mihocek INJURIES - Collingwood: Nil REPORTS - Collingwood: Nil SUBSTITUTES - Collingwood: C.Brown (unused) OFFICIAL CROWD - 46,051 at the MCG What The Pies Coach Said "We had 104 tackle attempts for 53 tackles so we tackled at around 50 per cent which is as low as I can remember. Our effectiveness of our pressure is something we need to look at and if we want to win games of footy, we're going to have to create turnovers with pressure onball around the contest and we weren't able to create anywhere near enough of those tonight. ... I think they did the basics a lot better than we did. They obviously won a lot more of the ball, they were pretty efficient with it and were able to move it from one end of the field to the other clinically and stopped us from doing the same. Our defence held up for the insides that we faced to only allow 19 scoring shots was a really strong effort, but we were doing it on the ropes and it's a pretty hard place to start from." – Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley Media Clippings Herald Sun The Bulldogs made life hard for themselves, and despite dominating play for most of the night – they finished with 149 more disposals and 20 more inside 50s – only really managed to slam the door shut in the final term on the dogged Magpies, who were kept in the match by their backline, particularly the brilliant Darcy Moore. ... Incredibly, Luke Beveridge’s team ended up with 119 more uncontested possessions than the Magpies. AFL COLLINGWOOD fans booed his first kick but Adam Treloar had the last laugh as the Western Bulldogs ground out a gritty 16-point win against his former side in Friday night's grudge match. Treloar played more of a cameo role in the first look at the fully-stocked Dogs' midfield, his new side withstanding every Pies challenge in the 10.9 (69) to 7.11 (53) win at the MCG. The Pies were never able to bridge the gap to within single digits after quarter-time to leave Nathan Buckley with a host of questions around the firepower of his line-up. The Dogs' one-two ruck combination of Tim English and Stefan Martin also passed its first test with flying colours as Brodie Grundy lacked the impact around the ground of his previous dominant displays in the same match-up. NEWS.com.au North Melbourne legend David King has blasted Collingwood ruckman Brodie Grundy following Friday evening’s loss to the Western Bulldogs. In front of 46,051 spectators at the MCG, the Bulldogs secured a 10.9 (69) to 7.11 (53) victory to get their 2021 campaign off to a flyer — it was the club’s biggest win over the Magpies since 2016. Grundy has an impeccable record against the Bulldogs — three Brownlow votes in their three most recent clashes — but failed to have an impact during the club’s season opener, contributing just 11 disposals and three tackles. King bluntly ripped into Grundy following Friday’s underwhelming performance against the Bulldogs, calling on the ruckman to prove his worth. The 26-year-old is reportedly in the first season of a mammoth seven-year deal with the Magpies, estimated to work $1 million per year. “If you’re going to pay someone a million dollars a year, they’ve got to be the difference in the game. You can’t be in question,” King said on Fox Footy. “He was beaten tonight and you can get beaten game-to-game, but this is on watch now. Tonight they were humbled and I think it starts at the coalface."

AFLW 2021 Round 8: The Team

AFLW 2021 ROUND 8 COLLINGWOOD v ST KILDA Time & Place:  Saturday March 20, 3.10pm Victoria Park TV: Streaming 3.00pm EDT Weather: Min 15 Max 26 Chance of rain 40%: <1mm Wind: SE 14kph Betting: Collingwood $1.03 St Kilda $11.00

B: R.Schleicher [18] S.Casey [22]
  
HB: A.Brazill [10] S.Livingstone [12] A.Porter [9]

C: S.Chiocci [17] J.Lambert [13] J.Lin [20]

HF: A.Sheridan [14] S.Alexander [24] M.Cann [25]
[
F:   C.Molloy [2] K.Stratton [41]

Foll: S.Norder [1] B.Davey - C [3] B.Bonnici [8]

I/C:A.Newman [16] E.Fowler [15] T.Brown [26] S.Rowe [7] E.O'Dea [50]  

Emerg: M.Shevlin [35] A.Velardo [5] 

In: A.Brazill, K.Stratton, S.Rowe, E.O'Dea
Out: A.Moloney (omitted), M.Shevlin (omitted), L.Butler (hamstring), J.Allen (foot) 

Collingwood News

Collingwood will return home to Victoria Park in Round 8 for a Saturday afternoon showdown with the Saints.

