season previews are to officially start in a
couple of weeks' time but the opportunity to have
a bit of a say before Collingwood play in a Grand
Final is just too good. Much has been written
about the approach the Pies have taken to the
pre-season competition this year compared to
other years and there may be some hidden
political reasoning behind this change.
Word around the traps is that Eddie Prez is
walking on thin ice after 10 years without a
premiership so to save his neck he has joined
forces with his mate Mick to ensure that some
sort of silverware is sitting on the mantelpiece
in the Lexus Palace in 2009 regardless. The
Magpies' chances are pretty good too as they come
up against a Geelong side who are still in shock
at their grand final loss to Hawthorn last year.
The Cats have not approached each game as a "must
win" so far in the nab cup and have rested a
variety of senior players in the lead up to the
big one tonight so you can imagine that these
players will be a bit underdone. Conversely
Collingwood have endeavoured to play their best
available team each match and wins of over 40 points have been their reward.
Medhurst remains on rest leave for the Pies and
Mooney will not front for the Cats. That evens
out the forward lines. Hopefully Thomas will play
on Ablett so they can compare the extremes of
hairdo's and young Anthony who kicked 7 last week
will probably be in the red zone being covered by
Scarlett so he might have to work a bit harder
this week. The Pies continue to go okay without a
real ruckman and the absence of Josh Fraser doesn't help.
Mick doesn't want to take the blame for any loss
this early in the season so he has handed over
the reins, again, to one of the assistant coaches.
Based on the application of Geelong and
Collingwood to the pre-season comp I am tipping
the Pies to go all the way and provide a bit of
welcome joy to the supporters. As we are in the
west the coverage of the game will be based on
the minimalist method and this final will be
competing against a visit by Carlton to play the
Dockers in Bunbury in a practice match – far more
important than a pre-season grand final in which
neither WA team has had the pleasure of playing.
Roll on March 26th!!
Collingwood by 19 points – that's a super goal, a
normal goal and four behinds for the uninitiated.
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