Collingwood has made one change ahead of Friday night’s match against Geelong with midfielder Sharrod Wellingham returning to the side to replace John Anthony.
Wellingham, who has missed the last two contests with a calf injury, is enjoying a breakout year in his fourth season at the club averaging career-high numbers in disposals (23.7), marks (4.3) and tackles (4.2). Selected by Collingwood in the 2006 rookie draft (pick 10 and elevated in 2008), the 21-year-old will play his 35th AFL match after notching 12 in 2008 and 16 in 2009.
With the VFL facing a bye weekend due to the VFL-WAFL state game, Anthony and his teammates will have the weekend off and thus won’t have a chance to put their hand up for senior selection.
Anthony has been named as an emergency alongside Tarkyn Lockyer and Josh Fraser.
Geelong, meanwhile, has regained rookie sensation James Podsiadly (17 goals from 5 games) and defender James Kelly (154 games) for Simon Hogan (14 games) and Mitch Duncan (6 games).
Click here to view the AFL broadcast schedule.
Round nine
Collingwood v Geelong
Friday 21 May
MCG, 7.40 pm
Collingwood
B: Heath Shaw, Ben Reid, Ben Johnson
HB: Harry O’Brien, Nick Maxwell, Sharrod Wellingham
C: Luke Ball, Dane Swan, Alan Toovey
HF: Shane O’Bree, Travis Cloke, Alan Didak
F: Dayne Beams, Brent Macaffer, Leon Davis
Foll: Darren Jolly, Scott Pendlebury, Dale Thomas
I/C: Nathan Brown, Chris Dawes, Steele Sidebottom, Cameron Wood
Emg: Tarkyn Lockyer, Josh Fraser, John Anthony
In: Sharrod Wellingham
Out: John Anthony (omitted)
Milestones: Heath Shaw (100 AFL games), Alan Toovey (50 AFL games)
Geelong Cats
B: Josh Hunt, Matthew Scarlett, Andrew Mackie
HB: Corey Enright, Harry Taylor, Darren Milburn
C: James Kelly, Cameron Ling, Jimmy Bartel
HF: Steve Johnson, Cameron Mooney, Travis Varcoe
F: Mathew Stokes, Tom Hawkins, Gary Ablett
Foll: Mark Blake, Joel Selwood, Paul Chapman
I/C: Shannon Byrnes, James Podsiadly, David Wojcinski, Tom Lonergan
Emg: Simon Hogan, Mitch Duncan, Taylor Hunt
In: Kelly, Podsiadly
Out: Simon Hogan, Mitch Duncan
