AFL 2021 Round 7: The Team

AFL 2021 ROUND 7 COLLINGWOOD v GOLD COAST Time & Place:  Saturday May 1, 1.45pm AEST MCG TV: Fox Footy Weather: Min 13 Max 24 Chance of rain 10%: <1mm Wind: NNE 15kph Betting: Collingwood $1.51 Gold Coast $2.58

FB: [37] Brayden Maynard, [23] Jordan Roughead, [3] Isaac Quaynor

HB: [25] Jack Crisp, [11] Mark Keane, [9] John Noble

C: [28] Nathan Murphy, [10] Scott Pendlebury, [27] Caleb Poulter

HF: [14] Darcy Cameron, [30] Darcy Moore, [31] Beau McCreery

FF: [17] Callum L. Brown, [2] Jordan De Goey, [24] Josh Thomas

FOLL:[4] Brodie Grundy, [7] Josh Daicos, [22] Steele Sidebottom

I/C: [32] Will Hoskin-Elliott, [18] Finlay Macrae, [41] Brody Mihocek, [16] Chris Mayne

EMG: [6] Tyler Brown, [44] Jack Madgen, [1] Jay Rantall, [20] Will Kelly

IN: Caleb Poulter, Chris Mayne, Jordan De Goey, Mark Keane
OUT: Jack Madgen (Omitted), Jay Rantall (Omitted), Trey Ruscoe (Omitted), Tyler Brown (Omitted), Will Kelly (Omitted)

NEW: Caleb Poulter

Collingwood News

Round 7

Collingwood v Gold Coast

Collingwood will blood its fifth debutant of the season against Gold Coast, with wingman Caleb Poulter set to make his debut after beating Nathan Buckley in a one-on-one basketball shootout on Tuesday.

Hailing from Woodville-West Torrens, the 18-year-old was drafted to the Pies with pick 30 in the 2020 Draft.

Jordan De Goey is an inclusion for the Magpies, the 25-year-old returning after a bout of concussion against the Eagles saw him sit out ANZAC Day match against Essendon.

Chris Mayne comes back into the line-up after overcoming a minor calf issue, while Irishman Mark Keane returns from suspension and will play a vital role down back.

Will Kelly, Jack Madgen, Trey Ruscoe and Jay Rantall have been dropped.

AFL 2021 Round 6: Essendon 109 Collingwood 85

AFL 2021 ROUND 7 COLLINGWOOD v GOLD COAST Time & Place:  Saturday May 1, 1.45pm AEST MCG TV: Fox Footy Weather: Min 11 Max 23 Chance of rain 20%: <1mm Wind: NNE 11kph Betting: Collingwood $1.36 Gold Coast $3.19

ESSENDON           4.4.28    8.7.55  11.10.76  16.13.109
COLLINGWOOD   4.1.25    8.1.49    11.5.71      13.7.85

GOALS - Collingwood: Cameron 3, McCreery 3, C.Brown, Moore, Grundy, Hoskin-Elliott, Crisp, Ruscoe, Mihocek

BEST - Collingwood: Crisp, Cameron, Pendlebury, Grundy, Quaynor, Daicos 

INJURIES - Collingwood: Nil

REPORTS - Collingwood: Nil

SUBSTITUTES - Collingwood: T.Brown (unused)

OFFICIAL CROWD - 78,113 at the MCG

What The Pies Coach Said "Essendon have got a lot of youth, we had a lot of youth. We haven’t got that many on the sideline. Up until two weeks ago we didn’t have many guys that weren’t available to play. Jamie Elliott and Trent Bianco who hasn’t played a senior game at this point. We’ve had a few more add to that over the last two or three weeks and we haven’t won a game in that time, so we haven’t had the capacity to cover if it’s a personnel issue. But I think it’s not the only issue we have. I’m not about to sit here and say we can’t win with who we’ve got, that’s a defeatist attitude that we won’t take.” – Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley

Media Clippings Herald Sun Collingwood’s finals hopes have been all but extinguished by Darcy Parish and his Bombers in front of a world record COVID-19 crowd of 78,113 fans in the traditional Anzac Day blockbuster at the MCG on Sunday. The Magpies have slumped to 1-5, their worst start to a year since 2005, and for out-of-contract coach Nathan Buckley, the result could serve as the first nail in the coffin of his 10-year tenure as Collingwood boss. The Australian Collingwood’s finals hopes are hanging by a thread after falling to its fifth loss in six games on Sunday night. The Magpies are chained to second-last spot on the ladder ahead of a must-win clash against Gold Coast on Saturday after a dismal 24-point loss to Essendon in the ANZAC DAY clash. The loss raises more questions about the future of out-of-contract coach Nathan Buckley who said on Sunday night the club did not expect to be in this position despite losing two key players throughout last year’s turbulent trade period. AFL Collingwood battled and, aside from a painful final 15 minutes, was constantly in the contest. But while Scott Pendlebury (30 disposals, five clearances) again stood tall, it becomes hard to overlook the ominous position the club now finds itself in. With a horror 1-5 record, the Pies will find positives hard to come by. Having raced out of the blocks on Sunday, the manner and the speed in which the tables were turned was alarming. Darcy Cameron snapped the game's first goal within 20 seconds. Barely 90 seconds had passed before Callum Brown made it two. Five minutes later, Beau McCreery had added a third and Essendon was hanging by a thread. But after the dream start, reality struck for the Pies. A series of silly skill errors were capitalised upon by the Bombers, who stood defiant amid the early pressure and quickly had growing control over the contest.  The Age Nathan Buckley is adamant the uncertainty surrounding his future as Collingwood coach is not distracting his team and said he would not use it as an excuse after the Magpies tumbled to second-last on the ladder by losing to Essendon on Anzac Day. The Pies’ hopes of a fourth consecutive finals berth are quickly evaporating, with Buckley’s side having lost four games in a row, including the 24-point defeat to the regenerating Bombers at the MCG on Sunday. In his 10th season at the helm, club great Buckley is out-of-contract. Having lost a raft of experienced players at the end of last season, the Pies have been further depleted in recent weeks by injuries to key players including Jeremy Howe, Taylor Adams and Jordan De Goey, none of whom played on Sunday.

