DaVe86

A few big blows for both sides. James McDonald out is a massive loss to the Demons as he has been shutting down the best players. However, that probably squares off with us having our best clearance winner out. I genuinely hope Sylvia pulls up. There must also be some doubt over nathan Jones. Hopefully the extra long break and the split round approaching means both are able to play with minor risk. See you guys at the game. I got a message from AFL membership last night saying tickets were selling, so hopefully that's a sign that a decent crowd will show up

And I also agree with you about the term "Melbourne's Grand Final"...it is disrespectful and I said in my preview I loathe that term. However I have heard Melbourne players refer to it in the past. It will be a big step forward for melbourne when they no longer consider this game as so important,

There is no doubt we do well out of it as well. Ultimately, it's an away game....we have to play 11 of them a year. But by building this one up a little....our sponsors are going to be very happy. It also allows us to play the good samaritan card. No doubt it works for both parties. It's the same way we worked out the deal with the AFL to ensure more MCG games so that interstate teams can play interstate finals. Again we look like good samaritans, but ensure we get to play more games at the G. I do think however that from a Collingwood point of view...the game has become a bit stale. I don't think we deserve half the gate revenue...because it is a Melbourne home game and isn't getting enough of a crowd. But I do think other teams should get a chance to play QB against Melbourne. Keep Melbourne as the main owners of the game...but use other sides other than Collingwood. At the very least, the QB match should be the first time these 2 sides meet. The game loses a lot of its appeal considering we have already played a game this year. Anyways....it should be a good game. I expect you to give us a fair run as you did in Round 2. I'm looking forward to it nonetheless

Melbourne should keep it. There's no doubt about it. You guys are bringing the crowds along. It's Pies fans that aren't coming. I may have said a few things tongue in cheek over at nicks....but it was tongue in cheek. The truth is melbourne fans are coming. And like I said above, my comments aren't about scrapping the QB match, they are pointing out the inconsistencies in the media. They make a fuss about ANZAC Day, but nothing about Queen's Birthday. Melbourne shold keep it, and it should be rotated amongst other clubs. We aren't interested. But it is important to melbourne. You seriously need it to be a blockbuster...but as was said above...you need both sides to rally behind it for it to become a blockbuster again. We don't deserve it anymore. But you guys definitely do. The truth is it scares me a little bit having to play melbourne on QB because I know you are going to come out fired up...but we'll be treating it like every other game.

no explanation needed really. I was very vocal this year when people were up in arms about ANZAC Day. Just wondering why people don't cause ths same who-ha when it comes to QB. The game means very little to Collingwood fans...so just wondering why people don't cause the same fuss about tring to snare a stand alone game when crowds have been down and the general rivalry seems to have staled a little bit. I'm more than happy to see this game remain forever...i was just posing the question why there is not the same outrage for QB as there is for ANZAC Day.

titan_uranus (hahaha best username I have seen in a while) YOu raise concerns about Macaffer which every COllingwood supporter...including myself...have raised this year. He hasn't really looked entirely comfortable yet at the top level. He is just hanging onto his spot. But, he offers us a utility prospect, and he has played some good games over the past 2-3 weeks. I think he is coming on slowly. He is not really in competition with Jack ANthony because he can play a variety of roles. He played as a permanent forward role in the VFL, but has not started as a forward once this year. Mostly starting the defence. SO I just wanted to highlight that he is doing OK. I think he is slowly adjusting to this level.

The one thing I left out of this preview was the chance of rain. You guys have played good in the wet this year...the game against Doggies for example. You were also better when it started raining last week against Carlton. We haven't had a wet weather game yet. Though I think we are a good wet weather side...no doubt you guys wouldn't mind seeing a bit of rain. Scully in particular looks like he is going to be a fantastic wet weather player.

SECOND TIME AROUND by David Natoli (aka DaVe86) So we are already half way through season 2010. This is the point of the year where I typically start making predictions as I feel that it is silly to make bold calls too early in the year. From Round 11 onwards, the ladder starts taking true form, and a side that has carried form to this point is no longer a fluke. That said the ladder is incredibly even. Melbourne, who sit in 13th spot are only 1 game outside the 8. The top 3 has a familiar look about it, and so does the bottom 3. The bookends of the ladder are unlikely to change. In Round 12, Melbourne faces Collingwood in the traditional Queens Birthday Monday clash. This is a crunch game for both sides. A win for Collingwood definitely secures a top 4 place in the short term. Melbourne on the other hand would be eyeing off an unlikely top 8 position, and a win against Collingwood would give them the belief to make it. Collingwood will go in favourites. But let's be honest...this game tends to mean a bit more to Melbourne than it does Collingwood. For Melbourne, this is a rare chance to play in front of a big crowd, on the big stage against a good side. This is their big money making day of the year, and Melbourne cannot afford a poor showing. I am loathe to say it is Melbourne's Grand Final because I absolutely hate that term, but I have no doubt that if Melbourne could lock in just 1 win every year, they would choose this match. So expect a fired up Demons side on Monday. It is a good test for Collingwood, as the Magpies form is patchy and they can ill afford to be caught off guard. There is definitely plenty to like about the 2010 Demons. Their top 3 picks from the 09 draft in particular seem like beauties. I've been especially impressed with young Gysberts who I'll give a bit of a wrap later in the preview. Perhaps the top 8 is an unrealistic goal, but it's good to see they are giving it a crack. At least Melbourne fans can go to a game of footy this year and think their team is a show. It's about time a winning culture was developed at the club, and they are showing plenty of heart. Collingwood on the other hand are starting to field their best 22 again after a month of minor injury niggles. They remain in 2nd spot on the ladder and have a fairly good draw ahead in the next month. THE FORM LINE Despite Melbourne's impressive start to the year, they have won 1 of their last 5 games. But they have faced Geelong, Carlton and Western Bulldogs in that time, and had a good win against Port Adelaide. They have been very competitive in most matches. What I've found in the last few weeks is that Melbourne has started slowly. From the 2nd quarter onwards, the game tends to even up and Melbourne rally. This in itself is an improvement considering last year they would have given up and it is a sign of better fitness. Nevertheless, it is important Melbourne learns to get good starts against good sides. Collingwood's form hasn't been fantastic over the last month either. They have won 3 of their last 