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Port Adelaide have taken an important win and kept the pressure on the top eight sides with a 67 point win over Collingwood at the MCG on Sunday.
REPORT: PORT GLIDE PAST WOUNDED PIES
Final score
Collingwood 7.16.58
Port Adelaide Power 19.11.125
WHAT’S NEXT? FOLLOW OUR ADELAIDE VS ST KILDA LIVE BLOG
The Collingwood Magpies and Port Adelaide Power will be motivated to keep their finals ambitions alive when they battle at the MCG this afternoon. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 1:10pm (AEST).
The Magpies sit in twelfth position on the AFL ladder with four wins including an impressive defeat against Premiership fancy Geelong two weeks ago.
The Power are placed tenth on the premiership table with five wins including a convincing victory over the Demons up in Alice Springs last round.
Both sides have had an inconsistent first half of their 2016 campaigns and will be looking to turn the corner as we approach the mid point of the season.
Collingwood have won three of their past five games against the Power, including the past two at the MCG. The Magpies will be heading in with confidence today as Port Adelaide will look to turn their recent history at the home of football around – they have lost four of their past five games there.
The injuries list heading into today does not favour the Magpies, with several key stars on the shelf including Taylor Adams, Alex Fasolo and Darcy Moore who all went down in last week’s loss to the Bulldogs.
However this has opened the door for a Travis Cloke return. Cloke hasn’t been seen at senior level since Round 4 due to issues with form.
On the other hand, the Power’s casualties ward isn’t as severe – Jack Hombsch is out this week, but they’re not suffering too badly compared to their opponents.
Charlie Dixon is in fine form for the Power, booting five straight last week. There will be plenty of pressure on Travis Cloke to return to form up forward with many of Collingwood’s timber out injured.
The midfield battle will feature the Power’s engine room in Robbie Gray, captain Travis Boak and young star Ollie Wines against the Pies on-ballers, led by Scott Pendlebury, Steele Sidebottom and Adam Treloar. They will have their work cut out against the top tackling side in the competition, Port Adelaide.
Chad Wingard has taken his game to new heights in recent weeks, including a 26 possession and two goals game last round.
Last week’s rising star nominee Darcy Byrne-Jones will offer plenty of run across half back for the Power. Another youngster, Brayden Maynard, will be playing a similar role for the Magpies.
Prediction
I have been quite impressed with Collingwood’s last month before last week and would normally pick them at the MCG.
However I feel the injuries will just prove to be too much for them against a relatively fit and hungry Port Adelaide line up.
The midfield clearances will play a vital factor as well as marks inside 50, which both sides have been lacking.
Despite this, the Power will just be too strong in wet conditions as they edge closer to the top eight.
Port Adelaide by 13 points.
Can Collingwood overcome their injury woes and bounce back against Port Adelaide or will the Power prove they are a finals calibre side with a win away from home?
Join The Roar this afternoon at 1:10pm AEST for live score updates and debate in our live blog.
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