| 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 |
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)
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.
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| Finlay Macrae made a strong impression on debut for Collingwood. |
“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.”
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| Jay Rantall will make his Magpies debut on Anzac Day. |
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.”
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