With the loss to Adelaide behind them, Collingwood Media has compiled its two-minute guide to the Magpies' clash between the Saints on Friday night.
At selection
There will be one forced change this week, with the loss of Ben Sinclair to a hamstring injury.
Sinclair damaged his right hamstring near the interchange gates in the first quarter against Adelaide at Etihad Stadium.
Collingwood’s Director of Football Neil Balme addressed the injury on Collingwood Media’s Blackmores Injury Update.
“Sadly, Benny, who’s been going very well, hurt his hamstring. We were a little bit concerned about it and he couldn’t re-join the game,” Balme said.
“We’re not quite sure how bad it is but it’s certainly not good news.”
Last week’s 26-point VFL win over North Ballarat provides a different twist for Nathan Buckley at the selection table.
Jarrod Witts will need at least another week before he puts his hand up to assist Brodie Grundy in the ruck after playing a full game and kicking the first goal at Victoria Park.
Key defenders Ben Reid and Darcy Moore were both named in the best against the Roosters and are making good progress.
The midfield depth continues to shine at VFL level. Sam Dwyer won the ball at ease in a half of footy against the Roosters, while Nathan Freeman and Jordan De Goey were named in the best.
While the Collingwood coaching staff will be kept busy, St Kilda’s Alan Richardson has stated that he’ll be reluctant to make changes to the side that beat the Gold Coast on Saturday.
Number one draft pick Paddy McCartin kicked four games for Sandringham in a best on ground performance in the VFL, while Leigh Montagna is a chance to return from a knee injury.
However, Richardson has indicated that both may be kept on the sidelines for Friday night’s clash with the Magpies.
Return to the ‘G.
It’s not often that the Collingwood Football Club is deprived of action at the MCG.
But when the men in the Black and White run onto the home of football on Friday night, it’ll bring back a familiar feeling they have not experienced since August last year.
It’s been 231 days since Collingwood last played at the MCG (which was, for the record, a 65-point loss to Hawthorn).
And you have to look even further back into the calendar to find at last time Collingwood and St Kilda met at the ‘G.
Darren Jolly polled three Brownlow votes in the six point win in round 19, 2012, while Dane Swan had 31 disposals and kicked two goals.
The winds of change
It’s hard to believe that five years have passed since Collingwood and St Kilda’s epic Grand Finals in 2010.
In last weekend’s respective matches only nine players took the field that were present on those incredible afternoons.
Jarryd Blair, Nathan Brown, Travis Cloke, Scott Pendlebury, Dane Swan and Alan Toovey all went into last week’s clash against Adelaide as premiership players, while St Kilda had just Nick Riewoldt, Sean Dempster and Sam Fisher remaining for their clash against the Gold Coast.
To further emphasise the point of time flying, factor in this… Darcy Moore, Jordan De Goey and the rest of this year’s draft class were just 13 or 14-years-old when the 2010 Grand Final took place.
Things change quickly in footy.
New names to watch
Both sides had a standout performer in round two coming from left of field.
Adam Oxley and Josh Bruce were both born in 1992 and both had career best performances last weekend after multiple years on AFL lists.
Oxley is in his third year on Collingwood’s list after being selected by the Magpies at pick No. 35 in the Rookie Draft of December 2012.
After playing three games as the sub, the wingman-defender had a career-high 33 disposals in his first full AFL game against Adelaide last Saturday.
On the other side of the country, St Kilda’s Bruce was also making a name for himself against the Gold Coast Suns.
After only kicking seven goals in his first 25 games, Bruce proved the spearhead for the Saints as he kicked six goals in the 28-point victory.
With the eyes of the football world watching, both men will be looking to prove last week wasn't a flash in the pan.
Overall record (since 1897)
Collingwood v St Kilda
Played: 215
Won: 156
Lost: 57
Drawn: 2
Highest score
Collingwood 32.19 (211) def. St Kilda 16.11 (107) in round 17, 1980.
Lowest score
Collingwood 3.8 (26) def. by St Kilda 8.19 (67) in round 15, 1907.
Largest crowd
101,655 in the 1966 Grand Final at the MCG.
Smallest crowd
5,000 in round 7, 1942, at Toorak Park.
Did you know?
Collingwood played its first ever VFL match against St Kilda on 8 May, 1897.
Bill Strickland led the Magpies onto the field for the first time at Victoria Park and returned with a 25-point victory.
It was a sign of things to come for Magpies. They only lost to St Kilda twice in the next ten years.
