After tonight's frustrating loss to Brisbane, we're now 8-1-6. Ladder Predictors show us needing to win at least one more game in this H&A season to make finals. Given that our last game is against a good (yet somewhat inconsistent) Port Adelaide side, this game is simply must win. No excuses.
Round 16 is a bye for us, which will give us a much-needed 10-day break. The Suns had their bye in Round 15 and will go into this game on just a 5-day break. This is a huge advantage for us provided that we can get up and going early.
The Suns had some relatively good form earlier this year. They had a 3-game winning streak after the shutdown; beating WCE (by 44 points), Adelaide and Fremantle. A Round 5 injury to Matt Rowell sent the Suns into a downward spiral, resulting in a 1-1-7 run before finally smashing North Melbourne by 63 points in Round 14.
Their season hasn't all been doom and gloom, however. They have been on the wrong end of some very small margins, losing to the Western Bulldogs (by 5 points) and St Kilda (4 points).
The Suns side is a very different looking side to the team we punished by 69 points last year. They have had some handy recruits come their way (Greenwood, Ellis in particular), as well as some elite young talent starting to really look like handy types (Rankin, Anderson especially).
LAST TIME THEY MET
Collingwood conceded the first two goals in Round 20, 2019, before going to win 18.12.120 to 8.3.51 on a Sunday afternoon at the MCG.
Mason Cox was poked in the eye in what would become a season-ending injury.
Adam Treloar had another high-possession game; 35 disposals, 1 goal, 3 goal assists and 10 clearances. Treloar's performance was one of the best of his career, finding plenty of space, using his leg speed and putting on a clinical performance going inside 50.
Brodie Grundy had 26 disposals, 43 hitouts, 8 clearances and a goal against former Pie Jarrod Witts.
Other top Pies performers were Jack Crisp (29 disposals), Steel Sidebottom (27 disposals) and Scott Pendlebury (24 disposals, 10 tackles).
Will Hoskin-Elliott had 4 goals, Jamie Elliot, Brody Mihocek, Steele Sidebottom and Travis Varcoe all kicked 2 goals each. 6 other Pies players had singles.
The Suns' main goal kickers were Ben King and Alex Sexton with 3 each, whilst Sam Day and Jack Martin kicked singles.
MATCH UPS
The Suns have a pretty dynamic forward line. I think the Roughead on Day and Moore on King match-ups are all but set in stone. The other 4-5 are very much interchangeable.
Noble on Ainsworth is very iffy for me... they're similar height but it just doesn't seem right. Needs some thought. Perhaps Langdon returns?
Roughead vs. Day
Moore vs. King
Madgen (or Langdon!?) vs. Corbett
Maynard vs. Rankine
Crisp vs. Sexton
Quaynor vs. Flanders
Noble vs. Ainsworth
CHANGES
DeGoey is getting hand protection equipment made. He's getting closer, and Bucks indicated after the Carlton game that he might be ready for the last round against Port Adelaide. Do we bring him back a week early for a must-win game?
Varcoe probably takes Phillips' spot if DeGoey isn't ready.
Treloar likewise is probably not ready yet, but getting close. I believe he was going to ramp up training this week. Same as DeGoey, does he just come in to win?
Langdon may also be a chance to come in and build towards finals footy. If they have plans for him to feature this year, he probably has to come in this week. Not a glaring weakness in our side however.
Mayne's fracture means he still misses this game and probably the next as a minimum.
Too late now for a debut, IMO.
IN: DeGoey (do it)
OUT: Phillips (inj)
TIP
Collingwood by 24.
Round 16 is a bye for us, which will give us a much-needed 10-day break. The Suns had their bye in Round 15 and will go into this game on just a 5-day break. This is a huge advantage for us provided that we can get up and going early.
The Suns had some relatively good form earlier this year. They had a 3-game winning streak after the shutdown; beating WCE (by 44 points), Adelaide and Fremantle. A Round 5 injury to Matt Rowell sent the Suns into a downward spiral, resulting in a 1-1-7 run before finally smashing North Melbourne by 63 points in Round 14.
Their season hasn't all been doom and gloom, however. They have been on the wrong end of some very small margins, losing to the Western Bulldogs (by 5 points) and St Kilda (4 points).
The Suns side is a very different looking side to the team we punished by 69 points last year. They have had some handy recruits come their way (Greenwood, Ellis in particular), as well as some elite young talent starting to really look like handy types (Rankin, Anderson especially).
LAST TIME THEY MET
Collingwood conceded the first two goals in Round 20, 2019, before going to win 18.12.120 to 8.3.51 on a Sunday afternoon at the MCG.
Mason Cox was poked in the eye in what would become a season-ending injury.
Adam Treloar had another high-possession game; 35 disposals, 1 goal, 3 goal assists and 10 clearances. Treloar's performance was one of the best of his career, finding plenty of space, using his leg speed and putting on a clinical performance going inside 50.
Brodie Grundy had 26 disposals, 43 hitouts, 8 clearances and a goal against former Pie Jarrod Witts.
Other top Pies performers were Jack Crisp (29 disposals), Steel Sidebottom (27 disposals) and Scott Pendlebury (24 disposals, 10 tackles).
Will Hoskin-Elliott had 4 goals, Jamie Elliot, Brody Mihocek, Steele Sidebottom and Travis Varcoe all kicked 2 goals each. 6 other Pies players had singles.
The Suns' main goal kickers were Ben King and Alex Sexton with 3 each, whilst Sam Day and Jack Martin kicked singles.
MATCH UPS
The Suns have a pretty dynamic forward line. I think the Roughead on Day and Moore on King match-ups are all but set in stone. The other 4-5 are very much interchangeable.
Noble on Ainsworth is very iffy for me... they're similar height but it just doesn't seem right. Needs some thought. Perhaps Langdon returns?
Roughead vs. Day
Moore vs. King
Madgen (or Langdon!?) vs. Corbett
Maynard vs. Rankine
Crisp vs. Sexton
Quaynor vs. Flanders
Noble vs. Ainsworth
CHANGES
DeGoey is getting hand protection equipment made. He's getting closer, and Bucks indicated after the Carlton game that he might be ready for the last round against Port Adelaide. Do we bring him back a week early for a must-win game?
Varcoe probably takes Phillips' spot if DeGoey isn't ready.
Treloar likewise is probably not ready yet, but getting close. I believe he was going to ramp up training this week. Same as DeGoey, does he just come in to win?
Langdon may also be a chance to come in and build towards finals footy. If they have plans for him to feature this year, he probably has to come in this week. Not a glaring weakness in our side however.
Mayne's fracture means he still misses this game and probably the next as a minimum.
Too late now for a debut, IMO.
IN: DeGoey (do it)
OUT: Phillips (inj)
TIP
Collingwood by 24.