5. The win against Western Bulldogs last week was a good one, however I was disappointed with the last quarter fade out, and I thought the first quarter was quite sloppy. There is much improvement left in the Magpies I feel. It was the 2nd week in a row which Collingwood faded out in the last quarter. Melbourne would feel that if they can hold onto Collingwood early, they are a chance to cause an upset. RECENT HISTORY Despite the fact that Melbourne typically lifts when they play Collingwood, the Magpies have won their last 5 encounters against the Demons. However, as we saw in Round 2, there have been a few close calls. Melbourne came close to pulling off a major upset in Round 2. Ricky Petterd, who was best on ground for the day, dropped a mark in the goal-square in the dying seconds of the game, which ensured the Magpies won by 1 solitary point. Despite the fact that Collingwood took the 4 points, any neutral observer of that game would have felt that Melbourne were the deserving team on the day. Dayne Beams was one of Collingwood's best with 27 disposals, whilst Pendlebury kicked 2 goals and 9 tackles. For Melbourne, Aaron Davey was the most damaging player with 27 disposals (23 of them kicks), whilst Petterd and Green kicked 4 and 3 goals respectively. Jamar, who played as the solitary ruckman, was dominant with 36 hit outs. Last year's Queens Birthday day was a little more one sided. A 7 goal to 0 opening term put the game beyond the Demons reach very early. Scott Pendlebury picked up the 3 votes with a stunning 39 disposal display. Sylvia was Melbourne's best with 32 disposals and 3 goals which earned him the 2 votes. Brad Dick was the surprise packet of the day, polling the 1 vote with his 5 goal effort. Alan Didak had 33 disposals and 2 goals, whilst Swan and Shaw were both up over the 30 possession mark. Collingwood eventually winning by 66 points. AT THE SELECTION TABLE - STARTING WITH MELBOURNE The Dees will be hopeful James Frawley passes his fitness test after he was a late withdrawal last week. In my opinion, Frawley has been one of the real stories of 2010 and must be close to All Australian selection to this point. He has turned out to be a great find. They will also be sweating on the availability of Colin Sylvia who was hospitalised after a blood clot was found in his toe. Hopefully the extra break will ensure he is fit to play, but I would not blame Melbourne for playing cautious. Nathan Jones and James McDonald also had a hamstring complaints following last weeks game against Carlton and face fitness tests, but look doubtful at this stage. At VFL level, Lynden Dunn kicked 8 goals, whilst Danny Hughes (who impressed me earlier in the year) is re-staking his claim. Another impressive youngster Jordie McKenzie will come into contention as well. There is a bit of talk about Jack Watts getting dropped. I hope the Demons do not do this. I think Watts has been going along ok, but was simply not suited to the wet last week. I think he needs more exposure. With a split round imminent, the Demons can rest him then, but he deserves a few chances given how tough it is to play CHF in a young side and at such a young age. AT THE SELECTION TABLE - TURNING TO COLLINGWOOD The Pies have a clean bill of health at the moment. Brad Dick, who impressed on Queens Birthday last year, is finally ready to come into selection contention, although he may be asked to continue to regain match fitness at VFL level. His availability also coincides with the return to form of Leon Davis as a forward pocket, so Dick is not really required at this point in time. The backline is where all the interest is. Nathan Brown was completely dominant at VFL level last week, and it will again be a question for Malt house whether he leaves Presti in, or continues to develop Brown and Reid. Reid had a good game last week so looks unlikely to be dropped. Presti however has been very important and has been good in the past fortnight. Lockyer continues to press for selection, as does Jaxson Barham, Luke Round and Cameron Wood. Simon Buckley also returned last week and performed quite well, so could be a surprise selection against his former side. Chris Dawes is likely to miss another week considering Leigh Brown was pretty handy against Western Bulldogs and Dawes was rested from the VFL team. Jack Anthony did little in very wet conditions to earn a recall. I think Malthouse will make a change. He has done so nearly every week this year. Someone may miss due to a calf injury. I'd expect minimal changes this week however as the list is pretty much completely fit. TACTICS Melbourne came out in Round 2 with a nothing to lose attitude. They have been one of the only sides this year to completely run through the Collingwood zone and rebound off their half back line with ease. They exhibited terrific skills, able to pinpoint 30 metre passes, which is the Achilles heel of the Magpies game-plan. If Melbourne is any chance of winning on Monday, they must do the same. The bigger build up and pressure of the game may force them into their shell a bit. If this happens, Collingwood win jump away to a quick lead like Geelong and Carlton have against the Demons in recent weeks. Collingwood will undoubtedly look to impose their bigger bodies on the young Melbourne midfield. If Jolly can break even this time with Jamar, then it might be hard to Melbourne to win around the stoppages. Further, in Round 2 Collingwood had Cloke, Davis, Jolly, Ball and Pendlebury in very average form. All have been playing much better. They will ask the question of Melbourne's young defence. Melbourne will have to take the Pies on across half back, but to do some means running through a disciplined zone. The Magpies will aim to have their tackling pressure at full steam, and look to put a stack of pressure on the ball carriers. PLAYERS TO WATCH - MELBOURNE Must Stop: Aaron Davey Davey is the star player of the team. There are very few in the AFL that could claim they have better foot-skills than Davey. I would say he is the best field kick right now. His pace makes him incredibly hard to stop as well. He was held very well last week by Carrazzo. It was interesting to see Carlton put all their focus on roughing up Davey, who in turn got very frustrated and gave away free kicks. He was held to only 13 touches. Collingwood should look to do the same. Only Wellingham and Johnson have enough foot-speed to match him. I'd try and free up Johnson across half back. Wellingham's form has been marginally improving, but I think he should get a close checking role on Davey. Otherwise it could be an opportunity to bring in Barham for a complete tight tag. Collingwood is unlikely to tight tag anyone, but I think Wellingham will have primary responsibility for him in the general field of play. Expect Davey to be quite prominent. Others of Interest Jordan Gysberts - his first 2 games have been terrific. It's been a baptism of fire for the pick 11 on the 2009 draft, facing Geelong and Carlton in his first 2 games, and now Collingwood. It has been enough to earn him a rising star nomination. What I've liked about him is how cool he is under pressure. He seems to be one of those players that have time, and he makes good decisions. He knows how to win the ball as well, picking up 27 disposals last week, and 26 touches against Geelong. Melbourne would be very happy with their first 3 picks and have a midfield which will be a force in the not so distant future. Jack Grimes - Grimes is backing up from a superb year in 2009, and has now become a vital cog in the Melbourne backline. He is perhaps Melbourne's version of Heath Shaw, and as such should be closely monitored. It would be a good idea to use perhaps Sidebottom in a defensive