TonyK
CibbuanoRound eleven preview: Melbourne v Collingwood
June 7th 2009 14:12
VENUE and TIME: MCG, Monday 8 June, 2.10pm (AEST)
HEAD TO HEAD: Played: 222: Melbourne 79, Collingwood 139, Drawn 4
LAST TIME: Collingwood 17.15 (117) d Melbourne 10.4 (64) at the MCG, Round 2, 2009
RECENT HISTORY: The Magpies have won their past three matches against Melbourne.
MEDICAL ROOM: The Pies welcome back key forward Travis Cloke from a hamstring injury but are still without Paul Medhurst (ankle), Anthony Rocca (groin) and Ben Johnson (broken leg). For the Demons, promising defender Colin Garland is sidelined indefinitely with a foot injury while lively small forward Austin Wonaeamirri (knee) and Simon Buckley (quad) are also unavailable. Sam Blease (fractured leg) and John Meesen (foot) are out for the season.
FORM: Collingwood has got its season back on track with back-to-back wins over West Coast and Port Adelaide. The Magpies have won five of their first ten matches and will move into the top eight if they defeat Melbourne on Monday. Melbourne was competitive early against ladder leaders St Kilda but fell away badly in the second half as the Saints cruised to a solid 37-point win. The Demons are languishing in bottom spot with just one win for the year.
KEY MATCH-UPS: James McDonald vs. Dane Swan
Swan was instrumental in the win over the Power, racking up a staggering 48 possessions and booting one goal.
The 25-year-old was also damaging in the Magpies’ 53-point win over Melbourne in round two, helping himself to a game-high 33 disposals and one goal.
Swan provides the Pies with plenty of drive through the middle - he is ranked first in the AFL for total kicks and sixth for total inside 50’s.
If Melbourne is going to have any hope of containing the Pies’ multi-pronged attack they will need to quell the influence of Swan.
With the Demons usual first-choice midfield stopper in Clint Bartram still out of the side, you would expect McDonald who has been used in run with roles in the past, to line-up on Swan in what shapes as being a pivotal duel.
McDonald, who is effective at winning the football at the stoppages, will need to be proactive and get his hands on the football in order to make Swan accountable.
Harry O’Brien vs. Russell Robertson
Robertson starred in Melbourne’s last win over Collingwood in round 11, 2007, booting seven goals to help lift his side to a 13-point victory.
The enigmatic 30-year-old has shown glimpses of his best in the four games he has played this season and the Demons will need a four-quarter performance from him if they are going to record just their second win of the year.
O’Brien has the ability to match Robertson in the air and also at ground level, so you would expect him to line-up on the dangerous Demons veteran.
In last weekend’s loss to the Saints Melbourne entered inside their forward line just 33 times.
If Robertson is going to have any hope of having an impact he will need his midfield to lift their work-rate at the stoppages and move the football quickly inside 50.
Matthew Warnock vs. John Anthony
Anthony continued his consistent start to the season against Port, booting four goals to take his season tally to 24 majors from nine games.
The 21-year-old was his side's most productive forward when these two teams met earlier in the year with four goals.
Warnock has shown some promising signs in his 31-game career and will most likely be given first crack at Anthony on Monday afternoon.
In the round two clash the Magpies entered inside their forward 50 a staggering 64 times.
Warnock will need his teammates to apply immense pressure and prevent the Magpies midfield from delivering the football inside 50 cleanly otherwise Anthony could have a day out.
Brad Dick vs. Aaron Davey
Davey has been below his best in the past fortnight, racking up just 17 and 19 possessions in losses to Hawthorn and the Saints - well down on his season average of 23.8 disposals per game.
When Davey is up and firing he is able to hurt sides with his clean use of the football.
Collingwood will be keen to curtail his influence as the Demons will struggle to receive enough quality supply to have any chance of kicking a winning score if Davey doesn’t have an impact.
Dick played his best game for the Magpies last weekend, racking up 25 possessions and kicking three goals.