Coming off Round 7

The Pies were dealt their first loss of the 2021 AFLW season last weekend, going down to the red-hot Lions.

The defeat displayed just how tight it is at the top of the table, with Collingwood now slipping to third overall and trailing Fremantle and the Lions on percentage.

Collingwood were valiant but left too much work to do in the final term, facing an 18-point deficit at the last change.

Goals to Aishling Sheridan and Joanna Lin narrowed the margin but time eluded the Pies, who fell short by three points.

Brittany Bonnici more than held her own, racking up 28 disposals, ably supported by Jaimee Lambert (22 disposals) and Steph Chiocci (16 disposals).

An eye on the opposition

St Kilda’s 2-5 record currently places them in 11th position on the AFLW table, off the back of a 20-point defeat at the hands of the Giants.

The Saints will be looking to amend the slow start which held them back last week, as they allowed the Giants to boot four unanswered goals in an opening term which was doused in torrential rain.

Georgia Patrikios continued her impressive season with 27 possessions, but had little support around the ball with just five other players finding at least ten disposals.

The Saints will take solace from their tackling pressure – registering 103 for the match, led by Tyanna Smith (14), Catherine Phillips (12), Alice Burke and Patrikios (10).

The Pies will need to withstand the Saints’ pressure and make the most of their opportunities in order to get over the line.

Pies to look out for

Sharni Norder is building into the season nicely, last week recording 17 disposals and leading the total hit-outs for the match with 17.

One of 2020’s most improved players, Layton’s tap work has been key in servicing the Pies’ midfield, while her voice and leadership on field always play an important factor.

Collingwood’s backline will need to step up to cover the gap left by Jordyn Allen and Lauren Butler, who were dealt season-ending injuries last week.

Foundation Magpie Sophie Casey will look to utilise her experience and leadership to fill the void. Her trademark physicality and clean hands will play a key role in ensuring the line continues their impressive form this season.  

AFL 2021 Round 1: The Team

AFL 2021 Round 1 COLLINGWOOD v FOOTSCRAY Time & Place: Friday March 19, 7:50pm EDT MCG TV: 7mate / Fox Footy Weather: Min 15 Max 26 Chance of rain: 5% <1mm Wind: S 9kph Betting: Collingwood $2.10 Footscray $1.77

B: Brayden Maynard, Jordan Roughead, Jack Madgen 

HB: Jack Crisp, Darcy Moore, Jeremy Howe

C: John Noble, Scott Pendlebury, Tyler Brown

HF:Jamie Elliott, Brody Mihocek, Will Hoskin-Elliott

F: Josh Daicos, Mason Cox, Josh Thomas

Foll: Brodie Grundy, Taylor Adams, Jordan De Goey

Int: Oliver Henry, Isaac Quaynor, Trey Ruscoe, Brayden Sier 

Emerg: Callum L. Brown, Darcy Cameron, Levi Greenwood, Nathan Murphy

New: Oliver Henry

Collingwood News New draftee Oliver Henry is set to make his debut in the black and white after impressing throughout the pre-season. The 18-year-old has been a lively target during the Magpies intra-club outings and will add plenty of flare to the forward line.  Defender Jeremy Howe makes his official return after recovering from a knee injury that saw him miss close to all of 2020, while Scott Pendlebury contests his 317th game. The Pies medical substitute will be out of the four emergencies; Callum Brown, Darcy Cameron, Levi Greenwood and Nathan Murphy. This will be confirmed one hour before the game starts. Steele Sidebottom will miss the clash as he recovers from a calf injury at looks to be available for round two.

