Game day - Pies v. Dons - Late changes, comments

[Donny]

Today. Anzac Day.

Collingwood v. Essendon

MCG. 2.40

Selected teams.

Collingwood

B: Alan Toovey, Nathan Brown, Marley Williams
HB: Tom Langdon, Jack Frost, Jackson Ramsay
C: Travis Varcoe, Dane Swan, Jack Crisp
HF: Jamie Elliott, Jesse White, Tim Broomhead
F: Tyson Goldsack, Travis Cloke, Jarryd Blair

Foll: Brodie Grundy, Taylor Adams, Scott Pendlebury

Int: Sam Dwyer, Paul Seedsman, Adam Oxley, Corey Gault

Emerg: Darcy Moore, Patrick Karnezis, Jordan De Goey

IN: Taylor Adams
OUT: Patrick Karnezis (omitted)

Fast Fact
Travis Cloke and Dane Swan are set to become Collingwood's most experienced ANZAC Day players. The pair has each played 10 times on 25 April, equal with former teammates Scott Burns, Josh Fraser, Ben Johnson and Anthony Rocca. Essendon's Dustin Fletcher is set to line up for his 18th ANZAC Day match, ahead of the famous forward duo of Matthew Lloyd and Scott Lucas (13 and 12 respectively).

Essendon

B: Mark Baguley, Dustin Fletcher, Jake Carlisle
HB: Michael Hibberd, Cale Hooker, Martin Gleeson
C: Brent Stanton, Jobe Watson, Jake Melksham
HF: Zach Merrett, Joe Daniher, Dyson Heppell
F: Patrick Ambrose, Michael Hurley, Brendon Goddard

Foll: Tom Bellchambers, Paul Chapman, Travis Colyer

Int: Courtenay Dempsey, Ben Howlett, David Zaharakis, Will Hams

Emg: James Gwilt, Kyle Langford, Jackson Merrett

IN: Courtenay Dempsey, Will Hams
OUT: Adam Cooney (hamstring), Jason Ashby (omitted)

Let's hear ya !!

[mattys123]

Here's the run down for today;

[think positive]

Can't wait, getting all done up like a Danish pastry, gunna be a real footy day by the looks, can't wait for it!

Let's go pies! We got this!

[Skids]

Watching from the centre of WA. Boys play their best and we win this one!

[John Wren]

[Pies4shaw]

Diarise it - 2.38 pm - coin toss.

[Jezza]

I consider myself somewhat pessimist but I have a good feeling about this match because of various reasons.

1). Essendon has been in the media all week pumping up this match, whereas on the other hand Collingwood has been slipping under the radar and just going about their own business.

2). Most pundits in the media are talking up Essendon and constantly refer to their victories against Hawthorn and Carlton and their brave performance against Sydney whereas the experts have dismissed our victories against the Lions and Saints. Sure they were ordinary opponents but we still won those matches thankfully and won them well even if the first match was flattering for Brisbane in terms of the final margin. A lot of people are backing Essendon and I reckon the boys will thrive from this.

3). There have been injury clouds surfacing within the Bombers camp with Zaharakis and Carlisle being doubts for this match. Yes they were named in the selected side for Essendon but the fact that these doubts were existed all week either suggests they could be late withdrawals or they're not 100% fit and as a result we need to take advantage of this.

4). The wet weather will suit the boys. We were brilliant last week against the Saints in the wet weather whereas the Bombers record in wet weather has been somewhat ordinary from what I can gather. Admittedly we're not great ball users but our hardness in the contest is first class and our tackling ability is still very good under Buckley.

Overall the inclusion of Adams is an excellent one as he should thrive in these wet weather conditions as an in-and-under player.

We're still rightfully underdogs for this match and I hope we don't see a repeat to what happened against the Bombers in round 17 last year but I have a good feeling about today and I wouldn't be shocked if we won. The keys to us winning today is Swan, Pendlebury and Cloke. If all these three boys fire then we're a big chance and if we stick with the Bombers for the whole game I think we can run over them in the end!

[John Wren]

[Pies4shaw]

C'mon, JW - you're making that up.

[John Wren]

[swoop42]

I always want to beat Essendon but a victory today would be more special than most that have come before it against this mob.

[Pies4shaw]

No change. Dwyer is the sub.

[John Wren]

dwyer and hans the subs. medal winner to be grundy.

[think positive]

[swoop42]

Must curb the influence of Watson, Heppell and Hibberd.

Adams to Watson, Crisp to Heppell, Goldsack to Hibberd and perhaps Oxley to Goddard.