Round 17 - Collingwood vs Northern Blues at the MCG

[MagpieBat]

When and Where:
10:16am this Saturday at the home of Australian rules football.

Broadcast:
TV - Channel 7 in Victoria from 12:00pm (1 hour 56 minute delay between first bounces).

Radio - Streamed live on Collingwood Radio via collingwoodfc.com.au (either at this link or at this portal) and through the Collingwood FC smartphone app for iPhone and Android from 10:15am. Data usage and charges apply, including for Telstra customers.

Internet - LiveChat at collingwood.fc.com.au, full video replay available Saturday evening/early Sunday. Score updates in this thread and on Twitter at @VFLPies.

Team:
B: Goldsack Oxley Goodyear
HB: Manteit R. Pendlebury Taylor
C: Armstrong Kennedy Young
HF: Gault Cox White
F: Close Karnezis Dwyer
R: Witts Moloney Seedsman
Int: Blair Monkhorst Hellier Borthwick Wallin Mennen* J. Williams Gray Matheson

Where They Sit:
Collingwood: 7th (9 wins, 5 losses, 2 byes, 100.17%)
Blues: 14th (4 wins, 10 losses, 2 byes, 85.29%)

Last Time They Met:
Round 13, 2014 at Preston City Oval
Northern Blues 16.9.105, def
Collingwood 12.15.87

Head to Head:
Played: 12
Collingwood: 4
Northern Blues: 8

How They Fared Last Week:
Williamstown 14.13.97, def
Collingwood 9.11.65

North Ballarat 20.17.137, def
Northern Blues 2.13.25

The Run Home:
Collingwood - Blues (H), North Ballarat (H), Richmond (H*), Port Melbourne (H)
Northern Blues - Collingwood (A), Sandringham (H), Box Hill (H), Geelong (A)

* Tentatively scheduled at Victoria Park, but can possibly be moved to the MCG to act as a curtain-raiser.

NOTE:
- This match will obviously be played as a curtain-raiser to the Collingwood vs Carlton AFL game. All gates (Public, AFL Members and MCC Members) open from 9:50am. Car parking Gates 7 and 3 open from 7:30am and 8:00am, respectively. However, in the event of poor weather, this match will be transferred back to Victoria Park. Check the Collingwood website and back here for updated information as it comes to hand.

- - Quarters 1 and 2 will both be played over a flat 30 minutes, with no time-on. Quarters 3 and 4 will both be played with 20 minutes of regular time plus time-on, capped at 32 minutes. Quarter time and three quarter time will run for 6 minutes each, while half time will run for 18 minutes. This will result in a finishing time of approximately 12:50pm, a break between games of about 55 minutes. Patrons will not be allowed onto the ground during any break in play.

Trivia:
- This will be the first time since 2000 that the Collingwood VFL team has competed in a curtain-raiser for premiership points on the hallowed turf of the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The VFL Magpies last played in a premiership season curtain-raiser at the MCG way back in Round 9, 2000 against Richmond. On that day, the Magpies triumphed by 11 points, after trailing by 17 points at quarter time.

- Furthermore, it will be the first time that the Collingwood VFL team and the Northern Blues (nee Bullants) have met at the Melbourne Cricket Ground for premiership points. However, the VFL Magpies did face the short-lived Carlton VFL team at the MCG in a premiership season curtain-raiser way back in Round 2, 2000. On that day, the good guys prevailed by 2 points in a high-scoring thriller.

Over to you...

[Fire Up]

wow pies get last 3 maybe 4 game at vic park. top 4 could be looking good. if not 5th spot will do fine

[MagpieBat]

wow pies get last 3 maybe 4 game at vic park. top 4 could be looking good. if not 5th spot will do fine

Only 3 games at Vic Park, because we're playing this week's at the G.

Even then, the Richmond game could still be moved to the G to be played as a curtain-raiser. Although, I spoke to the club about that this morning and they said the prospects of that game being an MCG curtain-raiser are "unlikely" and that it looks like staying at Vic Park.

