2014 NAB Challenge Round 2: Collingwood v Richmond

Collingwood News

Collingwood v Richmond Saturday February 22, 4.40pm Norm Minns Oval, Wangaratta Fox Footy 4.30pm Weather: Min 8 Max 29 Chance of rain 5%: < 1mm Wind: SSW 14kph Betting: Collingwood $1.65 Richmond $2.20

Collingwood forward Alex Fasolo is poised to make his long awaited return from a serious foot injury after he was named in an extended squad to face Richmond in the club’s second NAB Challenge hit out this Saturday in Wangaratta.
Fasolo has endured a torrid 12 months, managing to only play three matches last season after suffering a stress fracture to the navicular bone in his right foot, which forced the West Australian to undergo surgery in May and prematurely brought his campaign to a close
But after adopting a conservative and thorough approach to his rehabilitation, Fasolo is in line to make a major breakthrough and step onto the park for his first competitive outing since ANZAC Day.
The 21-year old is one of seven inclusions to the side which narrowly fell to Geelong by two points at Skilled Stadium as Collingwood seeks to finalise its best 22 ahead of the opening round of the season against Fremantle on March 14.
Star midfielder Dane Swan, key defender Nathan Brown and versatile swingmen Ben Reid and Tyson Goldsack will join the fray alongside ruckman Ben Hudson and speedster Caolan Mooney, while three players are still to be omitted from the 29-man squad.
The Wangaratta fixture will be Mooney’s first senior match since round 17 last year against Gold Coast, a clash which also marked Hudson’s final appearance for the 2013 campaign.
Injury has forced Tim Broomhead (hand) and Nathan Freeman (hamstring) to the sidelines, with the fledgling duo set to miss up a month of football, while Dayne Beams and Nick Maxwell will be rested ahead of the Magpies pre-season clash on the Gold Coast next weekend.

Collingwood Squad
1. Alex Fasolo 3. Brent Macaffer 4. Brodie Grundy 6. Tyson Goldsack 7. Ben Kennedy 8. Heritier Lumumba 9. Marty Clarke 10. Scott Pendlebury 12. Luke Ball 13. Taylor Adams 14. Clinton Young 16. Nathan Brown 18. Jesse White 19. Jamie Elliott 20. Ben Reid	21. Quinten Lynch 22. Steele Sidebottom 23. Lachlan Keeffe 25. Ben Hudson 26. Marley Williams 27. Tony Armstrong 31. Jackson Ramsay 32. Travis Cloke 36. Dane Swan 38. Peter Yagmoor 41. Tom Langdon 45. Jack Frost 46. Jonathon Marsh 48. Caolan Mooney

Changes (from the team that lost to Geelong)
In: Nathan Brown, Alex Fasolo, Tyson Goldsack, Ben Hudson, Caolan Mooney, Ben Reid, Dane Swan
Out: Dayne Beams, Tim Broomhead, Nathan Freeman, Nick Maxwell

2014 NAB Challenge Round 1 Preview: Collingwood v Geelong

Collingwood News

Collingwood v Geelong Wednesday Feb 12, 7.10pm Simonds Stadium Fox Footy 7.00pm Weather: Min 16 Max 31 Chance of rain 30%: 1-5mm Wind: S 18kph Betting: Collingwood $2.45 Geelong $1.53

Collingwood will travel to Simonds Stadium for its second practice match at the venue in as many years when it takes on Geelong in the opening match of the 2014 NAB Challenge.

Squads
Collingwood: 1. Alex Fasolo 3. Brent Macaffer 4. Brodie Grundy 5. Nick Maxwell 7. Ben Kennedy 8. Heritier Lumumba 9. Marty Clarke 10. Scott Pendlebury 12. Luke Ball 13. Taylor Adams 14. Clinton Young 17. Dayne Beams 18. Jesse White 19. Jamie Elliott 21. Quinten Lynch 22. Steele Sidebottom 23. Lachlan Keeffe 25. Ben Hudson 26. Marley Williams 27. Tony Armstrong 29. Tim Broomhead 31. Jackson Ramsay 32. Travis Cloke 38. Peter Yagmoor 39. Nathan Freeman 41. Tom Langdon 45. Jack Frost 46. Jonathon Marsh 48. Caolan Mooney
Geelong: 1. Mitch Brown 2. Billie Smedts 3. Jimmy Bartel 4. Andrew Mackie 5. Travis Varcoe 6. Lincoln McCarthy 7. Harry Taylor 9. James Kelly 12. Jesse Stringer 13. Tom Lonergan 15. Jordan Schroder 16. Dawson Simpson 19. Taylor Hunt 20. Steven Johnson 22. Mitch Duncan 23. Josh Caddy 25. Jared Rivers 26. Tom Hawkins 27. Mathew Stokes 29. Cameron Guthrie 30. Nathan Vardy 31. George Burbury 33. George Horlin-Smith 34. Josh Walker 35. Jarrod Jansen 38. Jackson Sheringham 44. Corey Enright 45. Joel Hamling 46. Mark Blicavs

