CTV> O'Bree talks to reporters before the team departs to FremantleCTV> Lockyer talks with the press before Thursday practice in PerthCollingwood has made four changes ahead of the round 22 match against Fremantle at Subiaco Oval on Friday night.
Simon Prestigiacomo will make his long awaited 2008 debut at senior level after successfully overcoming a foot injury which has forced him out of the side for the entire season. He has worked his way back to form and health playing in in the VFL side over the last two months.
Rhyce Shaw returns after serving a two-game club imposed suspension while Nathan Brown also comes back into the side after missing one week due to general soreness.
20-year old Danny Stanley will line up for his fourth career game and his second this season having displayed strong form at VFL level.
Skipper Scott Burns will miss the game after injuring his calf in last week’s game against the Swans. Shane Wakelin and Sharrod Wellingham are also omitted due to groin injuries.
Midfielder/defender Alan Toovey is out for the rest of the season with a broken foot sustained early in the first quarter against Sydney last week. Click HERE to read about coach Mick Malthouse’s praise of Toovey playing the majority of the game with a broken foot.
The Magpie side will readily welcome back veteran defender Prestigiacomo who "popped" his plantar fascia – which is the thick, connective tissue that supports the arch of the foot – in round six last year against Adelaide.
The road back to recovery hasn’t been easy for the 10th overall pick in the 1995 draft, after going through two surgeries and a lengthy rehabilitation process, Prestigiacomo will play his 194th game for the club on Friday night.
Jaxson Barham, Brent Macaffer and Chris Egan are the three emergencies.
Fremantle have made two changes bringing in Clayton Hinkley and Andrew Browne, replacing omitted duo Steven Dodd and Brett Peake.
2008 AFL Premiership Season Round 22
Fremantle v Collingwood
Friday 29 August
Subiaco Oval, 6:40pm
Collingwood
B: Simon Prestigiacomo, Nathan Brown, Tyson Goldsack
HB: Martin Clarke, Nick Maxwell, Heritier O’Brien
C: Tarkyn Lockyer, Rhyce Shaw, Shannon Cox
HF: Scott Pendlebury, Travis Cloke, Leon Davis
F: Chris Dawes, Paul Medhurst, John Anthony
Foll: Josh Fraser, Dane Swan, Shane O’Bree
Int: John McCarthy, Danny Stanley, Chris Bryan, Ryan Cook
Emg: Jaxson Barham, Brent Macaffer, Chris Egan
In: Nathan Brown, Simon Prestigiacomo, Rhyce Shaw, Danny Stanley
Out: Scott Burns (injured - calf), Alan Toovey (injured - foot), Shane Wakelin (injured - groin), Sharrod Wellingham (injured - groin)
Fremantle
B: Scott Thornton, Michael Johnson, David Mundy
HB: Marcus Drum, Luke McPharlin, Roger Hayden
C: Paul Duffield, Ryan Crowley, Des Headland
HF: Byron Schammer, Kepler Bradley, Jeff Farmer
F: Adam Campbell, Ryan Murphy, Mark Johnson
Foll: Aaron Sandilands, Josh Carr, Andrew Browne
I/C: Garrick Ibbotson, Chris Mayne, Rhys Palmer, Clayton Hinkley
EMG: Steven Dodd, Brett Peake, Ryley Dunn
In: Clayton Hinkley, Andrew Browne
Out: Steven Dodd, Brett Peake
