2014 Season Preview: Collingwood

Collingwood v Fremantle Friday March 14, 7.50pm Etihad Fox Footy / 7mate 7.30pm Weather: Min 13 Max 27 Chance of rain 40%: < 1mm Wind: S 14kph Betting: Collingwood $2.15 Fremantle $1.70

Bound for Glory News

Story Of The Summer

After a disappointing elimination final loss to Port Adelaide, Nathan Buckley decided to cut the rope on the old firm and add a new coat of gloss to the clubs culture by moving on former premiership stars headlined by Heath Shaw and Dale Thomas. Both players are still in their prime so the decision didn’t come without its criticism, likewise the dumping of veterans Alan Didak, Darren Jolly and Andrew Krakouer, although the latter were met with a far more diplomatic response given their aging status.
The Magpies could be somewhat forgiven for their 2013 drop in performance from the season prior. They used 40 players in total across the year which was the third-most of any side behind expansion clubs Gold Coast and GWS. Only three players on the Pies’ list managed to play every game, whilst eight newcomers received debuts, the equal second-most with GWS and behind only the rebuilding Saints.
The silver lining behind blooding so much youth is it breeds depth and Collingwood should be ripe to attack 2014 with quality players ready in waiting. As was the case with Geelong, the Magpies have been able to achieve the rare feat of rebuilding their list without bottoming out, evidenced by the addition of top 10 picks Nathan Freeman and Matt Scharenberg.
Summer recruits Patrick Karnezis, Jesse White and Tony Armstrong aren’t household names that will put Collingwood over the top but they’re valuable commodities who can contribute from day one.
Season 2013 was a roller coaster of sorts for Collingwood, and they deserve applause for being proactive about fixing in-house issues before they grew even more toxic. Nathan Buckley made the tough calls that were necessary, and with a far more settled list in year three of his tenure, he’ll be looking to deliver more consistent results and regain the Pies standing as a genuine premiership threat. 
Where they Excel
Few teams in the competition possess three genuine Brownlow contenders in their midfield. Scott Pendlebury, Dane Swan and Dayne Beams are game breakers who consistently perform and set the benchmark for the Magpies engine room.
All three of Pendlebury, Swan and Beams were in the top 15 for disposals per game last season after Beams returned in round 16 combining for a lucrative average of 93 disposals, 15.5 clearances, 13.6 inside 50s and three goals per game.
In support Jarryd Blair, Steele Sidebottom, Luke Ball and tagger Ben Macaffer compliment the big three and top off the Magpies’ midfield mix whilst youngsters Josh Thomas, Ben Sinclair, Ben Kennedy and former Giant Taylor Adams have all shown promise.
No team averaged more disposals per game than Collingwood in 2013 and despite ranking fourth overall for turnovers they were exceptional at limiting points on the counter attack conceding the second fewest behind only Fremantle.
If there was one criticism of this midfield group it was their lack of defensive nous at stoppages. The Magpies were excellent at limiting scores from stoppages in 2012 ranking fourth defensively but saw their ranking drop to 11th in 2013. In the preseason hitout against Geelong we saw a more bruising Collingwood outfit lay 91 tackles, their highest total since round 14 2012 which gives the impression a more focused and committed Magpie outfit can be expected.
Hiccups on the Horizon
Anyone who watched Collingwood in 2013 could identify a far too heavy reliance on Travis Cloke. The Pies’ forward line became predictable and one-dimensional with seemingly every entry directed towards the runner-up Coleman Medallist. Only Jeremy Cameron was in the same ball park regarding percentage of team targets inside 50, and as a result the Magpies scoring efficiency plummeted to 11th, the lowest ranking of all last season’s finals sides.
Despite the obvious Collingwood managed to find Cloke in front of goal frequently but unfortunately that often proved to be the easy part. Few forwards in the history of the game have been more unreliable than Cloke in front of goal. In 2013 no player sprayed more set shots at goal out on the full and no player inside the top 20 on the Coleman tally converted at a lower percentage. Minus Cloke the top 10 players in last season’s Coleman race had an average set shot accuracy of 67.7% compared to Cloke at 56.9%. When you’re targeted over 100 times more and experience 20 more shots at goal than Jarryd Roughead yet still can’t win the Coleman heaven help you.
With a lack of forward line spread a lingering concern former All-Australian defender Ben Reid looks to be the sacrificial lamb to the “kick it to Cloke” slaughter. The Reid experiment started to pay dividends against Brisbane in round 10 last season and was used sporadically with largely positive success as Reid bagged three or more majors on five separate occasions. With Lachie Keeffe and Nathan Brown fully fit in defence the Pies can transition Reid from super swingman to permanent forward in order to give their spine the required balance.
Small forward Jamie Elliot had a superb sophomore season kicking 30 goals as a dangerous livewire, whilst new recruit Jesse White finally fulfilled his potential as a key forward in Sydney last year and booted five majors against the Cats in the NAB Challenge to suggest he will add value. Livewire Alex Fasolo also returns from injury and adds another dimension to the once stale Pies forward line.
The Skinny
It’s hard to judge the impact a lack of unity can have behind the scenes of a playing list but it appeared to sour the Magpies prospects a year ago. What is black and white is the Magpies’ plethora of talent and far more structured balance. Old habits die hard but if Collingwood can remove the Cloke funnel and focus on securing a handful of regular contributors up forward they’re capable of surprising for a top four finish.
The other hurdle for Collingwood is the opportunity to grow into the season will be non-existent with a nightmare opening seven weeks to start their 2014 campaign. Fremantle, Sydney, Geelong, Richmond, North Melbourne, Essendon and Carlton are all of September calibre and will demand the Magpies’ best football from the first bounce which could potentially make or break the season before the bye kicks in. The flipside is if Collingwood can get through relatively unscathed they set themselves up for an excellent second half of the year, having five games at the MCG definitely helps.
Ladder Range: 4-10
Best 22
B: M.Williams, N.Brown, A.Toovey
HB: P.Seedsman, L.Keefe, H.Lumumba
C: J.Blair, D.Swan, D.Beams
HF: J.White, B.Reid, S.Sidebottom
F: J.Elliott, T.Cloke, S.Dwyer
Foll: B.Grundy, S.Pendlebury, L.Ball
Int: T.Adams, B.Macaffer, C.Young
S: J.Thomas

2014 Season Preview: Collingwood

Collingwood v Fremantle Friday March 14, 7.50pm Etihad Fox Footy / 7mate 7.30pm Weather: Min 13 Max 27 Chance of rain 40%: < 1mm Wind: S 14kph Betting: Collingwood $2.15 Fremantle $1.70