Missing in action
Collingwood: Jarryd Blair, Nathan Brown, Sam Dwyer, Tyson Goldsack, Patrick Karnezis, Adam Oxley, Ben Reid, Paul Seedsman, Ben Sinclair, Dane Swan, Josh Thomas, Alan Toovey, Jarrod Witts
Geelong: Allen Christensen, Shane Kersten, Hamish McIntosh, Daniel Menzel, Steven Motlop, Jordan Murdoch, Joel Selwood

New faces
Collingwood: Taylor Adams (20, Greater Western Sydney), Tony Armstrong (24, Sydney), Tim Broomhead (19, Port Adelaide Magpies), Nathan Freeman (18, Sandringham U18), Tom Langdon (19, Sandringham U18), Jonathon Marsh (18, East Fremantle), Jackson Ramsay (19, East Perth), Jesse White (26, Sydney)
Geelong: Jarrad Jansen (18, East Fremantle)

New numbers
Collingwood: Brodie Grundy (has moved from No. 35 to No. 4), Ben Kennedy (No. 27 to No. 7), Taylor Adams (No. 13), Jesse White (No. 18), Marley Williams (No. 46 to No. 26), Tony Armstrong (No. 27), Nathan Freeman (No. 39), Tom Langdon (No. 41), Jonathon Marsh (No. 46)
Geelong: Jarrad Jansen (No. 35)

Recent pre-season clashes
Practice Match 2013
Collingwood 13.12 (90)
Geelong 20.21 (141)
Goals
Collingwood: Lynch 4, Macaffer 2, Cloke 2, Swan 2, Pendlebury, Beams, Sinclair.
Geelong: Podsiadly 3, Bartel 2, Brown 2 Caddy 2, Christensen 2, Hunt, Duncan, Blivacs, Varcoe, Mackie, Murdoch, Stringer, Selwood, Schroder.
Best
Collingwood: Lynch, Beams, Brown, Pendlebury
Geelong: Caddy, Bartel, Selwood, Motlop, T.Hunt, Varcoe
Collingwood suffered a 51-point loss at the hands of Geelong in its final practice match of the 2013 pre-season at Simonds Stadium just eleven months ago. The Magpies were comprehensively out played in the first half before lifting in the third quarter when they kicked six goals to three. Post-match, coach Nathan Buckley praised the efforts of mature age rookie Sam Dwyer, Heritier Lumumba and Nathan Brown but said that there were few other winners in the Collingwood camp. Scarily, Geelong's run and carry through the middle of the ground was reminiscent of some of its best work in the 2011 Grand Final.
NAB Cup Grand Final 2009
Collingwood 1.6.6 (51)
Geelong 0.18.19 (127)
Crowd: 37,277 at Etihad Stadium
Supergoals
Collingwood: Bryan
Geelong: Nil
Goals
Collingwood: Thomas 2, Clarke, O'Bree, Beams, Cloke
Geelong: Ablett 3, S.Johnson 3, Selwood 2, Chapman 2, Lonergan 2, Stokes 2, Gamble, Varcoe
Best
Collingwood: Cox, Thomas, Lockyer, Pendlebury
Geelong: Selwood, Ablett, Chapman, Taylor, S.Johnson, Bartel
When scores were deadlocked on 23 apiece at the end of a fast-paced opening quarter, the 2009 NAB Cup Grand Final appeared set to become another in a line of epic clashes between the two teams. But all hopes of a meaningful contest were dashed by the Cats who broke the game apart with a six-goal second quarter and outscored the Magpies with 15 goals to four in the final three stanzas. Collingwood was powerless to restrain the competition's most powerful outfit that was still smarting from its Grand Final loss to Hawthorn six months earlier. This pre-season premier was not a flash in the pan – the Cats went on to knock off St Kilda in a thrilling Grand Final on 26 September.
Wizard Cup Semi Final 2003
Collingwood 5.8.0.10 (103)
Geelong 1.8.0.9 (66)
Crowd: 24,728 at Telstra Dome
Supergoals
Collingwood: Buckley 2, Fraser, Woewodin, Didak Geelong: Mooney
Goals
Collingwood: Buckley 2, Lockyer 2, Fraser, Tarrant, Davis, Woewodin Geelong: Ablett 2, Mooney, McCarthy, Riccardi, Kelly, Graham, Chapman
Best
Collingwood: Buckley, Woewodin, Lockyer, Fraser, Didak, Clement
Geelong: Corey, Riccardi, Sanderson, Scarlett
Collingwood won through to its first night series Grand Final since 1980 with a comprehensive 37-point win over Geelong under the Telstra Dome roof. Nathan Buckley was by far the best afield, kicking four goals for the night, two of which registered nine-points, and Shane Woewodin played his best game in his new colours after crossing from Melbourne during the off-season. Unfortunately the Grand Final didn't go to plan, with the Magpies beaten by an Adelaide side buoyed by the inclusion of new recruit Wayne Carey.