ROAR: MATCH PREVIEW Round 1 Collingwood vs  Footscray (Western Bulldogs) Without doubt, this is the match we’ve all been waiting for – the grudge match between Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs at the MCG. The Pies made headlines during the off-season when they elected to offload Adam Treloar despite him still being contracted to the club, and the decision was made at the death to trade him to the Western Bulldogs. This has set the fuse for what promises to be an explosive Friday night at the MCG – and it’s not the first time a Round 1 match between the Pies and Bulldogs has been so highly anticipated. You’ll remember back in 2016, the Pies offloaded Travis Cloke to the Dogs and such was the hype surrounding his trade to Whitten Oval, the AFL scheduled a Friday night grudge match between the two sides in the opening round of the 2017 season, with Cloke kicking a first-quarter goal against his old side. As was the case four years ago when the Pies fans turned against Cloke, they’ll also be expected to turn against Treloar when he debuts in the red, white and blue for the first time against his old club. Treloar’s departure from the Holden Centre has again led to predictions that the Pies will again regress, having gone from grand finalists in 2018 to preliminary finalists in 2019 and then semi-finalists last year. On the flipside, his acquisition by the Bulldogs could be what they need as they attempt to put behind consecutive elimination final losses and continue moving up the ladder. But could Treloar be the difference between the two sides this Friday night? Despite losing him, the Pies should take the points at the MCG. Prediction: Collingwood by 12 points

COLLINGWOOD AFL 2021 DRAW

COLLINGWOOD AFL 2021 DRAW Rounds 1 to 6 Details Rounds 7 to 23 Times And TV To Be Confirmed Daylight Saving Finishes April 4
ROUND 1 Friday, March 19 7.50pm AEDT Footscray v Collingwood MCG TV: 7mate / Fox	ROUND 2 Thursday March 25 7.20pm AEDT Carlton v Collingwood MCG TV: 7mate / Fox
ROUND 3 Thursday April 1 7.40pm AEDT Brisbane v Collingwood The Gabba TV: 7mate / Fox	ROUND 4 Thursday April 10 7.25pm AEST Collingwood v GWS MCG TV: 7mate / Fox
ROUND 5 Friday April 16 8.10pm AEST West Coast v Collingwood Perth Stadium TV: 7mate / Fox	ROUND 6 Sunday April 25 3.20pm AEST Collingwood v Essendon MCG TV: 7mate / Fox
ROUND 7 Saturday May 1 Time TBC Collingwood v Gold Coast MCG TV: TBC	ROUND 8 Saturday May 8 Time TBC North Melbourne v Collingwood Docklands TV: TBC
ROUND 9 Sunday May 15 Time TBC Sydney v Collingwood SCG TV: TBC	ROUND 10 Sunday May 22 Time TBC Collingwood v Port Adelaide MCG TV: TBC
ROUND 11 Friday May 29 Time TBC Collingwood v Geelong MCG TV: TBC	ROUND 12 Saturday June 5 Time TBC Adelaide v Collingwood Adelaide Oval TV: TBC
ROUND 13 Saturday June 12 Time TBC Melbourne v Collingwood MCG TV: TBC	ROUND 14 Bye
ROUND 15 Sunday June 26 Collingwood v Fremantle Docklands TV: TBC	ROUND 16 Saturday July 3 Collingwood v St Kilda MCG TV: TBC
ROUND 17 Saturday July 10 Richmond v Collingwood MCG TV: TBC	ROUND 18 Saturday July 17 Collingwood v Carlton MCG TV: TBC
ROUND 19 Saturday July 24 Port Adelaide v Collingwood Adelaide Stadium TV: TBC	ROUND 20 Saturday July 31 Collingwood v West Coast MCG TV: TBC
ROUND 21 Saturday August 7 Hawthorn v Collingwood MCG TV: TBC	ROUND 22 Saturday August 14 Collingwood v Brisbane Docklands TV: TBC
ROUND 23 Saturday August 21 Essendon v Collingwood MCG TV: TBC

Collingwood 2021 Season Preview

COLLINGWOOD 2021 SEASON PREVIEW

HERALD SUN

The Pies couldn’t kick a goal in 2020, lost the prelim, and then backed that up with a horror trade period — but there is cause for optimism in the Collingwood camp.