The New Daily

Nathan Buckley is unfazed by wildly differing views on how Collingwood will fare in 2014.
The third-year coach understands the growing debate surrounding the Magpies.
It goes without saying that the departure of premiership heroes Dale Thomas to Carlton and Heath Shaw to Greater Western Sydney will hurt in the short term – and perhaps the medium term as well.
But the club still possess three of the competition’s most influential players in newly-appointed captain Scott Pendlebury, Brownlow medallist Dane Swan and power forward Travis Cloke.
While experience worked its way out of Collingwood in 2013, new talent emerged.
Brodie Grundy’s remarkable debut season in the ruck made Darren Jolly surplus to requirements.
Young midfielders Sam Dwyer and Josh Thomas, small forward Jamie Elliott and defender Marley Williams made strong claims for permanent spots in the senior side, although Williams faces a delayed start to the season due to a grievous bodily harm conviction.
The midfield has also been bolstered by the recruitment of Taylor Adams from the Giants, while ex-Swan Jesse White will add to an impressive crop of tall forwards also including Cloke, Quinten Lynch and swingman Ben Reid.
The coach is embracing what he calls his team’s “regeneration”.
“I would suggest that looking at us externally and the quality of the competition that we are about to go into, it would be really hard to slot us in,” said Buckley.
“There would be scribes and external opinion that would have us at a really high range or lower down the ladder.
“What they are is guesses.
“What is tangible for us is the work that we have done, what is tangible of us is the direction that we are travelling and the fact that we have something to prove.”
Buckley insists that last year’s surprise elimination final loss to Port Adelaide provides no added motivation for the coming season – but finishing eighth in 2013 clearly rankled the third-year coach.
Injuries challenged the Magpies last year.
Dayne Beams (quad), Alex Fasolo (foot), Tyson Goldsack (hip), Lachie Keeffe (knee), Alan Toovey (knee) and Clinton Young (hamstring) were all out for substantial parts of the season.
The positive for Collingwood was their ability to blood youngsters.
Forty players had a taste of senior football in 2013 – with depth now one of Collingwood’s major strengths.
Buckley is a firm believer that a team must be better than the sum of its parts.
“Our belief and our communication at the end of last year was that we have enough talent,” said Buckley.
“The talent isn’t the issue – it’s how we gel together.
“That is not saying we have the best talent in the comp because you would have four or five, or even six sides who would argue vehemently with you on that.
“But if you are actually playing well together as a team, if you are united in the way you are playing and the way you want to go about it, that there is buy-in from players, there is clear communication from coaches to players and vice versa, then you play some good team football, then you maximise your talent.
“If we do that then we will be hard to beat. If we are hard to beat then we will win a lot of games. If we win a lot of games then we are where we want to be.”

COLLINGWOOD
Coach: Nathan Buckley
Captain: Scott Pendlebury
Last five years: 4-1-2-4-8
Premierships: 15 (1902-03, 1910, 1917, 1919, 1927-30, 1935-36, 1953, 1958, 1990, 2010)
Key five: Scott Pendlebury, Dane Swan, Travis Cloke, Ben Reid, Dayne Beams
One to watch: Ben Reid. How Nathan Buckley would love to have two Ben Reids, allowing him to play at centre half-forward and centre half-back. If the Magpies can keep him forward, their marking power in attack will trouble the best defensive units.
Ins: Taylor Adams (Greater Western Sydney), Tony Armstrong (Sydney), Nathan Freeman (Sandringham U18), Patrick Karnezis (Brisbane Lions), Tom Langdon (Sandringham U18), Jonathon Marsh (East Fremantle WAFL), Matt Scharenberg (Glenelg SANFL), Jesse White (Sydney).
Outs: Alan Didak (delisted), Ben Johnson (retired), Darren Jolly (delisted), Andrew Krakouer (delisted), Jackson Paine (Brisbane Lions), Jordan Russell (delisted), Heath Shaw (Greater Western Sydney), Dale Thomas (Carlton).
Best 22: B: Nick Maxwell, Nathan Brown, Alan Toovey
HB: Marley Williams, Lachie Keeffe, Paul Seedsman
C: Dayne Beams, Scott Pendlebury, Heritier Lumumba
HF: Jarryd Blair, Ben Reid, Steele Sidebottom
F: Jesse White, Travis Cloke, Jamie Elliott
R: Brodie Grundy, Dane Swan, Luke Ball
I: Taylor Adams, Alex Fasolo, Josh Thomas, Ben Kennedy
Predicted finish: 5th
Betting (Sportingbet)
To win the flag: $15
To make the top eight: $1.60

