As you grab your morning coffee, cast an eye over collingwoodfc.com.au to see where the Pies are popping up in the papers. ‘Pies in Print’ will keep the Magpie Army informed on what is being written about what the club in the major media outlets around the country.

Pies move to fix things after mauling
The Age – 1/4/16
Daniel Cherny and Jon Pierik
Collingwood have reacted to a nightmare week by making four changes for Friday night’s clash against Richmond at the MCG.

Having endured a torrent of headlines relating to the club’s illicit drug use, and after being thrashed last Saturday by Sydney, the Magpies have named recruit James Aish to make his debut for the club.

The former Brisbane Lions midfielder is accompanied by key defender Ben Reid, ruckman Brodie Grundy and rebounding backman Adam Oxley.

Cloke must remember to think big
The Age – 1/04/16
Wayne Carey
It has been a terrible week for Collingwood – with the serious injury to Dane Swan and the small matter of that 80-point defeat to Sydney – but they get the chance tonight to put all that behind them, and get their season back on track, with a win against their great rival Richmond.

I think for the Pies to do that they really need Travis Cloke to find some confidence and get back to something like his form of 2013, when he kicked 68 goals, was the best contested mark in the game and was clearly among its premier key forwards.

…On Friday he will come up against All-Australian defender Alex Rance, not the sort of match-up you want if you’re trying to find some form.

But he’s kicked seven on Rance before – as recently as three years ago – when the Pies had a big win, so he’ll have those fresh memories to draw upon.

Tigers need more than one Martin
The Age – 1/04/16
Rohan Connolly
There have been plenty of clubs over the years who have longer to be able to clone a star player. But perhaps few as desperately as Richmond do right now with Dustin Martin.

Martin gives the Tigers what they don’t have enough of in not one but three areas, and their dependence upon him might seldom be demonstrated as effectively as one Friday night against Collingwood.

…Friday night’s opponents have their own challenges, Collingwood not only attempting to bounce back from a round-one hiding but doing so without the services of two pivotal players in the injured Dane Swan and suspended Steele Sidebottom.

Swan forced to wait for surgery
Herald Sun – 1/04/16
Rebecca Williams
Collingwood veteran Dane Swan is waiting for the swelling to subside before having surgery to repair multiple right-foot fractures.

Football manager Neil Balme said yesterday the Magpies would get a better idea of Swan’s rehabilitation time after the surgery.

…It has been speculated the injuries could spell the end of Swan’s career, but that remains to be seen.

“It depends on how (the surgery) goes, but I think it’s something like eight weeks off, non-weight-bearing, and then you see how you go,” Balme said.