Collingwood and Richmond have not played in front of a crowd of more than 75,000 since round four, 2001.

But the MCG is tipping that it will have in excess of 80,000 fans crammed into it when the two old rivals go hammer and tong on Saturday afternoon.

Why?

There's a noise coming from the Punt Rd jungle and it's getting louder by the week. With its best start to a season since 1995 (just ask any Richmond supporter how much they enjoyed that year) and the promise of youth beginning to be fulfilled, those wearing yellow and black are daring to dream that 2013 could be their best in nearly 20 years.

They are sure to face stiff opposition when they come up against the Magpies in the traditional Saturday afternoon time slot of 2.10pm.

With seven years of finals experience under its belt, Collingwood will relish yet another big occasion at the home of football.

The consensus of the two sides? Bring it on!

Match Details
Richmond v Collingwood
Round Four
Saturday 20 April
MCG, 2.10pm

Head to Head
Played: 199
Collingwood: 114
Richmond: 84
Drawn: 1

Past Five
Round 2 2012
Collingwood 12.13 (85)
Richmond 8.16 (64)

Goals - Collingwood: Cloke 3, D.Thomas 3, Blair 2, Fasolo 2, Jolly, Paine
Richmond: Miller 4, Deledio 2, Conca, Edwards

Disposals - Collingwood: Swan 32, Pendlebury 29, Sidebottom 24, O'Brien 23, Beams 22
Richmond: Deledio 35, Rance 34, Grigg 30, Cotchin 26, Houli 26

Crowd: 57,268 at the MCG.

After a sluggish start, Collingwood left Richmond in its wake with a six goal to two third quarter. Three of those goals were kicked by Dale Thomas who ignited an otherwise forgettable game. There was a brawl at half time with players exchanging words and some old fashioned push 'n shove.

Round 4 2011
Collingwood 24.17 (161)
Richmond 13.12 (90)

Goals - Collingwood: Swan 4, Cloke 3, Sidebottom 3, Beams 2, Dawes 2, D.Thomas 2, Blair, Ball, L.Brown, Johnson, Didak, Wellingham, Wood, Pendlebury
Richmond: Riewoldt 4, Martin 2, White 2, Deledio, King, Graham, Vickery, Miller

Disposals - Collingwood: Swan 33, D.Thomas 26, Didak, 26, Pendlebury 26, Sidebottom 25
Richmond: Deledio 33, Cotchin 30, Grigg 30, Martin 28, Jackson 26, Newman 26

Crowd: 58, 050 at the MCG

Collingwood was at its high scoring best, pumping Richmond into submission by 71 points on a Friday night at the home of footy. The Pies appeared destined to steam to a triple figure victory when they led by 50 points at half time but a six goal third quarter by the Tigers managed to bring them to within five straight kicks at the final change. Fortunately, Collingwood steadied with a nine goal final term to run out convincing victors. It was Collingwood's highest score against the Tigers since round 16, 1992.

Round 17 2010
Collingwood 19.13 (127)
Richmond 6.9 (45)

Goals - Collingwood: Davis 4, L.Brown 3, Didak 3, Macaffer 3, Jolly 2, Dawes, Beams, Pendlebury, Swan
Richmond: Riewoldt 2, Cousins, Collins, Martin, Graham

Disposals - Collingwood: Swan 37, Pendlebury 30, Didak 28, Johnson 26, D.Thomas 26
Richmond: Morton 25, Tuck 25, Cousins 24, Rance 23, Astbury 20

Crowd: 66,727 at the MCG

The game was famous for the unveiling of Alan Didak's shimmy after a third quarter goal. It only saw the light of day twice more (after kicking the sealer during the Grand Final Replay and during the celebrations at AAMI Park afterwards). Brent Macaffer also played a vital role for the Magpies, kicking three goals for the second week in succession and gathering 18 possessions.

Round 20 2009
Collingwood 22.20 (152)
Richmond 8.11 (59)

Goals - Collingwood: Davis 4, Anthony 3, Cloke 2, Didak 2, Swan 2, Dick 2, Johnson, Medhurst, Lockyer, Beams, Pendlebury, O'Brien, Shaw
Richmond: Hislop 2, Nahas 2, Riewoldt, Tambling, Morton, Deledio

Disposals - Collingwood: Swan 34, O'Bree 33, Pendlebury 31, Beams 30, Didak 29
Richmond: Deledio 31, Tuck 26, Newman 25, Bowden 24, Nahas 19, Cousins 19, McMahon 19

Crowd: 63,366 at the MCG

A leisurely Saturday afternoon at the MCG turned into TV ringside when Richmond's Jake King clashed with Alan Didak during the second quarter. Didak's teammates were quick to remonstrate with King and fracas broke out across the ground. It didn't put Collingwood off its game, with the Pies recording 42 scoring shots to Richmond's 19. The Magpies got home by 93 points.