job on Grimes to try and make him accountable. Last week Carlton used Houlihan on Grimes, and Houlihan was arguably best on ground with 4 goals. Grimes still managed 25 disposals despite the tag. Otherwise if Lockyer is brought back, this is the job I'd give him. Mark Jamar - he is the sole ruckman for Melbourne. At times, the Demons have thrown Sylvia up in the ruck just to give him a chop-out. Nevertheless, Jamar is having a terrific year. But no doubt Collingwood have to look at Jamar, and run him around til he has no more to give. With Leigh Brown in the side, there are 3 potential ruck choices to rotate on him. Jamar's ruck-work is top notch. His hit outs find his young midfielders and give them first use. I thought Jolly was terrific last week against Hudson, and has an equally big job quelling Jamar's influence in the ruck this week. Cale Morton - he has returned from his early season knee injury, and has returned to good form. He has silky smooth skills and his height makes him an awkward matchup. The demons will hope he develops into a really good utility, something of the Cameron Bruce or Brendon Goddard ilk. If unchecked, Morton has the potential to set up a lot of play, and he is a good reader of the game. Might be a case for putting Macaffer onto Morton, as he has been getting jobs on opposition utility players. Colin Sylvia - as I said earlier, his position is not assured this week following the blood clot discovered in his toe. Nevertheless, if he plays he will be one of Melbourne's most dangerous players. He loves playing Collingwood, and enjoys a big stage. His form has been patchy this year, but when he is up and going his side does better. He is another who Macaffer may go onto, or even a head to head battle with Swan. Brad Green - such an important player to the Melbourne side. I think he'll stay forward and try and make a Collingwood defender like Maxwell or Shaw accountable. Last week he took Gibbs and was able to score against him. Such a tough matchup and a true servant of the Demons. PLAYERS TO WATCH - COLLINGWOOD Must Stop: Heath Shaw Melbourne saw in Round 2 that a great strategy against Collingwood is to forward tag Heath Shaw, and try to score goals through his direct opponent. This time around, Melbourne will be without Ricky Petterd who did the job to perfection in Round 2. Heater's form has been patchy, but all in all he has been ok. Though not winning the ball, I feel as if his defensive work has improved, and he is playing much tighter on his opponent. He is also receiving a lot of attention and dealing with it quite well. The fact he attracts attention means guys like Johnson and O'Brien are really burning off half back. Even Dane Swan regularly goes across half back to generate run if Heath is being tagged out of it. Melbourne may look at a guy like Clint Bartram or even Matthew Bate to do the job. Others of Interest Brent Macaffer - I just want to highlight this guy here. I still don't think he has done enough to cement his spot, and I think he has a way to go, but I want to pay some kudos to Brent for the unsung role he is performing. He basically goes onto dangerous opposition utilities and makes them accountable. His roles on guys like Chapman have been credible. Macaffer has the ability to play forward, midfield or defence, so he adds so much versatility to the side. Malthouse is in need of a utility, and that is why Macaffer has been given every chance. As demonstrated above, Macaffer has a few decent matchups, so his role is beginning to look more and more secure. What he needs to do now is work on his set shot kicking. He is typically a lovely kick and a natural forward, but it seems to have evaded him lately. Alan Didak - so often a star against Melbourne. I think when it comes to assessing this game, Melbourne will consider Didak as their primary target. Bartram seems most likely to get the job. Didak has been good over the last few months and is sneaking under the radar a bit this year. Having Medhurst and Davis back really gives him the freedom to spend more time on the ball. Scott Pendlebury - He won the best on field medal last week for his 33 possession effort against the Doggies. He has put together some very solid football since ANZAC Day, at which point he was slightly out of form. He is the true class of the Collingwood midfield, and I would not be surprised to see teams continue to set tight tags on him. Leon Davis - his return to form last week was very timely in a must win game for Collingwood. He is so important to the Collingwood cause because his defensive pressure was top notch. Given Collingwood relies so heavily on forward pressure, Davis has become one of the most important players to the side. The fact he kicked 3 goals last week was a huge bonus. Dale Thomas - probably Collingwood's most consistent player of 2010. He was also one of Collingwood's best in the 1 point win against Melbourne in Round 2. I want to give a special wrap to Dale for his last 5 minutes in the game last week. When the Doggies were coming, I thought he was the one who stood up and ensured the game would be won. He was everywhere, and had so much of the ball in the dying 5 minutes. His tackling and work-rate has improved so much. Dayne Beams - one of Collingwood's best in Round 2, and should have a good game again. Collingwood's midfield runs much deeper than Melbourne, so it is guys like Beams who are the 2nd string midfielders that should benefit. Melbourne will put the majority of their focus onto guys like Swan and Pendlebury, and will simply run out of options to cover Beams. His goal-kicking on the run has been a feature this year, and he has the ability to put the game out of reach this week. DaVes SOAPBOX Holding the Ballllllllllllll Every now and then I don't mind having a go at the umpires when I feel they deserve it. Lately, I have become very disillusioned with the holding the ball interpretation. Perhaps my frustration should be directed at the rules committee. It seems prior opportunity or incorrect disposal are things of the past. If tackled, a player seems more than able to simply drop the ball and say it got knocked out in the tackle. Yet, when a player tries to win his own ball, and gets tackled immediately, he is pinged for not making a genuine attempt to get rid of it. Its way to hot on the ball carrier. For years now, the smarter and better players have had the ability to hold the ball in a tackle to ensure a stoppage. Now this is illegal as a player has to find a way to get rid of it, even if one arm is pinned and he is lying on the floor. There is no doubt this rule speeds up the game. Instead of forcing a stoppage, the ball has to continually be knocked out. Given the enormous amounts of players around the ball, this can at times be impossible. I'd much prefer to see players who dispose of the ball incorrectly penalised. I'd much rather reward the guy who keeps possession of the ball than allow a guy who drops it at the first sign of a tackle. FANTASY ADVICE Hook into Jordan Gysberts this week if you can. If you have been holding onto Luke Shuey in the hope he will return, get rid of him to Gysberts because Shuey has glandular fever. I'm also considering doing it from Dustin Martin because it makes me more money and Gysberts looks pretty secure in the team. Dane Swan and Pendlebury have been in typically good form Dream Team wise and must be considered captaincy material this week. I'm expecting Heath Shaw to bounce back from his Round 2 humiliation this week as well. With David Hille down, Jolly could be considered, but I think I'd stick to Cox or Sandilands. Keep an eye out for Leon Davis who is just ridiculously cheap but is not scoring well enough to be considered. He