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[VIDEO] Collingwood Magpies vs Hawthorn Hawks: AFL highlights, scores, blog

29th August, 2014
TEAMS

COLLINGWOOD
B Jackson Ramsay, Jack Frost, Ben Sinclair
HB Marley Williams, Lachlan Keeffe, Tony Armstrong
C Heritier Lumumba, Scott Pendlebury, Sam Dwyer
HF Steele Sidebottom, Corey Gault, Jarryd Blair
F Tyson Goldsack, Jesse White, Brodie Grundy
Fol Jarrod Witts, Josh Thomas, Tim Broomhead
I/C Alex Fasolo, Luke Ball, Paul Seedsman, Tom Langdon

HAWTHORN
B Josh Gibson, Brian Lake, Taylor Duryea
HB Sam Mitchell, Angus Litherland, Grant Birchall
C Bradley Hill, Will Langford, Liam Shiels
HF Luke Breust, Jonathon Ceglar, Isaac Smith
F Paul Puopolo, Jarryd Roughead, Jack Gunston
Fol David Hale, Jordan Lewis, Shaun Burgoyne
I/C Ryan Schoenmakers, Jonathan Simpkin, Matt Spangher, Brad Sewell

Time: 7:50pm (AEST)
Venue: MCG
TV: Seven Network (LIVE), Fox Footy (LIVE)
Betting: Collingwood $9.50, Hawthorn $1.07
Roar Guru
29th August, 2014
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6096 Reads

It’s the last chance for the Collingwood Magpies as they take on the second placed Hawthorn Hawks on Friday night footy to kick off the final round of the 2014 home and away season. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 7:50pm (AEST).

The equation for the Magpies is simple – they have to win if they want to play finals.

Despite spotty form, queries over coach Nathan Buckley’s ability and a daunting injury list, they’re not entirely without hope.

If they manage to pull off a big upset win and hope that Richmond doesn’t do the same against Sydney tomorrow then they’ll be in September for the ninth year running.

Hawthorn lost to top four fancies Fremantle a fortnight ago, but bounced back last week with a barnstorming second half that left rivals Geelong in the dust after they’d controlled the game in the early going.

The win may prove a double edged sword, with the boost to confidence coming at the cost of Matt Suckling, Ben Stratton and captain Luke Hodge set to miss tonight’s game through injury.

Taylor Duryea, Angus Litherland and Ryan Schoenmakers will take their place in the line-up.

The Pies copped a few more injuries in their reasonably gallant 8-point win over the Giants last weekend. These add to the list that is cutting a swathe through their line-up currently – Brent Macaffer suffering an ACL injury being the most worrying.

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Dane Swan and Clinton Young will also miss with hamstring issues.

Heritier Lumumba, Paul Seedsman return while Corey Gault will make his debut after three years on the Collingwood list. Gault is a 199cm key position prospect who was delisted and then rookie-listed at the end of last season and will no doubt be determined to have an impact. He will most likely start forward with the ability to be swung back if necessary.

The other big news to come out of the Collingwood camp this year was the announcement of the impending retirment of two-club champion Luke Ball.

Ball would have required surgery to play on in 2015 and opted to bow out at the end of this season instead, giving the ‘Pies extra impetus to grab a win and try to extend his career – even for one more match.

The Pies still have a fair bit of quality on the field, but will be worried but the ominous signs Hawthorn showed last week.

Youngster Will Langford was a blonde ball of pure energy last weekend and blew the game open with his attack at the contest and manic will.

The Hawk forwards ran rampant in Hawthorn’s comfortable win against the Magpies earlier in the season and quelling the impact of Roughead, Gunston, Bruest, Puopolo and Hale will be a huge ask.

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Sadly for Collingwood fans, it’s extremely difficult to see them emerging victorious in this game.

Being belted by the likes of Brisbane in recent weeks is possibly the least ideal preparation for facing a team of the Hawks calibre with so much on the line.

Intense tackling pressure is the way to go if they are to hold the Hawks back – the Pies are second in the competition in tackles and the handball happy Hawks could possibly be exposed if the Pies attack with the right mindset.

But Hawthorn have won the last six matches against the Magpies and will no doubt march on to their seventh when the siren goes tonight.

Even if the Pies can restrict them, the ability of the Hawks to rapidly put damage on the scoreboard will be too much for the Pies to handle.

Hawthorn by 32.

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