The GWS Giants have scored a big win on Thursday night, defeating the Collingwood Magpies by ten goals.
Final score
GWS Giants 14.12 (96)
Collingwood Magpies 5.6 (36)
The GWS Giants and Collingwood Magpies will both get in their first appearance of the JLT Community Series when they go head to head on Thursday night in Canberra. Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match, starting from 7:10pm AEDT.
These are two sides that have been on very differing trajectories over the last little while. GWS have gone from being the new kids on the block to playing in two preliminary finals over the past two seasons, albeit losing both of them.
Collingwood in the same time span have gone from being the premiers of 2010 to something of a laughing stock, and have gone backwards every year since Nathan Buckley took over the club in 2012.
Can 2018 be the year where the Giants finally go one step further and make a maiden appearance in the grand final? Can it be the year where Buckley halts Collingwood’s slide down the ladder and they start to rise again?
Early signs aren’t good for the Giants who, in addition to losing players to other clubs over the offseason, have now lost both Zac Williams and Will Setterfield for the entire season due to ACL injuries.
They also lost Shane Mumford to an early retirement, and his replacement Rory Lobb is expected to have a delayed start to the season.
As for Collingwood the waters are a bit more murky. There will always be those who believe the club is just on the verge of turning things around and shooting back into finals contention, but ask them why they think that and the reasoning may not inspire much confidence.
We probably won’t learn a whole lot about either club in tonight’s match as both are sending in squads that are a bit understrength. GWS in addition to their injured players are missing regulars like Toby Greene, Tom Scully, Jacob Hopper, Nick Haynes and Brett Deledio.
The Pies will have no Daniel Wells, Adam Treloar, Jamie Elliott, Darcy Moore, Jeremy Howe or Alex Fasolo – and of course Jordan De Goey is unavailable under the terms of his club-imposed penalty for drink driving.
For the Giants it will be interesting to see what Dawson Simpson can do as the No.1 ruck because they’re probably going to have to use him in that role a few times this year, also former Collingwood player Lachie Keefe will get a chance to impress.
As for Collingwood, No.6 draft pick Jaidyn Stephenson will be the headline act, and they will have a few other fresh faces making appearances as well.
Prediction
With the home ground advantage and what looks like a stronger team overall, expect GWS to come away the comfortable victors in this match.
GWS Giants by 42 points.
Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match, starting from 7:10pm AEDT.
Chris
Guest
Collingwood never do well if they start badly. I can see this year being a wooden spoon year because the smug arrogance reminds me of 1976 and even 1999. The issue that concerns me is do we win four games like 1999 or six like 1976 or split the difference at five...
Slane
Guest
Are you serious? I count 6 games on your list that Collingwood are at least a 50-50 chance of winning. You'd have to be pretty bloody pessimistic to count Carlton, Freo, St Kilda and Hawthorn as guaranteed losses.
Chris
Guest
Here's a realistic appraisal of the first twelve rounds. Two POSSIBLE wins and ten losses at best! 2018 HOME AND AWAY FIXTURE Round One Hawthorn v Collingwood Loss Round Two Collingwood v Greater Western Sydney Loss Round Three Carlton v Collingwood Loss Round Four Adelaide v Collingwood Loss Round Five Collingwood v Essendon Loss Round Six Collingwood v Richmond Loss Round Seven Brisbane v Collingwood W/L Round Eight Collingwood v Geelong Loss Round Nine St Kilda v Collingwood Loss Round 10 Collingwood v Western Bulldogs W/L Round 11 Collingwood v Fremantle Loss Round 12 Melbourne v Collingwood Loss Now, why bother buying season tickets with an outlook like, this?
Chris
Guest
The year has started much worse than the greatest pessimist could have envisaged. The wheels have fallen off before the cart owner has managed to open the barn doors.Injuries aplenty, cronyism and backslapping gone viral, skills vanishing into thin air and no attitude either on or off the pitch. What have we unfortunate Maggies been converted into?...Wooden spoon candidates...Gold Coast, North Melbourne, Hawthorn and Carlton will definitely fare better than us this year. We are a hodgepodge team of has-beens like Varcoe and Greenwood. A team of injury-ridden would-be stars like Elliott and Fasolo. A team of pretenders like Darcy Moore and Will Hoskin-Elliott. I cannot stand this endemic inbred blindfolded approach to professional footy any longer. Fellas get some sleeping bags and make the Holden Centre your home and give your families notice. Appalling, Disgusting, Pathetic, Abominable! Peter the Scribe said we would beat Hawthorn by 10 goals. Matey...Are you on McGuire's propaganda payroll? Time for a New Magpies revolution and fast....Enough is enough!
Gungadin
Guest
So whats new. So whats new. Still no dominant key position players.
Bretto
Guest
Looks like another year of frustration and swearing for us pies supporters. Nothing has changed. Awful skills, can't move the ball or even get out of defence, can't find a way to kick goals.
Josh
Expert
Full Time That's the game! A ten-goal win for the Giants.
GWS Giants: 14.12 (96) Collingwood Magpies: 5.6 (36)
Josh
Expert
Goal Daniel Lloyd kicks a third goal for the night, you'd like his chances of playing Round 1.
GWS Giants: 14.12 (96) Collingwood Magpies: 5.6 (36)
Josh
Expert
Goal Nice snap from Scott Pendlebury close to goal goes through.
GWS Giants: 13.11 (89) Collingwood Magpies: 5.6 (36)
Josh
Expert
Goal A bit of class from Elliot Himmelberg adds another goal for the Giants, his second of the night.
GWS Giants: 13.11 (89) Collingwood Magpies: 4.6 (30)
Josh
Expert
Goal Will Hoskin-Elliott finishes off an impressive night with a goal on the run.
GWS Giants: 12.10 (82) Collingwood Magpies: 4.6 (30)
Josh
Expert
Goal Really good kick for goal from Callan Ward from a tricky position, that is pure class.
GWS Giants: 12.10 (82) Collingwood Magpies: 3.6 (24)
Josh
Expert
Behind Brayden Maynard has a long-range shot on goal, it doesn't come off.
GWS Giants: 11.10 (76) Collingwood Magpies: 3.6 (24)
Josh
Expert
Behind Zac Langdon has a set shot on goal but isn't quite lucky enough.
GWS Giants: 11.10 (76) Collingwood Magpies: 3.5 (23)
Josh
Expert
Behind Rushed behind for the Giants.
GWS Giants: 11.9 (75) Collingwood Magpies: 3.5 (23)
anon
Roar Pro
When pressure get put on Bucks? This team still looks like they don't have it.
Josh
Expert
Goal Elliot Himmelberg has a shot on goal and sinks it. Will be interesting to see if he gets a spot in the forward line this year.
GWS Giants: 11.8 (74) Collingwood Magpies: 3.5 (23)
Josh
Expert
Behind Long range behind by the Pies.
GWS Giants: 10.8 (68) Collingwood Magpies: 3.5 (23)
Josh
Expert
Goal Collingwood start the final term the right way - Mason Cox has a goal.
GWS Giants: 10.8 (68) Collingwood Magpies: 3.4 (22)
Josh
Expert
Final term now underway.
GWS Giants: 10.8 (68) Collingwood Magpies: 2.4 (16)