AFL 2021 Round 6: The Team

AFL 2021 ROUND 6 COLLINGWOOD v ESSENDON Time & Place:  Sunday April 25, 3.20pm AEST MCG TV: 7mate / Fox Footy Weather: Min 11 Max 17 Chance of rain 60%: <1mm Wind: SW 12kph Betting: Collingwood $1.73 Essendon $2.12

FB: [37] Brayden Maynard, [23] Jordan Roughead, [20] Will Kelly

HB:  [25] Jack Crisp, [3] Isaac Quaynor, [9] John Noble

C:  [28] Nathan Murphy, [10] Scott Pendlebury, [32] Will Hoskin-Elliott

HF:  [14] Darcy Cameron, [30] Darcy Moore, [31] Beau McCreery

FF:  [17] Callum L. Brown, [41] Brody Mihocek, [24] Josh Thomas

Foll:  [4] Brodie Grundy, [7] Josh Daicos, [22] Steele Sidebottom

I/C:  [21] Trey Ruscoe, [1] Jay Rantall, [18] Finlay Macrae, [44] Jack Madgen

EMG:   [6] Tyler Brown, [46] Mason Cox, [27] Caleb Poulter, [36] Brayden Sier

IN:  Jay Rantall, Nathan Murphy, Trey Ruscoe, Will Hoskin-Elliott, Will Kelly
OUT:   Brayden Sier (Omitted), Chris Mayne (Injured), Jeremy Howe (Injured), Jordan De Goey (Injured), Levi Greenwood (Injured), Mark Keane (Suspension)

HERALD SUN

Round 6

Collingwood v ESSENDON

Scott Pendlebury says it is time for Collingwood’s kids to “put their stake in the ground” — but has also warned not to rule the 1-4 Magpies out of this year’s premiership race.

Endurance machine Jay Rantall will make his AFL debut on Anzac Day, while 192cm target Nathan Murphy is set to play his first game since 2018.

The Magpies fielded the AFL’s oldest line-up in Round 4, but have since lost Taylor Adams (knee), Jordan De Goey (concussion), Jeremy Howe (hamstring) and Levi Greenwood (concussion) to injury.

They unveiled outside midfielder Finlay Macrae last week while eye-catching Beau McCreery has started to look at home as a tackling forward.

“I’m fortunate, I get to train with these younger guys all the time,” Pendlebury told the Herald Sun.

“I know there’s talent underneath that’s coming through. It’s not just the crop that we’ve just drafted – there’s guys that have been sitting there for two or three years that haven’t got a game because we’ve been a fairly strong side.

Finlay Macrae made a strong impression on debut for Collingwood.

“But at the moment with injuries there are opportunities if they are in form and now they get their chance to really cement their spot in the side.

“These guys really see this as an opportunity to put their stake in the ground and lock their spot in.”

Rantall was Collingwood’s top pick in the 2019 draft (No. 40) although Pendlebury said 2021 was effectively his first AFL season.

“Those formats (last year’s scrimmages in AFL hubs) didn’t really let his strengths shine,” Pendlebury, a Kayo ambassador, said.

“Now that we’ve got full-length games again we can see the athlete he is. He can run all day, he’s very clean, he’s very predictable as a midfielder and a guy that’s really earned his stripes.

“I feel like he’s one of those guys that’s just going to run himself into the ground. He came in and won the time trial – 2km is almost too short for him.

“Even last week in the VFL, his ability late in quarters to be the midfielder who always gets to the next contest and be an outnumber player.”

Jay Rantall will make his Magpies debut on Anzac Day.

Pendlebury said Murphy was a “wing and high halfback” with strong aerial skills.

The Magpies were set to draft Murphy at No. 6 in 2017 if Jaidyn Stephenson was unavailable, but were able to secure both with Murphy lasting until pick No. 39.

“It’s his fourth year now on the list and he’s a guy who’s just persevered. He’s had some injuries along the way,” Pendlebury said.

Pendlebury – who could overtake Essendon legend James Hird by winning a record fourth Anzac Day medal on Sunday – said it was too early to dismiss the 2021 Pies.

“I speak about that middle tier as well, that 24-to-27-year-old bracket – Darcy Moore, (Brayden) Maynard, De Goey, (Will) Hoskin-Elliott, (Brodie) Grundy – guys like that are extremely talented,” he said.