bounced back to form last week, and this may be the catalyst for him to recapture his Dream Team best. If Brad Dick returns, it may mean more midfield time as well. THE WRAP UP I haven't been to a game in a while due to exams, but I think I'll make this one. Round 2 was really exciting, and I'm expecting the Demons to display the same heart on Monday. This time around, I am expecting Collingwood to treat Melbourne with more respect, and they should be a bit too strong considering a few injury concerns to top line Melbourne players. My plea to Melbourne fans would be to rock up this week. In fairness, Melbourne fans typically do come out in numbers for Queens Birthday, it is usually the Collingwood fans that go missing a bit. But the crowds have been unacceptable for the last 2 years. This game does mean a fair bit to Melbourne, so every Melbourne fans should turn up if they want to ensure this fixture is kept. Given Collingwood's top 2 position, there is no excuse for this game not attracting more than 70K. I'm going to break my tradition this week, and tip the Pies. Collingwood by 24. THE GAME Melbourne v Collingwood at the MCG Monday day 14 June 2010 at 2.10pm HEAD TO HEAD Overall Melbourne 79 wins Collingwood 141 wins 4 draws At the MCG Melbourne 54 Collingwood 74 wins wins 2 draws Since 2000 Melbourne 5 wins Collingwood 8 wins The Coaches Bailey 0 wins Malthouse 4 wins MEDIA TV Channel 7 at 3.00pm (delayed) RADIO 3AW MMM 774ABC SEN THE BETTING Melbourne to win $5.00 Collingwood to win $1.17 THE LAST TIME THEY MET Collingwood 12.14.86 d Melbourne 12.13.85 Round 2, 2010, at MCG Melbourne led by 11 points deep in the last quarter before being overhauled thanks to two late Magpie goals. The drama didn't stop there as a couple of gettable opportunities to score went begging in the dying seconds with Ricky Petterd's near mark still hurting the Demons to this very day. THE TEAMS MELBOURNE Backs Clint Bartram Matthew Warnock James Frawley Half backs Nathan Jones Jared Rivers Jack Grimes Centreline Cameron Bruce Jack Trengove Tom Scully Half forwards Neville Jetta Matthew Bate Lynden Dunn Forwards Brad Green Brad Miller Aaron Davey Followers Mark Jamar Brent Moloney Jordie McKenzie Interchange (from) Colin Garland Jordan Gysberts Cale Morton Jack Watts Emergencies Jamie Bennell Kyle Cheney Paul Johnson In Lynden Dunn James Frawley Jordie McKenzie Out Jamie Bennell James McDonald (hamstring) Colin Sylvia COLLINGWOOD Backs Heath Shaw Simon Prestigiacomo Leigh Brown Half backs Harry O'Brien Nick Maxwell Alan Toovey Centreline Sharrod Wellingham Dane Swan Steele Sidebottom Half forwards Paul Medhurst Travis Cloke Alan Didak Forwards Dayne Beams Brent Macaffer Leon Davis Followers Darren Jolly Scott Pendlebury Dale Thomas Interchange (from) Jaxson Barham Josh Fraser Tarkyn Lockyer Ben Reid Emergencies Chris Dawes Brad Dick Tyson Goldsack In Jaxson Barham Tarkyn Lockyer Out Luke Ball (groin) Ben Johnson (ankle)

Hi guys, I'm back again for another year. I write weekly match previews every week for all Collingwood games. So these are from a Magpie perspective, but the aim is to be as neutral as possible. Feedback and discussion welcome. Very tough to predict what Melbourne are going to dish up this week ---- In my second Match Preview for 2010, I could not be comparing 2 different sides in regards to form, experience and structure. Collingwood demonstrated how dangerous a side it is in 2010 with a resounding 36 point victory against the Bulldogs in round 1, but unfortunately Melbourne disappointed in their Round 1 encounter against an undermanned Hawthorn side. It’s very easy to lay into Melbourne after such a lousy first half effort last week. However, I always hate facing a team under the spotlight. Melbourne in particular always seems to lift a cog when they play Collingwood. With the scrutiny from the media, Brad Green’s 200th game and the potential that Collingwood might be a little flat after such a big build up to last weeks game, it is very important that the Magpies come out with the same sort of application they brought to last Sundays game. Let’s look at Melbourne for a moment. I may be the only one who thinks this, but the Dee’s actually had a dig in the first 15 minutes of the game last week. The problem for me was more the complete lack of structure and poor skill level than it was the application of the players. I thought the Dee’s actually had the run of play at the start of the game, but Hawthorn was the team kicking the goals. Once the Hawks got 4 goals up, you could really sense the heads drop of every Melbourne player. I got the sense that they had a real dig early, yet still had not kicked a goal and were getting smacked on the scoreboard, and they lost all their belief. With 1 goal to quarter time, all hope was sapped. To their credit, they came back and won the 2nd half, albeit the tempo of the game totally evaporated and the Hawks went into cruise control. Now, I’m not having a dig at Bailey, because I actually think he is the right man for the job right now, but he had a poor coaching day on the weekend. I’ll get more into potential tactics for the Demons later in the preview, but it was obvious they were over possessing the football, and they lacked any forward structure. I think there is a bit they can do to rectify this, but they look incredibly undermanned in the midfield. They’ve lost McLean, and Sylvia is out with a jaw injury. They are basically relying on Trengove and Scully to have immediate impact, but this is asking too much of debutants. What’s more, their forward line is missing the dangerous Jurrah and Wonaeamirri, along with Jack Watts. So that puts a bit of perspective on their situation. On the other hand, Collingwood are fit and firing. The injury list is minimal, and the 22 is incredibly hard to pick. The win against the Doggies was a real credit to Mick Malthouse and his ability to continually adapt. A totally new gameplan was unveiled. For starters, a full ground press was introduced, the corridor was used more, and Didak and Davis spent more time up forward where they belong. The introduction of Ball and Jolly has strengthened the side a lot. Although neither Ball nor Jolly had good games on the weekend, a number of goals came from Jolly hitouts and Ball had 7 tackles. It also allowed Didak and Davis to spend more time up forward with the extra midfielder in the side. I thought Wellingham was also crucial. He added pace to the side and was hard at it. The midfield is missing pace, and that’s why Malthouse has had to use his dangerous forwards through the midfield. If guys like Wellingham and Ben Johnson continue with this sort of the form, the goal-sneaks can stay forward as the midfield has the pace it requires. Recent History Collingwood won both encounters last year comfortably in Rounds 2 and 11. In the Round 11 clash, Brad Dick was electrifying with 5 goals and polled 1 vote. Sylvia was Melbournes best with 3 goals and over 30 disposals. He polled 2 votes. Pendlebury was Collingwood’s best with 39 disposals and polled the 3 votes. Didak, Swan and Shaw were all prominent as well in the 66 point victory. The earlier Round 2 clash was also dominated by Collingwood. Fraser was adjudged best on field, with Didak and Davey rounding out the votes. Swan had 33 disposals and a goal yet didn’t poll. (Yes I’m going to harp on this in previews this year…Swan was robbed). Bruce was good for the Demons. Prior to 2009 however, the Demons have a fantastic record against Collingwood. They won 4 Queen’s Birthday matches in a row from 2004-2007. Now however, Collingwood have won the last 2. At the Selection Table I doubt Collingwood will be making any changes. I was criticised last week for suggesting Beams would not