Pre-Match. Pies v. Swans. All comments.

[Jezza]

Round 1. Friday, March 15. MCG. 7.40

Collingwood v. Sydney.

In: Jeremy Howe, Finlay Macrae.

Out: Tom Mitchell (Managed), John Noble (Sub)

Let's hear ya !!

[Jezza]

Noticed a pre-match thread hadn't been created yet, so I thought I'd get ahead of Donny and start one.

Hopefully he doesn't mind. *No probs, mate. All good. Donny

Exciting to be back at home and unfurling the flag. Haven't seen any details on the unfurling and what time it will start. Hopefully the club releases some details soon.

From what I can gather and my memories of 2011, I think it's advisable for supporters to arrive early so they don't miss it.

On the game itself, I'm hoping for the return of Howe as we need some height down back, otherwise I think it will be necessary to bring in Frampton.

Elsewhere, I'd like to see opportunities given to McInnes and Macrae. I think McInnes for Johnson will and should happen.

[masoncox]

^^^
i know AJ had a shocker.
But it does no one any good to be dropped after one game.
give him a handful and then drop him if needed.
Same with COX

[Piesnchess]

WE lost last week to GWS, which are a 4 goal better team up there, we lost by 5 had more scoring shots, and at least 9 players way down, out of sorts, including Pendles. THAT wont happen again. NO way Jose. Swans beat a disunited rabble in the Deees, racked by internal problems, at their pissy chardonnay tiny oval. THIS is at OUR MCG, our turf, we unfurl the flag, the magpie army salute, then we get down to real hard work, to quote Fly. WE wiil be in a filthy mood too, out to make amends. Woods by 20+ points.

[LaurieHolden]

After 15 matches, the W/L ledger stands at P:232 W:144 D:1 L:87.
https://afltables.com/afl/teams/collingwood/allgames_tm.html#16

This will be the second time in a decade that we play Sydney at the MCG.
The SCG has effectively been marked as a W for Sydney as soon as the fixture has been released for a decade. From the past eight matches we've journeyed there, we've lost 6 matches.

Last time : Round: 8 Venue: M.C.G. Date: Sun, 7-May-2023 3:20 PM Attendance: 71463
Collingwood 3.5.23 4.6.30 6.9.45 11.11.77
Sydney 1.2.8 5.8.38 5.10.40 6.12.48

GOALS
Collingwood: Mihocek 5, Johnson, Hoskin-Elliott, Ginnivan, Frampton, Elliott, De Goey
Sydney: Sheather, Papley, McLean, McDonald, Hayward, Clarke

BEST
Collingwood: Pendlebury, Quaynor, Mihocek, N.Daicos, Mitchell
Sydney: Gulden, Parker, Rowbottom, Florent, Fox

INJURIES
Collingwood: Adams (left ankle)
Sydney: Ladhams (shoulder/neck), Sheather (left knee)

SUBSTITUTES
Collingwood: Jack Ginnivan (replaced Bobby Hill in third quarter)
Sydney: Aaron Francis (replaced Marc Sheather at half-time)

Highlights ~
Collingwood v Sydney (afl.com.au)
https://www.afl.com.au/video/921700/highlights-collingwood-v-sydney

Match Report ~
https://www.afl.com.au/afl/matches/4854#match-report

It was clear from the onset the Swans went in with a tactic to put physical pressure on Nick Daicos as Ryan Clarke, just like he has previously, got sent to the Magpies star in a negating role.
Tensions really boiled over after Clarke booted Sydney’s first goal of the game and got stuck into Daicos thereafter.
In fact, multiple Swans players went at Daicos, prompting a fiery scuffle between both sides that went on for some time – and after dying down even broke out a second time.
A career-best 5 goals from Brody Mihocek.

****************

Magpies injury list early prognosis
Collingwood defender Jeremy Howe will look to prove his fitness on Wednesday ahead of Friday night’s crunch game against Sydney at the MCG. The veteran missed Opening Round due to a corked calf, joining premiership backman Nathan Murphy on the sidelines to start 2024. Nathan Kreuger is still at least a month away from recovering from a hamstring strain. - Josh Gabelich AFL Official Injury Update & Injury List - https://www.afl.com.au/matches/injury-list

SYDNEY 2024 Ins and outs
IN ~ Taylor Adams (trade, Collingwood), Caiden Cleary (No.24 draft pick, Academy), Will Green (No.16 draft pick), Brodie Grundy (trade, Melbourne), Joel Hamling (free agent, Fremantle), James Jordon (free agent, Melbourne), Indhi Kirk (Category B rookie, Academy), Patrick Snell (No.53 draft pick)
OUT ~ Ryan Clarke (delisted), Will Gould (delisted), Hugo Hall-Kahan (delisted), Lance Franklin (retired), Tom Hickey (retired), Paddy McCartin (retired), Cameron Owen (delisted), Lachlan Rankin (delisted), Marc Sheather (delisted), Dylan Stephens (trade, North Melbourne)

