Despite some excellent efforts from the Collingwood Magpies, the GWS Giants have come out on top with a 16-point win at the MCG on Saturday.
Final score
Collingwood Magpies 12.7 (79)
GWS Giants 15.5 (95)
The Collingwood Magpies will be hoping for an Easter miracle when they host the GWS Giants at the MCG on Saturday afternoon. Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match, starting from 4:35pm AEDT.
Expectation coming into season 2018 for these two teams was worlds apart and it’s fair to say that, one week in, the form we’ve seen from them so far matches that expectation.
Collingwood after so long out of finals seem to have finally lost the optimism of the AFL at large. For years people have seen them as a side that can bounce up quickly and make finals – but they’ve fallen short time and time again.
They opened their season against Hawthorn in Round 1 and just looked miles off the pace. Their much-vaunted midfield was all swing no ding and their hastily reshuffled forward and back combinations didn’t impress at either end.
Making matters worse ahead of this match is that they’ve lost Mason Cox to suspension and Ben Reid to injury. That leaves them with Lynden Dunn and Darcy Moore as their only recognisable key position players.
The Giants on the other hand are seen by many this year as a premiership threat and their Round 1 form strongly backed up that point of view as they flattened an unimpressive Western Bulldogs side.
There’s just not enough superlatives in the English language to adequately compliment the way they played the game – they were dominant and damaging in every possible aspect.
They’ve got some good news and some bad news on the team selection front. Tom Scully is back in, but they’ve lost Toby Greene. It’s a net loss, but they’re still the stronger side on paper.
The big question for GWS though is can they win on the MCG? They’ve got a horrendous record at the ground and historically not a great record against Collingwood either.
Prediction
Don’t read too much into the history books. The Giants can and will win this game in a canter.
GWS Giants by 36 points.
Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match, starting from 4:35pm AEDT.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
0-12 or 2-10 Chris? I'll give you 7-5 for the Pies after 12.... let's see who is closer.
Cisco Kid
Guest
Wouldn't it be funny if the handbaggers lost by a point to the hawks?
Chris
Guest
We have real problems on every line. The forward line is a glaring black hole. We might just beat the Western Bulldogs and avoid the wooden spoon. They are worse that what I expected judging by yesterday's resounding loss.We are in the basement and there is no Fire Escape with the building ablaze.
Beavis
Guest
Fogarty had injury issues so you can only make judgements in 5 years on recruits - Fogarty was readymade so Bucks (if he was involved|) was showing he picked for the future not just today
Pieman
Guest
Yes Cat... their first disposals need to be of eddie and nathan and geoff walsh..i wont use capital letters for their names because i have no respect for them.
Chris
Guest
They lack forwards and picked Stephenson ahead of bulky physical Fogarty. The latter has already featured in games and kicked goals. The former for all his good intentions is very slightly built and yet to make headway into Aussie Rules...
Chris
Guest
We play our arch enemy next week. Loss number three on the way. The Western Bulldogs could beat the West Coast Eagles. So, we will end up where we belong...18th!!!
Chris
Guest
I don't believe that they do it for the love of the CLUB alone! There are certain to be accounting loopholes that accommodate all the clan!
Aligee
Guest
Hmmmm, Peter the Scribe .....was a Martyr Christian scribe in Palestine, Peter was caught in the Islamic invasion of the region and was ultimately murdered by the Arab conquerors from Damascus. Just saying - it is Easter after all. Maybe he wont be back.
Aligee
Guest
Eddie does it for love AFAIK, Presidents are honorary, but he would have benefited in many other ways. Eddie is a networker.
Aligee
Guest
I guess it is wrong of me, some members of my family are Collingwood born and bred but i want them to lose because i want to see the end of Buckley who should have gone 2/3/4 years ago IMHO. No one expected them to win today so no surprise, but surely it must be another nail in the coffin. I am guessing he looked and talked a million $ in the press interview.
Chris
Guest
P:S: Can we have Leigh Matthews and Mike Malthouse tell us candidly in the media where our problems lie? This is simply catastrophic and calamitous. I have not seern a more appalling situation at Collingwood in my sixty years as a Collingwood supporter. We need to know the salaries of McGuire and Buckley and have them laid bare before us,the fans, because we are suffering while they are enjoying life's luxuries blundering their way through one Afl season after another!
Chris
Guest
Collingwood are specialising in gallant defeats. This is Mr. Buckley's new mojo. The problems are deep-rooted. Their recruiting is pathetic. They select players who don't have the physical attributes to play this brutal game. Hence the long list of injuries already. The forward line boasts a medical room longer than my arm. Fasolo, Elliott, Moore, Varcoe, Wells, Reid, just to name a few regulars. How can you have stability and teamwork? Then, how is it that we have a spate of hamstrings? What was the Irishman doing over the summer? There seems to be a blatant need for another review or perhaps REVOLUTION! The Collingwood hierarchy resembles the Russian Royal Family in its final days before the Bolshevik Revolution. I will stand by my prediction of 0-12 or 2-10 by the BYE. We are a basket case at best. As for Peter the Scribe, I do not wish to see any of his tripe on the website ever again!
Beavis
Guest
THE USUAL 20 cheap free kicks to 3 in the second half for the home team against an interstate team - the Pies Langdon deliberate out of bounds non decision 30 metres from goal shows the AFL has a home town umpiring problem. Lets not get like the NRL and its " decisions to get a close game for TV ethos"
Cat
Roar Guru
That will only help if they finish top and keep home ground throughout finals.
dan in devon
Guest
Collingwood will struggle to win games this year. Team set up is appaling - how did it get to Pendlebury rucking or Treloar playing as a main forward. But my main grievance is the appalling skill level. The Collingwood entries into the 50s were beyond belief.
Matto
Guest
Your right. It was the poor forward entries I was pointing out ;)
XI
Roar Guru
A hard fought win. Hopefully that'll help make the MCG less intimidating.
Josh
Expert
Full Time That's the game! GWS by 16 points.
Collingwood Magpies: 12.7 (79) GWS Giants: 15.5 (95)
Josh
Expert
:30 - Ball in the Pies' forward 50, but it won't be enough.
Collingwood Magpies: 12.7 (79) GWS Giants: 15.5 (95)