play, yet Leigh Brown and Wellingham would. Though I rate Beams highly, you have to have a look at the team structure. The midfield looks a tad slow with another player like Beams in it. Wellingham was X factor in the first half. Leigh Brown played forward and back which meant we had cover when Minson went forward, and we were able to also have someone to bring the ball to ground for Didak to crumb. This week, I think Beams should get his run. Perhaps at the expense of Sidebottom. Sidebottom was OK, but was a bit unsure with the ball. I think Beams is further along with his development than Sidebottom and deserves his run now. My only change: In – Beams, Out – Sidebottom. Some are suggesting giving Rusling, Reid, Nathan Brown and Dawes a run. Though I would like to get these guys in, the truth is that we have to get the wins on the board first, and the Pies can’t afford to take any team lightly so early in the year. Malthouse will still play his best 22 at this stage of the year. Melbourne’s selection is slightly tougher. The kids last week were not bad, but their senior players quite horrible. The truth is that if I were Bailey, I wouldn’t be making a stack of changes. Especially in regards to the kids. He has to give his side the chance to make amends for their first up effort. Find out which guys have the heart to rebound from that loss. But no doubt a few structural changes need to be made. Everyone is having a go at Strauss, but I feel sorry for the kid. Not many first gamers are entrusted with kicking-in duties. That’s a big ask for a kid who is a bit nervy on debut. Surely you get a more experienced player to take kick-ins. Maybe Bruce or MacDonald who were playing down back. A few Demons will be pressing for selection. Sylvia may be in line for recall and will face a test this week. Boy do they need him back. Jack Watts may be ready for recall. Guys like Martin or Garland may be rushed in to fill the Key Position voids that Miller and Warnock were unable to hold down last week. Maric and Bartram may be considered as well. I’d be getting Sylvia, Martin and Maric in. Obviously it depends on Sylvia proving his fitness first as they will not want to risk him. Perhaps Garland in for Warnock as well. Depends on how match fit Garland is. Newton has some good VFL form on his side as well which may earn him a recall up forward. I wonder if Bennell should hold his spot as well. Though he has a bit of pace and talent, I wonder if he is a bit soft for Collingwood’s physical game. They will most likely persist with him. Ins: Sylvia, Martin, Maric Outs: Dunn, Spencer, Bate Martin can backup ruck I suppose, and play forward and back. Maric is at least a talent and forward option whilst Sylvia is a no-brainer. Dunn and Spencer offered nothing. Tactics What can Melbourne do? First of all, Melbourne needs to get their forward line settled. My first move would be to get Brad Green up there permanently. He is the one guy in the Melbourne list I have a lot of respect for. He was so brave last week. After getting stretchered off following a sickening collision, he was back on before half time and was probably one of his side’s best in the 2nd half. He really knows how to play a forward role, and his kicking is phenomenal. I’d be structuring the forward line around him. Miller is on his last chance. His career hangs by a thread. If he is not going to get opportunity up forward, then he has to find other ways to have an impact. I’d be putting him at CHF and telling him to run crash every pack. I’d probably be starting Martin up forward as well. Miller was horrible last week. If he fails this week, then he should be banished to VFL for the rest of the year. The Demons needs a senior player to list, and having a hot wife is not a reason to get a game. It was good to see Aaron Davey start up forward. I think the Demons need more of this. Getting Maric up there makes them a bit more dangerous as well. At least he can crumb to the contests the talls make. Petterd is a good leading forward and has a real dip. I liked the look of Scully across half back and this is probably where he should start. Trengove needs to be protected a bit, but will start on the ball. Melbourne really needs Nathan Jones to have a big one. He was quiet last week. He is a tough player with good size, so he needs to insert himself. Following the incident last year with his Dad, I’m sure Jones will be keen to have a big game against Collingwood. Sylvia will also be required to play on the ball straight away. I think Bruce should play on the dangerous Medhurst, and run off him. Medhurst is prone to allowing his opponent plenty of the ball. I think Bruce has to help out down back, but they definitely need him in the game as well. The other option is to play him on Cloke. Cloke leads high up the ground, so you need someone with pace to go with him. It also means Bruce is kept in the play as opposed to in a back pocket. Match-ups: The most important matchup for the Demons I believe is Dane Swan. Looking back through his stats against Melbourne in recent history, it’s simply ridiculous how much of the ball he gets against Melbourne (yet never polls votes). And I don’t want to hear that he is not effective with the ball. Swan was dominant last week. He used the ball well, went forward to kick goals and was the assist to a number of others as well. The guy is a work-horse, and will punish you if left loose. Leave him alone at your own peril. Swan v McDonald – The Demons Captain was good last week and was one of the only senior players to step up. I doubt McDonald will have the tank to run with Swan the whole game, so he may need a chop out from Moloney. McDonald maintained Mitchell last week and had 21 disposals of his own. Medhurst or Cloke v Bruce – As I said above, this seems like a good matchup to me. Bruce can run off Medhurst but should have him covered in the air. Medhurst seems back to his best, and may now be Collingwood’s number 1 forward option. Otherwise they may elect to use Bruce on Cloke for the reasons I said above. Petterd v Toovey – Petterd is one of Melbourne’s most dangerous forward options. He plays the lead up role, which Toovey will be suited to. Anthony v Frawley – Frawley is an improving defender. I think his best position is full back however. Jack is not a noted contested mark, so Frawley should be able to break-even there. It is also pretty even on a lead as well, and Jack spends most of his time inside 50. Leigh Brown v Warnock– Will depend how Melbourne elect to set up down back. If Warnock holds his spot, he’ll go to Brown. Leigh will play forward this week considering the lack of talls for Melbourne. He may be swung down back if Jamar goes there, but Jamar will be needed 90% in the ruck. The other options for Melbourne are Garland or Martin if they are named. Green v O’Brien – This is a massive matchup for Collingwood. If the Pies can shut down Green, then they are half way there. Green will be pumped up for his 200th and will spend time through the middle if needed. But up forward, Harry’s pace and agility should be a good match for Green. Davey v Johnson – Ben Johnson is coming off a pretty good game, so will hold his spot. Is most likely to get the job on the dangerous Davey. Harry might get this matchup due to his ability to shut down a player, which would leave Maxwell to get the job on Green. Stopping Collingwood’s small forwards is going to be the issue for Melbourne. Didak v Moloney – Didak will most likely go to the forward-line with this matchup. That is because Moloney is a big body and it takes him away from the midfield. Davis v Bennell – I like this matchup for Collingwood as Davis has experience and size on his side. Bennell looked after Hooper