The promising 20-year-old has the pace to match Davey and looms as the obvious candidate to be used in an attacking run with role.
The Magpies will need Dick to deny Davey any time or space in which to dispose of the football cleanly and also push forward at every available opportunity and try and hurt the Demons star on the scoreboard.
VERDICT: Melbourne may have won six out of 10 Queen's Birthday clashes against Collingwood since this match was reinstated in 1999 but the Magpies are starting to hit their straps and should have too much firepower for a Demons side that has been competitive but simply doesn’t know how to win a game of football at the moment. Expect Dean Bailey’s men to stick with the Magpies for the first half before the Pies’ class come to the fore. Magpies by 42 points.
MELBOURNE v COLLINGWOOD
Melbourne
B: Matthew Whelan, Matthew Warnock, Daniel Bell
HB: James Frawley, Jared Rivers, Aaron Davey
C: Jack Grimes, Cale Morton, Brock McLean
HF: Colin Sylvia, Russell Robertson, Jack Watts
F: Brad Green, Matthew Bate, Cameron Bruce
Foll: Mark Jamar, Brent Moloney, James McDonald
I/C: Paul Johnson, Addam Maric, Nathan Jones, Kyle Cheney
Emg: Jamie Bennell, Lynden Dunn, Michael Newton
In: Robertson, Watts, Cheney
Out: Brad Miller, Stefan Martin, Jamie Bennell
Collingwood
B: Harry O’Brien, Simon Prestigiacomo, Shannon Cox
HB: Nick Maxwell, Leigh Brown, Sharrod Wellingham
C: Brad Dick, Tarkyn Lockyer, Dale Thomas
HF: Scott Pendlebury, Travis Cloke, Leon Davis
F: Alan Didak, John Anthony, Heath Shaw
Foll: Josh Fraser, Dane Swan, Shane O’Bree
I/C: Nathan Brown, Martin Clarke, Steele Sidebottom, Alan Toovey
Emg: Paul Medhurst, Ben Reid, Cameron Wood
In: Cloke
Out: Cameron Wood
HEAD TO HEAD: Played: 222: Melbourne 79, Collingwood 139, Drawn 4
LAST TIME: Collingwood 17.15 (117) d Melbourne 10.4 (64) at the MCG, Round 2, 2009
RECENT HISTORY: The Magpies have won their past three matches against Melbourne.
MEDICAL ROOM: The Pies welcome back key forward Travis Cloke from a hamstring injury but are still without Paul Medhurst (ankle), Anthony Rocca (groin) and Ben Johnson (broken leg). For the Demons, promising defender Colin Garland is sidelined indefinitely with a foot injury while lively small forward Austin Wonaeamirri (knee) and Simon Buckley (quad) are also unavailable. Sam Blease (fractured leg) and John Meesen (foot) are out for the season.
FORM: Collingwood has got its season back on track with back-to-back wins over West Coast and Port Adelaide. The Magpies have won five of their first ten matches and will move into the top eight if they defeat Melbourne on Monday. Melbourne was competitive early against ladder leaders St Kilda but fell away badly in the second half as the Saints cruised to a solid 37-point win. The Demons are languishing in bottom spot with just one win for the year.
KEY MATCH-UPS: James McDonald vs. Dane Swan
Swan was instrumental in the win over the Power, racking up a staggering 48 possessions and booting one goal.
The 25-year-old was also damaging in the Magpies’ 53-point win over Melbourne in round two, helping himself to a game-high 33 disposals and one goal.
Swan provides the Pies with plenty of drive through the middle - he is ranked first in the AFL for total kicks and sixth for total inside 50’s.
If Melbourne is going to have any hope of containing the Pies’ multi-pronged attack they will need to quell the influence of Swan.
With the Demons usual first-choice midfield stopper in Clint Bartram still out of the side, you would expect McDonald who has been used in run with roles in the past, to line-up on Swan in what shapes as being a pivotal duel.