2014 Season Betting

2014 Betting

2014 Premiers Fremantle 4.75 Hawthorn 4.75 Sydney 5.00 Geelong 10.00 Collingwood 14.00 North Melbourne 15.00 West Coast 15.00 Richmond 17.00 Essendon 21.00 Adelaide 23.00 Carlton 26.00 Port Adelaide 34.00 Gold Coast 81.00 Western Bulldogs 101.00 Brisbane 151.00 Melbourne 251.00 Greater Western Sydney 501.00 St Kilda 501.00	2014 Minor Premiers Hawthorn 3.75 Fremantle 4.00 Sydney 4.25 Geelong 10.00 North Melbourne 14.00 Richmond 15.00 West Coast 15.00 Collingwood 17.00 Adelaide 26.00 Essendon 26.00 Carlton 34.00 Port Adelaide 34.00 Western Bulldogs 151.00 Brisbane 251.00 Gold Coast 251.00 Greater Western Sydney 1001.00 Melbourne 1001.00 St Kilda 1001.00
2014 To Make Top 4 Hawthorn 1.50 Fremantle 1.55 Sydney 1.55 Geelong 2.30 North Melbourne 3.00 Richmond 3.75 West Coast 3.75 Collingwood 4.00 Adelaide 5.50 Essendon 5.50 Carlton 6.50 Port Adelaide 7.50 Western Bulldogs 12.00 Brisbane 17.00 Gold Coast 17.00 St Kilda 31.00 Melbourne 41.00 Greater Western Sydney 101.00	2014 To Make Top 8 Fremantle 1.10 Hawthorn 1.10 Sydney 1.10 Geelong 1.25 North Melbourne 1.50 Collingwood 1.60 Richmond 1.60 West Coast 1.75 Adelaide 2.05 Essendon 2.20 Carlton 2.30 Port Adelaide 2.40 Gold Coast 4.00 Western Bulldogs 4.00 Brisbane 5.00 Melbourne 13.00 St Kilda 15.00 Greater Western Sydney 34.00
2014 To Make Grand Final Hawthorn 2.30 Fremantle 2.50 Sydney 2.50 Geelong 5.50 North Melbourne 6.00 Richmond 7.50 West Coast 7.50 Collingwood 8.00 Adelaide 11.00 Essendon 13.00 Port Adelaide 15.00 Carlton 15.00 Gold Coast 41.00 Brisbane 67.00 Western Bulldogs 67.00 St Kilda 101.00 Melbourne 101.00 Greater Western Sydney 251.00	2014 AFL Brownlow Medal Gary Ablett [GC] 7.00 Patrick Dangerfield [ADE] 10.00 Jobe Watson [ESS] 12.00 Scott Pendlebury [COL] 12.00 Nathan Fyfe [FRE] 12.00 Trent Cotchin [RIC] 14.00 Joel Selwood [GEE] 14.00 Dane Swan [COL] 15.00 Sam Mitchell [HAW] 17.00 Kieran Jack [SYD] 21.00 Steve Johnson [GEE] 21.00 Dayne Beams [COL] 26.00 Daniel Hannebery [SYD] 26.00 Michael Barlow [FRE] 26.00 David Mundy [FRE] 26.00 Ryan Griffen [WBD] 26.00 Andrew Swallow [NTH] 26.00 Marc Murphy [CAR] 31.00
2014 AFL Coleman Medal Travis Cloke [COL] 7.00 Jack Riewoldt [RIC] 8.00 Josh Kennedy [WCE] 8.00 Jarryd Roughead [HAW] 8.00 Lance Franklin [SYD] 9.00 Kurt Tippett [SYD] 10.00 Matthew Pavlich [FRE] 10.00 Jeremy Cameron [GWS] 11.00 Tom Hawkins [GEE] 15.00 Jack Gunston [HAW] 15.00 Jay Schulz [PTA] 21.00 Drew Petrie [NTH] 21.00 Taylor Walker [ADE] 26.00 Nick Riewoldt [STK] 34.00 Stewart Crameri [WBU] 34.00 Joe Daniher [ESS] 34.00 Michael Walters [FRE] 51.00 Jack Darling [WCE] 51.00	2014 AFL Rising Star Jack Martin [GC] 4.50 Brodie Grundy [COL] 8.00 Luke McDonald [NTH] 9.00 Joe Daniher [ESS] 12.00 Jesse Hogan [MEL] 14.00 Mitch Grigg [ADE] 15.00 Jake Stringer [WBU] 15.00 James Aish [BRI] 15.00 Dom Sheed [WCE] 21.00 Jed Anderson [HAW] 23.00 Troy Menzel [CAR] 23.00 Lachie Hunter [WBU] 23.00 Billy Longer [STK] 23.00 Nathan Hrovat [WBU] 26.00 Jack Billings [STK] 26.00 Tom Boyd [GWS] 26.00 Josh Kelly [GWS] 26.00 Jonathan Patton [GWS] 26.00

AFL CEO Contenders

SUPERFOOTY

Following are the leading contenders to fill the position of AFL CEO when it becomes vacant at the end of September with the departure of Andrew Demetriou.
GILLON McLACHLAN Remains favourite to replace Demetriou and according to insiders retains the faith of the AFL Commission despite a year of hell for the AFL administration. At 40 also has youth on his side and it’s worth remembering Demetriou was 42 when he replaced Wayne Jackson in 2003.
ANDREW IRELAND Has a rare CV in that he has been CEO of two interstate clubs in Brisbane and Sydney that have won AFL Premierships, and being instrumental in the re-development of the Gabba in the early 1990s. Against him is his age, although isn’t 60 the new 50 in today’s world?
STEPHEN GOUGH Combines CEO experience at club level during his years as CEO of Carlton with a broader role as secretary of the Melbourne Cricket Club. Gough, 59, is extremely well respected as a tough but fair negotiator although friends doubt he is desirous of such a role.
BRIAN COOK Regarded as a miracle worker at Geelong after a successful tenure as CEO at the West Coast Eagles. Was overlooked in favour of Demetriou 10 years ago. Now 58 but is there anyone who doubts he could successfully run the AFL for the next five or six years?
TREVOR NISBETT The 56-year-old West Coast CEO has the football requirements covered given 15 successful years as CEO. But he may lack the wider business acumen. When Demetriou was appointed he defeated Perth-based Dr Neil Fong who came from a business background.
JEFF BROWNE Has a background in law before branching into the commercial world where he became CEO of Channel Nine. Sixty-year-old Browne knows the AFL backwards having worked as a player agent before becoming in the in-house lawyer for the AFL. More likely to be tempted by a role on the AFL Commission.
EDDIE MCGUIRE The former boy from ‘Broady’ ticks a lot of boxes. He knows footy and has commercial/broadcast experience with his time as CEO of Channel Nine. Has said he’d love to be president of the Pies until he’s old and grey. He may be reluctant to give up that post.

Practice Match: Collingwood 111 Gold Coast 97

THE FACTS

COLLINGWOOD   0.5.5    3.10.28   10.13.73   16.15.111
GOLD COAST       5.4.34   10.9.69   12.11.83   14.13.97

Goals - Collingwood: Cloke 6, White 3, Clarke, Sidebottom, Young, Swan, Pendlebury, Maxwell, Kennedy

