In 2017, David Natoli, aka DaVe86, returns to Collingwood Media to file his famous, in-depth tactical match previews.

Since publishing his first report on Nick's Bulletin Board in early 2005, DaVe86 has become a weekly favourite among the passionate online Magpie Army receiving thousands of views for each article.

The articles are lengthy and have been published in their entirety as the club did not want to hinder DaVe86's creativity during the writing process.

The views expressed in DaVe86's previews are solely of the author and do not reflect the views of the Collingwood Football Club.

All eyes will be on the MCG this Saturday afternoon as Collingwood faces Essendon in a clash between two sides desperately needing a victory.

Collingwood’s loss to Hawthorn last week was its third in a row, and leaves it languishing in the bottom four on the ladder. Essendon, on the other hand, has lost four of its past five games, including last week’s loss against bottom of the ladder Brisbane.

The media spotlight has shone on both sides in the lead-up to this game, with both side’s finals hopes fading after the recent losses.

It is an important game, considering both teams had high expectations leading into the season, but haven’t quite lived up to the hype. At times, both sides have looked really good, but they haven’t been able to consistently perform week in week out.

These are two proud clubs with a longstanding rivalry, so fans should expect quite a fierce battle on Saturday. Although a finals berth remains a mathematical possibility for both, the short-term focus will be to get back to the winners list and build from there. It’s typically a good clash when these two rivals meet, and Saturday’s game should be no exception.

Recent History
Essendon’s 18-point victory against Collingwood on ANZAC Day this year should give it enormous confidence going into this game. Joe Daniher was the star of the show, booting three goals and winning the ANZAC Day medal. He again looms as the game-breaker this weekend. Zac Merrett also dominated with 33 disposals, while Orazio Fantasia booted four crucial goals as well. Adam Treloar was clearly Collingwood’s best player with 39 disposals, while Jeremy Howe held up the defence with 30 disposals and eight marks. Jamie Elliott was Collingwood’s main threat up forward with three goals.


At the Selection Table
The Magpies have a few players under injury clouds heading into this match, with Darcy Moore aiming to prove his fitness following hamstring tightness last week, and Tyson Goldsack suffering a broken nose and minor concussion. Ben Reid will put his hand up for selection after his shock omission last week, while Rupert Wills, Matt Scharenberg and Lachlan Keeffe have been very impressive at VFL level. Travis Varcoe successfully returned to VFL level last week, but may need another week before earning a senior recall.

For the Bombers, David Myers will be considered after his 34-disposal effort in the VFL last week. Jackson Merrett was also good with three goals. Brent Stanton was also prominent, and historically has a very good record against Collingwood. Overall, the Bombers have a very healthy list, with very few injuries to speak of.

Focus on Collingwood
It was a familiar story for Collingwood last week, with periods of dominance, but also a number of crucial errors costing the Magpies dearly. Yet again the Pies started slowly and were forced to play catch-up for most of the game. Again, the Magpies were in the game right until the very end but just couldn’t finish the game off.

Collingwood has been a very good stoppage and uncontested football side this year, but were beaten in both these areas by Hawthorn last week. The Hawks employed a defensive game-plan and sought to keep the football out of Collingwood’s hands as much as possible. The Magpies just couldn’t get their running game going, and in the end they ran out of legs.

In a lot of ways, Collingwood is doing a lot of things right. It is getting more than enough inside 50s (56-54 last week) and winning more than enough of its share of the football. It is just the efficiency moving the ball forward, and also the mistakes that are costing the side dearly. For Collingwood to improve, it needs to find a forward structure which is effective and can also put more defensive pressure on than it has in recent weeks.

Player Focus – Collingwood
Jordan De Goey – On a difficult day for Collingwood fans last Sunday, the one solace was the fact that Jordan De Goey announced himself to the football world as a genuine midfielder. His 32-disposal game was a personal best, but he was also so clean with the football and an absolute beast around the stoppages. De Goey has had to cut his teeth as a half forward for most of his career, but his injection into the midfield has seen immediate results. The challenge for De Goey will now be to back up that game, and maintain this form for the remainder of the season.


Focus on Essendon
The Bombers have looked irresistible at times this year, with big wins against West Coast and Port Adelaide, and a close tussle with Greater Western Sydney. At one stage, it seemed as if the Bombers were a genuine finals contender and a side that could really challenge in September. But the last month has been heart-breaking for the Bombers, with a number of really close losses.

First it was the heartbreak against Sydney where a goal after the siren to Gary Rohan cost the Bombers a victory they seemed to have sewn up. Then last week, the Bombers blew a four-goal lead in the final quarter to the bottom of the ladder Brisbane Lions. In all honesty, the Bombers should be sitting comfortably in the top eight, but now are fighting to remain in finals contention.

Essendon has moved the ball quickly this year and hasn’t been afraid to take the game on. Its forward line is really dangerous, with three big talls in Daniher, Cale Hooker and James Stewart, and three dangerous smalls in Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, Josh Green and Fantasia. The problem though has been creating enough opportunities for the forwards. The Bombers are currently ranked 14th for inside 50s, and 17th for clearances.

Player Focus – Essendon
Zac Merrett – In many ways, Merrett has now become Essendon’s prime midfielder. He was the leading disposal getter on ANZAC Day with 33, and averages 31.4 disposals for the season. Considering he is one of the best kicks in the competition, the Bombers look to use him as much as possible. But his effectiveness has dropped off in recent weeks as sides begin to put attention into him. He only managed 19 disposals last week, which was well down on his usual output. Considering the Magpies haven’t been engaging a tagger in recent weeks, Merrett looms as a key player this weekend.


The Wrap Up
Both sides have received their share of criticism this week after recent disappointing results. While a win this week may not be the difference between a finals spot or not, there is still plenty of the line for both clubs considering the pressure that is mounting externally.

This really is a 50-50 game, with only four points separating these sides on the ladder. Both teams are capable of good football, but consistency remains the issue. The Magpies are going to struggle to contain the Essendon forward line if the Bombers get their quick ball movement going. Collingwood’s forward pressure needs to be a lot better than last week, and the midfield needs to lift. Collingwood also needs to be more efficient going forward, as the Bombers have the firepower up the other end to put the scores on the board.

By David Natoli
Aka DaVe86