Collingwood is in red hot form after two impressive performances against Essendon and genuine premiership contender Sydney, and will need to continue it when they meet Hawthorn at the MCG tonight. We’ll have live scores from 7.50pm AEST.
The Magpies have found their mojo and will be looking to send a message to the rest of the competition with a strong game against the Hawks.
Collingwood has lost just one of five games since the ‘big four’ was reunited (Dane Swan, Scott Pendlebury, Dayne Beams and Steele Sidebottom), the loss coming against the Gold Coast where a rampant Gary Ablett put on a one man master class against the hapless Magpies.
Beams’ return in particular has been crucial for Collingwood as it allows them greater flexibility in the midfield and creates a headache for the opposition team.
With all four midfielders playing at once it is almost impossible for the opposition to stop at least one player from tearing the game apart.
Beams didn’t play against the Hawks earlier this year when Collingwood lost by 55 points, a game in which they had control midway through the second quarter leading by 22 points.
Hawthorn will be hoping that Collingwood’s recent form doesn’t continue, and will be buoyed by their good recent record against Collingwood.
The Magpies haven’t beaten Hawthorn since the Hawks heart breaking preliminary final loss in 2011.
Since then the Hawks have averaged a winning margin of 40 points in their last 4 encounters against Collingwood.
However Hawthorn’s recent performances particularly in the last fortnight have been flat and lacklustre with a loss to Richmond and a poor win over lowly rated St Kilda.
Expect this game to be a preview of what we may see in September with the victor likely to take a large amount of confidence going into September, and with a likely crowd of 75,000 spectators expected to turn up both teams will be up for this clash.
Team changes
Hawthorn have brought in Lance Franklin, Grant Birchall and Luke Hodge but will be without Max Bailey, who misses with knee soreness, and Liam Shiels will play another week in the VFL. As will Kyle Cheney, whose form for Box Hill has been excellent.
Collingwood goes in with an unchanged team this week, with Nathan Buckley resisting the temptation to bring in Ben Hudson to help Brodie Grundy. Other than that all eyes will be on the VFL team this week.
Keys to the game
Dayne Beams
Has been brilliant in the Magpies’ recent surge, averaging 31 disposals and 6.2 clearances in his five games since returning from a 15-week quad injury.
Only Swan and Gary Ablett have averaged more disposals than Beams per game in 2013, and he’s ranked equal-fifth for clearances.
Defenders
With Franklin and Roughead at one end and Travis Cloke at the other, neither team should have trouble finding a target up forward.
The Hawks are ranked number one for marks inside 50 this season, averaging 15 per game, while the Magpies are second with 14.2 marks per game.
Good defenders will be at an absolute premium.
Prediction
Collingwood has been absolutely red hot, while the Hawks haven’t really shown signs of setting the world on fire. It’s time Collingwood broke the hoodoo and cemented themselves as a genuine premiership contender.
Do or die I say: Pies by five.
Brent Ford
Roar Guru
Full Time! Hawks 18.11.119 - Pies 12.12.84 I thank you for your time tonight, wherever you are there is a feast of sport to watch and enjoy over the weekend. Until next time have a good one.
Brent Ford
Roar Guru
Full Time! Hawks 18.11.119 - Pies 12.12.84 Talkiing points: Having Birchall certainly helped the Hawks his run and carry across half back was certainly crucial. The Hawks never really looked in danger of losing it, despite the fact that the Pies never stopped pressing. Players like Roughead and Burgoyne didn't have their best games which will be a massive bonus for the Hawks. Hodge was as reliable as ever and Franklin continued his dominance against the Pies. Cloke was quiet after half time and players like Lynch rarely featured. Reid looked like a backman playing up forward and was really quiet even though he had a respectable 14 possessions. Grundy is a real find for the Pies his work ethic around the ground is absolutely unreal. Bottom Line: Hawks are the absolute favourites this year, their pressure was at an all time high tonight and they still won by close to 6 goals even though Swan and Pendlebury had 30+ touches each.
Brent Ford
Roar Guru
Full Time! Hawks 18.11.119 - Pies 12.12.84 Player stats: Possession getters: Hawks: 28 Hodge, 27 Sewell, 26 Birchall, 24 Mitchell Pies: 35 Swan, 31 Pendlebury, 25 Beams, 23 Sidebottom Goals: Hawks: 4 Franklin, 3 Smith, 2 Gunston, 2 Whitecross, 1 Hale, Breust, Puopolo, Roughead, Hill, Lewis, Rioli Pies: 3 Cloke, 2 Beams, 2 Blair, 1 O'Brien, Swan, Elliot, Lynch, Thomas
Brent Ford
Roar Guru
Full Time! Hawks 18.11.119 - Pies 12.12.84 Team Stats: Disposals: Hawks 372 Pies 337 Marks Pies 77 Hawks 73 Tackles Hawks 71 Pies 65 Inside 50 Hawks 52 Pies 44 Clearances Pies 41 Hawks 36
Brent Ford
Roar Guru
Full Time! Hawks 18.11.119 - Pies 12.12.84 They're a happy team at Hawthorn for sure.
Brent Ford
Roar Guru
Qtr 4 0:05 remaining Hawks will just wind down the clock now, what a performance from them!