“I feel like we’ve played some good footy in patches this year, but obviously not enough to win some games.

“If we can turn that around I think this year is certainly not out of the equation for us.”

AFLW 2021 Premiers: Brisbane Lions

AFL 2021 Round 5: West Coast 103 Collingwood 76

AFL 2021 ROUND 6 COLLINGWOOD v ESSENDON Time & Place:  Sunday April 25, 3.20pm AEST MCG TV: 7mate / Fox Footy Weather: Min 9 Max 16 Chance of rain 9%: 0mm Wind: W 7kph Betting: Collingwood $1.67 West Coast $2.21

West Coast     3.1.19   9.5.59  14.6.90  16.7.103

Collingwood   5.4.34   7.5.47   7.7.49   11.10.76

GOALS - Collingwood: Moore 3, Grundy 2, McCreery 2, Mihocek 2, C Brown, Cameron

BEST - Collingwood: Crisp, Pendlebury, Maynard, Grundy, Moore, Mihocek 

INJURIES - Collingwood: De Goey (facial injury), Howe (hamstring), Mihocek (shoulder)

REPORTS - Collingwood: Nil

SUBSTITUTES - Collingwood: Brayden Sier (replaced Jordan De Goey)

OFFICIAL CROWD - 54,159 at Perth Stadium

What The Pies Coach Said “Some good, and some room for improvement. Ultimately a loss, but the effort was better from the last couple of weeks. The first quarter was excellent. Second quarter we really dropped away and that’s where the game was lost in many ways. We just weren’t able to get on our terms often enough, probably weren’t as clean around the ball as we were early and that hurt us in that second quarter. We were really focused on tonight and finding a better performance and in many ways, in some ways we did, in others, clearly we weren’t good enough tonight, but we’ve got a longer preparation with Essendon and we’ll focus on that.” – Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley

Media Clippings The Australian For one quarter on Friday night it looked like Collingwood had found a way to answer the critics that went hard at Nathan Buckley and his men after their disappointing round four loss to Greater Western Sydney. At quarter-time, in front of the biggest AFL crowd of the season, 54,159 mostly hostile West Coast fans, the Magpies led by 15 points. Buckley pulled the trigger and moved Darcy Moore into attack, leaving out Mason Cox. Moore kicked three goals. Darcy Cameron was brought in to help Brodie Grundy in the ruck. Like they did in last season’s elimination final, the Magpies seemed to have found a way to engineer an upset victory over the Eagles on their home deck at Optus Stadium. But with a point to prove themselves, after their own disappointing performance a week earlier against St Kilda, the Eagles took control.They took advantage of early injuries to Pies pair Jordan de Goey and Jeremy Howe and kicked 13 goals to six after quarter-time to win by 27 points – 16.7 (103) to 11.10 (76). AFL WEST Coast feasted on an injury-hit Collingwood on Friday night, with premiership hero Dom Sheed plunging yet another dagger into the Magpies' hearts in the 27-point win.  At the venue where they had ended the Eagles' season last year, the Magpies were outplayed after quarter-time and slipped to 1-4, losing their third consecutive match, 16.7 (103) to 11.10 (76). With the game at a crossroads late in the third quarter, Sheed stepped in to boot three goals in two minutes and open up a match-winning 41-point lead that proved too much for the Magpies to rein in during a final-quarter rally. The visitors were left counting the cost of the defeat, with star forward Jordan De Goey (face) and important defender Jeremy Howe (hamstring) both injured in the first half. Brody Mihocek also spent part of the final term on the bench icing his shoulder.  Fox Sports West Coast took advantage of another difficult night for recent rivals Collingwood, overcoming early concerns to record a comfortable 27-point win at Optus Stadium. The Eagles (3-2) had no answers in the first term for star Magpies backman Darcy Moore, who spent the entire night up forward, and ruckman Brodie Grundy who combined for three goals before the opening break. But when Jordan De Goey and Jeremy Howe both went off injured, the Eagles flexed their muscle, keeping the Pies (1-4) to just two goals in the middle two quarters. A late blitz got the visitors back within 21 points but in the end a combined 10 goals for Jack Darling and Oscar Allen proved too much to overcome, as West Coast won 16.7 (103) to 11.10 (76). The full-capacity crowd of 54,149 was the largest in the world since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the AFL‘s biggest since the 2019 Grand Final.

Collingwood AFLW Season 2021 Review

AFLW 2021 Grand Final

AFL 2021 Round 5: The Team

AFL 2021 ROUND 5 COLLINGWOOD v WEST COAST Time & Place:  Friday April 16, 8.10pm AEST Perth Stadium TV: 7mate / Fox Footy Weather: Min 12 Max 26 Chance of rain 5%: <1mm Wind: ESE 13kph Betting: Collingwood $3.18 West Coast $1.36