McDonald, who is effective at winning the football at the stoppages, will need to be proactive and get his hands on the football in order to make Swan accountable.
Harry O’Brien vs. Russell Robertson
Robertson starred in Melbourne’s last win over Collingwood in round 11, 2007, booting seven goals to help lift his side to a 13-point victory.
The enigmatic 30-year-old has shown glimpses of his best in the four games he has played this season and the Demons will need a four-quarter performance from him if they are going to record just their second win of the year.
O’Brien has the ability to match Robertson in the air and also at ground level, so you would expect him to line-up on the dangerous Demons veteran.
In last weekend’s loss to the Saints Melbourne entered inside their forward line just 33 times.
If Robertson is going to have any hope of having an impact he will need his midfield to lift their work-rate at the stoppages and move the football quickly inside 50.
Matthew Warnock vs. John Anthony
Anthony continued his consistent start to the season against Port, booting four goals to take his season tally to 24 majors from nine games.
The 21-year-old was his side's most productive forward when these two teams met earlier in the year with four goals.
Warnock has shown some promising signs in his 31-game career and will most likely be given first crack at Anthony on Monday afternoon.
In the round two clash the Magpies entered inside their forward 50 a staggering 64 times.
Warnock will need his teammates to apply immense pressure and prevent the Magpies midfield from delivering the football inside 50 cleanly otherwise Anthony could have a day out.
Brad Dick vs. Aaron Davey
Davey has been below his best in the past fortnight, racking up just 17 and 19 possessions in losses to Hawthorn and the Saints - well down on his season average of 23.8 disposals per game.
When Davey is up and firing he is able to hurt sides with his clean use of the football.
Collingwood will be keen to curtail his influence as the Demons will struggle to receive enough quality supply to have any chance of kicking a winning score if Davey doesn’t have an impact.
Dick played his best game for the Magpies last weekend, racking up 25 possessions and kicking three goals.
The promising 20-year-old has the pace to match Davey and looms as the obvious candidate to be used in an attacking run with role.
The Magpies will need Dick to deny Davey any time or space in which to dispose of the football cleanly and also push forward at every available opportunity and try and hurt the Demons star on the scoreboard.
VERDICT: Melbourne may have won six out of 10 Queen's Birthday clashes against Collingwood since this match was reinstated in 1999 but the Magpies are starting to hit their straps and should have too much firepower for a Demons side that has been competitive but simply doesn’t know how to win a game of football at the moment. Expect Dean Bailey’s men to stick with the Magpies for the first half before the Pies’ class come to the fore. Magpies by 42 points.
MELBOURNE v COLLINGWOOD
Melbourne
B: Matthew Whelan, Matthew Warnock, Daniel Bell
HB: James Frawley, Jared Rivers, Aaron Davey
C: Jack Grimes, Cale Morton, Brock McLean
HF: Colin Sylvia, Russell Robertson, Jack Watts
F: Brad Green, Matthew Bate, Cameron Bruce
Foll: Mark Jamar, Brent Moloney, James McDonald
I/C: Paul Johnson, Addam Maric, Nathan Jones, Kyle Cheney
Emg: Jamie Bennell, Lynden Dunn, Michael Newton
In: Robertson, Watts, Cheney
Out: Brad Miller, Stefan Martin, Jamie Bennell
Collingwood
B: Harry O’Brien, Simon Prestigiacomo, Shannon Cox
HB: Nick Maxwell, Leigh Brown, Sharrod Wellingham
C: Brad Dick, Tarkyn Lockyer, Dale Thomas
HF: Scott Pendlebury, Travis Cloke, Leon Davis
F: Alan Didak, John Anthony, Heath Shaw
Foll: Josh Fraser, Dane Swan, Shane O’Bree
I/C: Nathan Brown, Martin Clarke, Steele Sidebottom, Alan Toovey
Emg: Paul Medhurst, Ben Reid, Cameron Wood
In: Cloke
Out: Cameron Wood
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