A lot will rest on Brodie Grundy’s broad shoulders in 2021. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

After a disastrous trade period, all eyes will be on Collingwood to see how it responds in 2021.

With some promising draftees added into the mix – but the losses of Adam Treloar, Jaidyn Stephenson and Tom Phillips from the Magpies’ starting 22 – the pressure will be right on Nathan Buckley’s men.

Here’s who needs to stand up and be counted this season.

INS: Oliver Henry (pick No. 17), Finlay Macrae (pick No. 19), Reef McInnes (pick No. 23), Caleb Poulter (pick No. 30), Liam McMahon (pick No. 31), Beau McCreery (pick No. 44), Isaac Chugg (rookie list)

OUTS: Adam Treloar (WB), Jaidyn Stephenson (NM), Atu Bosenavulagi (NM), Tom Phillips (Haw), Dayne Beams (retired), Tim Broomhead (delisted), Lynden Dunn (retired), Ben Reid (retired), Matthew Scharenberg (delisted), Travis Varcoe (retired)

The pressure will be right on Nathan Buckley and Collingwood in 2021. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

COACH STATUS

 2021 will be the final year of Nathan Buckley’s contract.

It once seemed a lock he would win a new deal, although after a tumultuous trade period that outraged many Magpie fans, he wouldn’t want a bad start to the new season.

In 2018, his Magpies came within 100 seconds of winning the flag.

In 2019, they lost the preliminary final by a kick and last year they were mauled by Geelong in a semi-final.

They’re still around the mark, but Buckley needs a good year.

The anger will only grow if the Pies struggle in 2021.

Brody Mihocek will be without Jaidyn Stephenson in attack next season after the young Magpie was traded to North Melbourne. Picture: Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

GAME PLAN

The Magpies were very defensively minded in 2020.

It did, however, appear to come at the expense of their attacking flair which had served them well in the past.

They ranked the lowest within the top eight for scoring and 13th overall for 2020, averaging just 57 points per game.

Maybe we put that down to the COVID season.

Regardless, they must find more avenues to goal, and they need to do this without Jaidyn Stephenson, who was one of their main attacking weapons.

They have a poor forward structure and no consistent goalscoring options.

We also know they’re a high volume team.

They were ranked No. 1 for disposals in 2020 and were happy to go by hand with the second-lowest kick-to-handball ratio.

Will the loss of ball magnet Adam Treloar hurt them in this area?

Tom Phillips was offloaded to Hawthorn.

Adam Treloar was sent to the Western Bulldogs.

TRADE TABLE REPORT

It has been well documented that Collingwood had a nightmare of a trade period.

The anger among the Magpie Army was palpable when Adam Treloar, Jaidyn Stephenson, Tom Phillips and Atu Bosenavulagi were all pushed out the door.

The club said it was in desperate need of salary cap relief, so it must rankle with fans that the club will still pay $1.5 million of Treloar’s wage over the next five years to play for the Western Bulldogs.

It makes the first-round clash between the two clubs a must-watch event.

Following the trade debacle, only a strong result at the draft would soothe some of the discontent, and fortunately for the Magpies they won the PR battle here, grabbing five kids in the first 31 picks.

None of these players are proven yet, so the jury remains out on just how Collingwood managed its list to close out 2020.

New Collingwood draftees Reef McInnes, Finlay Macrae, Liam McMahon and Oliver Henry will be striving for senior action this season.

THEIR 2020 DRAFT HAUL

The Woods were thrilled with their draft haul.

While the club would love all its draftees to make a quick impact, most are fairly raw and will need time to develop.

Although, 19-year-old Beau McCreery – taken at pick No. 44 – is tipped to play straight away as a pressure forward.

The speedster Reef McInnes – a Pies academy member – will spend the summer building up his tank as his endurance is lacking.

They also went with proven bloodlines taking Oliver Henry (pick No. 17) – brother of Geelong’s Jack – and Finlay Macrae (pick No. 19), whose brother Jackson is an established Bulldog.

Could we see Darcy Moore make a switch up forward? Picture: Michael Klein

PLAYERS THEY CAN REINVENT

It is undoubtedly robbing Peter to pay Paul, but will the Magpies go all in on Darcy Moore as a forward in 2021?

