Update: Friday 15 April, 5pm
Collingwood has named its final team to take on Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday afternoon.
As announced on Thursday, Steele Sidebottom, Alan Toovey and Travis Varcoe will return to the side, while today three players have been cut from the extended interchange bench.
American Mason Cox is one of the unlucky men. After being upgraded from Collingwood's rookie list on Thursday, the ruckman will be an emergency for the MCG clash.
Brent Macaffer joins him as an emergency, while Matthew Goodyear has been omitted from the senior side after making his debut against St Kilda last weekend.
All three have been named in an extended Collingwood VFL squad set to play the Casey Scorpions at the Holden Centre at 12.10pm on Sunday.
Despite all being named, coaches may elect to hold over a player in case of a late change to the AFL team.
Collingwood v Melbourne
Round 4 2016
Sunday 17 April
MCG, 3.20pm
Collingwood
B: Ben Sinclair, Nathan Brown, Tom Langdon
HB: Tyson Goldsack, Ben Reid, Alan Toovey
C: Adam Oxley, Adam Treloar, Steele Sidebottom
HF: Travis Varcoe, Darcy Moore, Jordan De Goey
F: Alex Fasolo, Travis Cloke, Jeremy Howe
Foll: Brodie Grundy, Scott Pendlebury, Taylor Adams
Int: Jarryd Blair, James Aish, Levi Greenwood, Jack Crisp
Emg: Brent Macaffer, Mason Cox, Matthew Goodyear
IN: Mason Cox, Brent Macaffer, Steele Sidebottom, Alan Toovey, Travis Varcoe
OUT: Brayden Maynard (hamstring), Marley Williams (foot)
NEW: Mason Cox (25, Oklahoma State University)
***
Original article: Collingwood could make up to five changes to its team to take on Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday.
The five inclusions include one debutant, but he’s certainly not your typical first gamer.
American ruckman Mason Cox has been promoted off the rookie list in place of the injured Matthew Scharenberg.
Standing at 211cm, Cox has played 20 VFL games since arriving at the club at the tail end of 2014.
He played two NAB Challenge matches earlier this year, serving notice with two goals against Geelong in the series opener.
While his size allows him to contribute as a ruckman, Cox has impressed as a forward in the VFL, where his size makes him a difficult proposition for any defender.
Cox is no guarantee to play this week, having been named on an extended interchange bench. If named as an emergency, he will line up in the VFL on Sunday.
At the other end of the spectrum of experience are the four remaining inclusions.
Steele Sidebottom returns from suspension, Travis Varcoe is back after a three-week layoff with a hamstring strain and premiership pair Alan Toovey and Brent Macaffer are back after impressing in the VFL.
The quartet bring with them 530 games of experience to a team that was the youngest to run out on an AFL ground in round three.
The two players ruled out are defenders Marley Williams (foot) and Brayden Maynard (hamstring).
Sunday’s 25-man squad will be trimmed to 22 at 5pm on Friday.