Brent Ford
Roar Guru
Qtr 4 - 0:35 Players just fighting for the ball till the end. Hawks once again show their dominance as Roughead who has had a frustrating night kicks his 1st as he wins the stoppage from 55 out. Wheels around on the left and Buckley grimaces in the coaches box. Hawks 18.11.119 - Pies 12.12.84
Brent Ford
Roar Guru
Qtr 4 - 1:28 remaining Breust had Franklin isolated with Keeffe again but the kick is just too high. Franklin's overhead abilities leave a lot to be desired he really needs to take those marks, he just doesn't seem to read it. O'Brien takes off and his handball is poor and Duryea absolutely crunches Thomas, great tackle. Beams wins the clearance but only as far as Burgoyne and Stratton on his on in the middle kicks to Gunston who can't mark. The ball goes out 45 out from the Hawks goal. They win the clearance and Hill ends up with the ball 15 from goal and he snaps a goal that is the icing on a pretty sweet cake for the Hawks Hawks 17.11.113 - Pies 12.12.84
Brent Ford
Roar Guru
Qtr 4 - 4:03 remaining Puopolo is caught high by Thomas 54 out from goal, Franklin gets the handball and his kick is poor and cut off by Goldsack. Cloke on the wing takes a strong mark, his kick can't find the target and the game is just winding down now. Hawks 16.11.107 - Pies 12.12.84
Brent Ford
Roar Guru
Qtr 4 - 5:15 remaining Swan from 50 out he is having a monster last quarter 10 possessions in the last quarter, his kick is a metre short and rushed. Hawks 16.11.107 - Pies 12.12.84
Brent Ford
Roar Guru
Qtr 4 - 7:26 remaining Thomas with the clearance can't find anyone and Gibson clears, his kick is good and Hawthorn are away. Swan with a scrappy kick after winning it gets Williams away. Macaffer with a bad elbow collects Mitchell and the ball is turned over. The ball goes out 30 from the Hawks goal. Swan manages to cut it off. Hawks 16.11.107 - Pies 12.11.83
Brent Ford
Roar Guru
Qtr 4 - 9:04 remaining Ball up 40 out from the Pies goal, Grundy has the most clearances of any Collingwood player he is a revelation in his 5th game. Beams wins it to Thomas, he gives it to Pendlebury who has enough composure to find Swan unmarked 30 out. Swan goes back and nails it. The game is back to 4 goals with 9 minutes remaining... Don't tell me! Hawks 16.11.107 - Pies 12.11.83
Brent Ford
Roar Guru
Qtr 4 - 10:52 remaining Grundy with a great mark on the wing sets a chain of handball for the pies which leads to a mark at half forward for the pies Cloke feeds it off and it ends up in the hands of a charging Swan who draws the man and handpasses to Ball. He also draws the man and Blair kicks the easy goal. Hawks 16.11.107 - Pies 11.11.77
Brent Ford
Roar Guru
Qtr 4 - 11:46 remaining Elliot on the wing kicks it out on the full, Hodge goes for Franklin however he is holding Keeffe, the ball is going from end to end with no real purpose at the moment as the ball goes out at half forward for the pies. Hawks 16.11.107 - Pies 10.11.71
Brent Ford
Roar Guru
Qtr 4 - 13:15 remaining Puopolo clears after receiving the handpass from Mitchell, the ball goes out 40 from the Hawks goal. From the stoppage Hale gets the tap and Beams works it to O'Brien, Hale cuts it off and Roughead wins the ball and then kicks it out on the full, Swan with the ball goes long to the wing but Gibson tis the one who marks. Ball comes back in and Shaw manages to rush it. Hawthorn 16.11.107 - Pies 10.11.71
Brent Ford
Roar Guru
Qtr 4 - 14:16 remaining Macaffer with the clearance is then won by Ball at half forward, with some good composure he handpasses back to Macaffer and his snap finds Thomas 40 out directly in front. His kick is a beauty and it brings the margin back to 35 points, still a sniff I guess. Hawks 16.10.106 - Pies 10.11.71
Brent Ford
Roar Guru
Qtr 4 - 15:08 remaining Reid takes a strong grab against Gibson his kick leaves a lot to be desired. A throw in 30 from the Pies goal causes a repeat stoppage as the numbers swarm around the ball. Whitecross clears stoppage number 2 and Smith manages to evade O'Brien and find Lewis half way between half back and centre wing, he goes back to Smith and Williams finds O'Brien on the wing, his kick is poor and the hawks clear. Gibson on the attacking 50 finds Gunston in the pocket, Gunston 25 out in the pocket from a difficult angle absolutely drills it and Hawthorn are running away with it now. Hawks 16.10.106 - Pies 9.11.65
Brent Ford
Roar Guru
Qtr 4 - 17:45 remaining Hawks now clear and Roughead's shot looks like it is on target but just doesn't get the right bounce and goes through for a behind, the Hawks break the hundred. Hawks 15.10.100 - Pies 9.11.65
Brent Ford
Roar Guru
Qtr 4 - 18:27 remaining Swan wins the first ball but he handballs to O'Brien under pressure, Hawks then clear and Lewis just can't find the ball in the pocket as Shaw clears to Dwyer. His kick dangerous and Sidebottom on the wing gets his kicked smothered by Hodge, Elliot marks 40 out and kicks over the head of Blair, what a comedy of errors. Hawks 15.9.99 - Pies 9.11.65
Brent Ford
Roar Guru
Final Quarter underway!