TonyK
CibbuanoMatch preview: Collingwood v Western Bulldogs
September 10th 2006 01:46
COLLINGWOOD v WESTERN BULLDOGS
WHERE & WHEN: Elimination Final, MCG, 2.30 pm Sunday, 10 September
TV & RADIO: Channel Ten, ABC Radio, 3AW, Triple-M, NIRS
HEAD TO HEAD: Played: 138, Won: Collingwood - 99, Western Bulldogs - 38, Drawn: 1
LAST TIME: Collingwood 21.13 (139) def Western Bulldogs 16.9 (105), round nine, 2006 at the MCG. The Magpies had led all night in a tight contest but pulled away in the final term kicking 5.7 to 2.1 to win by 24 points with Anthony Rocca bagging five.
FINALS HEAD TO HEAD: Played: 4, Won: Collingwood - 4, Western Bulldogs - 0
LAST TIME IN A FINAL: Collingwood 19.10 (124) def. Footscray 6.19 (55), Elimination Final 1974, Waverley Park
HEAD TO HEAD AT THIS VENUE: Played: 18, Won: Collingwood - 12, Western Bulldogs - 6
LAST TIME AT THIS VENUE: Collingwood 21.13 (139) def Western Bulldogs 16.9 (105), round nine, 2006.
TAB SPORTSBET: Collingwood $1.42, Western Bulldogs $2.75
Collingwood has won their past three matches, but were lucky to get over the line against Port Adelaide, conceded 20 goals to a Carlton side which has collected its second wooden spoon in as many years and were sluggish against the Kangaroos last Sunday.
However, winning form is good form and the Magpies will take plenty of confidence going into today's elimination final against the Bulldogs.
More importantly the Pies will be encouraged by the return to form of forward Anthony Rocca who kicked six a fortnight ago against the Blues and was prominent against the Roos despite managing only one major.
You would expect Dogs full-back Brian Harris to take Rocca in a match-up that will be crucial to determing the outcome.
Harris has struggled of late against key forwards, having conceded eight goals to Essendon's Scott Lucas and the Saints Fraser Gehrig in the past fortnight.
The Magpies talls would be of concern to coach Rodney Eade.
The last time these two sides met back in round nine the Pies got over the line by 34 points, with Rocca and Chris Tarrant the chief destroyers with five and four goals respectively.
Tarrant returned to the Magpies side last Sunday against the Roos and gained some much needed confidence with 18 possessions, 11 marks and 3 goals.
There is no questioning his ability, its just a matter of which Chris Tarrant decides to turn up- he could prove to be the wildcard of this years finals series.
Today's elimination final is being billed as a battle between the Bulldogs run and the Pies talls, however Collingwood isn't lacking in the midfield department either.
The Pies had eight players with 20 plus possessions last Sunday and 5 players with 15 or more, and with impressive youngster Dale Thomas recalled at the expense of Sean Rusling Collingwood has another midfield option.
With both sides evenly matched through the middle, the ruck dual between Josh Fraser and Will Minson shapes as a key.
Fraser has been impressive this year and taken his game to a new level and his ability to push forward and provide another tall marking option against an undersized Dogs defence would be of concern to Eade.
The Pies have denied suggestions that there will be any late changes before the bounce, however rumours are circulating that Shane Wakelin could be a late omission- perhaps due to matchups against a small pacy Dogs forward line.
While the Magpies have played in two grand finals in recent times, this is the Bulldogs first finals campaign since 2000 and their form has been solid without being spectacular.
The Dogs have won two of their past three but conceded 18 goals to 15th-placed Essendon last Friday night.
The Bulldogs defence can't afford to be that leaky in the finals.
The Dogs have made just one the change with attacking midfielder Nathan Eagleton recalled at the expense of youngster Dylan Addison.
Eagleton is an important inclusion having collected 25 possessions and kicked three goals the last time these two sides met.
However, Brad Johnson is the key for a Dogs win.
