> Watch the special edition of 'The Magpie Minute' recapping the latest news from inside the Lexus CentreCollingwood superstar Scott Pendlebury has made a startling recovery from a fractured leg and has returned to line up against Geelong in Saturday night’s preliminary final.
In a surprising omission, 2008 All-Australian Paul Medhurst will take his place in the VFL side on Saturday afternoon constituting the club’s only change.
Pendlebury, who sustained a crack to his fibula in the loss against St Kilda in the qualifying final, was cleared by club doctors to play this weekend after he got through the main training session on Wednesday. The 21-year-old has been in career-best form this season averaging 26 disposals a game while finishing second at the club in total clearances (89) during the home-and-away season.
Under an injury cloud for this weekend’s match, Dayne Beams and Josh Fraser have both been named as emergencies along with running defender Martin Clarke.
2007 Copeland Trophy winner Travis Cloke will run through his 100th AFL banner in his fifth season at the club. Cloke has averaged three goals a game in his last four contests against Geelong including booting three in the 2007 preliminary final.
Geelong has welcomed back Steve Johnson (hip) and Max Rooke (quad) for the preliminary final while losing Matthew Stokes (groin) and Simon Hogan (omitted).
Preliminary Final 2
Geelong v Collingwood
Saturday 19 September
MCG, 7:30 pm
Collingwood
B: Harry O’Brien, Simon Prestigiacomo, Leigh Brown
HB: Heath Shaw, Nick Maxwell, Tarkyn Lockyer
C: Scott Pendlebury, Shane O’Bree, Brad Dick
HF: Alan Toovey, Travis Cloke, Ben Johnson
F: Alan Didak, John Anthony, Dale Thomas
Foll: Cameron Wood, Dane Swan, Leon Davis
I/C: Brent Macaffer, Tyson Goldsack, Steele Sidebottom, Sharrod Wellingham
Emg: Dayne Beams, Martin Clarke, Josh Fraser
In: Scott Pendlebury
Out: Paul Medhurst (omitted)
Milestone: Travis Cloke (100 AFL games)
Geelong
B: Darren Milburn, Matthew Scarlett, Corey Enright
HB: Tom Harley, Harry Taylor, Andrew Mackie
C: Joel Corey, Cameron Ling, James Kelly
HF: Jimmy Bartel, Cameron Mooney, Steve Johnson
F: Travis Varcoe, Tom Hawkins, Paul Chapman
Foll: Mark Blake, Joel Selwood, Gary Ablett
I/C: Brad Ottens, Shannon Byrnes, Max Rooke, David Wojcinski
Emg: Shane Mumford, Simon Hogan, Ryan Gamble
In: Johnson, Rooke
Out: Mathew Stokes (groin soreness), Simon Hogan