BEST - Collingwood: Cloke, Young, Pendlebury, Beams, Swan

INJURIES - Collingwood: TBA

OFFICIAL CROWD: 4,830 at Metricon Stadium

THE MEDIA

COLLINGWOOD NEWS Travis Cloke has inspired a remarkable second-half turnaround as Collingwood defeated Gold Coast by 14 points in a practice match at Metricon Stadium on Sunday. Cloke kicked all six of his goals after half-time as the Magpies reversed a 41-point deficit to win 16.15 (111) to 14.13 (97). The Collingwood spearhead was goalless in the first half, but monstered Sun Steven May after the break, kicking four in the third quarter and another two in the fourth. Fellow tall forward Jesse White was also influential, kicking three goals in the second half, including two early in the last to put his team in front. Charlie Dixon kicked four goals for the home team, but the Suns appeared to run out of legs on a hot Gold Coast afternoon. The Suns were rampant through the middle of the ground in the first two quarters, with Michael Rischitelli (17 disposals) and Dion Prestia (16) leading the way in a team without skipper Gary Ablett (corked calf). After the pair was rested in the second half, things fell apart for the Suns as the star-studded Collingwood midfield sprung to life. Captain Scott Pendlebury (26 disposals), Dayne Beams (24) and Dane Swan (23) led from the front, but it was spearhead Cloke who swung the momentum with his four goals in the third. The Magpies have been on the Gold Coast since Tuesday afternoon for a training camp, and looked like they were still on holidays during the first half. They were terribly fumbly, with Swan dropping a simple chest mark and Steele Sidebottom having his kick-in from a behind smothered and booted back over his head for a goal by Brandon Matera. Fremantle coach Ross Lyon was an interested onlooker, watching the game alongside his assistant Peter Sumich. The Dockers play Collingwood in the opening game of the season on March 14, followed by the Suns in round two.  Two Halves Despite the thrilling finish to Sunday's practice match at Metricon Stadium, Nathan Buckley was only taking notice of the first half between Gold Coast and Collingwood. The Suns led by 41 points at half-time, but inspired by six goals from Travis Cloke after the break, the Magpies stormed home to win 16.15 (111) to 14.13 (97). Despite the end result, Buckley said the Magpies simply didn't turn up to play in the first half, but showed what they could really do after the break when their intensity lifted. While Buckley was pleased Collingwood turned things around, he said his team still had much work left ahead of its round one match against Fremantle on March 14. "The win is irrelevant to be honest," the coach said after the match. "The question we need to answer is how do you play so poorly at the beginning, when that (superior) effort is clearly there at the end? "There's no relief, there's just further evidence and ammunition that we need to go back and explore why we started like that, because if we get more of the second half effort for four quarters, we'll be pretty hard to beat. “We didn’t show our brand of footy in the first half, but we saw more of it in the second.” The key to the shock turnaround was Cloke’s form in front of goal. He rammed home six goals in the second half to change the course of the game, giving the young Suns defenders the run around in the process. “Clokey was excellent,” said Buckley. “He’s put a power of work into his pre-season. It was a strong display of leadership from him.” Win, lose or draw, all Collingwood eyes were going to be trained on Alan Toovey who was playing his first game since rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament against Essendon 311 days earlier. He managed 10 disposals and three tackles from his customary position at half back. “Toovey played 70 minutes of football and didn’t have any issue with the contest or intensity of the game,” Buckley told reporters. Cool Heads A half time directive from coach Nathan Buckley to focus on the basics of good football was the key factor behind the Magpies’ come-from-behind win over Gold Coast, according to Rodney Eade. Collingwood’s Director of Football said Buckley managed to reversed his side’s negative momentum after an error-riddled first half at Metricon Stadium. “They just beat us in every facet of the game, at the stoppages and with their work rate, and we made a lot of basic errors as well. We didn’t kick well for goal,” Eade told collingwoodfc.com.au. “At half time, things got realigned and Nathan spoke about getting the basics right with our effort, tackling, contested ball and all those sorts of things. “To their credit, the guys responded. Their work rate really lifted in hot conditions and the team ran the game out exceptionally well, kicking 13 goals to four after half time.” The win was registered off the back of strong performances from usual suspects Travis Cloke (six goals), Scott Pendlebury (26 possessions), Dayne Beams (25) and Dane Swan (23), but there were efforts of several other players that didn’t go unnoticed. “Our midfield was beaten early but in the second half they really responded when they were needed. “Pendles played really well, as did Beams and Swan, Clokey kicked six and played well, Elliott, Taylor Adams has now had a couple of good games, Maxy was pleasing and probably the younger players like Tom Langdon and Ben Sinclair were pleasing down back.” The win caps off Collingwood’s five-day training camp on the Gold Coast and means the players will return to the Westpac Centre riding a wave of positive momentum. “I think it worked well to get away together for a few good sessions and meetings but still have enough down time for the players to relax away from the normal environment,” Eade explained. “It was a good time to have it. It was the first time we’ve ever done something like that this close to the season. It was really positive and rounded off our preparation really well. “The players will need a few days for their recovery after playing in such trying conditions but with a 12-day break before round one we should be right and ready (for round one against Fremantle on Friday 14 March).” The Magpies won’t be resting any time soon, though, with their Season Launch and jumper presentation scheduled for Monday evening at the Crown Palladium.

