What to expect
COLLINGWOOD will be out to claim their first big scalp of the season when they take on the Hawks at the MCG on Friday night.
The Pies will be confident of producing an upset against the reigning premiers after coming mightily close to knocking off Fremantle in Perth last week.
Smothering the Dockers with the relentless pressure they have made their hallmark this season, the Pies went down by seven points in a performance that impressed coach Nathan Buckley, despite the result.
“Our pressure was huge, I mean not many teams can withstand that onslaught of pressure for that long. So it’s a strong effort on our behalf to continue to put that on, and obviously by Freo to buffer it enough to get the win,” he said post-match.
The Magpies’ showing consolidated the coach’s confidence in the path his side is forging, regardless of suggestions that they have capitalised on one of the competition’s more comfortable draws this season.
“I’ve said quite often external opinion is quite fickle… but internally on our measures and on the way that we went about it we think that we’re tracking in the right direction.
“We’re going about our footy the right way. And we forced a pretty good side to have to dig deep to get the win.”
Improvement in the Pies efficiency and decision-making were key areas Buckley identified if they are to be a chance of getting over the top of Hawthorn.
“We went inside fifty 40 times and scored 18, and we just couldn’t get maximum effect for our inside (50)’s. Freo were able to slow us down through the midfield enough to get their drop-off player to influence. We could have been a bit braver through the midfield – with our (ball) use.”
Players to watch
Despite being held goalless in the loss to Fremantle, Travis Cloke will be hoping to recapture the mid-season form that saw him boot 12 goals in two weeks, as he takes on a Hawks defence that will be without James Frawley.
Cloke currently leads the competition for contested marks and sits seventh in the race for the Coleman Medal.
Small forward Jamie Elliott is having his best season to date, averaging more than two goals a game, including bags of five against North Melbourne and Gold Coast Suns. Elliott ranks second behind only Travis Cloke at the Pies for marks this season and will prove a handful for the Hawks defensive unit come Friday night.
Potential changes
Collingwood has ruled out Tyson Goldsack with knee tendinitis, meaning the Pies will need to make at least one change.
Jesse White may find himself under pressure after only two marks and nine disposals at 56 per cent efficiency against the Dockers.
Developing key forward Darcy Moore looms as an outside chance to debut after kicking three goals for the Pies’ VFL side.
Ben Reid gathered 24 disposals and took 13 marks in three quarters playing in the VFL on the weekend and could be a chance.
But he sat out of the game’s final quarter after suffering a knock to the calf, and may be given an extra week at VFL level.
Midfielder Levi Greenwood completed his second reserves game in his return from an ankle injury, while others to impress in the VFL included Brayden Maynard, Matt Scharenberg and Ben Kennedy.
Meanwhile, Brodie Grundy has recovered from the neck injury that had previously kept him out, but Collingwood could again take the conservative approach and hold the ruckman back an extra week.
