There’s a lot on the line on Friday night as both clubs try to keep in the AFL finals picture.
PREVIEW OF COLLINGWOOD MAGPIES AND WESTERN BULLDOGS
Collingwood is being spoken of as a contender this year, but they’re sitting outside the top eight and a loss will have them 5-5 and hanging round the fringes.
The Western Bulldogs need to win just to get to 5-5 in what’s been a faltering campaign so far. Down the Magpies and the season’s alive, lose and the Dogs might as well start thinking about trades and the draft.
HOW TO WATCH FRIDAY NIGHT AFL ACTION
No Commonwealth Games, no royal weddings, just football as the main attraction – the way life should be!
If you can stand watching Dermott Brereton take himself seriously while simultaneously cackling like a 10-year-old anytime a co-commentator makes an insider reference, then tune to Fox Footy (channel 504) for the pre-match junk from 7pm AEST, while Channel 7 comes in to the equation at 7.30.
The Bulldogs stick it to the Pies! #AFLDogsPieshttps://t.co/eyd5SAbteO
— CrownBet.com.au (@crownbet) August 12, 2016
CAN I WATCH IT OVERSEAS?
If you can’t find anything better to do on that trip you paid thousands for, then tune your travel gadget to the game via either the Foxtel app or AFL Live Pass. I hear the Grand Canyon’s way overrated anyway.
AND THE RADIO?
As is always the case on a Friday night, all the AFL broadcasters are covering the match as the Pies v Dogs is the only game in town. Well, it’s the only game in Melbourne town – if you live in a far-flung city or a shack in the middle of the outback, there’s always radio apps on your phone or computer.
WHAT TIME IS THE GAME ON?
The ball is bounced at 7.50pm AEST, which is 7.20pm in Adelaide and 5.50pm in the wild West.
COLLINGWOOD MAGPIES’ LINEUP
B: F.Appleby 31, L.Dunn 15, J.Crisp 25
HB: T.Varcoe 18, M.Scharenberg 12, J.Howe 38
C: S.Sidebottom 22, S.Pendlebury 10, T.Phillips 21
HF: J.De Goey 2, B.Reid 20, W.Hoskin-Elliott 32
F: J.Thomas 24, M.Cox 46, J.Stephenson 35
R: B.Grundy 4, T.Adams 13, A.Treloar 7
Int:, C.Mayne 16, J.Daicos 26, L.Greenwood 19, T.Langdon 8
WHAT’S IN THIS GAME FOR THE MAGPIES?
Collingwood gained the football world’s attention when it smacked Adelaide in Adelaide, but that sparkling moment aside, it’s not been an overly impressive year for the Pies with their other wins coming against four of the bottom five clubs. A win against the Doggies would make it five of the six bottom sides, but at least it will keep Collingwood’s head above water as it steadies for the second half of the season.
KEY COLLINGWOOD PLAYERS
Every week a small Magpies forward or resting midfielder bobs up for a bag of goals, and it’s likely to happen again with defence not being the Bulldogs’ strong point. Expect a bag of five or more from either De Goey, Hoskin-Elliott, Thomas or, dare I say it, Chris Mayne.
A bag of tricks produces a career-high tally of six. Jordan De Goey was loving his time forward against the Saints. #FOREVER pic.twitter.com/HC3Os5QV4s
— Collingwood FC (@CollingwoodFC) May 20, 2018
WESTERN BULLDOGS’ LINEUP
B: M.Suckling 1, J.Trengove 8, H.Crozier 9
HB: B.Williams 34, Z.Cordy 12, E.Wood 10
C: J.Johannisen 39, M.Bontempelli 4, L.Hunter 7
HF: C.Daniel 35, , J.Schache 13, T.Dickson 29
F: L.Dahlhaus 6, T.Boyd 17, B.Gowers 26
R: J.Roughead 23, T.McLean 16, J.Macrae 11
Int: B.Dale 31, E.Richards 20, P.Lipinski 27, R.Smith 37
WHAT’S IN THIS GAME FOR THE BULLDOGS?
It’s now or never for the Doggies; win this and their AFL season’s alive, lose it and that’s two years lost after a premiership and questions about the list will become massive.
KEY WESTERN BULLDOGS PLAYERS
The midfield is everything with the Bulldogs, or more to the point, there’s not much to celebrate up forward or down back, so it’s Macrae, Bontempelli, McLean, Hunter and Dahlhaus that hold the key if they’re going to be a chance. On its day that group can win premierships, and they’ll be hoping that day isn’t in the past.
The Last Man Standing, starring Marcus Bontempelli. 😬#AFLDogsSwans pic.twitter.com/vX9CqJaFhh
— AFL (@AFL) April 14, 2018
LAST FOUR MEETINGS
Rd1, 2017, Western Bulldogs 15.10 (100) d Collingwood Magpies 12.14 (86) at the MCG
Rd21, 2016, Western Bulldogs 14.11 (95) d Collingwood Magpies 14.8 (92) at Etihad Stadium
Rd10, 2016, Western Bulldogs 11.8 (74) d Collingwood Magpies 7.11 (53) at the MCG
Rd17, 2015, Western Bulldogs 15.14 (104) d Collingwood Magpies 13.8 (86) at Etihad Stadium
WHAT ARE THE ODDS?
The faith in Collingwood – and the number of passionate fans willing to throw their hard-earned money at anything black and white – sees the Pies start the week strong favourites at $1.44 for the win compared to the Doggies’ $2.80. That in itself could make the Bulldogs worth a flutter.
And if it’s not enough to get you salivating, maybe go for Mayne to kick the first goal at $18.00 – if you don’t win the bet you’ll get your money back in the beers your mates will buy you for being such an idiot, I mean legend!
Alternatively, put the house on Macrae getting more than 30 disposals. It only pays $1.17 but it’s safer than the banks at the moment.
WHO WILL WIN?
There’s not really much that separates these two teams - Collingwood has beaten four of the bottom five, plus Adelaide. The Western Bulldogs have beaten four of the bottom five and no more.
This is the Magpies’ home game but it’s being played at Etihad Stadium – the Doggies’ home ground and not Collingwood’s favourite venue.
On top of that, the Bulldogs have walked away victors the last five times the two clubs have met, and it just feels like they could do it again.
Western Bulldogs by seven points.