Bring-Back-Powell

$64,000 question. Probably Geelong winning would be preferable as that will keep our dream of top 2 well and truly alive. However a Geelong win will give them massive confidence into our game next week.

I know many posters can't stand David King, but the footage he and his team provided on AFL360 last night was damning for Daniel Rich from a defensive stand point. Can barely get out of a jog when the Lions don't have the ball. Gunstan's form has been extremely underwhelming for a bloke of his ilk.

Hawthorn should do a bit of heavy lifting for the usual minnow VIC clubs and be fixtured an away game down at GHMBA next year, for a side that's gone 5 years without finals action. Hawthorn are the designated home team for Easter Monday next year, so there's no reason why they can't be fixtured an away game later in the year at GMHBA.

In - Oliver Out - Spargo, JJ. Spargo or JJ to be sub. JJ would have to be one of the unluckiest player in the AFL. He stood up during his game time. Bowey misses out in favour of the excellent defensive unit of last week. I could be wrong but historically Goodwin doesn't like to make unforced changes after a watershed win, and last Monday you could sense was one of those wins judging by his post game reaction. Petty was quoted as many as 6 weeks and the Geelong game will be just under 6 weeks. Therefore I think they'll be conservative with Petty.

In the corresponding game last year we had a 5 day break coming back from Adelaide against a Geelong that had just come off a 120 point training drill against North at the same venue. We faded badly in the last 15 minutes of the game. This year, we'll have a 10 day break against a Geelong that will be coming back from Adelaide (albeit a 7 day break) so heavy legs/fatigue shouldn't be an issue in this one.

The bye certainly came at the wrong time for the boys from Cockburn. GWS would have to be a chance this week but seem unable to string 2 wins together.

I honestly don't think the AFL industry has heard of him until recently. For example on the TAB website, he is unlisted for the Rising Star winner. You can't even put a bet on him On the flip side, Jefferson and Jed Adams are $501 while Corey Wagner (ex Dee) is $251 and he's 6 years too old to win the award!!!

I think there was some GA available at the gate on game day. Top level Southern stand and Olympic. They really need to re-look at what constitutes a sell-out. For example Dream time sold out and they didn't even get 80K.

Thanks FTB. Fair to say about 150-200 seats left in that area. Be interesting if/how quickly they sell out. Highly recommend sitting in this area, as it's away from the Geelong riff-raff.

Jack Viney - Anzac/Daniher quinella!

And they’re probably the better behaved contingent of Collingwood supporters.

Triple M just interviewed Josh Fraser and he certainly didn’t deny the rumour.

Elliott kicked 7 against us last year across the two games, so it’s a fantastic out from our point of view. He’s the type of player that would seize on the big moments in last quarters that today provides.

There’s going to be a super ordinary side this year that sneaks into the top 4. Essendon, St Kilda, Adelaide…

If we lose we ain’t a contender. Pure and simple. 0-4 against the big boys and I include Essendon (8-5) in that group. The revised goal will be to win ONE final if things go south today.

Was that the game Greg Williams got 44 touches and failed to get a Brownlow vote?

I’m concerned Essendon will finish top 4 with a weak as water fixture to come home with. Can someone allay my fears?

Given the availability on offer in the top 4….surely not Essendon?

Good that Elliott’s out.

When you put it like that, it’s fair to say that Collingwood will never be as gettable all year as they will be tomorrow. Whether we can take full advantage of it is another matter.

J Daicos, Cox, N Daicos and Maynard all have apparently trained this weekend. So all the speculation about them missing games due to colds/COVID will probably be unfounded.

Pies have De Goey, Sidebottom, Howe and possibly Elliott missing. Who else is missing from them?

Just had a look at the Collingwood training thread on Bigfooty forum. - Elliott didn’t do match sim and apparently said to supporters that’s he’s not playing. - McStay didn’t do match sim either. - McCreey a solid chance to play. - Cox trained well despite COVID rumours. - J Daicos didn’t train due to illness.

I think we had a win over Freo on expected scores back in round 11. If top 2/4/8 doesn’t go our way, the Freo loss will be at front of our regret line.

All salient points. However, Geelong is Geelong. I just can’t write them off in any way shape or form. Meanwhile if the grand final/hostile venue gets the better of some or all of Butters, Rozee, and JHF then the experienced Collingwood side will overwhelm them. I would love nothing more than us being in the conversation in relation to sides that can threaten Collingwood, like you mentioned above.