In 2012, collingwoodfc.com.au has again enlisted the help of David Natoli, aka DaVe86, who has shot to internet fame for his in-depth Magpie tactical previews. 

Since publishing his first report on Nick's Bulletin Board in early 2005, DaVe86 has become a weekly favourite among the passionate online Magpie Army receiving thousands of views for each article.

The articles are lengthy and have been published in their entirety as the club did not want to hinder DaVe86's creativity during the writing process.

The views expressed in DaVe86's previews are solely of the author and do not reflect the views of the Collingwood Football Club.

After a week off, I return to preview the Queen’s Birthday Clash between Collingwood and Melbourne.

Two weeks ago, this clash seemed like a virtual bye considering how poorly Melbourne was travelling. However, a week is a long time in football. All of a sudden this clash looms as a danger game for the Magpies considering the Dees are coming off a confidence building victory against Essendon, and Collingwood has suffered from a number of injuries.

It was hard not to barrack for Melbourne last Saturday night. Mark Neeld deserved a victory and the fans deserved something to celebrate about. The challenge now for the Demons is to build on the confidence it has gained from a win and compete against one of the premiership favourites.

The Demons typically match up well against Collingwood and always lift for the Queen’s Birthday clash. This year in particular, Melbourne arguably has a key tactical advantage given the inside knowledge Mark Neeld brings on all the Collingwood players.

Turning the focus onto the Magpies, and the 97-point victory against Gold Coast in round 10 was just what the doctor ordered. Percentage has been an issue for Collingwood and now looks a lot healthier at 122.39 per cent. This is still only good enough to rank in fourth spot despite the fact that the Magpies are equal top of the ladder on premiership points.

The only negative to come out of the Gold Coast win was the injury to Scott Pendlebury. He will miss this week’s match at least and may be in doubt for further games. Collingwood has a bye in round 12, and then faces a very difficult run home having to play all the top eight sides again. Nonetheless, it plays the next six games at the MCG and has a chance to really solidify itself in the top four. The bye will also give Pendlebury more time to recover, along with other key players such as Ben Reid.

Recent History
Collingwood had a massive 88-point victory against Melbourne in 2011 with Travis Cloke booting six goals. However it was only good enough to poll two Brownlow votes as Sharrod Wellingham stole the honours with 37 disposals. Chris Tarrant surprisingly snuck in with one vote.

In 2010, Melbourne nearly caused the upset of the season, but a frantic final quarter saw the Magpies sneak away with a draw. It is one of many examples over the last decade where Melbourne has been able to lift for the Queen’s Birthday game.

Focus on Collingwood
At the beginning of the year, one of the biggest concerns for Collingwood was depth. With a number of players retiring over the past two years, the list contained less 30 players ready for senior selection.

The most pleasing part of 2012 to date is the number of new players who have stepped up and added to the depth of the playing list. The emergence of second tier players such as Dayne Beams, Steele Sidebottom and Jarryd Blair has also taken the side to a new dimension. Despite the fact the club has suffered four major knee injuries to top 22 players, the Magpies have covered with ease.

If anything, Collingwood’s depth is once again the best in the competition. There are more midfield rotations, and the forward line has regained its speed and tenacity once more.

Dale Thomas - With the injury to Dane Swan, the Magpies needed Dale Thomas to regain his best form immediately. He responded. I thought he was the key to Collingwood’s victory against Adelaide, and was best on ground against Gold Coast despite his opponent Gary Ablett Jnr having 53 disposals. He will be required to maintain his form this week with the absence of Scott Pendlebury.

Jamie Elliott - I was very excited to see Elliott get his chance against Adelaide. His game last week against Gold Coast showed what a good prospect he is. He kicked three goals and was prominent all day. One of the reasons he was recruited was for his tackling pressure and intensity and I thought he displayed this all match. He will have a real battle on his hands to retain his spot in the side, however I hope he gets more opportunities because I think he has a bright future.

Alan Didak - Didak is looking better and better with every game he plays. With such depth in the side, he is receiving less attention, which means he is getting more freedom. He has added real class to the forward line as he hits targets more often than not and takes the game on. I think Didak will be crucial for Collingwood in the second half of the season. He may not get massive numbers every week, but he can break a game open and brings others into the match.

Focus on Melbourne
The Demons have been on the improve over the last month but have been unable to sustain a four quarter effort. This changed last Saturday and the Demons ran out the game brilliantly. Melbourne finally played with more flair and was willing to take more risks. The game was played in wet conditions and this definitely suited the slower on-ballers. The forecast for Monday is for a clear day, so foot-speed may be an issue against the A-grade Collingwood midfield.

The Demons cannot go back into their shell. Collingwood has pace and targets up forward. Clearances could prove a huge factor. The move of Colin Garland into the forward line was also a success and it will be interesting to see if Neeld opts to go with this option again given the key talls Collingwood has up forward.

Mark Jamar - He has had a disappointing year to date but was vital to Melbourne’s win last week. Darren Jolly is likely to return this week and the ruck dual will be a decisive factor. If Collingwood gets on top around the stoppages, it will help them run the Demons off their feet. Jamar needs to set the tone and give his on-ballers first use.

Nathan Jones - Jones has been one of the few players in the Melbourne side who is having a good 2012 season. I thought he really established himself in 2011 and has built on this form under the new coach. He is a contested footy player but also works really hard. He was again very good in Melbourne’s victory last week with 26 disposals and 9 tackles. He’ll likely square off against Swan or Beams so will have his work cut out for him on Monday.

Jack Watts - After a slow start to the year, and with massive criticism surrounding him, Mark Neeld made a great move to send Jack into the defence. He immediately started winning the ball, which was a good start considering he is a good user of the ball. However, he was criticised for playing too loose and not taking an opponent. He played the loose man in defence against Essendon, and also displayed an ability to beat an opponent and was able to make a number of key spoils. Collingwood can’t allow him to play loose this round and will likely send Tyson Goldsack to him. Watts will need to be careful, as Goldsack has become a goal-kicker in 2012. Nevertheless, it is a good challenge for Watts and Mark Neeld to see how they handle the attention. Watts’ presence down back however did allow Neeld to throw Garland up forward, which turned out to be a match-winning move.

The Wrap Up
Undoubtedly this is a danger game for Collingwood considering Melbourne is improving every week. However, the class through the Collingwood midfield and the discipline of the defence should prove way too strong for the inexperienced Melbourne team.

I think Melbourne will start the game strongly and send a few scares through the Collingwood camp. Nonetheless, it is hard to see the Demons keeping up with the Pies for four quarters in dry weather. If the Magpies win, they have a chance to be top of the ladder leading into the bye given the fact that West Coast and Adelaide have a bye this round.

Collingwood by 34 points

By David Natoli

Aka DaVe86