It may seem a ludicrous suggestion – he is a gun defender and was the All-Australian centre half-back in 2020.

But the fact remains that this Collingwood side struggles to kick goals.

And that was before they lost Stephenson during the trade period.

Their forward set-up remains the biggest issue for them.

It would certainly be a ballsy move coming off the year he has had down back.

The other dilemma facing Buckley is what to do with Jordan De Goey.

He has the traits and attributes of Dustin Martin in that he can have centre bounce impact and float forward to become a matchwinning goalkicker.

But can they turn him into a more permanent onballer to replace Treloar?

The return of Steele Sidebottom, who left the Queensland hubs for the birth of his daughter, gives them greater flexibility in this area.

Tyler Brown

Callum Brown

READY TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP 

In 2020, it was Josh Daicos who took the next step.

As for 2021, we’re backing the Brown brothers – Callum and Tyler – to follow suit.

We have both players in their best 22 and we expect them to get more time in the engine room in 2021.

We’d also love to see more of Will Kelly in 2021.

The son of Magpies premiership player Craig Kelly kicked a goal with his first kick on debut this season, but in the same game he dislocated his elbow and missed the remainder of the season.

It’s now or never for Brayden Sier. Stamp himself as a regular, or look for another club.

BEST 22 FOR NEXT SEASON

B: Brayden Maynard, Jordan Roughead, Isaac Quaynor

HB: Jeremy Howe, Darcy Moore, Jack Crisp

C: Steele Sidebottom, Taylor Adams, Josh Daicos

HF: Will Hoskin-Elliott, Brody Mihocek, Jamie Elliott

F: Jordan De Goey, Mason Cox, Callum Brown

R: Brodie Grundy, Scott Pendlebury, Brayden Sier

Int: Will Kelly, John Noble, Chris Mayne, Tyler Brown

Emg: Josh Thomas, Levi Greenwood, Jack Madgen

CHAMPION DATA SAYS

Good: The Pies conceded the fifth-fewest amount of points of any side across the competition. They also conceded a score from just 39 per cent of their oppositions inside 50 entries – ranked seventh defensively.

Bad: Ball use going inside 50 was an issue, ranked 16th for scoring once inside 50 and 17th at generating a mark from a kick going inside 50.

FINISH THE LAST FIVE YEARS

2016 12th, 2017 13th, 2018 2nd (grand final loss), 2019 4th (preliminary final loss), 2020 8th (semi-final loss) 

TAB PREMIERSHIP ODDS

$14

AFLW 2021 Round 7: Brisbane 35 Collingwood 32

AFLW 2021 ROUND 8 COLLINGWOOD v ST KILDA Time & Place:  Saturday March 20, 3.10pm Victoria Park TV: Fox Footy/AFL Streaming 3.00pm EDT Weather: Min 21 Max 24 Chance of rain 0%: 0mm Wind: SE 15kph Betting: Collingwood $? St Kilda $?

BRISBANE            2.8.20   3.8.26  4.10.34  4.11.35
COLLINGWOOD    1.1.7    2.4.16    2.4.16    4.8.32

GOALS - Collingwood: Sheridan 2, Alexander, Lin

BEST - Collingwood: Norder, Bonnici, Lambert, Schleicher, Sheridan, Livingstone

INJURIES - Collingwood: Allen (ankle), Butler (hamstring)

REPORTS - Collingwood: Nil

OFFICIAL CROWD - Whitten Oval closed to public

What The Pies Coach Said "It's pretty hard to go through a whole season winning every single game and we played against a really good team today. We still can't quite put four quarters together ... in the past we've probably got away with it but today (Brisbane) made us pay. They showed today they've got some spirit, they won't lay down ... they'll never quit."  – Collingwood coach Steve Symonds

