ANZAC Day will be massive, games against Carlton are destined to be blockbusters, and thanks to Neale Daniher and the Big Freeze, Queen's Birthday has quickly turned into a highly anticipated date on the football calendar.

But in an action-packed 2018 fixture, Collingwood Media picks five games out of the box to keep an eye on in the year to come.

ROUND 1
Collingwood v Hawthorn
Saturday 24 March, 7.25pm
MCG
Talk about two sides desperate to kick off the year on the right note.

For the first time in 12 years, neither Collingwood nor Hawthorn took part in September action in 2017.

So for that reason, among others, the intensity under the bright MCG lights will be at fever pitch when our season kicks off against the Hawks on Saturday 24 March.

Honours were split last season against the men in brown and gold. We drew first blood, with an 18-point victory in round 9, as Scott Pendlebury ran rampant with 36 possessions and a goal. The third quarter belonged to the Pies, as we kicked 5.5 to just 0.1 to erase a 35-point deficit to tie the scores at the final change.

Oh, and Tom Mitchell had 50 touches, Bucks said they didn’t matter, but then the umpires disagreed and gave him three Brownlow votes anyway.

We’ll forget that one, as we’ll forget a 24-point loss in round 15. But here’s hoping some new exciting memories will be made during our first real crack at 2018.



Jeremy Howe evades James Sicily in 2017. Image: AFL Photos.

ROUND 4
Adelaide v Collingwood
Friday 13 April, 7.20pm
Adelaide Oval
What will Friday the 13th produce? A first win at the Adelaide Oval perhaps?

We’re no strangers to scaring the life out of the 2017 Grand Finalists. Who could forget the drama of our round 19 draw against the Crows?

Despite sitting high on the AFL ladder, Adelaide were stunned by Collingwood on a gloomy Sunday afternoon at the MCG. Daniel Wells had 34 disposals and kicked three goals, and Taylor Adams did the same as the Magpies continued an impressive run of late season form.

If it hadn’t been for Mitch McGovern and his incredible pack mark in the final seconds, we could very well have laid claim to the biggest upset of the 2017 season.

Alas, a win eluded us, as they have at the Adelaide Oval since the Crows and Power started to call it home in 2014.

The stage is set to change that. This could be one freaky Friday.



Another trip to the Adelaide Oval awaits Ben Reid and his Collingwood teammates in round 4. Image: AFL Photos.

ROUND 6
Collingwood v Richmond
Sunday 29 April, 3.20pm
MCG
The reigning premiers on a four-day break. You’re kidding, right?

Arguably our biggest test of the season comes on a Sunday afternoon against Richmond at the MCG. The match is scheduled four days after our ANZAC Day clash with Essendon, while the Tigers have just an extra morning to recover from an ANZAC Day eve game against Melbourne.

The result could be an epic battle between teams trying to salvage everything from a bunch of tired bodies. Collingwood led well into the third quarter against Richmond last season, before being overcome in a high-scoring final quarter.

Now for the added element of that Wednesday game the week prior. We’ve played eight games on a Wednesday in a 125-year history. But you won’t believe our record the week after these mid-week games… eight wins, ZERO losses.

From a 69-point victory over St Kilda in 1899, to beating the Western Bulldogs by 21 points in 2012, we simply don’t lose after Wednesday games.

So lock this one in.



Scott Pendlebury and Trent Cotchin will do battle again in round 6. Image: AFL Photos.

ROUND 21
Collingwood v Brisbane Lions
Saturday 11 August, 7.25pm
Etihad Stadium
Greats of the game were scattered all over the field the last time Collingwood and Brisbane met at Etihad Stadium.

…Or should we say Colonial Stadium as it was known at the time.

A shoot-out under the roof acted as the Magpies’ arrival into the discussion of genuine premiership chances in 2002. Chris Tarrant kicked five goals, and Nathan Buckley and Michael Voss played out an intense battle in front of a crowd at fever pitch.

“Tonight’s the night the new Magpies have come of age!” Stephen Quartermain said on the Channel Ten commentary of the three-point thriller.

We’ve been left with that memory for 15 years as the Magpies and Lions have instead met at either the MCG or the GABBA.

Time to create some new memories under the Docklands roof. Let’s hope they’re just as good.



Anyone remember these two going at it in round 8, 2002? We're playing the Lions at Etihad once again in round 21. Image: AFL Photos.

ROUND 23
Fremantle v Collingwood
Time and date TBC
Perth Stadium
We’ve seen the construction and the light shows of the new Perth Stadium. And we’ve got to admit, it looks pretty amazing.

But is a stadium really christened until the Magpies have come and conquered?

We left Subiaco on a high with an impressive 20-point victory over Fremantle in round 11 last season.

Who could forget Tyson Goldsack breaking his scapula and running around for the rest of the game with one arm tucked to his side?  

While fans in Perth will have to wait until round 23 to see the team live in action, fingers crossed we can enjoy a debut victory at Perth Stadium when the game rolls around in August.

And with the season ending with a trip West, let’s hope the AFL keeps that pre-finals bye for us to use for recovery.



The now complete Perth Stadium will host Collingwood and Fremantle in the final round of the 2018 home and away season. Image: AFL Photos.