Which is fine, because we're unbeaten there this year and I think we've otherwise got an ordinary Richmond's measure, but it is a little disappointing not to have another curtain-raiser, especially if this one is a success...

Never mind though, it's always fun to get down to Vic Park anyway.

[perthmagpie]

Really looking forward to this one. An early trip for me from Yarrawonga at 6am. Hoping that maybe Caff and Freeman get a game along with Ox. Shame we can't go in the huddle. If North Ballarat can beat them by over 100 points we should have a big win which we need. Wonder which game Reidy will play in?

I think I would actually prefer to keep the Richmond VFL game at Vic Park.

[swoop42]

Grown men shouldn't be playing footy at 10.15am.

[MagpieBat]

Really looking forward to this one. An early trip for me from Yarrawonga at 6am. Hoping that maybe Caff and Freeman get a game along with Ox. Shame we can't go in the huddle. If North Ballarat can beat them by over 100 points we should have a big win which we need. Wonder which game Reidy will play in?

I think I would actually prefer to keep the Richmond VFL game at Vic Park.

Macaffer and Freeman have pretty much been ruled out by Balme's injury report. Freeman a good chance of playing vs North Ballarat, Macaffer in the running for the week after that vs Richmond.

You'd think Oxley would be back at either level, and Goldsack is listed as a "test", so that AFL-listed play count would be up at 14 with them back on deck (or 15 if we don't hold a carry-over).

I agree, we should thump them.

[jackcass]

Grown men shouldn't be playing footy at 10.15am.

I agree. U19s should be...

But seriously, you'd think this is 1 time when they could legitimately justify a later start for the seniors if they're so hell bent on the 55 minute break between games.

[John Wren]

the old reserves games used to start at 11am, didn't they? u19s was like 8.30am or something.

[Dave The Man]

Great to have a Curtain Raiser. Should be more of These

[MagpieBat]

Grown men shouldn't be playing footy at 10.15am.

I agree. U19s should be...

But seriously, you'd think this is 1 time when they could legitimately justify a later start for the seniors if they're so hell bent on the 55 minute break between games.

Two words: Channel. Seven.

[Lazza]

Grown men shouldn't be playing footy at 10.15am.

I agree. U19s should be...

But seriously, you'd think this is 1 time when they could legitimately justify a later start for the seniors if they're so hell bent on the 55 minute break between games.

FAR too logical and rational to expect that from the AFL or rather, Channel Seven...

[MagpieBat]

OP updated with new broadcast info, namely that there will be Collingwood Radio after all...

[John Wren]

very tall team for saturday.

[MagpieBat]

Team's out...

Collingwood

B: Goldsack Oxley Goodyear
HB: Manteit R. Pendlebury Taylor
C: Armstrong Kennedy Young
HF: Gault Cox White
F: Close Karnezis Dwyer
R: Witts Moloney Seedsman
Int: Blair Monkhorst Hellier Borthwick Wallin Mennen* J. Williams Gray Matheson

Goldsack and Oxley back playing, but into the 2s.

White still in his rightful place.

David Mennen making his debut as 23rd man. Congratulations.

But, Collingwood have split up the Blair boys?! No, NOOOOOOOOO!!!! HOW CAN YOU SPLIT THESE TWO BEAUTIFUL CREATURES COLLINGWOOD?! HOW CAN YOU TAKE JARRYD OUT OF HIS NATURAL HABITAT?! THIS IS OUTRAGOUES!!!! YOU COLD-HEARTED BASTARDS COLLINGWOOD!!!

[MagpieBat]

And the other mob...

Northern Blues

B: Kilpatrick Jaksch Viojo
HB: Dick Fields Yarran
C: Tutt Walsh Walton
HF: Johnson Jones Wilson
F: Ellard Watson Menzel
R: Aurrichio Whiley Ballard
Int: Rice* Soncin McDonagh Strachan J. Roberts Armitage J. Gleeson Cattapan Murray

I make 12 AFL-listers for them. So much for being down to 28 men...

Dean Rice's boy playing as 23rd man for them.

And old mate Glenn Strachan playing against his old side. Traitor!