Collingwood has made one change ahead of Friday night’s top of the table clash against Fremantle with in-form forward Jack Anthony making his return to the side.
Anthony replaces Paul Medhurst who has pulled up sore with a foot strain after booting three goals in the round seven win over North Melbourne.
Omitted from the senior side after round two, Anthony has impressed the match committee over the last two weeks in the VFL kicking a combined ten goals. VFL head coach Gavin Brown praised the 22-year-old’s work ethic in the player-by-player assessment of last week’s game.
“He (Anthony) has had 20 shots at goal over the last two weeks. Although his kicking has been a bit off, he has moved very well. The defensive side of his game has been very strong.”
Anthony will take confidence from his last performance against Fremantle (round 13, 2009) when he bagged four majors, equalling a career-high return.
Midfielder Luke Ball, who has played all seven matches for Collingwood this season after playing 142 games for St Kilda between 2003-2009, is set to play his 150th AFL game (watch press conference) on Friday night. Originally selected at pick two overall by the Saints in the 2001 draft, Ball arrived at the Magpies via pick 30 at last year's draft.
Tarkyn Lockyer, Simon Prestigiacomo and Jaxson Barham have been named as emergencies and could play in the VFL on Saturday afternoon against Frankston.
Collingwoodfc.com.au will be covering the match with a live chat (click here to receive a reminder).
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Round eight
Fremantle v Collingwood
Friday 14 May
Subiaco, 6.40 pm
Collingwood
B: Heath Shaw, Ben Reid, Ben Johnson
HB: Harry O’Brien, Nick Maxwell, Alan Toovey
C: Luke Ball, Dane Swan, Steele Sidebottom
HF: Shane O’Bree, Travis Cloke, Alan Didak
F: Dayne Beams, John Anthony, Leon Davis
Foll: Darren Jolly, Scott Pendlebury, Dale Thomas
I/C: Nathan Brown, Chris Dawes, Brent Macaffer, Cameron Wood
Emg: Tarkyn Lockyer, Simon Prestigiacomo, Jaxson Barham
In: John Anthony
Out: Paul Medhurst (foot strain)
Milestone: Luke Ball (150 AFL games)
Fremantle
B: Garrick Ibbotson, Chris Tarrant, Ryan Crowley
HB: Greg Broughton, Luke McPharlin, Roger Hayden
C: Adam McPhee, David Mundy, Paul Hasleby
HF: Michael Johnson, Matthew Pavlich, Stephen Hill
F: Matthew de Boer, Chris Mayne, Hayden Ballantyne
Foll: Aaron Sandilands, Michael Barlow, Paul Duffield
I/C: Nathan Fyfe, Rhys Palmer, Anthony Morabito, Alex Silvagni
Emg: Kepler Bradley, Nick Suban, Antoni Grover
In: Garrick Ibbotson, Alex Silvagni
Out: Kepler Bradley, Dylan Roberton (soreness)
