Collingwood Magpies v West Coast Eagles: Full preview, teams, odds and how to watch Sunday's AFL action

Mick Stirling

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Collingwood Magpies v West Coast Eagles: Full preview, teams, odds and how to watch Sunday's AFL action image

Second v third!

WTF?

This time last year these two teams sat 15th (Collingwood) and ninth (West Coast) and the general consensus was they’d both slide further in 2018, but we’re seven weeks from September and they’re banging it out for a top-two spot.

But are they really contenders?

Ten of the Magpies’ 11 wins have come against teams currently 11th or lower on the ladder and all basically out of the finals equation. In the next seven rounds they have to face the rest of the current top five plus ninth-placed North Melbourne – so now the real stuff begins.

The Eagles were flying with a 10-1 result from the first half of their season, but they’ve lost three of their past four and play four of their last seven away from home.

Every win is vital for these two teams and Sunday’s match is effectively an eight-pointer.


HOW TO WATCH SUNDAY’S AFL ACTION

When they sorted out the schedule pre-season the big-wigs at Channel Seven obviously thought North Melbourne and Sydney would be travelling a bit better than these two, so there’s no free-to-air coverage in the eastern states. Fox Footy (channel 504) starts its coverage from 1.00pm AEST, 11.00am AWST - apparently even they’re getting tired of the pre-game nonsense from Dermott Brereton.

CAN I WATCH IT OVERSEAS?

If you’re still in Russia and need a break from pretending to be a Pom then crank up the AFL Live Pass app on your device and enjoy the action via the Fox coverage … which is really the Seven coverage … but rebranded as Fox … and then rebranded as AFL Live Pass… then credited to Telstra … but hey, it’s the footy!

AND THE RADIO?

Get out the device and find the app for SEN or AFL Nation and enjoy crystal clear AM coverage. Or find an old radio and pretend you’re in the trenches in World War Two, listening to crackly communications from headquarters as the Hun come over the top.


WHAT TIME IS THE GAME ON?

The ball is bounced at 1.10pm AEST, 11.10am AWST.

COLLINGWOOD MAGPIES’ LIKELY LINEUP

B: B.Maynard 37, B.Mihocek 41, J.Crisp 25
HB: T.Langdon 8, M.Scharenberg 12, J.Howe 38
C: C.Mayne 16, S.Pendlebury 10, T.Phillips 21
HF: J.De Goey 2, D.Moore 30, T.Varcoe 18
F: J.Thomas 24, M.Cox 46, J.Stephenson 35
R: B.Grundy 4, S.Sidebottom 22, T.Adams 13
Int: B.Crocker 39, B.Sier 36, L.Greenwood 19, J.Daicos 26,

WHAT’S IN THIS GAME FOR THE PIES?

Collingwood needs to knock off a contender and there’s no better chance than West Coast at the MCG. A win will make a top-four finish a better-than-even chance, and a top-two spot a real possibility, so this could be the Pies’ most important match in the lead up to finals.

KEY COLLINGWOOD PLAYERS

Will Hoskin-Elliott is likely to miss after hurting his knee early against Essendon and clearly struggling from that point, which severely hampers the Magpies’ damaging small-to-mid-sized forward brigade of Hoskin-Elliott, Josh Thomas, Jordan De Goey and Jaidyn Stephenson. If Travis Varcoe comes in he could cover the loss, while Darcy Moore’s inclusion will make things more difficult for the Eagles’ marking defenders.


WEST COAST EAGLES’ LIKELY LINEUP

B: S.Hurn 25, W.Schofield 31, B.Sheppard 5
HB: C.Masten 7, J.McGovern 20, L.Duggan 14
C: L.Jetta 23, E.Yeo 6, M.Hutchings 34
HF: L.Shuey 13, J.Darling 27, J.Cripps 15
F: W.Rioli 44, J.J.Kennedy 17, S.Lycett 29
R: N.Naitanui 9, J.Redden 8, A.Gaff 3
Int: D.Sheed 4, T.Cole 28, B. Ah Chee 41, N.Vardy 19

WHAT’S IN THIS GAME FOR THE EAGLES?

It’s not panic stations yet but the last four rounds have done a lot of damage to the good work West Coast put in through the first half of the season. Another loss will be four out of five and momentum will be down the toilet when they should be building speed on the run to September.

KEY WEST COAST PLAYERS

The Eagles could swing the changes despite coming off a good win against the Giants last week. If there’s any chance Josh Kennedy and Jack Darling can play then they’ll be named. The importance of the two key forwards has been shown only too graphically over the past month, and while West Coast needs them both fit for finals they don’t want to lose touch with the top four.


LAST FOUR MEETINGS

Rd18, 2017, Collingwood Magpies 13.15 (93) d West Coast Eagles 13.7 (85) at Etihad Stadium
Rd19, 2016, Collingwood Magpies 13.13 (91) d West Coast Eagles 11.6 (72) at the MCG
Rd6, 2016, West Coast Eagles 18.16 (124) d Collingwood Magpies 9.8 (62) at Subiaco Oval
Rd16, 2015, West Coast Eagles 11.21 (87) d Collingwood Magpies 7.14 (56) at Etihad Stadium

WHAT ARE THE ODDS?

Collingwood is a strong favourite at $1.46 compared to West Coast’s $2.75, but that could change drastically when teams are named later in the week. If Darling and/or Kennedy come in expect the Eagles’ odds to shorten.

Andrew Gaff’s year is getting better by the week and if you’ve left it too late to make a killing on his Brownlow odds (currently third favourite at $9.00) then get some money back here with the in-form midfielder paying $1.75 to amass 30 or more disposals. Money for jam.


WHO WILL WIN?

If West Coast gets its twin towers in up forward then I’d lean their way, but I have a feeling they might not get the clearance from the Eagles’ medicos.

Collingwood by 17 points.

Mick Stirling