FB: [37] Brayden Maynard, [23] Jordan Roughead, [3] Isaac Quaynor 

HB: [11] Mark Keane, [30] Darcy Moore, [38] Jeremy Howe

C: [25] Jack Crisp, [10] Scott Pendlebury, [9] John Noble

HF: [7] Josh Daicos, [41] Brody Mihocek, [2] Jordan De Goey

FF: [17] Callum L. Brown, [14] Darcy Cameron, [24] Josh Thomas

Foll: [4] Brodie Grundy, [19] Levi Greenwood, [22] Steele Sidebottom 

I/C:  [18] Finlay Macrae, [16] Chris Mayne, [31] Beau McCreery, [44] Jack Madgen

EMG:  [21] Trey Ruscoe, [36] Brayden Sier, [6] Tyler Brown, [46] Mason Cox

In: Darcy Cameron, Finlay Macrae, Mark Keane
Out:  Brayden Sier (Omitted) Mason Cox (Omitted) Taylor Adams (Omitted) Will Hoskin-Elliott (Managed)New: Finlay Macrae

HERALD SUN Round 5 Collingwood v WEST COAST Collingwood has lost patience with Mason Cox, dumping the 30-year-old full-forward for Friday night’s crunch game against West Coast. The bombshell omission could open the door for star defender Darcy Moore to swing forward, where he would cross paths with four-time All-Australian Jeremy McGovern. Coach Nathan Buckley promoted 194cm Irish defender Mark Keane into his 22, as well as ruckman Darcy Cameron and debutant Finlay Macrae. Under-fire players Chris Mayne and Josh Thomas held on although Will Hoskin-Elliott stayed in Melbourne after wife Kirstie gave birth to a baby girl this week. Cox was not on the plane to Perth on Thursday. Instead emergencies Brayden Sier and Trey Ruscoe flew west and one will be named the club’s medical substitute. Finlay Macrae will make his AFL debut on Friday night. Picture: Getty Levi Greenwood has taken Sier’s place in the 22 while Taylor Adams (knee) will miss 10 weeks. Buckley has had his relationships with players and his body language called into question this week. All eyes will be on the moves he makes as the 1-3 Magpies desperately try to rediscover their mojo before Anzac Day. Keane has recovered from a finger tendon injury and faces a baptism of fire in his second AFL game as he takes on the likes of Jack Darling, Josh Kennedy and Oscar Allen. Buckley surprisingly started Isaac Quaynor on Toby Greene last week in a move that backfired as Greene won the match with five goals. It is expected that Brayden Maynard – the man most thought would stand Greene – will start on Liam Ryan on Friday night. Cox enjoyed his best game for 2020 in last year’s famous elimination final victory. But not even that performance could save him from the axe. Cox kicked two goals in each of the first three rounds, but was held scoreless on a slippery night at the MCG against Greater Western Sydney last week. His contract expires at the end of this season.

AFL 2021 Round 4: GWS 90 Collingwood 60

AFL 2021 ROUND 5 COLLINGWOOD v WEST COAST Time & Place:  Friday April 16, 8.10pm AEST Perth Stadium TV: 7mate / Fox Footy Weather: Min 13 Max 26 Chance of rain 0%: 0mm Wind: SE 19kph Betting: Collingwood $3.46 West Coast $1.31

GWS                     2.2.14  6.3.39   10.3.63   14.6.90
COLLINGWOOD   1.2.8   4.5.29     7.6.48     9.6.60

GOALS - Collingwood: De Goey 2, Hoskin-Elliott 2, Daicos, Madgen, McCreery, Mihocek, Thomas

BEST - Collingwood: Sidebottom, Crisp, Madgen, Howe, Daicos

INJURIES - Collingwood: Adams (knee), Sier (illness)

REPORTS - Collingwood: Nil

SUBSTITUTES - Collingwood: Greenwood (replaced Sier)

OFFICIAL CROWD - 29,866 at MCG

What The Pies Coach Said "You're 1-3, and you can't sit on your hands. We think we've picked the best sides to get results and we haven't, so we've got to look at changes. Whether that's the way we play, whether we strip things back, the way we prepare or personnel. There's plenty of things that will be assessed in that regard and we've got six days to turn around and get over to Perth. ... We're not in a hole. We need to address this right now and turn it around." – Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley

Media Clippings The Australian A directionless and dull Collingwood was embarrassed by an injury-plagued GWS to the tune of 30-points on Saturday night — and Pie coach has flagged personnel changes after the Pies worst start to a season since 2017. The Pies entered the game as raging favourites after a spate of injuries to the Giants left them without much of their seasoned talent and Collingwood enjoyed an extra three-day break. But stand-in skipper Toby Greene tore the game apart early as Collingwood continued to struggle to capitalise on inside 50s during a dysfunctional first half. AFL COLLINGWOOD is counting the cost of its loss to Greater Western Sydney, with vice-captain Taylor Adams set to be sidelined with a knee injury as coach Nathan Buckley flags changes for the Magpies. The bullocking midfielder was a casualty of the Pies' 30-point defeat to the Giants at the MCG, limping from the field in the second half after the injury. The club had already used its medical substitute to replace Brayden Sier, who had come down with gastro throughout the game, when Adams left the contest and the club suspects he has injured a medial ligament. ... The defeat leaves Buckley's side placed at one win after four rounds of the season and the coach was clearly disappointed with the Pies' "consistent contested intent" so far in 2021, saying it was a new question on the team having previously been a strength. He indicated there would have to be a shift internally for Collingwood to dig itself out of an underwhelming start to its campaign, with Buckley citing Darcy Cameron, Finlay Macrae, Reef McInnes, Ollie Henry and Caleb Poulter as all being in selection considerations.  Fox Sports Even though the Pies had just one win for the season prior to Saturday night’s game, most tipsters predicted Nathan Buckley’s side to get up. And when you consider the experience differential between the two sides – the Pies, on average, were nearly three years older the Giants and had nearly 50 extra games on Leon Cameron’s side – the odds should’ve swung further in the Magpies’ direction. But they flopped. And flopped badly, losing the contested possession count by -15. Frustratingly for Pies fans, Collingwood had an extra four inside 50s than the Giants yet had five less scoring shots.