REAL FOOTY Out on the wide open spaces of Metricon Stadium on a steamy Sunday afternoon, it seemed like some of the widest gaps were between the 18 Collingwood footballers running around and their designated Gold Coast opponents. It looked, for all intents and purposes, the definition of a practice match. Bruise-free footy, you might say. So how seriously to take the contest? Magpie fans, in particular, will want to know. With a close to full-strength squad – including 11 premiership players and practically their entire starting midfield of Dane Swan, Scott Pendlebury, Luke Ball, Dayne Beams, Brent Macaffer and recruit Taylor Adams – the Pies were toast by half time. Toasted, mind you, by a Suns side missing captain Gary Ablett (the result, apparently, of a cooking accident at home, where he burnt the top of his hand) and key back Rory Thompson. This was the third competitive hit-out for Collingwood this year, and for that first half, they looked uncompetitive, even listless. It's getting a bit late to say they're just rusty. The Magpies' embarrassment had nothing to do with the youthfulness, and one-time easybeat status of their opponents. These Suns are rising fast. They looked hungrier, quicker, more skilful, and they've clearly spent a lot of time in the gym. Jaeger O'Meara, in his second year, already looks like a midfielder in his prime. The scary thing is, like most of his teammates, he's most likely a long way from his peak. Ditto players like David Swallow, now playing a battering-ram role in the midfield; Charlie Dixon, who was commanding up forward; and a significantly beefed-up Brandon Matera. These players – along with a rejuvenated Michael Rischitelli and the gutsy Danny Stanley – tore Collingwood to shreds in the first half, establishing a 41-point lead at half-time. And the Pies were a fumbling, incoherent mess, particularly in their delivery up forward (a familiar complaint). So what to make of that second half? The most obvious change was Travis Cloke, who found his radar and kicked six second-half goals after completely working over opponent Steven May. But someone had to get the ball to him first, and it started coming in faster and more cleanly than the Suns' defenders could handle. Clinton Young, after a year dogged by hamstring issues, was a shining light for Collingwood, and the longer the match wore on, the more the influence of prime movers Swan and Pendlebury grew. But it should be noted, too, that Rischitelli and the dynamic Dion Prestia had come off, as did O'Meara in the last quarter. Perhaps the most telling clue to what to make of this topsy-turvy game was the demeanour of the teams' respective coaches after it. Nathan Buckley was glum, all his attention focused on that dreadful first half and his team's struggle for consistency, both within and between games. The Suns' Guy McKenna, by contrast, could barely contain his excitement. Of course, he has good reason to talk up his troops to the public ahead of the season. But like Buckley, all his attention was on that first half. It was, he declared, the best half of football he'd seen his team ever play. A win, at this time of year, was of no object and no concern to either men. And that tells you more about the formline of these two teams heading into season 2014 than the scoreboard possibly can.                           SUPERFOOTY FOR a half the Suns were as good as they have ever played. They dominated the Pies in the contests, won a tidal wave of footy out of the centre of the ground and looked dangerous in front of goal. Coach Guy McKenna described it as the best half of footy his side had played and their ball handling was as clean as it has ever been, but that did not take into account how listless Collingwood looked. For the first half they were ordinary but then their big-name midfielders Scott Pendlebury, Dane Swan and Dayne Beams started to get their hands on the ball and pump it long to man mountain Travis Cloke, who booted six second-half goals to steer the Pies to a 16.15 (111) to 14.13 (97) victory in front of 4830 at Metricon Stadium. McKenna preferred to focus on the opening half in which his side took a 41-point lead into the main break — a margin that could have been greater but for some poor conversion. They had close to 50 more first-half possessions and had a 12-3 centre clearance advantage. It was the kind of football people have been waiting to see from this talent laden side but to suggest their new high water mark came in a scratch match probably does an injustice to sterling first-half efforts against Geelong and Hawthorn, both on the road, last year. “There may have been parts of last year where I saw us play better, but only for five or six minutes of real clean contested footy,” McKenna said. “That was probably the best half of footy I have seen us play since the club has been formed, so that was really exciting.” The Suns have been a handy contested footy side that considers their ability to win the ball at stoppages a strength — what stood out yesterday was the speed in which their midfielders spread from congestion. It suggests they will hurt a lot of sides with their pace this season if they continue to get first hands on the ball. The change of momentum coincided with the removal of Dion Prestia and Michael Rischitelli from the game at half-time. At the time they were the two leading possession winners on the ground, had combined for nine clearances and Rischitelli had booted two goals. With Gary Ablett absent with a burn on his hand, courtesy of a cooking accident at home, and Jaeger O’Meara, who had won a massive nine clearances sitting on the pine for the final quarter, the Pies controlled the midfield in the final term. Buckley was pleased with his side’s endeavour to fight their way back into the game but said the opening half was unacceptable. “When you give the opposition a look in and the intensity is not there, you see what you get,” Buckley said. “If we get more of the second half, we are pretty hard to beat but if we give that first half effort, we were pretty ordinary.”                           “Clokey was excellent. He’s put a power of work into his pre-season. It was a strong display of leadership from him.”  Nathan Buckley

Rose Family Legacy

REAL FOOTY - Michael Davis

Bobby Rose

Sport is more than just who wins and loses, it's about the people you meet along the way.
Swaggering youthfully into the Victoria Golf Club high on confidence and low on expertise, I was greeted, far too many years ago, by the doyen of Melbourne sports writers, the late Don Lawrence. ''Welcome, son,'' Lawrence said gruffly. ''You'll never be rich but you'll have a great time and meet some wonderful people.''
Recently, I joyfully had the company of Peter Rose and his partner, Christopher Menz, over lunch at the MCG. Rose is a Melbourne poet and author, the younger son of the legendary Collingwood player and coach, the late Bob Rose.
Peter told us his mum, Elsie, was moving out of the family home after 40 years, by any measure an onerous and emotional task. It was even more so for Elsie, who had dealt with the human tragedy of her elder son, the late Robert Rose, becoming a quadriplegic in a car accident, and the sporting injustice of her husband Bob's luckless and seemingly jinxed losing grand final record as coach of Collingwood. Naturally one pales into insignificance beside the other but in a sense they complement each other.
Working the midnight to dawn shift on police rounds for The Age as a cub reporter on Valentine's Day 1974, the news crackled through to old police speakers in the press room at Russell Street police headquarters. Car off the road near Bacchus Marsh; passenger not badly hurt; driver to hospital. The driver was Robert Rose, his passenger, young Collingwood footballer Robert Bird. Their car had run off the road as they travelled back to Melbourne from a midweek race meeting at Ballarat.
By the next day it was front page news. Rose, aspiring Test batsman and Collingwood and Footscray footballer, was in the Austin Hospital. His sporting career was over.
A generation later, clearing out the family home, Elsie Rose had come across bag upon bag of letters she had kept from the time of the accident. It was all a bit too much for Elsie to bear and she passed these evocative letters on to Peter. He stopped after about 20 of them, too.
Peter wrote a book, Rose Boys, a family memoir which won the National Biography Award in 2003 (re-issued as a Text Classic last year) about this and all things family and Collingwood. He felt he could not write the book without the imprimatur of his parents. Bob, eager to advance his son's career, agreed immediately. His mother was more circumspect, more private, perhaps still grieving. Write it by all means, she said, but she would not read it.
It was a brave and selfless decision because Peter knew there would be things in the book his mother may not have wanted in the public domain. She didn't read it either, or not until many years later. She began it one night and read it in one sitting. She found it so harrowing she stayed in bed for 24 hours. She told Peter she was glad she had read it but would never read it again.
Bob Rose was a champion footballer recruited from Nyah West. Tough, skilful and uncompromising, there are those at Collingwood who still regard him as the club's best ever player. He was also a good boxer and fought preliminary bouts at Melbourne's Festival Hall. He was a premiership player and multiple winner of the Copeland Trophy awarded to the club's best player.
Yet as a coach, success cruelly eluded him. In 1964 (Melbourne by four points) and 1966 (St Kilda by a point) he was the coach when Collingwood lost grand finals. Then in 1970, arch rival Carlton plunged the dagger into Rose's heart when the Magpies lost to the Blues after Collingwood held a 44-point half-time lead, again in the grand final.
Yet as the Rose family rode the fickle beast that is sporting success, Bob remained constant - a strong loving father and husband.
He was equally proud of his sons - one a gifted sportsman, the other a brilliant writer.
Somewhat poetically, the first man with whom I made eye contact when I joined the Magpie inner sanctum on the MCG after Collingwood had broken its 32-year premiership drought in 1990 was Bob Rose. I grabbed his hand, briefly sharing but a glimpse of the exultation the Rose family must have been feeling.
In an era where money is god, winning is everything - ''whatever it takes'' - Don Lawrence was right. What he should have added was that it's not always about the sport.

