MATCH PREVIEW
Round 5 match preview - By Johnson#26
My Team for Sunday:
B: Wakelin, Prestigiacomo, Clement.
HB: Johnson, J.Cloke, Lonie.
C: Licuria, Mullins, Woewodin.
HF: Didak, Rocca, Holland.
F: C.Cloke, Fraser, Swan.
R: Richards, Burns, McGough.
INTER: Mullins, Lokan, King, Nixon.
EMERG: O'Bree, Williams, B.Shaw.
IN: C.Cloke, Nixon, McGough.
OUT: Shaw, O'Bree, Williams.
In the biggest day on the football calender bar grand final day, the ANZAC spirit should help get the Pies over the line. The match is crucial to Colingwood getting over a form slump. Nothing lifts a side more then beating the Bombers and if the Magpies don't win today, their season could well slip down the drain. On currant form, the bombers should win comfortabley. But form doesn't matter when both teams cross that white line. Collingwood can win. And here's how they'll do it.
The biggest key to this match belongs in the hands of James Hird. Stop Hird, and your well on the way to victory. Expect Paul Licuria to go to Hird early on. Licuria has been down on form and a good performance could lift his spirt and his confidence. When Hird drifts forward, expect to see in form defencer James Clement to be his minder. No Magpie person will forget what Hird did to us last year as the Dons cut us to shreads. That fact won't be lost on an Magpie who takes the field on Sunday. Simon prestigiacomo will get first crack at Lloyd while Wakelin will man up on Scott Lucas. Ben Johnson has had a brilliant season to date so do be surprised if you see a player such as Mark Alvey go to Johnson to quell his rebound from defence. It's time for both Mick Malthouse and Json Cloke to make a stand. Where does Cloke play? He is best suited to CHB and will have to play his tighest football to keep a spot in the side. Through the middle, the Magpies need to excert their dominance here. If fit, Peverill will be matched up on Burns while McGough and Misiti will go head to head. Woewodin will match up on Mercuri and Luke Mullins, in only his second game, will be following Marc Bullen. Bullen is a dangerous and underrated player who constantly slips under opposition teams guards. In the ruck, young Guy Richards and Josh Fraser will tag team against Matthew Allan and David Hille. This will be an interesting battle, as both rucking combonations are very similar in age bar Allan at this stage and it will be interesting to see how Richards copes. Cameron Cloke comes in for his first match and will take the forward line along with Anthony Rocca and Josh Fraser. Fleacher will go to Rocca while Wellman will go to Fraser. Mark Bolton could be matched up on Cam Cloke and it will be interesting to see the two former Eastern Rangers going at each other. Didak should be taken by Welsh while Brodie Holland will be followed by Dean Soloman.
Put simply: We need a victory to lift spirits and momentum. All the talk so far has been of doom and gloom. Lets change that. Pies by 8 points!
GO PIES!!!!!