AFLW 2021 Preliminary Final 2: Brisbane 45 Collingwood 41

AFLW 2021 Grand Final ADELAIDE v BRISBANE Time & Place:  Saturday April 17, 2.00pm AEST Adelaide Oval TV: 7mate / Fox Footy / AFL Streaming Weather: Min 11 Max 17 Chance of rain 25%: <1mm Wind: W 22kph Betting: Adelaide $1.60 Brisbane $2.30

BRISBANE              1.1.7   5.1.31   5.2.32   7.3.45

COLLINGWOOD   2.3.15   3.3.21   5.4.34   6.5.41

GOALS - Collingwood: Alexander, Brown, Brazill, Lambert, Norder, Schleicher

BEST - Collingwood: Davey, Brazill, Schleicher, Porter, Bonnici, Lambert

INJURIES - Collingwood: Nil

REPORTS - Collingwood: Nil

OFFICIAL CROWD - N/A

What The Pies Coach Said "Players and staff are all a little bit down. I think it was a fantastic game of footy, it could have gone either way in the end. From a coach's perspective, from what our playing group has put up this year, and particularly the last couple of weeks, we've got so much fight in us. We're all disappointed but immensely proud of the group we've got."  – Collingwood coach Steve Symonds

Media Clippings Fox Sports The 2021 AFLW grand final will be played between the Adelaide Crows and Brisbane Lions at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday April 17 at 2pm AEST (1.30pm ACST). It’ll be the second time Brisbane and Adelaide will meet in an AFLW grand final — they played off for the flag in the inaugural season in 2017 — after the Lions held off a plucky Collingwood outfit in a thrilling four-point preliminary final win that included five lead changes. With the Lions leading by 10 points with just over 20 seconds remaining, Magpies defender Ash Brazill drifted forward and kicked a super running goal to reduce the margin to under a kick. But the Lions’ midfield held up at the contest to force another stoppage and see the clock run down. AFLW BRISBANE will play in its third NAB AFL Women's Grand Final after outlasting Collingwood by four points in a thrilling preliminary final victory at the Gabba on Saturday. The Lions ensured it would be a rematch of the inaugural decider in 2017 when they travel to Adelaide to play the Crows following their 7.3 (45) to 6.5 (41) victory. In a physical contest that went back and forth all day, Brisbane trailed by two points at the final change, but goals to Greta Bodey and Dakota Davidson looked to have sealed victory. However, there was one final twist when Magpie Ash Brazill bombed a goal from 45m in the final 30 seconds to ensure a heart-stopping finish. But the Lions hung on in front of a jubilant home crowd to take them to a third decider following losses against Adelaide in 2017 and the Western Bulldogs in 2018. Herald Sun The Brisbane Lions have earnt another shot at a maiden AFLW premiership with a four-point preliminary final win over a gallant Collingwood at the Gabba on Saturday. Trailing by two points at three-quarter time in a see-sawing contest, the Lions steadied when it mattered most to win 7-3 (45) to 6-5 (41). Collingwood drew to within a goal of the Lions when Ashleigh Brazill kicked a six-pointer with 21 seconds remaining, but Brisbane held on. The victory, inspired by a three-goal performance by Dakota Davidson, secured the Lions a third AFL grand final appearance, and they will be hoping it’s a case of third time lucky when they meet minor premiers Adelaide in next Saturday’s premiership decider at the Adelaide Oval. The Crows will be chasing their third premiership, qualifying for the grand final with an 18-point win over Melbourne in Saturday’s early preliminary final. It’s a fitting grand final, bringing together the season’s best two teams. But the Magpies weren’t far off the pace, and made the Lions work hard at the Gabba. The Age The Brisbane Lions joined Adelaide in next week’s AFLW grand final after defeating Collingwood in a fierce contest at the Gabba. It will be Brisbane’s third grand final. The Lions entered the preliminary final after a week off and the Magpies earnt their way with a come-from-behind win over the Kangaroos last weekend.

AFL 2021 Round 4: The Team

AFL 2021 ROUND 4 COLLINGWOOD v GWS Time & Place:  Saturday April 10, 7.25pm AEST MCG TV: 7mate / Fox Footy Weather: Min 10 Max 19 Chance of rain 80%: 1-5mm Wind: WSW 23kph Betting: Collingwood $1.23 GWS $4.25

FB: [37] Brayden Maynard, [23] Jordan Roughead, [3] Isaac Quaynor 

HB: [44] Jack Madgen, [30] Darcy Moore, [38] Jeremy Howe

C: [25] Jack Crisp, [10] Scott Pendlebury, [16] Chris Mayne

HF: [7] Josh Daicos, [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: [17] Callum L. Brown, [31] Beau McCreery, [9] John Noble, [36] Brayden Sier

