BRISBANE Lions v Collingwood at the Gabba, Friday, March 28, 7.40pm (AEST); curtain raiser – Suncoast Lions v Morningside, 3.50pm.
Forecast
Shower or two, possible storm. Min 18, Max 27.
Betting
Brisbane Lions $1.75, Collingwood $2.00
Last time they met
Brisbane Lions 22.17 (149) d Collingwood 7.14 (56), round 17, 2007, at the MCG
Form guide
At the MCG last Saturday, Collingwood broke clear of Fremantle in the final term to kick off its season with a 26-point win. Anthony Rocca booted six goals, Alan Didak three and Dane Swan had 27 touches and notched up seven tackles, but the promising result was soured by the long-term injury sustained by young forward Sean Rusling. The 21-year-old left the field cradling the shoulder he has already had reconstructed twice, and will undergo surgery yet again. He is set to spend even more time on the sidelines.
The Brisbane Lions had the toughest ask in football first up – a road trip to Perth to meet the still-intimidating West Coast. After the Eagles booted the first six goals of the game, Jonathan Brown hauled his side back into the contest to take the lead in the third term. But even a six-goal bag from the champion and a 30-possession performance from Simon Black wasn't enough to stop the 2006 premiers from kicking away in the final term to win by 16 points.
Random facts
* Collingwood's inspiring 33-point round-nine win over the Lions last year was its first at the Gabba since 1995.
* But, when the Lions smashed the Magpies last year in round 17 at the MCG, they got their own back. The away side notched up its biggest interstate win in the history of the club with the 93-point triumph, and Jared Brennan recorded a personal best seven goals with an enigmatic display.
Key match-ups
Nathan Brown v Jonathan Brown
The Collingwood kid was thrown to Dockers' champion Matthew Pavlich in his first game last week and passed with flying colours. He could very well be given first shot at another gun forward this week.
Shane Wakelin v Daniel Bradshaw
A perfect match up for Wakelin with Bradshaw on the road back from a knee injury. The Magpie veteran won't concede in speed and will look to be fairly evenly matched – if Bradshaw starts in attack.
Rhyce Shaw v Simon Black
Shaw was given the task of running with Fremantle hard-nut Josh Carr last week, and could be given another difficult job of following the Brownlow Medallist around the Gabba if his form is backed again.
What the clubs say
Collingwood
"The area we're most likely to be pushed in will be against their experienced midfield," assistant coach Brad Scott said.
"They have players who have been very successful on both an individual and a team basis, and if they're winning a lot of the ball and supplying their forwards, we're going to find it difficult to control them.
"They're potentially extremely potent up forward now, and with Daniel Bradshaw returning from his knee reconstruction, he just adds a completely new dimension to their forward line rather than being so Jonathan Brown focussed."
Brisbane Lions
"Eight clubs got their season started in a positive way and eight didn't," senior coach Leigh Matthews said.
"You've got to get a win to get your season started and Collingwood games are always good with the big crowd and big interest. People either love or hate Collingwood – it's what it's all about.
"From a marketing point of view, playing Collingwood up here early in the season is exactly what club wants. And from a player's point of view, it's always a bit different playing Collingwood for those same reasons."