Round 3 2008
Collingwood 18.14 (122)
Richmond 11.12 (78)

Goals - Collingwood: Medhurst 3, Rocca 3, D.Thomas 3, Anthony 2, Cloke 2, Johnson, Maxwell, Davis, Fraser, Wood
Richmond: Pattison 2, Pettifer 2, King, Brown, Morton, Polak, Richardson, Newman, Tambling

Disposals - Collingwood: H.Shaw 33, Lockyer 26, R.Shaw 26, Medhurst 24, Davis 24
Richmond: Tuck 29, Foley 28, King 27, Johnson 27, McMahon 25

Crowd: 70, 832 at the MCG

Heath Shaw had a picnic in the back pocket, collecting 33 possessions and rebounding from half back on 11 occasions. It sparked opposition teams into putting more time into him each week, thus reducing his impact for the next two months. Jack Anthony made his debut for the Magpies, kicking a goal with his first kick. He was omitted and spent the next three weeks in the VFL before bobbing back up in round 14, from which point he did not miss another game.

Our last loss
It has been a while since Collingwood was toppled by the Tigers. But Pies fans can still picture Nathan Foley (27 possessions) and Brett Deledio (five goals) running amok for the eventual wooden spooners on a cold Friday night in round 19, 2007. Richmond jumped the Magpies in the first quarter but a string of goals early in the third term saw Collingwood draw level. From then on, the Tigers had too much pace for the Preliminary Final-bound Magpies and held on to win by 20-points. The win was only their second for the season.

Crowds
Collingwood and Richmond have traditionally attracted big crowds each year. 113,461 fans attended the 1980 Grand Final and 108,279 were on hand to watch the two sides go at it in the 1969 Preliminary Final.

The largest home and away crowd between the two sides is 92,436 on ANZAC Day 1977 when Richmond legend Tom Hafey coached against his old club for the first time.

In recent times, there have only been six crowds of less than 50,000 since 1993 (one of which was when the MCG had a reduced capacity in round 16, 2004). During that stretch, the Tigers have only made the finals twice, while Collingwood went through seven barren years without a finals appearance. The crowds are a testament to the passion and dedication of the two supporter bases.

For the record, the past 28 meetings between the two teams have been played at the MCG. The last match to be played away from the ground was in round 16, 1992 when Collingwood won by 63 points.

The last match that wasn't played at the MCG, Victoria Park or Waverley Park was in round eight, 1964 when the Magpies won by 25 points in front of 34,600 at the Punt Road Oval.

Once a year
Amazingly, Collingwood and Richmond have only met twice in the one season on one occasion between 2005 and 2013 (in 2007). It was only a few years prior that the two teams had made a minor tradition of opening the season under lights at the MCG in round one.

Connections
Players and coaches such as David Cloke, Tom Hafey, Steve McKee, Dan Minogue, Terry Keayes, Matthew Francis, Geoff Raines, Michael Lockman, Jamie Tape, Clinton King, Stephen Roach, Jon Hummel, Jack Twyford, Basil Smith, Max Hislop and Aaron James have played for the two clubs over the years.

What's with all the ruckmen?
For a time during the 1980s and 1990s it seemed like Collingwood seemed to woo a Richmond ruckmen down Hoddle Street and inside the Victoria Park change rooms. David Cloke, Matthew Francis, Robert Schaffer, Brad Smith and Steve McKee were among the tall timber that began at Richmond before joining Collingwood. Cloke played 144 games for the Magpies between 1983 and 1989, while McKee was a member of the 2002 Grand Final team.

Injuries
Collingwood
Ben Reid (jarred knee) - available
Luke Ball (knee) - 1 week
Darren Jolly (ribs) - 1 week
Caolan Mooney (calf) - 2 weeks
Dayne Beams (quad) - 2-3 weeks
Brodie Grundy (back) - 2-3 weeks
Clinton Young (hamstring) - 2-3 weeks
Lachlan Keeffe (knee) - 4-6 weeks
Michael Hartley (shoulder) - 5 weeks
Nick Maxwell (fractured wrist) - 5-6 weeks
Tim Broomhead (Glandular Fever) - 7-8 weeks
Jackson Ramsay (wrist) - 8 weeks

Richmond
David Astbury (foot) - 1-2 weeks
Nathan Foley (Achilles) - 4-6 weeks

Mind the short turn around
Collingwood (and Essendon) will have to be mindful of the four day break between their games on Saturday and their ANZAC Day match on Thursday. Last year, with a three day break to contend with, Collingwood made only two changes to its team for ANZAC Day.