EMG: [6] Tyler Brown, [14] Darcy Cameron, [19] Levi Greenwood, [21] Trey Ruscoe

Out: Tyler Brown (Omitted)

COLLINGWOOD NEWS Round 4 Collingwood v GWS Beau Mccreery will officially pull on the black and white against the GWS Giants on Saturday night. The 19-year-old was the medical substitute for round 3, but feels he is better for that experience and is well placed to run out for the Pies. “Last week was a bit different, but it was good to get out there and sorta go through the process and now I know what to expected this week," Mccreery said after the captains run. Mccreery was selected by the Pies with pick 44 in the 2020 NAB AFL Draft. During his time in the SANFL, he established himself as a consistent forward and was held goalless on only three occasions. The product from the South Adelaide Football Club is best known for his speed, goal-sense and forward pressure. Scott Pendlebury Scott Pendlebury will claim a record that once looked untouchable when the Pies take on the Giants on Saturday night. The Collingwood champion will set a new record for playing the most games in history at the home of football with his 201st appearance. Pendlebury will surpass Richmond legend Kevin Bartlett when he leads the Magpies onto the hallowed turf against the Giants. He and Bartlett are equal on 200 games at the MCG, with the former Tiger notching 138 wins, two draws and 60 defeats in his stint at Richmond's home ground. Pendlebury has enjoyed 119 wins at the MCG, with 78 defeats and three draws. Some of his significant moments at the ground include his brilliant run of Anzac Day performances, which saw him claim the best-afield medal in 2010, 2011 and 2019.

AFLW 2021 Preliminary Final 2: The Team

AFLW 2021 Preliminary Final 2 COLLINGWOOD v BRISBANE Time & Place:  Saturday April 10, 4.10pm The Gabba TV: 7mate / womens.afl Weather: Min 19 Max 32 Chance of rain 5%: <1mm Wind: N 12kph Betting: Collingwood $2.20 Brisbane $1.65

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

C: S.Chiocci [17] J.Lambert [13] E.Fowler [15]

HF: A.Sheridan [14] S.Alexander [24] K.Stratton [41]

F: C.Molloy [2] M.Cann [25]

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

I/C: E.O'Dea [50] S.Rowe [7] T.Brown [26] B.Smith [19] M.Shevlin [35]  

Emerg: J.Lin [20] A.Newman [16]

In: S.Casey
Out: J.Lin (omitted)

AFLW
COLLINGWOOD v BRISBANE
Preview

Recent form

• The Pies were a little shaky in their final few matches, with losses to the Lions in round seven and Adelaide in round nine punctuated by a comfortable win over St Kilda. They finished their qualifying final match full of running, kicking three final-quarter goals to steal the win against North Melbourne.
• Brisbane finished the season with mixed form, seeing off eventual fifth-placed North Melbourne by 15 points at the Gabba in round eight, but fell just two points short of Melbourne at Casey Fields in the final round. The Lions had last week off after finishing in the top two, a good break after three trips in four weeks.

Key players

• Bri Davey will no doubt be locked in an enthralling battle with Svarc, with Britt Bonnici and Jaimee Lambert also midfield threats. Ash Brazill's starting position will be interesting, with the key back playing forward of late. Chloe Molloy can turn a match with just one goal, while the Roos played a defensive job on rebounder Ruby Schleicher last week.
• Brisbane is such an even team, it's tough to individualise. Tagger Cathy Svarc will be steeling herself for another clash with Davey, Dakota Davidson plays an important role in crashing packs and bringing the ball down to smalls Courtney Hodder and Greta Bodey, while sweeping defender Kate Lutkins has a stellar finals record.

Injury concerns

• No new names on the injury list for the Pies, with Sophie Casey (concussion) now clear to play if selected. Lauren Butler (hamstring) is an outside chance should the Pies qualify for the Grand Final.
• As in previous years, Brisbane's medical staff deserve a pat on the back, with minimal injury issues. Lily Postlethwaite is a long-termer after tearing her ACL earlier this year.

Last time they met

• Round seven, 2021. Collingwood has unsuccessfully tried to play Brisbane in Queensland several times this year, with the only game to go ahead hurriedly moved to VU Whitten Oval after another small COVID outbreak. The Lions just had the better of the incredibly windy conditions, scoring 4.11 (35) to the Pies' 4.8 (32). Collingwood lost two players to injury, but Ally Anderson starred in the midfield and Bree Koenen and Cathy Svarc kept Chloe Molloy and Bri Davey quiet.

AFLW 2021 Qualifying Final A: Collingwood 50 North Melbourne 44

AFLW 2021 Preliminary Final 2 COLLINGWOOD v BRISBANE Time & Place:  Saturday April 10, 4.10pm EST The Gabba TV: 7mate / Fox Footy / AFL Streaming Weather: Min 19 Max 28 Chance of rain 40%: <1mm Wind: ENE 11kph Betting: Not available

COLLINGWOOD          3.2.20   3.4.22   4.6.30   7.8.50
NORTH MELBOURNE    1.0.6   3.1.19   7.2.44   7.2.44

GOALS - Collingwood: Alexander 2, Molloy 2, Lambert, Stratton, Brown

BEST - Collingwood: Davey, Livingstone, Lambert, Bonnici, Molloy

INJURIES - Collingwood: Nil

REPORTS - Collingwood: Nil

OFFICIAL CROWD - 3,010 at Victoria Park

What The Pies Coach Said "There was certainly a lot going on, it was a bit of a chessboard in the last quarter. Our players thought their way through it in the end. Their ability to adapt to different positions and trying a few different things to try and get things going in the last quarter was really good. They adapted really well and whatever we threw at them, they adjusted. They've got such a fighting spirit, I'm just so proud of the way they continue at it."  – Collingwood coach Steve Symonds