last week to no avail. If Bruce goes to Cloke, then I think Rivers will go to Medhurst. The lack of small defensive options may require Cheney to be called up into the senior side. Ball v Jones – Most likely a head to head matchup. DaVe’s Soapbox The issue for the week that I would like to talk about is the inconsistency in the bump rule. I’m not going to get into it in too much detail because quite simply, I don’t understand it. All I can say is that I didn’t see much difference in the Colin Sylvia bump compared to the Malceski bump. The major difference is that Sylvia copped a broken jaw out of it. It’s time the AFL makes an actual statement about it to the public. What is the rule?? Is all head high contact out? Or is it simply when a player runs off the line? Fantasy Prospects I’m wishing I put Dane Swan in my team right now. The truth is that I thought Pendlebury would atleast hold for the first few rounds, but he looked a bit short of a gallop last week. Melbourne is one of Swan’s favourite sides, so you would have no hesitation putting the C on Swanny’s name this week. That said, I’m hoping Pendles turns it around this week as he should not get a tag. Aaron Davey – If you have Davey, then he should play quite well for you this week. Usually gets a bit of the ball against the Pies. Luke Ball – I think he’ll bounce back this week and get around 25 disposals along with 6 tackles. He and Jolly will both have better games. Colin Sylvia – Let’s hope for fantasy sake that he is eased back so he drops in price a bit. But I doubt it will be the case. He’ll be left pretty loose by Collingwood and should rack it up. The Final Wrap Up Well Melbourne has a huge opportunity to make amends for their Round 1 disappointment. Bailey has promised a tougher Melbourne this week. Let’s hope so for the sake of the game, because Collingwood look in red hot form. The spotlight will be on the high draft picks as always, but I think all the pressure is on guys like Bruce, Jones, Miller, Moloney and Jamar to lift. Jamar in particular will have his work cut out against Jolly and Fraser. Ultimately, it’s hard to see Collingwood losing this game. But they should not go in complacent. In my opinion, this game is one of the most important for Collingwood this year. It is equally as important as the Doggies game last week. A shock loss basically undoes all the hard work done last week. If Collingwood is serious about making the top 4, then it has to dispose of the lower ranked teams comfortably. I will break from tradition this week and tip the Pies. Collingwood by 40, after a spirited first half. The Pies will have the legs to put the game to bed in the 2nd half. But I think the Dee’s will make a better showing. By David Natoli Aka DaVe86

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hahaha, i refuse to tip Collingwood ever again. Not once in the last 2 years have they won when I've tipped them. So I'm doing my bit for the team and tipping against them. Thanks for having me back guys. I'd like to stress the point at the end that I'm hoping for good crowd behaviour on Monday. These public holidays are notorious for drunken louts ruining the day. I for one hope Nathan Jones' dad can feel safe going to the game on Monday...and hope all other supporters can enjoy the day with little fuss. melbourne fans, i urge you to make it. Not cracking 60K last year was a disgrace...largely because Collingwood fans didnt turn up (melbourne fans were mostly there) Hopefully this year we can push 70. But that means you guys have to do your bit as well.

Hi guys, hopefully you remember me from my Round 2 preview. Here is this weeks match preview ------------------ For the 2nd time in 2009, Collingwood meet Melbourne at the MCG. Collingwood are coming off the back of 2 consecutive wins, which is the first time the club has managed this in 2009. Melbourne on the other hand have lost their last 6, however have clearly had the toughest draw in this period of any other club. In fact, despite sitting at the bottom of the ladder, Melbourne is actually playing some respectable footy. The past 6 losses have been to St.Kilda, Hawthorn, Western Bulldogs, West Coast (in Perth), Geelong and Adelaide (in Adelaide). Facing Collingwood this round, Melbourne has now played 6 of the top 8 teams from last year in the past 7 rounds, and 3 of the top 4 sides in 2009. That’s a horror draw. Collingwood have played only 4 of those sides so far this year and has lost to 3 of them. So perhaps Melbourne are not going as badly as their ladder position suggests. Most importantly, these 2 clubs are playing in the traditional Monday Queen’s Birthday clash…a game Melbourne have an uncanny ability to lift for. I suppose for the Demons, this is the biggest Home and Away clash and their biggest chance to play in front of a large crowd. On the other hand, Collingwood has seemingly lacked motivation in the recent QB encounters, leading coach Mick Malthouse to declare the club was suffering from ‘Blockbuster fatigue’ following the game last year. For Collingwood, who now have the top 4 back in their sites, Monday’s match is an 8 point clash. Let’s face it, and I apologise to Demons supporters reading this, but in such an even competition, no team can afford to drop games against Melbourne. That should be the one game the top 8 sides pencil in as a win every year. And fortunately for Collingwood, they get to face the Demons twice in the first half of the year. These sides have played each other twice in the same year only on one occasion this decade (Round 20, 2007). So this is a huge opportunity for Collingwood to really play themselves into form and go into the mid-season break full of momentum and pushing for top 4. A win would mean 3 on the trot, a feat which seemed unlikely a month ago. But Melbourne will not lie down. The Saints had difficulty dispensing with the Demons in the first half, as did Geelong and Hawthorn, whilst Western Bulldogs only scraped across the line in a game the Demons dominated. So they will come out fired up and will most likely give the Magpies real head-aches early. The test for the Demons is to sustain that sort of intensity over 4 quarters. At this stage they don’t have the experience in their 22 to do that. Recent History Melbourne looked set to give Collingwood a scare in Round 2 earlier this year. They were 13 points up at quarter time, and only 7 down at half time. However, it was an Alan Didak, Dane Swan and John Anthony inspired 2nd half surge that saw the Magpies run away with the game as 53 point winners. Josh Fraser was also fantastic with 26 hitouts and 25 disposals in a game he rucked solo. Swan was the leading disposal getter with 33, whilst Didak and Pendlebury had 29 and 26 respectively. For the Demons, Davey was probably the best player with 31 disposals, whilst Bruce gained 30 and Nathan Jones 26 (a day he would probably like to forget for the post match incident) Collingwood have won the previous 3 encounters against Melbourne, and the past 2 QB matches. However, prior to this it was Melbourne who had won 4 Queen’s Birthday matches on the trot. Brock McLean usually enjoys playing against Collingwood and always figures predominantly in the possession count. However, he was quiet in Round 2, but is now in much better form. The Teams, Injury News and Selection For the first time in a long time, Collingwood is injury free. Medhurst remains the only player on the injury list, but is down as a test and has been training freely. He is in line for selection. Didak and Thomas made successful returns last week, whilst Josh Fraser seems as though he is gradually recovering from his knee injury. Travis Cloke has recovered from his hamstring injury but may not be brought straight