Practice Match: Collingwood v Gold Coast

Collingwood News

Practice Match Gold Coast v Collingwood Sunday 2 March 1.10pm Metricon Stadium Weather: Min 20 Max 28 Chance of rain 90%: 5-10mm Wind: SE 31kph

Alan Toovey will make his return from a knee reconstruction in Collingwood’s final practice match of the pre-season against Gold Coast on Sunday.
The match will begin at 1.10pm AEDT at Metricon Stadium.
Toovey underwent reconstructive surgery on his left knee after he sustained the injury against Essendon on ANZAC Day last year.
He has not played a match since, but his diligent approach to his rehabilitation has enabled him to be selected on the eve of the 2014 home and away season.
Director of Football Rodney Eade told collingwoodfc.com.au on Monday that Toovey had been doing "everything possible and everything right" in his rehabilitation.
“He’s coming to the Gold Coast with a chance of playing some football, but he’s doing everything possible and everything right," Eade said.
"It’s really the surgeon who has to tick off when he feels comfortable that he can play.”
The club rewarded Toovey's on-field consistency and off-field discipline with a three-year contract extention last July.
Of the 29 players that travelled to the Coast for the team’s pre-season training camp, only Tyson Goldsack and Marley Williams will not feature against the Suns.
The Magpies have named a strong squad with vast senior experience, coupled with one player, Tom Langdon, who is yet to make his senior debut.
Three of the club’s four experienced off-season recruits (Jesse White, Taylor Adams and Tony Armstrong) have been named, while Jack Frost and Ben Hudson are the two rookie listed players to make the cut.
Nick Maxwell, who missed last week’s loss to Richmond after receiving a kick to the calf at training, has been deemed fit to play.
He joins Toovey, Taylor Adams, Jarrod Witts, Dayne Beams, Ben Hudson and Ben Sinclair as the squad’s inclusions.
Sinclair and Witts made their return from should surgery in last Sunday’s VFL practice match against Port Melbourne.
The five men to make way are Quinten Lynch, Jackson Ramsay and rookies Jonathon Marsh, Caolan Mooney and Peter Yagmoor.

Collingwood Squad
1. Alex Fasolo 3. Brent Macaffer 4. Brodie Grundy 5. Nick Maxwell 7. Ben Kennedy 8. Heritier Lumumba 9. Martin Clarke 10. Scott Pendlebury 12. Luke Ball 13. Taylor Adams 14. Clinton Young 15. Jarrod Witts 16. Nathan Brown 17. Dayne Beams	18. Jesse White 19. Jamie Elliott 20. Ben Reid 22. Steele Sidebottom 23. Lachlan Keeffe 25. Ben Hudson 26. Marley Williams 27. Tony Armstrong 28. Ben Sinclair 32. Travis Cloke 34. Alan Toovey 36. Dane Swan 41. Tom Langdon 45. Jack Frost

Changes (from the team that lost to Richmond)
IN: Taylor Adams, Dayne Beams, Ben Hudson, Nick Maxwell, Ben Sinclair, Alan Toovey
OUT: Tyson Goldsack, Quinten Lynch, Jonathon Marsh, Caolan Mooney, Jackson Ramsay, Peter Yagmoor

Injury List

Collingwood News

Director of Football Rodney Eade has provided an assessment of the injury status of the following players: 2. Sam Dwyer “He is recovering well from his groin operation. He’s joined in full training now for a week or two so he’s still a couple of weeks away. He’ll hopefully play VFL in two weeks time.” 5. Nick Maxwell “He just had a kick in the calf (at training). He’ll be coming to the Gold Coast for the camp and will play against the Suns.” 6. Tyson Goldsack “Goldy felt tight behind his knee on the weekend so we didn’t know whether it was hamstring related. But the scans were all clear, that’s good, so he’s coming to the Gold Coast and there’s a fair chance he’ll play on the weekend.” 11. Jarryd Blair “He had a toe injury about a month ago which has been slow to recover but he’s been back in full training this week. He won’t be at the Gold Coast.” 13. Taylor Adams “He just got ill two days before the game so he’s recovered and he’s going to the Gold Coast.” 15. Jarrod Witts and 28. Ben Sinclair "Both played on the weekend and both are coming to the Gold Coast. Sinclair will definitely play and Witts is a chance to get some time, too." 17. Dayne Beams “Beamsy was just rested (against Richmond). They’re just monitoring his workload. He’ll play on the Gold Coast.” 24. Josh Thomas “He’s had a bit of tendonitis in his knee. He’s had a bit of slow progression over the last three weeks. He’s stepping up his training now and will hopefully play in the VFL in a couple of week’s time. He’s not going to the Gold Coast.” 29. Tim Broomhead “He’s got a broken hand. He’s back running but he’s still another four weeks away.” 33. Patrick Karnezis “He’s making good progress from Osteitis Pubis. He’s been in football training so it’s just about doing full loads now but we’re going to take a conservative approach and give him a pre-season, as such. He’ll probably be another month, probably by the end of March he’ll be right to play.” 34. Alan Toovey “He’s coming to the Gold Coast with a chance of playing some football, but he’s doing everything possible and everything right. It’s really the surgeon who has to tick off when he feels comfortable that he can play.” 39. Nathan Freeman “He had a hamstring injury against Geelong in the NAB Challenge. He’s got four to five weeks to go.”

Several of Collingwood’s most important players will take part in the club’s training camp on the Gold Coast this week as the nucleus of the team begins to settle ahead of the home and away season. Director of Football Rodney Eade gave the green light to Nick Maxwell (calf), Taylor Adams (illness), Dayne Beams (rested), Ben Sinclair (shoulder) and Jarrod Witts (shoulder), who each missed Saturday’s loss to Richmond in Wangaratta. Utility Tyson Goldsack is also in the frame after scans cleared him of any damage to his hamstring during the clash with the Tigers. “Goldy just felt tight behind his knee on the weekend, so we didn’t know whether it was hamstring related,” Eade told collingwoodfc.com.au. “But the scans were all clear, that’s good, so he’s coming to the Gold Coast and there’s a fair chance he’ll play on the weekend.” Alan Toovey will also make the trip up north as he nears the end of his rehabilitation from a knee reconstruction. Eade says Toovey remains a chance of playing “some football” during the team’s training camp. “He’s coming to the Gold Coast with a chance of playing some football, but he’s doing everything possible and everything right,” Eade said. “It’s really the surgeon who has to tick off when he feels comfortable that he can play.” Witts and Sinclair both returned from shoulder surgery against Port Melbourne in a VFL practice match on Sunday and are in contention for next week’s meeting with the Suns. In other injury news, Josh Thomas will be sidelined for at least a few more weeks as he works to overcome knee tendonitis. “He’s had a bit of slow progression over the last three weeks,” Eade said. “He’s stepping up his training now and will hopefully play in the VFL in a couple of weeks time.” Sam Dwyer (groin) is also still at least a fortnight away from resuming in the VFL while Jarryd Blair will miss the Gold Coast camp as he overcomes a toe injury.

