In the latest edition of Opposition Watch, Swans Media explores Collingwood’s camp ahead of the Sydney Swans’ clash with the Magpies in Marn Grook at the SCG on Friday night.
Recent form
Collingwood is placed second on the ladder behind Geelong with seven wins and two losses beside its name.
The Magpies have won their last six games by an average of 30 points and enjoyed a 41-point triumph over St Kilda in their most recent outing.
The Pies led at every change en route to a 17.10 (112) to 10.11 (71) victory over the Saints at the MCG last Saturday, and coach Nathan Buckley was thrilled with his side’s ball movement.
Adam Treloar (38 touches), Dayne Beams (30) and Steele Sidebottom (29 disposals, two goals) were Collingwood’s major ball-winners, while Brody Mihocek slotted four majors.
Ins and outs
The Magpies have made two changes to the side that overcame the Saints, with veteran midfielder Daniel Wells and rookie-listed defender Jack Madgen set to return for the Round 10 opener.
Wells, who’s played 257 games for North Melbourne and Collingwood since 2003, will return for his first match since injuring his foot in last year’s Queen’s Birthday clash with Melbourne.
Madgen has played four games and is set for his first appearance since Round 23 last season.
The Magpies are faced with a significant injury toll, with Jordan De Goey, Taylor Adams, Mason Cox, Jamie Elliott and Darcy Moore among a long list of stars set to miss Friday’s match.
Tom Langdon (knee) and Travis Varcoe (suspension) have made way for the returning Wells and Madgen.
Key match-up
Star Sydney forward Lance Franklin produced one of the best games of his 2018 campaign when the Swans and Magpies last met, snaring six goals to gather three Brownlow Medal votes in his side’s two-point win in Round 20.
The four-time Coleman Medallist booted three first-half goals on Darcy Moore, and after he finished his day early with an injury, Franklin proved a colossal task for youngsters Madgen and Mihocek.
It remains to be seen which Magpie will be assigned to shadowing Franklin in Friday’s Marn Grook match, but whoever is sent to the powerhouse forward is sure to attract plenty of eyeballs.
Last time they met
It was the youngest player in the competition at the time who scrambled an astonishing goal to hand Sydney a two-point win over Collingwood in Round 20 last season.
As the final couple of minutes of the game ticked down, Tom McCartin scrapped a goal while sprawled across the turf amid a mounting pile of players to put the Swans two points ahead.
The going was tense over the remaining 110 seconds of the match, but Sydney would hold on to grab an 11.7 (73) to 10.11 (71) victory.
Former injury-plagued Swan Alex Johnson returned for his first AFL match in 2136 days, Sydney celebrated the 100th anniversary of South Melbourne’s 1918 premiership victory over Collingwood and Harry Cunningham made his 100th senior appearance.
What they said
Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley: “We’ve been outscoring our opposition. We’ve been scoring really well from our clearances and defending the opposition’s really well. It’s one thing to win or lose clearances and the next is what happens in the next phase of play. If you can force a dirty exit or a rushed exit you might actually be in an advantageous position. Sides have got strategies around congesting the stoppages and we know we’re a lot better at countering that than earlier in the year and late last year.”