Media Clippings Herald Sun Brisbane has uncovered the blueprint for defeating Collingwood in 2021 – stop superstar duo Brianna Davey and Chloe Molloy. The Lions doused the red-hot Magpies in a nailbiting three-point win against the odds at Whitten Oval, leapfrogging their opponents into second place on the AFLW ladder. The gutsy triumph came against the odds after home clash was moved 1500km south at the eleventh hour following a COVID-19 case in Brisbane. Molloy and Davey, league leaders in goals and disposals respectively heading into Round 7, were shut down by the defensive might of the Lions. AFLW BRISBANE has clung on in a tense final term to inflict Collingwood's first defeat of the season, and in the process catapult into genuine premiership contention. After finding out less than 24 hours before bounce-down they would be on a flight to Melbourne, the Lions mastered the windy conditions at Whitten Oval to hold on to win 4.11 (35) to 4.8 (32). They join the Magpies and Fremantle with a 6-1 win-loss record but sit second on percentage behind the Dockers. Brisbane attacked from the outset, using its suffocating pressure to lead by 13 points at quarter-time, 10 at the half and 16 at the final change. With Jordyn Allen (ankle) and Lauren Butler (hamstring) both off for the entire second half, Collingwood rallied with the wind at their back in the final term, but fell just short. The Age Collingwood suffered their first loss for the season after Maddie Shevlin missed two shots at goal in the final minute of Sunday’s clash with the Brisbane Lions at Whitten Oval. The Lions, in a match rescheduled from Brisbane after a coronavirus outbreak in that city, led from the outset but the Pies almost stole the game late, with Shevlin having a couple of opportunities to put her side in front. But she missed a close-range soccer attempt and a then a tough set shot from the boundary to allow the inaccurate Lions to hang on for a three-point win, which moved them above Collingwood to second on the ladder - behind only the Dockers.

AFLW 2021 Round 7: The Team

AFLW 2021 ROUND 7 COLLINGWOOD v BRISBANE Time & Place:  Sunday March 14, 3.10pm Whitten Oval, Melbourne TV: 7mate/AFL Streaming 3.00pm EDT Weather: Min 12 Max 18 Chance of rain 10%: <1mm Wind: SSW 16kph Betting: Collingwood $1.65 Brisbane $2.20

B: L.Butler [23] S.Casey [22]

HB: S.Chiocci - C [17] S.Livingstone [12] J.Allen [6]

C: R.Schleicher [18] J.Lambert [13] M.Cann [25]

HF: A.Sheridan [14] S.Alexander [24] J.Lin [20]

F: C.Molloy [2] A.Newman [16]

Foll: S.Norder [1] B.Davey [3] [B.Bonnici [8]

I/C: A.Porter [9] A.Moloney [40] T.Brown [26] M.Shevlin [35] E.Fowler [15]

Emerg: E.O’Dea [50] B.Smith [19]

In: M.Shevlin
Out: E.O’Dea (omitted)

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Collingwood News

Maddie Shevlin: debut

Maddie Shevlin is set to run out for her first game of the 2021 season this Sunday when the Pies meet the Lions in round seven. 

The third-year Magpie has worked her way back into the side after battling a wrist injury sustained during the pre-season.

The 23-year-old is the only new inclusion into the Pies line-up for Sunday's game and will come in for Ebony O'Dea who has been listed as an emergency for the match.

The round seven match was previously scheduled to be played at Hickey Park in Brisbane.

However, due to a positive COVID-19 case, the game was moved to VU Whitten Oval and will now be hosted by the Pies.

The timing of the change to the venue means crowds will not be permitted at the relocated match.

While the Lions currently sit in second position on the ladder, the Pies lead the way one game clear at the top of the table as the sole undefeated side.  

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Venue Change

AFL Statement

The AFL wishes to advise a change to the venue of the Round Seven clash between the Brisbane Lions and Collingwood with the game to be played at the Victoria University Whitten Oval at 3:10pm AEDT on Sunday, March 14.

The match, previously scheduled to be played at Hickey Park in Brisbane, has been moved to Melbourne’s Victoria University Whitten Oval to best protect the health and safety of everyone in the competition and ensure the season progresses with minimal disruption and risk amid the constantly changing environment as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

AFL General Manager Women’s Football Nicole Livingstone said the health and safety of everyone in the game and in the wider community remains paramount and the league would continue to take the advice of governments and health officials.