2014 NAB Challenge Round 2: Richmond 124 Collingwood 76

THE FACTS 

COLLINGWOOD   0.3.0.18    0.7.2.44    0.10.4.64    1.10.7.76
RICHMOND           0.5.6.36    1.8.8.65    1.10.12.81  1.17.13.124

SCORERS - Collingwood: White (1.0.0), Reid (0.5.0), Cloke (0.3.1), Mooney (0.2.1), Elliott (0.0.2), Ball (0.0.1), Kennedy (0.0.1), Sidebottom (0.0.1)

BEST - Collingwood: Reid, Pendlebury, Kennedy, Langdon

INJURIES - Collingwood: Nil

SUBSTITUTES - Collingwood: Nil

REPORTS - Collingwood: Nil

OFFICIAL CROWD: Estimated 11,000, Norm Minns Oval

THE MEDIA

COLLINGWOOD NEWS  Nathan Buckley's plan to play Ben Reid alongside Travis Cloke in his forward line this season has paid early dividends with the two combining for eight goals in Wangaratta's NAB Challenge match on Saturday afternoon. The Magpies may have gone down to a strong-finishing Richmond side by 48 points, but the Reid-Cloke approach paid dividends when the ball was in their forward half. It was Reid's first competitive hit-out for the year after the Pies took a conservative approach to his pre-season following a calf injury. Cloke also looked fit as he kicked three goals despite the hard work of David Astbury. Still, the Tigers were very impressive as they booted seven final quarter goals after the Pies got within five points in the third quarter to win 1.17.13 (124) to 1.10.7 (76). For the Magpies, Dane Swan and Pendlebury found the ball often; Swan looking slim in his first game for the year as he racked up 26 possessions. Alex Fasolo, also in his first game for 2014 after the foot injury that wrecked last season, played across half back and was solid. Brodie Grundy rucked with the help of Quinten Lynch after the late omission of Ben Hudson and caught the eye twice in the first half for giving away 50m penalties after run-ins with Matt Thomas. WHAT WE LEARNED Collingwood: A fit Clinton Young is a solid acquisition for the Magpies' midfield. The ex-Hawk, whose first season in the black and white was ruined by calf and hamstring problems, impressed with some bursts out of the middle and delivery with his accurate left foot – one of which hit Ben Reid on the chest directly in front of goal. While Reid clearly looks good in attack, questions remain over whether his presence up forward robs the backline of experience with Lachie Keeffe, Jack Frost and Nathan Brown left to curtail the big forwards in his – and Nick Maxwell's – absence. NEW FACES Collingwood: The Pies had no new faces but got another game into recruits Tony Armstrong, Jesse White and Jonathon Marsh. Armstrong wasn't prolific but White took six marks and took the ball inside 50 four times. Marsh started as the substitute and showed a bit in the minutes he got after half time including an impressive run down tackle in the middle of the ground. POINTS OF INTEREST Unheralded draftee Tom Langdon has quietly gone about making a name for himself as a composed user of the football across half back. The 19-year-old, who split his time between Sandringham's VFL and TAC Cup teams last season, became a Magpie with the 65th selection in last November's National Draft. He registered 17 disposals (seven kicks, 10 handballs) and took two marks in Saturday evening's loss to the Tigers. What's more, he rarely looked panicked when under pressure and was willing to hold onto the ball before an appropriate option presented itself. He used the ball with 82.4 per cent efficiency and took the ball inside 50 twice as well as registering two rebounds. These figures come on top of his 11 disposals against Geelong and 21 disposals in the intra-club practice match on Family Day. Jamie Elliott's career continues to progress. The former Murray Bushranger, who would have enjoyed returning to his local region for the weekend, registered 18 disposals and laid three tackles while appearing to push further up the ground than he did in his first two seasons. This is reflected in his disposal figures in his first 35 games, when he had more than 18 touches in only three games. Much has been said of the potency of Collingwood's forward line should Travis Cloke, Ben Reid, Quinten Lynch and Jesse White all line up alongside each other. The coaches and supporters had their first look at the four-pronged tall attack against the Tigers and would have liked what they saw from Reid, who kicked five goals in his first outing for the year. He also took five marks, three of which were contested. Third-year rookie Caolan Mooney made the most of his chance to play a match sans the substitute's vest. He showed off his trademark leg speed, kicking two goals and sneaking up on his opponents, laying a total of six tackles. Alex Fasolo made a welcome return from the foot injury that ruined his 2013 campaign. Entering his fourth season, it appears that Fasolo may be used as a defender as he continues to develop all facets of his game. He won 35.7 per cent of his 14 possessions in the defensive 50 and none in attack, illustrating the change in his role.                           ".... at the final siren it was Collingwood who now have some serious questions being asked about them. Yes, it is the NAB Challenge. Yes, they were missing Dayne Beams, Nick Maxwell and Taylor Adams but Nathan Buckley wouldn’t have liked the way the team finished off the game. It is a concern with a tough opening four weeks to the season against Fremantle, Sydney, Geelong and Richmond." SUPERFOOTY