Collingwood at Kardinia Park (Simonds Stadium)
Played: 41
Won: 22
Lost: 19
Drawn: 0

The last time at Kardinia Park (Simonds Stadium)
Round 15 1999
Collingwood 19.11 (125)
Geelong 19.14 (128)
Crowd: 24,395 at Kardinia Park
Goals
Collingwood: S.Rocca 7, A.Rocca 3, Brown 3, Buckley 2, Freeborn, Tarrant, Richardson, King
Geelong: Snell 4, Houlihan 3, Riccardi 3, Mensch 2, Graham 2, Barnes, King, Corrigan, Stoneham, Burns
Disposals
Collingwood: Buckley 37, King 22, Lockyer 22, Brown 17, Lane 17
Geelong: Arnott 36, Milburn 24, Riccardi, Stoneham 21, Sholl 20

The first clash at Kardinia Park (Simonds Stadium)
Round 11 1941
Collingwood 14.12 (96)
Geelong 7.16 (58)
Crowd: 7500 at Kardinia Park
Goals
Collingwood: Green 4, Richards 3, Kyne 2, Swenson 2, Williams, Murphy, Unwin
Geelong: Arklay 3, White, Taylor, Heard, Harwood

The last win at Kardinia Park (Simonds Stadium)
Round 11 1988
Collingwood 16.7 (103)
Geelong 9.10 (64)
Crowd: 35,322 at Kardinia Park
Goals
Collingwood: Wright 4, Taylor 3, Starcevich 3, Barwick 2, Banks 2, Millane, Daicos
Geelong: Ablett 3, Turner 2, Scott, Brownless, Denham, Bairstow
Disposals
Collingwood: Shaw 36, Millane 34, Cloke 30, Brown 29, Daicos 23, Wright 23
Geelong: Bruns 37, Denham 30, Bairstow 28, Bews 27, Troy 27

Did you know that...

• Collingwood won 11 of its first 14 matches at Kardinia Park? The golden run began in the first match at the venue back in 1941 and continued until round 18, 1959. Geelong then won 12 of the next 17 meetings between the two sides at the ground.
• Darren Millane played his final game of league football at Kardinia Park? There was plenty at stake when the two sides ran out onto Kardinia Park in round 24, 1991, with Collingwood needing a win to secure a finals berth less than 12 months after winning the 1990 premiership. The Pies started well but ran out of steam in the second half with the Cats nearly doubling Collingwood's score to run out 41-point winners. Tragically, Millane (who gathered 17 possessions and kicked two behinds in the loss) was killed in a car accident only five weeks later.
• Kardinia Park has had four separate sponsors since 1998? The ground was known as Shell Stadium from 1998-2001, Skilled Stadium from 2002-2011 and Simonds Stadium since the start of last year. Its fourth name was Baytec Stadium, albeit for only two months in 2002.
• Collingwood's VFL team has played several matches at the ground in recent years? Since 2008, the VFL Magpies have won three of their six games at Kardinia Park.

What happens next?
Collingwood will be afforded nine days off between its two NAB Challenge matches. The players will hit the training track in the days that follow the match against Geelong before hitting the road and heading to Wangaratta to take on Richmond on 22 February.

