News..13th....

[MagpieMad]

Woewodin gets big job first-up
Paul Gough
afl.com.au
3:55:03 PM Thu 13 February, 2003

Boom recruit Shane Woewodin is set to be given a tough initiation when he runs out in Collingwood colors for the first time in the Magpies’ intra-club practice match at Victoria Park on Friday.

The 2000 Brownlow Medalist is set to be thrown straight into the midfield opposed to one of the Magpies’ gun players – possibly even Collingwood’s champion skipper Nathan Buckley.


Collingwood football manager Mark Kleiman told afl.com.au on Thursday that Woewodin was a definite starter for Friday’s game and the Pies were looking forward to seeing how he equipped himself against the club’s best midfielders.

“We’re looking forward to seeing how he goes. He will probably be against someone like Bucks,” Kleiman said.

Kleiman said last year’s grand finalists would attempt to make the two teams for Friday afternoon’s hit-out as evenly as matched as possible to ensure a searching hit-out ahead of their opening Wizard Cup match against Carlton on Sunday week.

The only players who will not be available for the hit-out will be youngster Tom Davidson, who has already suffered a season-ending knee injury, and first year draftee Cameron Cloke, who is slightly behind in his pre-season training program.

Kleiman said there was a chance the Magpies would rest a couple of senior players although he expected most of the senior list to play at least a half.

The match will be played under the new experimental Wizard Cup rules which will give the man most expected to take advantage of the new nine point rule for long goals a chance to hone his goalkicking from distance – Anthony Rocca.

Kleiman said the Magpies have already told Rocca they expect him to try for nine pointers during the Wizard Cup – which will be awarded for goals kicked from outside the 50 metre line during the pre-season competition – if he gets the opportunity.

Rocca, arguably the longest kick in the AFL, has regularly kicked goals from outside 50 metres in recent seasons – with his memorable goal from about 70 metres against Adelaide in the 2002 preliminary final one of the highlights of last season.

Unfortunately for the Magpies and Rocca, the nine point rule does not apply during the home and away season where all goals will be worth the traditional six points regardless of where they are kicked from.


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