SUPERFOOTY Things learned: GO FORWARD, BEN REID Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley should fund research into cloning, because he desperately needs two Ben Reids. How much would the Magpies love to have one Reid in defence and another in attack? After Saturday’s performance, Reid looks to have cemented himself in the forward line after a five mark, five goal effort in Wangaratta. Alongside Travis Cloke and Jesse White, Collingwood would have one of the most dangerous forward lines in the AFL. Unfortunately, without Reid in defence the Magpies were caught out as Richmond piled on 18 goals to take a 48-point win. BRODIE CAN HANDLE HIMSELF Brodie Grundy must have been watching Cool Runnings before taking on Richmond on Saturday. The Collingwood ruckman was a “bad-ass mother who don’t take no crap off of nobody”. Grundy got suckered in my a Ricky Petterd hip-and-shoulder before throwing the Tigers forward to the ground and giving away a free-kick. As Reece Conca and Matt Thomas came in to remonstrate, Grundy wasn’t taking a backward step and ragdolled Thomas to the ground, giving away a 50m penalty. After making his way to the bench, Grundy probably got a stern talking to from coach Nathan Buckley. We say; “keep it up young man”. FASOLO ON TRACK Alex Fasolo missed all but three games in 2013 as a foot injury took its toll. The Magpies’ forward-midfielder returned to the field for the first time since Round 5, 2013 on Saturday and would be pleased with his effort. Fasolo was carefully managed throughout the match but still managed to gather 14 touches and two marks. Collingwood fans will hope to see Fasolo far more often in 2014 as he is a dangerous small forward who is also an important secondary midfield option for Nathan Buckley. PIES HAVE SOME WORK TO DO Collingwood and Richmond came into Saturday’s game after losing their opening NAB Challenge matches. Collingwood showed plenty in a narrow loss to Geelong while Richmond were upset by Melbourne. However, at the final siren it was Collingwood who now have some serious questions being asked about them. Yes, it is the NAB Challenge. Yes, they were missing Dayne Beams, Nick Maxwell and Taylor Adams but Nathan Buckley wouldn’t have liked the way the team finished off the game. It is a concern with a tough opening four weeks to the season against Fremantle, Sydney, Geelong and Richmond.                           REAL FOOTY The amount of expectation perpetually hanging over Richmond meant some anguished reactions to the Tigers' lack-lustre loss to Melbourne in the first round of the NAB Challenge. But any anxiety felt by the sizeable Tiger army would surely have been quelled by Richmond's far more accomplished display in its second hitout against Collingwood at Wangaratta on Saturday, which produced an accomplished 48-point win. It was a victory, not for the first time engineered by Richmond's classiest acts, with skipper Trent Cotchin, Brett Deledio and Dustin Martin all starring, collecting nearly 100 possessions between them. Up forward, despite the absence of spearhead Jack Riewoldt, the Tigers were still able to muster 18 goals, with Cotchin and key forward Ty Vickery booting four each. Richmond certainly began the game in a far higher gear than it found for all four quarters of last week's game. But the Tigers' satisfaction was tempered by coach Damien Hardwick's revelation that No. 1 ruckman Ivan Maric could need ankle surgery and the Tigers do not know when he will start his season. Maric had successful post-season groin surgery but has yet to play in the pre-season. ''We're just monitoring his progress and see how he's going,'' Hardwick said. ''He's probably in the hands of the doctor at the moment. ''It's been a bit of a drawn-out process at this stage so at some stage we've probably got to make a decision on which way we go. [Surgery] is a possibility.'' Strong performances from ruck recruit Shaun Hampson and tall swingman Ben Griffiths on Saturday suggest Richmond has better back-up for Maric this season. The Tigers' defensive pressure was spot on from the start, their first two goals to Shane Edwards and Deledio the direct result of turnovers forced by dwelling on Collingwood defenders attempting to clear the decks. Richmond dominated the clearances early on, having racked up 16 to the Magpies' six late in the first term, and all its stars were on song, Cotchin chipping in with a couple of goals, Martin starting at half-back but sweeping through midfield with effect, and Deledio all over the place. And the Tigers continue to build both the depth and quality of their midfield. Reece Conca, in his first hitout of 2014, didn't miss a beat early, and particularly impressive was rookie-listed former Port Adelaide player Matt Thomas, who picked up 15 first-half possessions. Former Greater Western Sydney youngster Anthony Miles also had immediate impact when he came off the substitute's bench, picking up 10 touches in the third term and finishing with 18. Collingwood's errors were costly early, as was some ill-discipline from the likes of young ruckman Brodie Grundy, who, frustrated by conceding the ruck battle to Hampson, gave away two 50-metre penalties in the first half. The Magpies generally didn't look nearly as sharp as they had in last week's opener against Geelong, though they would have been encouraged by Dane Swan's first competitive outing for the year, the Brownlow medallist getting his usual swag of possessions. Collingwood at least looked potent enough when it did go forward, starting with the three-tall set-up of Travis Cloke, Jesse White and Ben Reid, with Lachie Keeffe at centre half-back. And Reid provided plenty of evidence that his move forward last season could pay longer-term dividends with five goals for the afternoon.

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

Injury List

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

Injury list as of Monday 17 February 2014.

Collingwood's Director of Football Rodney Eade has provided the following assessment of the players returning from injury layoffs:

1. Alex Fasolo
"'Fas' is recovering from his navicular bone injury. He's made steady progress and we’re not fast tracking him at all. We're just going to take our time with it, but he’s ticked every box so far, so we’re pleased with his progress."
15. Jarrod Witts and 28. Ben Sinclair
"Jarrod and Ben are in the same boat. They both had shoulder reconstructions, and their recoveries are on schedule. They are three months post-op, and are not far away from joining in competitive work. They’re in line to be available for selection NAB 1 (Geelong) or NAB 2 (Richmond)." 
16. Nathan Brown
"He had minor surgery post-season on his shoulder and knee. Nathan is another one who has been exemplary in his rehab. He did everything right before Christmas, rejoining the main group just before the break and has come back in really good shape."
28. Patrick Karnezis 
"Karnezis has turned a corner, it’s been a big corner with his OP. He’s stepped up his running now, his strength is improving, he’s increasing his workload, but we’re not going to take any risks. We’re going to take our time, and make sure we can get it right."
29. Tim Broomhead (broken hand) and 39. Nathan Freeman (hamstring)
"We'll see how they go, but they'll be missing three to four (weeks) each, probably." - coach Nathan Buckley, after the pair sustained their injuries in the NAB Challenge opener against Geelong on 12 February.
34. Alan Toovey
"Alan is on track. As you'd imagine with Alan Toovey, he's done everything professionally, and is in contention to be available for round one of the season proper."
35. Matthew Scharenberg
“He is a very talented player but he is young and we were always taking a long term approach with him. There was a small amount of lingering pain and with the operation (to remove a small bone in a toe in both feet) he will have some certainty of an outcome. There is no real time frame on his return but all going well he should be running and seriously preparing to play in late May.”
40. Paul Seedsman
"He was training well but had a problem in his hip that was impinging on his running. He could have gone through the season with it but we felt by mid-year he would have had to down load and cut his training and that would have most likely impacted on his playing. It is still early in the season so we felt it was best to have the surgery now and it is only a six week off and we can get him back into full training again.” - Rodney Eade in The Age, 28 January 2014. 
43. Adam Oxley 
“Really, it’s a good result. It looked like it could have been a fracture, which is what we were afraid of, as he’s had a very good pre-season, but to come out with a badly sprained ankle, and four-to-six weeks is what we think is a good result. If Adam gets his rehab right after a very good pre-season there is no doubt he will be back playing before round one.”