Media Clippings Fox Sports An inspiring final-term blitz has lifted Collingwood one step closer to its maiden AFLW grand final appearance, overcoming a hardened North Melbourne outfit by six points to book a preliminary final spot against Brisbane. ... Twelve months after the Kangaroos broke the hearts of the Pies with a two-point semi-final win, Steve Symonds’ side extracted sweet revenge on Saturday afternoon in front of over 3000 fans at Victoria Park. The Roos entered the final quarter with a 14-point lead off the back of an outstanding third term, which saw the Roos kick 4.1 to Collingwood’s 1.2. But the Magpies, who were on top of the AFLW ladder for most of the home and away season before a final-round loss to Adelaide saw them drop to third, stepped up their intensity and offensive running in the final term, booting 3.2 while holding the Kangaroos scoreless. Kristy Stratton produced her first AFLW goal at an ideal time, before Chloe Molloy and father-daughter star Tarni Brown gave the Magpies the lead — a lead they eventually held on to. Collingwood’s 14-point deficit was the equal-biggest three quarter-time margin a team has ever overcome to win an AFLW clash. The Brown surname has been synonymous with some big moments at Victoria Park. And after a brain-fade late in the second term which saw her accidentally have a shot at the wrong end of the ground, Brown repaid the faith by kicking a late goal to send Collingwood into the preliminary final.. AFLW A STIRRING fourth-quarter fightback has propelled Collingwood to a six-point qualifying final win over North Melbourne at Victoria Park. The Roos took a 14-point lead into the last term, but majors to inclusion Kristy Stratton, Chloe Molloy and Tarni Brown was enough in the 7.8 (50) to 7.2 (44) win. For Collingwood, it's sweet revenge for last year's heart-breaking semi-final loss to the Roos, going down by two points before the season was cancelled. Brown had earlier swung the game in North Melbourne's favour after the Pies had made all the early running, streaming out of a stoppage in the forward pocket to bizarrely kick through the wrong goals and register a behind for the Roos in the second quarter. Herald Sun Collingwood have come back from the brink to snatch an incredible six-point win over North Melbourne - locking in their first ever AFLW Preliminary Final. The Magpies went into the final term down by 14 points at the final change before kicking three unanswered goals to nil to come away with the victory. Tarni Brown was the hero kicking a late goal to seal the win – setting up a blockbuster contest with the Brisbane Lions next weekend. In a game of momentum changes, North was in full control in the middle stages but were unable to sustain their ferocity late in the game as the Magpies came home with a head full of steam. The Age Collingwood will face Brisbane in a preliminary final next week after handing North Melbourne a single goal loss on Saturday in a thrilling contest played in 32-degree heat at Victoria Park. The famous Brown name again resonated at the historic Collingwood venue after Tarni Brown, daughter of club great Gavin Brown, roved the pack to boot the final goal that put the Magpies in front. In the first men’s or women’s final at the venue since 1904, the Kangaroos entered the match off the back of a one-point win against Fremantle, claiming the last finals spot. Collingwood had fallen to Adelaide, conceding a top-two finish. With former Kangaroos coach Scott Gowans now in the Pies’ coaching stable, Collingwood were hungry for redemption from the two-point loss in last year’s semi-final.

AFLW 2021 Qualifying Final A: The Team

AFLW 2021 Qualifying Final A COLLINGWOOD v NORTH MELBOURNE Time & Place:  Saturday April 3, 3.10pm EDT Victoria Park TV: AFL Streaming Weather: Min 17 Max 32 Chance of rain 5%: <1mm Wind: NNW 15kph Betting: Collingwood $1.72 North Melbourne $2.10

B: R.Schleicher [18] A.Porter [9] 

HB: A.Brazill [10] S.Livingstone [12] E.O'Dea [50]

C: S.Chiocci [17] J.Lambert [13] E.Fowler [15]

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

F: C.Molloy [2] M.Cann [25]

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

I/C: K.Stratton [41] S.Rowe [7] T.Brown [26] B.Smith [19] M.Shevlin [35] 

Emerg: A.Velardo [5] A.Newman [16] 

In:  K.Stratton, M.Shevlin
Out:  S.Casey (concussion), A.Newman (omitted)

AFLW
COLLINGWOOD v NORTH MELBOURNE
Preview

The third-placed Magpies will take on the sixth-placed Kangaroos in a do-or-die Qualifying Final on Saturday afternoon at Victoria Park, with the winner to go on to face Brisbane in a Preliminary Final.

Coming off Round 9:

It was a disappointing close to the home-and-away season for the Magpies, who fell to a dominant Adelaide side at Norwood Oval last week.

Led by Anne Hatchard (22 disposals), Ebony Marinoff (17 disposals) and Erin Phillips (16 disposals), the Crows outclassed the Pies to claim the minor premiership and book a home Preliminary Final off the back of the 14-point win.

