Pies vs. Port

[Miss_Lisey_Molloy]

PLAYERS
Backs: B. Johnson S. Wakelin S. Burns
Half Backs: J. Clement S. Prestigiacomo J. Cloke
Centre: T. Lockyer S. O'Bree L. Davis
Half Forwards: A. Didak A. Rocca J. Fraser
Forwards: J. Molloy C. Tarrant R. Betheras
Followers: S. McKee, P. Licuria, H. Scotland
Interchange: N. Davis, G. Freeborn, R. Lonie, C. Steinfort
Emergency: B. Holland, M. McGough, M. Richardson

In- Rocca, Didak, Steinfort
Out- Holland, McGough, Richardson


Rocca to captain pies
Anthony Rocca will captain Collingwood in the place of injured skipper Nathan Buckley in the Magpies’ first final since 1994 – against Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium on Friday night.

And Rocca’s parents will make the long drive to Adelaide to watch their son play his first senior final.


Collingwood coach Michael Malthouse made the announcement after Wednesday’s training session, a decision Rocca feels has more to do with his captaincy record than any edge in leadership qualities over fellow vice captains Tarkyn Lockyer and Jarrod Molloy.

“I suppose I got over the line because I’ve been captain four times for four wins, and the other blokes have done it once and they lost,” Rocca observed modestly.

Malthouse was quick to praise the leadership capabilities of Rocca, pointing out the natural ease to which he had ascended to leading the Magpies rather than the captaincy scoreboard of his three vice captains.

“He’s done a terrific job in the past,” Malthouse said of Rocca.

“Leadership to me is natural. If you start hunting for what you have to do differently as a leader you are not being yourself. Anthony is just totally himself. He accepts it. He knows he has to flip the coin and he also knows that he has to be a leader on the ground. He’s such a natural leader as far as I am concerned.”

Rocca will lead a club into its first finals campaign since 1994 that is determined to earn a respect from the minor premier, a respect that the 25-year-old believes was missing when the teams met earlier in the season.

Rocca missed a last minute shot for goal that would have seen the teams draw, and his narrow miss set off ugly scenes, with culminated in the Power’s Chad Cornes gesticulating wildly at Rocca and his teammates.

“You always remember it,” Rocca said of the incident.

“Something like that always comes back to haunt somebody after you do something like that. We’re not going to go out and target anybody, but if that’s going to be a driving force to get over the line, that’s a pretty good incentive. There’s a lack of respect there.”

While Rocca has yet to play a final, he has the experience of the hype and surroundings that go hand in hand with September football. He was close to taking Tony Lockett’s place in the 1996 grand final with Sydney after ‘Plugger’ struggled to overcome injury, and is clearly looking forward to his first opportunity to leave his mark in finals action.

“Finals footy is going to be a different caper. I am looking forward to the challenge. I might not take a lot of the marks but as long as I supply a contest so the on ballers and little fellas can get around and kick a few goals.

“I am really excited. We haven’t had good form over the last four-six weeks but it all that seems (forgotten). We’ve pretty positive through the whole week and we have a good history against Port. I think we’re going to come out (and play) pretty good.”


Three back for pies
Collingwood has made three changes as they embark on their first finals journey since 1994, recalling Carl Steinfort and regaining Alan Didak and Anthony Rocca who were late withdrawals from last week’s game. As announced earlier this week, skipper Nathan Buckley has not recovered from his hamstring injury and was not named.

Shane Wakelin (back) has recovered after being forced from the field last Saturday and will line up at full back. Rocca will captain the team in Buckley’s absence.


Brodie Holland, Mark McGough and veteran Mark Richardson were omitted and named as emergencies.

Only Glenn Freeborn (12 finals), Shane O’Bree (5), Simon Prestigiacomo (2), Steinfort (4) and Wakelin (2) have experienced finals football before, making the Magpies one of the most inexperienced finals teams in recent history.

Collingwood will travel to Adelaide on Friday morning, and will seek the club’s first finals victory since the 1990 grand final win over Essendon.

Port Adelaide made only one change, bringing Adam Kingsley back at the expense of Dean Brogan.

YAYAYAY GO COLLINGWOOD AND GOOOOO JARROD!!!
(Everybody that's going barrack hard for Jazza as his cheering leader isn't at the game! She will be watching it at the place where she met him though!)
Love always, Alyssa xoxo

__________________________________
Lisey Molloy! Jarrod Molloy's No.1 Fan!

*~Alyssa's song of the week~*
"You know the last plane out of Sydney's almost gone, Only seven flying hours, and I'll be landing in Hong Kong, There ain't nothing like the kisses, From a jaded Chinese princess, I'm gonna hit some Hong Kong mattress all night long! *Khe Sanh-Cold Chisel*"

[Miss_Lisey_Molloy]

Oh yeah, Dew! I know in Adelaide I used to cheer for ya, well this Friday is a different story!
It wont be "Go Salisbury" anymore it will be "Go Pies!"
Sorry Stewy I am not cheering ya on this week! Collingwood is more important then a guy who used to play footy with Brendan!
Love always, Alyssa xoxo

__________________________________
Lisey Molloy! Jarrod Molloy's No.1 Fan!

*~Alyssa's song of the week~*
"You know the last plane out of Sydney's almost gone, Only seven flying hours, and I'll be landing in Hong Kong, There ain't nothing like the kisses, From a jaded Chinese princess, I'm gonna hit some Hong Kong mattress all night long! *Khe Sanh-Cold Chisel*"