“While COVID-19 continues to impact the community, the health and welfare of our players and the community remains the priority and we remain committed to delivering a full season in a safe manner anchored in the advice of respective governments, public health officials and medical experts,” Ms Livingstone said.

“The afternoon slot allows for the Brisbane Lions to fly into Melbourne on Sunday morning and return to Brisbane on Sunday night.”

The timing of the change to the venue means crowds will not be permitted at the relocated match and Ms. Livingstone thanked supporters for their understanding.

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AFLW 2021 Round 6: Collingwood 51 Footscray 15

AFLW 2021 ROUND 7 COLLINGWOOD v BRISBANE Time & Place:  Sunday March 14, 2.40pm Hickey Park, Brisbane TV: 7mate/AFL Streaming 2.30pm EDT Weather: Min 23 Max 32 Chance of rain 60%: 1mm Wind: NNW 11kph Betting: Collingwood $? Brisbane $?

COLLINGWOOD   0.5.5    0.7.7    4.8.32    7.9.51

FOOTSCRAY         0.2.2    1.3.9      1.3.9    2.3.15

GOALS - Collingwood: Molloy 2, Moloney 2, Layton, Davey, Brown

BEST - Collingwood: Davey, Bonnici, Molloy, Butler, Livingstone, Brown

INJURIES - Collingwood: Nil

REPORTS - Collingwood: Nil

OFFICIAL CROWD - 3,017 at Victoria Park

What The Pies Coach Said "The first half, things just weren't happening for us. We were doing a lot of things right, but we were just a bit fumbly and made the wrong decisions at the wrong time. Kicking eight points before we kicked our first goal builds scoreboard pressure as well … Fortunately, once they kicked that first goal, things started to flow and got their game going, which was really pleasing. Last year, we might have panicked a bit."  – Collingwood coach Steve Symonds

Media Clippings Herald Sun Collingwood has reaffirmed its standing as the AFLW team to beat, surging past a spirited Bulldogs outfit to remain undefeated at Victoria Park on Sunday afternoon. While the Bulldogs had momentum in the first half, the Pies were able to pick apart the Dogs’ defence in the second half, piling on seven goals after the main break. Young star Chloe Molloy and co-captain Brianna Davey were instrumental in the Pies second-half surge, leading Collingwood to a sixth consecutive win. Collingwood News The Western Bulldogs' four-game winning streak has come to an end, losing to a rampaging Collingwood by 36 points at Victoria Park. A seven-goal second half means the Pies have now won six on the trot, extending their current club record and reclaiming top spot as a consequence of the 7.9 (51) to 2.3 (15) result. It was a grim opening two quarters, with just one goal kicked (by Bulldog Elisabeth Georgostathis) as inaccuracy plagued the Pies (0.7) and defensive pressure stifled the Bulldogs. Collingwood was very late coming out onto the ground after the main break, managing just one hurried run-through before the first bounce of the third, but it didn't seem to matter. They won the opening clearance, locking the ball inside 50 before the Magpies finally kicked their first through Chloe Molloy and their second through debutant Abbi Moloney just a minute later. The Pies were much more organised in the third term, spreading the play well and were consequently more effective with their ball use. The floodgates opened, the young Dogs panicked under pressure and lost their structure coming out of defence. The Age Collingwood overcame a goalless first half to edge closer to an unbeaten AFLW home-and-away season by beating the Western Bulldogs at Victoria Park on Sunday. Having almost gone winless two seasons ago, the Pies are now the envy of the competition, winning six straight matches to start the 2021 campaign. In a dour first half, the Pies were kept to just seven behinds by the Bulldogs, who had themselves entered the clash on the back of four straight victories. But like all very good teams, Collingwood showed they have gears – and then some – dramatically upping the ante in a third term in which they booted four goals to nil to shut the Dogs out of the contest. There were highlights aplenty in the third quarter for the Pies, including a goal to debutant Abbi Moloney with her first kick in the competition, and she followed it up in the final term with a second major.