Collingwood has opted to take a settled line up across the Nullarbor for its clash with the ladder leading Fremantle on Thursday night.

The match committee has opted to switch smalls Jarryd Blair and Ben Kennedy (omitted), while the remaining emergencies, Jonathon Marsh and Brayden Maynard, have been in contention for several weeks.

Now recovered from an ankle injury, Blair is enjoying one of the finest seasons of his seven-year career.

TEAM SHEET: Neil Balme and Sarah Allen take you through Thursday's team.

In ten senior games, the 25-year-old is averaging 17.30 disposals (down only on 2012), a career-high 3.0 marks and 1.20 goals per game.

Playing predominantly up forward, Blair ranks fourth at the club for goals and equal first for tackles (56).

Blair has missed just seven games since making his debut in 2010, underlining the esteem in which he is held by his coaches and teammates.

Thursday night’s match will be an important test of how far Nathan Buckley’s Magpies have come.

The team’s last meeting with Fremantle was in round one, 2014 – a full thirty games and 468 days ago.

ULTIMATE PREVIEW: Get set for Collingwood's first clash with Fremantle in 468 days.

Of the team that lost to the Dockers by 70 points at Etihad Stadium that evening, ten players will be absent on Thursday night.

The newly renamed Domain Stadium (formerly known as Patersons Stadium and best known as Subiaco Oval) has not been a happy hunting ground for Buckley’s Magpies.

listen to ‘Press Conference: Travis Varcoe’ on audioBoom


They have not won at the venue since Buckley took the reigns in 2012 and have won eight of their 23 meetings at the ground since 1987.

Fremantle v Collingwood
Round 13 2015
Thursday 25 June
Domain Stadium, 6.10pm (WST)

Collingwood
B: Tom Langdon, Nathan Brown, Marley Williams
HB: Alan Toovey, Jack Frost, Tyson Goldsack
C: Adam Oxley, Dane Swan, Steele Sidebottom
HF: Jamie Elliott, Jesse White, Jordan De Goey
F: Alex Fasolo, Travis Cloke, Tim Broomhead
Foll: Jarrod Witts, Jack Crisp, Scott Pendlebury
Int: Jarryd Blair, Taylor Adams, Travis Varcoe, Paul Seedsman
Emg: Ben Kennedy, Jonathon Marsh, Brayden Maynard

IN: Jarryd Blair
OUT: Ben Kennedy (omitted)

Fremantle
B: Lee Spurr, Luke McPharlin, Garrick Ibbotson
HB: Danyle Pearce, Alex Pearce, Cameron Sutcliffe
C: Tommy Sheridan, Nat Fyfe, Clancee Pearce
HF: Michael Barlow, Chris Mayne, Stephen Hill
F: Michael Walters, Matthew Pavlich, Hayden Ballantyne
Foll: Aaron Sandilands, David Mundy, Nick Suban
Int: Hayden Crozier, Jack Hannath, Matt de Boer, Lachie Neale
Emg: Jonathon Griffin, Matt Taberner, Tendai Mzungu

IN: Matt de Boer, Chris Mayne
OUT: Tendai Mzungu, Matt Taberner (omitted)

Fast Fact
James Clement, one of the staples of Collingwood’s teams of the early 2000s, played 84 games for Fremantle between 1996 and 2000. He went on to win two Copeland Trophies and play in two Grand Finals for the Magpies.