Round 6 - Collingwood vs Sandringham at Victoria Park

[MagpieBat]

1:10pm this Saturday at home.

Collingwood: 11th (1 win, 3 losses, 1 bye, 75.12%)
Sandringham: 5th (2 wins, 2 losses, 1 bye, 125.00%)

Broadcast:

TV - ABC1 in Victoria and Tasmania from 1:00pm (replayed nationally at 3:00am Wednesday 2nd May on ABC1).

Internet - LiveChat at collingwoodfc.com.au

Team:
B: M. Williams Smith Cribbin
HB: Cathcart Paine Young
C: Elliott Mooney Didak
HF: Hellier McNamara Yagmoor
F: Boland Wood Witts
R: Ceglar Riddle Wallace
Int: Stubbs Hahn K. Pendlebury Doria Ferraro Hartley Head S. Williams

Last time they met:
Collingwood 15.12.102, def by
Sandringham 16.9.105

(I'm going early with the thread this week because of ANZAC Day)

It was the final nail in the coffin of a season that produced seemingly unending heartbreak for the Collingwood VFL side. After leading by 15 points at three quarter time, the Magpies would let slip their last chance to add some respectability to their ledger in their final match for season 2011, losing to Sandringham by less than a goal, on the much beloved Collingwood home ground of Victoria Park.

After a week of turmoil, capped off by a victory for the senior side and a 55 point thumping at the hands of Box Hill in the reserves, Collingwood's VFL side returns home to Victoria Park to square off again with the Sandringham Zebras, whom many observers have tipped to improve in season 2012 after their dissapointing showing in 2011.

Both sides are coming off defeats this week, with Collingwood (as mentioned above) going down heavily against the Hawks at Whitehorse Road, while the Zebras held out for an honourable 19-point loss at the hands of Williamstown at Trevor Barker Beach Oval. Collingwood will be looking to redeem themselves for their capitulation against Box Hill, while Sandringham will seek to claim another four valuable premiership points to stay in the race for the coveted double chance in September.

The unusual fixturing of the ANZAC Day clash between Collingwood and Essendon will see the VFL team once again deprived of experienced depth players. The potential resting of Darren Jolly will likely see Cameron Wood recalled for the annual blockbuster, while premiership heroes Nathan Brown and Alan Didak are primed for a return to senior action after spending several weeks as VFL level on the comeback trail from injury. The conundrum of finding a viable secondary ruckman may also see untried ruckman Jonathon Ceglar debut on the biggest stage of the season outside of the Grand Final.

Conversely, the return of experienced senior players will see the demotion of inexperienced youngsters back to the VFL, with Tom Young, Ben Sinclair, Paul Seedman and Jackson Paine being the prime candidates, along with Simon Buckley. Collingwood will also have available the services of rookie defender Michael Hartley, who missed last week's game after coming off the injury list.

VFL-watching Collingwood supporters will be excited to see if first-year small forward Jamie Elliot can back up his excellent form after kicking 4 goals on VFL debut, should he not be a surprise call-up for ANZAC Day. Expect Marley Williams and Kirk Ugle to return to provide crumbing presence and run off half-back as well. Peter Yagmoor is also a possible return, and Luke Rounds will hopefully be able to play after being seen with ice on his calf in the later stages of the match against Box Hill. From amongst the VFL-listed contingent, expect to see tall forward Matthew Boland bounce back after a quiet game at Box Hill, while Mitch Hahn will be better for the run, should he pull on the boots again this week. In particular Boland, Robert Cathcart and Ricky Ferraro will all be eager to be selected against their old side, where each young man was frustrated by lack of opportunity.

When taking form into account the Zebras enter this game as favourites, having won 2 of their first 4 matches this season, having thrashed Box Hill and North Ballarat, but losing by only a goal against Coburg (in a match that could have been an uglier result for the Zebras had Coburg kicked straight) and the aforementioned defeat at the hands of the Seagulls. Collingwood, in similar fashion, could have had as many as 3 wins on the board had the Magpies kicked accurately in the clashes against Geelong and North Ballarat.

In particular, coach Tarkyn Lockyer and his VFL coaching staff will be looking to address their sides' inability to win 2nd quarters (the VFL Pies have won only 1 2nd term so far, that being against the Blues in round 3, where the Pies ended up winning by 7 points). This tendency to go quiet in the lead up to half-time in games has seen the Maggies surrender quarter time leads against North Ballarat and Box Hill, as well as fall further behind in the game against Geelong. It is a bad habit that Lockyer will be looking to break, in order to ensure that his charges stay in games for longer and have a better chance of winning.

On recent results, the Zebras have a slight edge: since 2008, the visitors have won 3 out of 5 contests with the Woodsmen, including the aforementioned previous meeting at Victoria Park, as well as the round 13 clash at Trevor Barker Beach Oval, where Collingwood surrendered an 11-point lead at three quarter time to be thoroughly outclassed by 31 points by the final bell, in deteriorating conditions.

With all things considered, Sandringham deservedly enter the game as favourites, and Magpie fans should be prepared for yet another loss. However, I can never bring myself to tip against my beloved Pies, so those looking for a rationaly thought-out projection of the result should perhaps look elsewhere. Nonetheless, Collingwood have remained competitive for large periods of their matches this year, but have not managed to emerge with the premiership points. Tarkyn Lockyer's men will likely be eager to redeem themselves for the fade-out against the Hawks, so expect a lift in intensity from the young men in the black and white stripes this Saturday at the Collingwood home ground that is just as famous as the Collingwood jumper.

You never know. We just might be able to cause an upset this time.

Tip: Magpies by 5 points.

Over to you...

[MagpieBat]

The team is in:

B: M. Williams Smith Cribbin
HB: Cathcart Paine Young
C: Elliott Mooney Didak
HF: Hellier McNamara Yagmoor
F: Boland Wood Witts
R: Ceglar Riddle Wallace
Int: Stubbs Hahn K. Pendlebury Doria Ferraro Hartley Head S. Williams

Ceglar and Marley back. Didak going around again.

http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?client=1-118-0-0-0&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=19086285

Team now in the OP.

[MagpieBat]

The Zebras side:

B: Dowler Gwilt Hallahan
HB: Ray Ferguson Winmar
C: Minchington Cook Peake
HF: Curren Archer Saad
F: Siposs Shenton Dunell
R: Sikora Ledger Ross
Int: Shepheard Coleman* Crocker Michaliades Cockie Stapleton Wilkes Irving Andreoli

[Fire Up]

the team looks strong, intresting no gault in the side. good to see hartley in the team as well (hope he plays)

4 ruckmen is the only concern and lets hope our boys run the game out

[TurkishPie]

would have thought ugle would play, given his limited game time on wednesday

[stui magpie]

[Fire Up]

[Dave The Man]

I be heading down to see the Game.

Paine at CHB?

[MagpieBat]

^ Probably just throwing names at the board. I think we'll see Paine up forward, with K. Pendles and Hartley taking the KPD spots.

[Dave The Man]

[Fire Up]

[Dave The Man]

[MagpieBat]

^ The alternative, if Hartley does not get in, is to play any of Riddle, Head, Smith or Shae Mac as a KPD, alongside Pendlebury.

But, yeah, I hope Hartley plays. Haven't really had a chance to look at him in action, outside this year's NAB Cup.

The lack of an asterix in that bunch of names says that we aren't going to play a 23rd bloke, which means a 4 man bench. Why you would play 4 ruckmen and not help offset that top-heavyness with an extra runner on the interchange is a mystery to me...

[BBHS]

How's Witts going, came on with a bang at the end of last year but haven't heard much about him lately. Been getting a kick?

[Lazza]