back into the senior lineup. Rocca and Johnson are off the injury list as well, but will most likely require VFL time to rebuild match fitness. Sean Rusling also returns from his cheekbone injury and can re-start his bid to return to the senior side after terrible shoulder issues. This weeks selection takes on a totally different challenge. For the first time in weeks, it is actually fitting players in that is the hard part. Of recent times, it has been a matter of selecting whoever is fit enough to put on the boots. The major question mark I believe hovers over whether the coaching staff are willing to bring Medhurst and Cloke straight into the senior lineup. Personally, I am of the strong opinion that Paul Medhurst should be a guarantee to play if he is declared fit. Medhurst was in great form before his injury and is a vital cog in the Collingwood forward line. He is the only All Australian player from 2008, and was the Magpie’s leading goal-kicker. Though it will be unlucky to whomever he replaces, the fact is that Medhurst is in the 5 players in the club and should be an automatic selection. I am not as stubborn on Cloke. Though Cloke remains an important player, he brings no form whatsoever to the table. There were calls for him to be dropped prior to his hamstring injury. In fact many believe that it was a good thing Cloke was injured because it saved the club having to drop him. Therefore, coming off a hamstring injury, he may be required to regain touch in the VFL. The other factor here is that Collingwood has a bye the week after before travelling to Sydney. This means that the club can get match fitness into certain players in the VFL if necessary. Perhaps the club will go ultra-cautious on both Medhurst and Cloke and play them in the VFL next week. Or conversely, the club may chose to include the 2 and use the split round to give them a 2 week break to recover from their return game. I’d be making the 1 change. In: Medhurst Out: Cox Though I am his harshest critic, I thought Cox was fantastic last week. I just think it would be the wise move to go in with the most attacking lineup and look to build on the good form from last week. Cox ultimately is a loose man in defence type player, a role that Maxwell and Shaw already play. The other option is to give Presti or Nathan Brown a rest considering the Demons lack many Key Position forwards. Rocca should not return. His selection would mean that Leigh Brown would have to be omitted. Though I am no Leigh Brown fan, he played a great game last week, and atleast offers more options around the ground. I would leave Steele Sidebottom in the side despite only notching up 12 disposals last week. I thought his 12 disposals were very clean, he kicked a goal, and looks a real prospect worth getting more gametime into. The Demons on the other hand look set to unleash their prized number 1 draft pick Jack Watts. Melbourne has pretty much confirmed he will be a certain starter on Queen’s Birthday, despite the fact he has VCE exams only days later. The whole football world has been waiting to see Jack Watts, and hopefully a good crowd comes out to see this guy make his debut. In what seems like a really strong draft, Watts was a slightly controversial selection but has all the makings to be one of the stars of the comp. In other selection news, Russel Robertson must be in line for recall after kicking 3 goals 6 in the VFL last week. I doubt Robbo will be that inaccurate too often, so his forward line presence would be a positive influence on young Watts. Young Kyle Cheney may also get a senior recall after a strong performance in the 2’s last week. Cheney is a gutsy player who has impressed me in his few AFL games this year. Coming off 6 straight losses, regardless of who the opposition are, Melbourne should be dropping the players who have not stood up against the better teams. I know its hard to expect too much from the youngsters against top 4 sides, but playing the best gives the best indication as to who is up to it and who is not. And what’s more, it is some of the more experienced players who have been underperforming. Brad Miller has had an ordinary fortnight after a good start to the year. He was quite good in Round 2 against Collingwood granted, but with Robbo and Watts to come into the side, it should be Miller who parts way. Bailey has indicated that he will be selecting his side based on form, and Miller’s last 2 weeks haven’t been good enough, where as a senior player he should’ve stepped up against the stronger sides. The skipper James McDonald is also struggling with a knee injury that looks likely to sideline him this round. I find it highly unlikely that the Demons will risk the veteran. I think there will be 3 changes minimum, so guys hanging onto their spots may be Whelan, Bell or Martin. I personally think Whelan is a good player and may be required on one of the Collingwood small forwards. A potential good matchup for Didak. So my prediction is: In: Cheney, Robertson, Watts Outs: Miller, Bell, McDonald Also keep an eye out for Liam Jurrah, former Collingwood VFL player, who has recently made his mark at the Demons and is closing in on selection. He was the Demons pre-season first round pick. Would be exciting for Demons fans to see their 2 number 1 picks named to debut in the 1 match. Matchups I always struggle with the Melbourne matchups. Their forward line is continually changing and unsettled, which in turn makes it very hard to set matchups. This has actually worked in the Demons favour in recent years as it has often caught Collingwood by surprise. Melbourne forward line: Maxwell v Watts – Think the Magpies should put the skipper on Watts first up and ensure that he is kept out of the game. The last thing Collingwood wants is the debutant to kick an early goal and get the fans into the game and give the Demons momentum. Robertson v Harry O’Brien – Harry is the most versatile defender and should be able to blanket Robbo who has been kicking goals, but lacking his usual effectiveness on games. Sylvia v Toovey – Think Collingwood should really keep an eye on Sylvia, who has really come of age over the last month. I sadi earlier that playing the best teams allows you to find out about your players. I think the Demons have finally found out that Sylvia has what it takes. It’s been a long time coming for Demons fans, but his form has been consistent and he winning a lot of the ball. Sylvia has been playing predominantly as a half forward flanker/midfielder. Toovey is potentially also an option for Robertson as he played on Ebert last week to great effect. However, I think we utilise Toovey’s speed and spoiling ability to keep Sylvia out of the game. Clarke v Maric – I think Clarke will start on Maric and look to run off him. Maric can be dangerous so Clarke will have to keep tight. That leaves Collingwood with dilemma’s over Prestigiacomo and Nathan Brown. If Miller is dropped, it leaves them no real opponent. I think Nathan Brown will be used on the resting ruckman. Jamar and Johnson can play forward, and without a real presence up there, I predict Bailey will rotate these guys up there. If Miller is dropped, then Presti could be used on Brad Green if he plays forward. However, I’m sure Melbourne would exploit this matchup by pushing him into the midfield. Could this be a case for resting Presti??? Perhaps as he has been suffering shoulder troubles and would get a fantastic 3 week rest with the split round ahead. Or the other option is to play him on Bate. Midfield: O’Bree v Mclean – Undoubtedly a head to head matchup. McLean, like Sylvia has played good footy over the last month. He is Melbourne’s in and under midfielder, and I think Malthouse will back in O’Bree to