MATCH PREVIEW
Round 4 Preview - By Johnson#26
Match Preview:
My Team:
B: *Wakelin*, Prestigiacomo, Kinnear
J.CLOKE
HB: Johnson,
Clement, Lonie.
C: Woewodin, Buckley, Licuria.
HF: Williams, Rocca, Holland.
F: Didak, Fraser.
RUCK: Richards, Burns, McGough.
INTER: Swan, Mullins, Walker, Lokan.
EMERG: Cole, Nixon, R.Shaw.
IN: Kinnear, McGough, Williams, *Walker*, Mullins.
OUT: Taz, *Wakes*, *Cole*, R.Shaw, Nixon, O'Bree.
*If Wakelin is not fit to play, Walker goes to back pocket & Cole comes into the team.*
Last Time
They Met:
Collingwood: 15.9.99
Fremantle: 7.16.58
In the match remembered by many a Magpie supporter as the 'Bob Rose
Match', the emotion packed Magpies rolled the Dockers to the tune of
41 points with Buckley, in the middle of his purple patch, Johnson &
Burns leading the way.
Ladder
Positions:
Fremantle: 6th
Collingwood: 12th
Since 1995:
Collingwood: 8
Fremantle: 3
Form:
Collingwood: 1-2
Fremantle: 2-1
This match between Colliongwood & Fremantle at Telstra Dome on Sunday is an absoulutly crucial match for the Magpies. After a gutsy effort in the 1st half last week, the Pies fizzled out to lose by 10 goals with Lynch kicking 7. The season is in the balance for the Magpies with a win seeing us 2-2 and a loss seeing us at 1-3. Seeing it is a must win game, this finals hardend unit should be able to come up with the goods. Yes, I am taking risks with my team. We play a 5 man forward line with Fraser in the square & Didak at his feet. Rocca the focal point at CHF with Holland at his feet changing with Bucks & Burnsy. Williams is the 3rd tall. It is a 5 man forward line so that it frees up Jason Cloke to play where he plays best - loose man across half back. With injurys decimating our best line up, I have called on young guns to make a stand. Mullins should debut for his 1st senior game after his performance for Williamstown last week & McGough is also brought back as he is prehaps the one player who, along with Burns, can match Bell as an extreactor in the middle. Kinnear is back, on his absoulute last chance. They say crisis creates oppotunity. Whilst this is not a crisis, the injurys have opened the dorr for Kinnear to repay the faith of the coaching staff with a great game and cement his spot in the side. Without Tarrant, the forward line is looking small so Richards must take full responcibility and at least brake even with Aaron Sandilands & Troy Simmonds. Fraser should only be called upon for ruck work for the last 5 minutes of each quarter, when he will be freash and ready up against a tiring Simmonds/Sandilands. Fraser plays one out in the square, most likely on Graham Polak. Rocca with most likely be manned up on by the duo of Pavlich & McPharlin. Expect to see Pavlich go forward. When he does, Clement should take him as he is tall enough (Clement 190cm to Pavlich 192cm) and fast enough to match up on the star utillity. The Pies will look to gain assendancy in the back-line, with Cloke to revert back to his 2002 form by taking couragous grabs and thumping the ball forward. After Cloke has wolloped the ball forward, expect hard runners Johnson & Lonie to pounce and go on their customary long runs. Jeff Farmer, should he play, will be tagged by Johnson, whole the ever elousive Medhurst will be minded by Cole (if he plays) or Lonie. In the middle, Buckley will be taken by his usural minder Carr. Buckley almost always plays a blinder against Freo, having collected 46 touches in round 2 2001 & 40 touches in round 15 1997 - His 100th game. Holland will go to Bell, Burns on Haselby & Licuria on Headland. Woewodin should match up on the 150 gamer McManus. The old warrier Shane Parker will match up on Didak. This could be a crucial miss-match as Didak has had a slow start to the season. 'Dids' to too quick & has too many footy smarts for Parker, whose aging legs could be feeling the pain at the end of the 1st quarter.
All up, we'll win because we have to. We are now an experianced unit & have the ability to go up a level. Now is the time to get into gear before the season slips away. Pies by 22 points.