Johnson has kicked 70 goals this year, an amazing feat for a small forward and his match-up with defender James Clement who is in All-Australian form will be pivotal to determining the Dogs fate.
Another key for the Dogs is vetern Scott West, who has been in career best form and one of the favourites for this year's Brownlow.
The seven-times best and fairest has been averaging 29 possessions a game this year and his ability to get the contested ball and feed the Dogs runners will be vital.
The likes of Ryan Griffen, Jordan McMahon, Adam Cooney and co need to carry the football, break the lines and get the ball in quick to their forwards.
With such a small forward line the Bulldogs can't afford to bomb the ball in long, otherwise it will be easy pickings for the Magpie defenders.
Veteran Rohan Smith announced he will retire at the end of the Bulldogs finals campaign, and will be stranded on 299 games should his side lose today, so getting the club legend to 300 games is sure to play a role.
However, if you need motivation to play finals football you shouldn't be playing the game.
Expect the football to be hot early and the Bulldogs to come out firing, but with a plethora of options up forward the Magpies talls should prove too much to bare for the young Dogs. Collingwood by 29 points.
COLLINGWOOD
B: Johnson, Lonie, H.Shaw
HB: Clement, Maxwell, Egan
C: Swan, O'Bree, Licuria
HF: Buckley, Rocca, Fraser
F: Didak, Tarrant, Holland
FOLL: Richards, Burns, Lockyer
I/C: Prestigiacomo, R.Shaw, Thomas, Wakelin
IN: Thomas
OUT: Rusling
EM: T.Cloke, Pendlebury, Rusling
WESTERN BULLDOGS
B: Griffen, Harris, Morris
HB: Wight, Hargrave, Gilbee
C: Eagleton, S.West, Ray
HF: Boyd, Johnson, Smith
F: Robbins, Grant, Giansiracusa
FOLL: Street, Cross, Cooney
I/C: Minson, McMahon, Montgomery, Power
IN: Eagleton
OUT: Addison
EM: Addison, Faulkner, Skipper
Field umpires: Kennedy, Allen, Jeffrey
WHERE & WHEN: Elimination Final, MCG, 2.30 pm Sunday, 10 September
TV & RADIO: Channel Ten, ABC Radio, 3AW, Triple-M, NIRS
HEAD TO HEAD: Played: 138, Won: Collingwood - 99, Western Bulldogs - 38, Drawn: 1
LAST TIME: Collingwood 21.13 (139) def Western Bulldogs 16.9 (105), round nine, 2006 at the MCG. The Magpies had led all night in a tight contest but pulled away in the final term kicking 5.7 to 2.1 to win by 24 points with Anthony Rocca bagging five.
FINALS HEAD TO HEAD: Played: 4, Won: Collingwood - 4, Western Bulldogs - 0
LAST TIME IN A FINAL: Collingwood 19.10 (124) def. Footscray 6.19 (55), Elimination Final 1974, Waverley Park
HEAD TO HEAD AT THIS VENUE: Played: 18, Won: Collingwood - 12, Western Bulldogs - 6
LAST TIME AT THIS VENUE: Collingwood 21.13 (139) def Western Bulldogs 16.9 (105), round nine, 2006.
TAB SPORTSBET: Collingwood $1.42, Western Bulldogs $2.75
Collingwood has won their past three matches, but were lucky to get over the line against Port Adelaide, conceded 20 goals to a Carlton side which has collected its second wooden spoon in as many years and were sluggish against the Kangaroos last Sunday.
However, winning form is good form and the Magpies will take plenty of confidence going into today's elimination final against the Bulldogs.
More importantly the Pies will be encouraged by the return to form of forward Anthony Rocca who kicked six a fortnight ago against the Blues and was prominent against the Roos despite managing only one major.
You would expect Dogs full-back Brian Harris to take Rocca in a match-up that will be crucial to determing the outcome.
Harris has struggled of late against key forwards, having conceded eight goals to Essendon's Scott Lucas and the Saints Fraser Gehrig in the past fortnight.
