Port vs Collingwood: Match Preview

[Johnson#26]

Match Preview:

Team:

B: Johnson, Prestigiacomo, Wakelin
HB: Swan, J.Cloke, Clement
C: Woewodin, Burns, R.Shaw
HF: Didak, Rocca, Cole
F: Licuria, C.Cloke, O'Bree
R: Fraser, Holland, McGough
INTER: Davis, King, Lokan, Lonie
EMERG: Kinnear, Mullins, Walker

IN: Davis
OUT: Richards

In a match which could define Collingwood's season, I am tipping the Maggies for an upset victory over Port Adelaide. Collingwood are the underdogs, with many a tipstar beleiving Port will win and win well. I don't think that. Here's why we'll win:

One of the biggest match-ups for the day will be who takes Tredrea. Simon Prestigiacomo will get first crack at the powerhouse forward, particuarly after keeping Tredrea to 7 goals in their past 6 matches. Stuart Dew will be another player the Pies have to keep an eye on. Shaun Burgoyne is another who has to be watched. Ben Johnson will be the player who will be assigned to him. In the midfield, Peter Burgoine will be the player we have to stop. Brodie Holland will be the most likely candidate for the job. The rest of the midfielders will go head-to-head: McGough and Wilson, Woewodin and Carr, Burns and Kane Cornes, Licuria and Cochrane. Josh Fraser and Dean Brogan will go against each other in the ruck in what will be one of the most exciting contests of the match, as these two -players are some of the up and coming ruckmen in the competion and both boys will want to leave their mark on the match. In the forward line Anthony Rocca is the key to the Pies hopes. He will most likely be matched up by Chad Cornes, who has had an exciting season to date. Alan Didak will also be important, after last weeks terrific effort against essendon where he kicked 3 goals and took one of the marks of the year. He will most likely be taken by Jarrad Poulton. Big Cameron Cloke has a job to do as well. As long he gives a contest, that's all that we ask him for. A few goals added to that, we could have a huge chance of victory.

At the end of the day. Port Adelaide should win easily. But they won't. They know we play well against them. And so do we. This is a cruch match. That's why we'll win. Pies by 20 points!

[Ed from WA]

Im setting myself up for a caning.

I just cant for the life of me see where we are going to kick enough goals to worry anyside let alone a free scoring mob like port power.

hope im wrong

[Big T]

I agree with you Ed, but I'm sure we can rediscover our scoring potency soon enough. As a few people have touched on, Rocca is simply being double or triple teamed and with no Tarrant and few worrying forwards, all seems lost at the moment. However I think with Davis back crumbing, and if we try Rocca from the goal square, until Taz is back Fraser needs to play at CHF and have a big impact to limit their ability to concentrate solely on Rocca. Cam Cloke is only in his second game and can't be expected to fill that void.

But at the end of the day if we can dominate Ports midfield we will win. I'm sure whatever forward structure Mick goes for will respond to constant entries to the F50, which we have been missing.