Jaimee Lambert (23 touches and 1 goal), Brianna Davey (23 disposals) and Brittany Bonnici (22 disposals) were gallant for the Magpies, but Collingwood will need to re-group ahead of this weekend’s crucial clash.

Season at a glance:

Looking back at the season as a whole, the Magpies dropped just two games – a Round 7 loss to the Lions by a narrow three points and last week’s defeat at the hands of the Crows.

Prior to this, the Pies went on a six-game winning streak to open the season including important wins against the Demons, Bulldogs and this week’s opposition, the Kangaroos.

Last time we met:

It was a commanding 20-point victory to the Pies on the deck of Marvel Stadium the last time Collingwood met the Kangaroos.

The Round 4 win came through a solid team performance, with Chloe Molloy booting two goals up forward, Brianna Davey leading the midfield with 31 disposals and the backline holding the Kangaroos goalless for the first time in AFLW history.

The match also poses a replay of last year’s semi-final – and while the 2020 season was eventually cut short, the Magpies will be eager to atone for a heartbreaking two-point loss.

An eye on the opposition:

The Kangaroos completed the home-and-away season with a one-point thriller, clinging to victory against the Dockers to claim the last finals spot.

North Melbourne claimed the lead midway through the final quarter and despite the best efforts of the Dockers to snatch it back, the Kangaroos managed to hang on.

Overall, the Kangaroos have had an up-and-down year but there's no questioning that at their best, they remain a force to be reckoned with. While finishing in sixth position, the Kangaroos still only dropped three games for the year.

Boasting a star-studded midfield including the likes of Emma Kearney, Jas Garner and Ash Riddell, it may well be a battle at the source that determines this weekend's winner.

Pies to look out for:

While the Kangaroos are known for one of the best midfields in the competition, if there's a side that's up for the task in the middle it's Collingwood.

Last time the two sides met, the combination of Brianna Davey (31 disposals), Jaimee Lambert (27 disposals) and Brittany Bonnici (21 disposals) ran rampant.

With the trio freshly announced in the 2021 AFLW All-Australian Squad, it's safe to say that their combination has played a vital role in Collingwood's rise this year. While sides may have had success in shutting down one, the spread across the board has provided headaches for Collingwood's opposition.

With an All-Australian Squad nomination of her own, Ruby Schleicher has been in career-best form throughout the 2021 AFLW season.

Schleicher ranks fourth in the competition for intercept marks and is averaging 15 disposals per game and 311 metres gained.

With an injury-ravaged Collingwood defence, Schleicher carrying her red-hot form into the finals series is more important than ever.

AFL 2021 Round 3: Brisbane 73 Collingwood 72

AFL 2021 ROUND 4 COLLINGWOOD v GWS Time & Place:  Saturday April 10, 7.25pm AEST MCG TV: Fox Footy Weather: Min 13 Max 19 Chance of rain 0%: 0mm Wind: S 11kph Betting: Collingwood $1.31 GWS $3.46

BRISBANE            2.1.13   6.1.37   8.3.51   11.7.73
COLLINGWOOD   4.2.26   7.3.45   9.5.59   11.6.72

GOALS - Collingwood: Mihocek 2, Cox 2, Daicos 2, De Goey, Howe, Sidebottom, Sier, Thomas

BEST - Collingwood: Grundy, Quaynor, Pendlebury, Howe, Sidebottom, Adams

INJURIES - Collingwood: Nil

REPORTS - Collingwood: Nil

SUBSTITUTES - Collingwood: McCreery (unused)

OFFICIAL CROWD - 28,057 at Docklands

What The Pies Coach Said "There's a lot of things we could have done better and when you lose a game at the death you're not as positive as you might have been otherwise. We didn't move the ball as efficiently as we would have liked. We didn't execute well enough going inside 50. Harris Andrews took six marks, (Ryan) Lester took four and (Marcus) Adams took three marks from our kicks. That's too many. They're good players. Harris Andrews was a thorn in our side. You'd like to see a few more of them come to ground and see what you can make of them." – Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley

Media Clippings Herald Sun The manic celebrations said it all. Brisbane Lions’ season is alive after the sort of drama only sport can deliver. Gallantry wins you medals. It also wins you four points. Brisbane’s Zac Bailey kicked the winning goal after the siren on Thursday night.  AFL ZAC Bailey has lived every young footballer's dream, kicking a goal after the siren to help Brisbane defeat Collingwood at Marvel Stadium by one point and revive its flagging season. With his team trailing by five points and the clock winding down, Bailey marked a deftly weighted Daniel Rich kick 50m from goal. The young midfielder moved in as the siren sounded and flushed the kick straight between the posts to lift the Lions to a 11.7 (73) to 11.6 (72) victory. Fox Sports In a piece of football poetry, Brisbane’s Zac Bailey has beaten Collingwood with a goal after the siren - a week after being robbed of a shot at the match-winner by an umpiring mistake. ... On Thursday night, after his side trailed all night, Bailey marked directly in front and 45 metres out with seconds left. The siren sounded and he kicked truly for a famous one-point backs-against-the-wall victory. ... Collingwood (1-2) was led by a dominant Brodie Grundy ruck performance. He finished with a massive 22 hitouts to advantage, along with 28 disposals and six tackles.