The Magpies talls would be of concern to coach Rodney Eade.
The last time these two sides met back in round nine the Pies got over the line by 34 points, with Rocca and Chris Tarrant the chief destroyers with five and four goals respectively.
Tarrant returned to the Magpies side last Sunday against the Roos and gained some much needed confidence with 18 possessions, 11 marks and 3 goals.
There is no questioning his ability, its just a matter of which Chris Tarrant decides to turn up- he could prove to be the wildcard of this years finals series.
Today's elimination final is being billed as a battle between the Bulldogs run and the Pies talls, however Collingwood isn't lacking in the midfield department either.
The Pies had eight players with 20 plus possessions last Sunday and 5 players with 15 or more, and with impressive youngster Dale Thomas recalled at the expense of Sean Rusling Collingwood has another midfield option.
With both sides evenly matched through the middle, the ruck dual between Josh Fraser and Will Minson shapes as a key.
Fraser has been impressive this year and taken his game to a new level and his ability to push forward and provide another tall marking option against an undersized Dogs defence would be of concern to Eade.
The Pies have denied suggestions that there will be any late changes before the bounce, however rumours are circulating that Shane Wakelin could be a late omission- perhaps due to matchups against a small pacy Dogs forward line.
While the Magpies have played in two grand finals in recent times, this is the Bulldogs first finals campaign since 2000 and their form has been solid without being spectacular.
The Dogs have won two of their past three but conceded 18 goals to 15th-placed Essendon last Friday night.
The Bulldogs defence can't afford to be that leaky in the finals.
The Dogs have made just one the change with attacking midfielder Nathan Eagleton recalled at the expense of youngster Dylan Addison.
Eagleton is an important inclusion having collected 25 possessions and kicked three goals the last time these two sides met.
However, Brad Johnson is the key for a Dogs win.
Johnson has kicked 70 goals this year, an amazing feat for a small forward and his match-up with defender James Clement who is in All-Australian form will be pivotal to determining the Dogs fate.
Another key for the Dogs is vetern Scott West, who has been in career best form and one of the favourites for this year's Brownlow.
The seven-times best and fairest has been averaging 29 possessions a game this year and his ability to get the contested ball and feed the Dogs runners will be vital.
The likes of Ryan Griffen, Jordan McMahon, Adam Cooney and co need to carry the football, break the lines and get the ball in quick to their forwards.
With such a small forward line the Bulldogs can't afford to bomb the ball in long, otherwise it will be easy pickings for the Magpie defenders.
Veteran Rohan Smith announced he will retire at the end of the Bulldogs finals campaign, and will be stranded on 299 games should his side lose today, so getting the club legend to 300 games is sure to play a role.
However, if you need motivation to play finals football you shouldn't be playing the game.
Expect the football to be hot early and the Bulldogs to come out firing, but with a plethora of options up forward the Magpies talls should prove too much to bare for the young Dogs. Collingwood by 29 points.
COLLINGWOOD
B: Johnson, Lonie, H.Shaw
HB: Clement, Maxwell, Egan
C: Swan, O'Bree, Licuria
HF: Buckley, Rocca, Fraser
F: Didak, Tarrant, Holland
FOLL: Richards, Burns, Lockyer
I/C: Prestigiacomo, R.Shaw, Thomas, Wakelin
IN: Thomas
OUT: Rusling
EM: T.Cloke, Pendlebury, Rusling
WESTERN BULLDOGS
B: Griffen, Harris, Morris
HB: Wight, Hargrave, Gilbee
C: Eagleton, S.West, Ray
HF: Boyd, Johnson, Smith
F: Robbins, Grant, Giansiracusa
FOLL: Street, Cross, Cooney
I/C: Minson, McMahon, Montgomery, Power
IN: Eagleton
OUT: Addison
EM: Addison, Faulkner, Skipper
Field umpires: Kennedy, Allen, Jeffrey
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