2014 NAB Challenge Round 1: Collingwood v Geelong

Collingwood News

Collingwood v Geelong Wednesday Feb 12, 7.10pm Simonds Stadium Fox Footy 7.00pm Weather: Min 16 Max 31 Chance of rain 30%: 1-5mm Wind: S 18kph Betting: Collingwood $2.45 Geelong $1.53

Collingwood's band of new recruits will be in the spotlight when they line up to face Geelong in the opening clash of the NAB Challenge at Simonds Stadium on Wednesday night.
Midfielder Taylor Adams, defender Tony Armstrong, forward Jesse White and draftees Nathan Freeman, Tom Langdon and Jonathon Marsh have been named in a 26 man squad poised to tackle the Cats as the sides usher the arrival of the 2014 pre-season campaign.
The off-season arrivals will be joined by two further fresh additions to the senior team, with Tim Broomhead and Jackson Ramsay poised to feature in a competitive AFL fixture for the first time since being drafted in 2012.
Having rejuvenated its list with an influx of exciting, emerging talent during the trade and draft periods late last year, the team named to take on Geelong represents the changing face of the Collingwood, with the club entering the campaign boasting the sixth youngest, yet seventh most experienced list in the AFL.
That figure bodes well for the future as Collingwood seeks to extend the longest active finals streak in the AFL, which currently stands at eight consecutive appearances.
Although the team named to face Geelong will undoubtedly provide a portent of what lies on the horizon in the seasons to come, the strength of the side named, in spite of the absence of a host of established stars, highlights the significant reserves of on-field talent accrued at the Westpac Centre.
Indeed, a combination of injury and squad rotation has conspired to see senior team regulars Jarryd Blair, Nathan Brown, Sam Dwyer, Ben Reid, Paul Seedsman, Dane Swan, Josh Thomas and Alan Toovey unavailable for selection.

The Team
1. Alex Fasolo 3. Brent Macaffer 4. Brodie Grundy 5. Nick Maxwell 7. Ben Kennedy 8. Heritier Lumumba 9. Marty Clarke 10. Scott Pendlebury 12. Luke Ball 13. Taylor Adams 14. Clinton Young 17. Dayne Beams 18. Jesse White 19. Jamie Elliott 21. Quinten Lynch	22. Steele Sidebottom 23. Lachlan Keeffe 25. Ben Hudson 26. Marley Williams 27. Tony Armstrong 29. Tim Broomhead 31. Jackson Ramsay 32. Travis Cloke 38. Peter Yagmoor 39. Nathan Freeman 41. Tom Langdon 45. Jack Frost 46. Jonathon Marsh 48. Caolan Mooney

New Faces
13. Taylor Adams A big-bodied midfielder who landed at Collingwood as part of the deal that saw Heath Shaw become a Giant. Was drafted at No. 13 in the 2011 National Draft and has already impressed with his attitude and love of winning the contested ball.	18. Jesse White After a strong finish to the season with Sydney, White crossed to the Westpac Centre after being identified by the Magpies as a man who can give Travis Cloke and Quinten Lynch a helping hand up forward as well as assisting young ruckmen Brodie Grundy and Jarrod Witts when the time comes.
27. Tony Armstrong Now at his third club, Armstrong, a hard running defender with nice foot skills, will be looking to stake an early claim for a spot in Collingwood's back six come round one.	29. Tim Broomhead Put in some eye-catching showings for Collingwood's VFL side to the point where he was named as a senior emergency midway through last season. Glandular fever derailed his 2013 pre-season but the No. 20 selection in the 2012 National Draft is set to make an early impact in his second year on the list.
31. Jackson Ramsay A professional and dedicated West Australian who was the second youngest player in the league last season. Was hampered by injury early in 2013 but came home with a rush, impressing with his discipline and attack on the ball at half back.	39. Nathan Freeman With his pace and endurance, it's easy to see why he was the 10th selection in last November's National Draft. Has been impressive on the training track in his first months as a Magpie and in time could end up at half back or on the wing.
41. Tom Langdon Has prior experience in playing senior football, having spent time as a top-up player for VFL club Sandringham last season. A rangy utility who appears best suited to playing in defence, Langdon was one of the most prolific players in last Saturday's intra-club practice match.	46. Jonathon Marsh His highlights package excited recruiters and supporters last November. From fend offs to long runs that ended in goals, it had it all. Marsh, an explosively quick West Australian who stands 193cm, became a Magpie with the 77th selection in last year's National Draft.