go head to head in the stoppages. Pendlebury v Morton – Cale Morton has probably been Melbourne’s best story this year. The coveted pick 4 last year has really come of age against the good sides and is establishing himself as a big ball winner with fantastic footskills. The Demons have been using him head to head against oppositions best midfielders. From what I could tell he started on Montagna last week. Pendlebury and Morton are probably similar in terms of height, build and each have good footskills. Could be a good matchup. Swan v Moloney – Swan is coming off a record 48 disposals against Port Adelaide, so I doubt the Demons will allow him to play that loose. He also towelled the Demons up in round 2. Perhaps Moloney will go onto Swan and play him tight. Would be a good matchup between 2 tough nuts. I think if McDonald plays, he will get this job. Thomas v Bruce – Dale was ok last week. Low on possessions, but got involved and helped swing momentum back to Collingwood. Bruce has not been in fantastic form throughout 2009, but is one to be watched none the less. He picked up 25 disposals last week. Wellingham v Davey – Aaron Davey is having a good year. Was tagged tightly last week by Clint Jones and has had to deal with more tags of late. Its his footskills that are worrying teams. Melbourne supporters are actually claiming he is the best kick in the comp at the moment. Given his incredible speed, Wellingham is probably the matchup here. Davey may try and get loose across half back, so I would be trying to keep him accountable. Collingwood Forward line Anthony v Warnock – Jack continues to kick multiple goals. He is yet to have a goalless game in his 21 game career. Warnock is a promising defender and may be called upon for this task. Didak v Whelan – I think until Didak regains match fitness, he will be used predominantly as a forward. Whelan has made his career out of playing on the small forwards, and is best suited for this role. Davis v Frawley – Davis is a tough matchup for Melbourne. Perhaps with Bartram in the side he would be the guy but I doubt he will be brought back in. Perhaps Frawley will get the run with job on Davis. Grimes v Lockyer – Jack Grimes has been another good news story for Melbourne to come out of the last month. The first round pick (obtained from the Wood trade), has been quick to make his mark after suffering injuries in his first year and early this year. He has been playing loose across half back and getting solid numbers. Might be a good idea to put the dangerous Lockyer onto him and see if he can be accountable. Medhurst (if fit) v Rivers – Rivers has not been in great form, but is probably the best matchup for him. Bennell v Dick – What an exciting matchup this would be. Bennell played as a small defender last week on Schneider. Dick is coming off his career best game, picking up 25 disposals and snagging a few goals. I think he will retain his spot despite the names pushing for selection. Ruck: Wood/Fraser v Jamar/Johnson – Fraser destroyed Johnson and Spencer in round 2, but Jamar’s return may unsettle Josh. That said, Cameron Wood is coming off 2 solid games where he has faced Cox, Lade and Brogan. I feel that if Melbourne are any hope, a lot of it has to come from their ruckmen. Typically Collingwood struggles against the bigger bodied ruckmen as Josh and Wood are skinny. Considering Josh is still slightly limited with his knee injury, his versatility around the ground has been slightly missing lately. I still think Collingwood would fancy themselves to win the ruck. The Wrap-Up Firstly, I’d just like to say to all Collingwood fans to be on best behaviour on Monday. Given it is a public holiday and against an arch enemy, there presents the possibility of a few drunken fans or aggressive supporters. After the terrible incident in Round 2 where Nathan Jones’ dad was bashed by an idiotic Collingwood fan, let’s just hope that as a support group, we can display ourselves in a better light on Monday. I feel Collingwood supporters as a group have improved dramatically in terms of behaviour in the last decade. However, incidents such as this one undo all the good work. Unfortunately a good man was hurt and Collingwood’s image was as well. I hope Mr. Jones is able to watch his son play this week and can feel safe. Melbourne, as always, will fancy themselves against the Pies. They have nothing to lose, and a win will not effect a potential priority draft pick at the end of the year. I think they will be looking to this game to boost the confidence on the youngsters. Playing Jack Watts might also give a boost. But ultimately I think Collingwood is beginning to kick into gear, and with a full list to chose from, the depth in the top 22 is far better than Melbourne’s. Melbourne is playing good attacking football and is troubling all sides, but is unable to sustain it over 4 quarters. That said, Collingwood has not played 4 quarters yet this year. It should be a good game. As I am no longer tipping Collingwood in my previews, I’ll go Melbourne by 3 points. By David Natoli aka DaVe86

Hi guys...you may have seen me post a bit here during the week. Im a pies fan. Just expressing my regret that this has happened. These guys are idiots who I don't even want supporting my club. These people should not be allowed in the footy, and hopefully they cop a terrible punishment. Collingwood have a bad reputation when it comes to supporters, but i was beginning to think that the tide was turning and we were on the verge or repairing that image. Unfortunately, incidents like this destroy our image. Hopefully, you guys see these 3 idiots as just that...idiots. This is about more than which club they support...but the fact that these people don't have a place in our society. I would not be associated with them...99.99% of people would not want a bar of them. I pass on my thoughts to the Jones family and hope Nathan's father recovers quickly and without complication. Listening to the press conference it soudns like he was beaten up pretty bad. I suppose as Collingwood supporter I want to say I'm sorry...but I look forward to the Queen's Birthday match which i hope can be an incident free game played and viewed in the right spirity

All a possibility. No doubt any side that plays Collingwood should try and move Presti out of FB. And as you say, if Bate stands at FF then presti will go to him. I don't think Presti is going to get dragged out much but. If Bate is leading high up the gruond we'll find another matchup. Presti will most likely stand his ground at full back. My concern is that we don't drop a tall defender. Presti will be out of place if we also have the other 5 defenders there as well. We need more run and a few small options. That's why im keen on Toovey holding his spot because he is a small defender. Getting Shaw back will help...Marty and Harry will have to play on smalls.

Fantastic post Doggo. Dropping Presti has been raised a number of times by Collingwood supporters. I hope we don't do it. I still think Presti should stand at Full Back and take whoever stands there. Whether it be Miller or Johnson or Martin etc. If Rocca is not back, I wouldn't even mind us switching Nathan Brown up forward to provide a target. We did this with effect against Carlton last year where he kicked 2 early goals. That would allow us to bring another runner into the side. Although Melbourne lacks key talls, Collingwood was exploited last week for been too tall. We had no run. I think Reid will be dropped. But instead of replacing him with another tall, we may look to bring in a small and swing Brown up forward if there is no suitable matchup down back. Think your matchups look great. Agree Maxwell will take either Green or Bruce.