Collingwood heads to Perth for Friday night’s Round 11 clash with Walyalup looking for their seventh win of season 2024.
The Sir Doug Nicholls Round clash will see Perth local and 2022 draftee Ed Allan, and former Cricketer and Category B rookie, Wil Parker make their AFL debuts.
The clash will also see Collingwood forward Lachie Schultz play his 100th AFL game against his old side, after crossing from Walyalup in the 2023 off-season.
Last time they met
The Magpies met Walyalup once in 2023, with the eventual Premiers running out 46-point winners in the Round 18 MCG clash.
Double Daicos domination was the story of the day, with Nick and Josh Daicos combining for 36 and 31 disposals respectively to ensure the Magpies held their lead all day. The pair had seven clearances, four tackles and a goal each, while Nick was influential with 11 score involvements.
Captain Darcy Moore was a rock in defence with 11 intercept possessions, while in the forward half, Jamie Elliott booted four goals, Ash Johnson kicked three, Dan McStay and Taylor Adams both kicked two and seven other Magpies kicked singular majors.
Ins and outs
Ed Allan and Wil Parker were earlier this week announced as Collingwood’s 1190th and 1191st V/AFL players respectively, with the pair to debut in Friday night’s clash.
Brody Mihocek returns to Craig McRae’s side after missing the last two games with a hamstring injury.
Joining Mihocek will be Beau McCreery who entered the concussion protocols in the Magpies thrilling Round Eight win over Carlton.
Defender Charlie Dean also returns for his third career game, after making his debut in Opening Round versus the GWS GIANTS.
Jordan De Goey (abdomen), Reef McInnes (concussion), Will Hoskin-Elliott (hamstring), Oleg Markov (personal commitment) and Finlay Macrae (omitted) are the five players to make way.
A pair of debutants
Perth born and bred, Allan played Under 18 football for Western Australia and WAFL Colts for Claremont before being selected at Pick 19 in the 2022 National Draft for the Magpies.
The 194cm midfielder has averaged 19 disposals from his 25 VFL games in black and white since being drafted, with a career high 26 in last year’s Wildcard Round fixture versus Richmond.
Across 2024 Allan has played seven VFL games, collecting 25 disposals on two occasions in Rounds one and three.
Parker joined the Magpies in February of this year, signing as a Category B rookie after spending four years playing professional cricket for Victoria and the Hobart Hurricanes.
A talented junior sportsman, Parker chose cricket over football in his draft year of 2020, making his first-class cricket debut for Victoria aged 17, becoming the fourth youngest to ever do so.
The leg spin bowler played four First Class matches, one domestic One Day match and nine BBL games from 2020 to 2024, including a Tour Game for Victoria against Pakistan last summer.
After signing with the Magpies, Parker made his VFL debut against Coburg in Round Four, kicking a goal and 21 disposals.
The half back has averaged 16 disposals and 3.2 tackles in his five VFL games and will play his first game at AFL level 104 days after last playing Premier Cricket for Richmond Cricket Club, and 153 days after representing Victoria in a tour match against Pakistan.
Players to watch
Magpie fans based in Western Australia will be excited to watch a host of locals run out in black and while on Friday night.
Western Australians Darcy Cameron, Bobby Hill and Billy Frampton have all had impressive starts to 2024.
Cameron has averaged 24 hit-outs and 4.2 marks a game so far this year, cementing his spot as one of Collingwood’s most consistent players.
Noongar man Bobby Hill will play on his home country wearing the Magpies’ Sir Doug Nicholls Round guernsey designed by Trevor Davis. Hill has kicked 13 goals and leads the team for goal assists with 11.
Frampton has had a career best season thus far, averaging 11.3 disposals, 4.2 marks, 4.6 contested possessions and 7.6 ‘one percenter’s a game.
Schultz reaches 100 games
Forward Lachie Schultz will play his 100th AFL game on Friday night, taking on his former side Walyalup in Perth.
The forward has kicked 111 goals from his previous 99 games, including 10 in his first season in black and white.
After plying his trade for Williamstown in the VFL, the Moama product was selected at Pick 57 in the 2018 National Draft by Walyalup aged 20. Schultz made his AFL debut in the Opening Round of the 2019 season versus North Melbourne, kicking two goals.
Take in the action
The match will be broadcast live on Channel Seven, Fox Footy and kayosports.com.au. For local broadcast information, visit the AFL website.
The Magpie Army can stay connected with the team via the Official Collingwood website and social media channels. Visit collingwoodfc.com.au, @collingwood_fc on Instagram and threads, @collingwoodfc on X (formerly Twitter), Collingwood Football Club on Facebook and YouTube for a range of behind-the-scenes content, the latest news and more.