Swans injury list early prognosis
Adams is out of a leg brace but is yet to resume training, while Parker will be assessed again in three weeks.
The only injury from the weekend was a fractured finger for Sheldrick in the VFL, which will sideline him for up to a month. Sam Reid played in the VFL team on the weekend, but the Swans will take a cautious approach given his injury history. Callum Mills won't be sighted until the middle of the season after a severe rotator cuff tear from a Mad Monday wrestling mishap. - Martin Smith AFL Official Injury Update & Injury List - https://www.afl.com.au/matches/injury-list

[mattdally]

In: Macrae, Frampton, Howe
Out: Cox, Dean, Noble

[piffdog]

^^ I'm not sure we'll make that many changes. Would see a little panicky - BUT we probably need to do something about the backline. Maybe just HOwe for Markov? Johnson gets another go, MacRae has to wait a bit longer.
Pendles will ccumulate more than 2 touches by half time surely...

[LaurieHolden]

One of the biggest match-up headaches for us is who has the physical attributes to counter a player that is 195cm - 80kg athletic, skill-full and runs like a whippet in Nick 'the lizard' Blackey. He's a generational talent.
McCreery possesses the requisite pace but gives away 15cm.
WHE also gives away 10cm, however he can play the utility role of defense and offense.
Oleg Markov I can't recall playing a defensive role up forward, but the physical match-up aligns.
I'd like to see the coach give McInnes the call up and set him the task. He has the height at 194cm and has the pace to match Blakey. I really like when a coach presents a task to a player, and I reckon early season is the time to do it as opposed to experimenting late in the season.

Howe, if declared fit or Maynard I'd expect to play on Hayward.
Howe is an option if Blakey starts to cut us up. Moore and Dean can manage Amartey and McClean.
If Howe is ruled out, entertaining Frampton as the sub needs to be considered although you'd rarely see a big man as a sub, more likely to be given a start.

I'm really looking forward to the Booker Cameron on Grundy duel. Booker's pre-season and opening game sees him in great touch, and I reckon he'll relish the task.

We'll see what develops this week on the training track / injury updates, however on match-ups alone I'd run with this ~

Out : Johnson, Dean, Mitchell
In : Howe, McInnes, Frampton
Sub : Noble

EMG : Noble, Dean, Macrae

[piffdog]

^ Quaynor on The Lizard? Or are you sending him to Papley?

[LaurieHolden]

^the Lizard would thrash IQ, not the right match-up. I'd expect IQ on Papley although Noble having put on some extra kg's across the chest might also get a chance given he can match Papley's speed.
Papley is strong in the upper body and likes to push his way through contests, IQ won't let that happen.

I'd play McInnes on Blakey. We're better off experimenting now than later on in the season. I like the notion of giving McInnes a task. Akin to putting blinkers on a horse, it'll keep him focussed. Not many are beating McInnes over 30m.

SEN just reported @JoshGabelich @AFLcomau
Jeremy Howe trained fully this morning and is expected to return against Sydney. Fin Macrae in the frame to play on Friday night.

[mattdally]

Said it last week and I'll say it again. If Noble plays we lose
Said it last year before the first final against the Dees.

[piffdog]

This is really helpful analysis…

So his presence in the team is so detrimental as to guarantee a loss? Hard to imagine such a negative influence from just one player. And by inference if we just don’t pick him then we are guaranteed to win?

Frampton is arguably a lower ranked player (according to statsinsider) and yet he was in the team GF day and guess what happened… Noble played in the first 23 rounds last year and from my memory we were pretty handy in the H&A season.

Just don’t get the hate on this guy. Yes he’s a bit small, and yes he’s not the game’s greatest player, but would be a staple in a lot of teams and has never been the single source of failure of our team.

Be funny if he plays and we win…

[LaurieHolden]

[joemamone@gmail.com]

AJ should be dropped he should never been selected ahead of McInnes in the first place.

[Take_a_Screamer]

Magpies ordered ‘back to basics’ in firm response to poor opener as star’s return looms

* Jeremy Howe likely back
* Charlie Dean could be still be needed against a Swans forward line boasting three talls
* Nathan Murphy training for contact
* Finlay Macrae a chance (to take Mitchell's spot)

"McRae said the more pressing issue was to address basic errors which had cost goals at the other end. It’s amazing the little things that we just didn’t get right – simple things, so simple that we just have to get back to it and take pride in those little things,” he said.

“You’d be amazed we didn’t even man the mark, can you believe that? People having set shots, which means that those two (moments) in particular, they resulted in goals. We’ll get back to work on our fundamentals, and in a couple of days’ time hopefully we’ll see all of those things.”

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/teams/collingwood-magpies/magpies-ordered-back-to-basics-in-firm-response-to-poor-opener-as-stars-return-looms/news-story/8287bc8a131410b371050ce0a16388b4