Collingwoodfc.com.au has enlisted David Natoli aka DaVe86 to write this year's match previews.  David writes what are arguably, the most popular Magpie previews published on the internet.  This is his second season writing for the club website.  Please note his views are not of the clubs but of a passionate, knowledgeable member of the Magpie Army.

New boys on the block Gold Coast will host ladder leaders Collingwood this Saturday night at Metricon Stadium in a battle which will be earmarked as a David vs Goliath clash. The expectation on Saturday will be that the Magpies should totally obliterate the Suns. Therefore, it is a real test for the young Gold Coast team to measure itself against the competition’s best side.

In round 17, the Magpies put to rest a challenging week with a comfortable 19-point victory against Carlton. On the other hand, the Gold Coast recorded its third win of the season with a more than impressive performance against a disappointing Richmond. The win will have given the Suns a bit of confidence leading into this huge clash and they enter the game with a ‘nothing to lose’ attitude. Often a side in this frame of mind can be the most tricky to play.

Let’s be honest, the Magpies should win this game very comfortably. The question really is how much the Pies will win by. However, nothing in sport is guaranteed...especially in a two-horse race. As Guy McKenna pointed out, Australia was unbackable favourites against Samoa in the Rugby Test this week yet lost the game.

Collingwood is coming off a huge game against Carlton, played in front of more than 85,000 fans. It is not absurd to think that playing the inexperienced Gold Coast side could be a bit of a letdown mentally after such a big build up to the previous match.

Gold Coast also possesses inside knowledge of Collingwood’s game plan. McKenna was Malthouse’s assistant coach prior to accepting his current appointment. Danny Stanley, Sam Isles and Josh Fraser were also former Magpie players. Importantly, Shane O’Bree was very close with Malthouse and now is on the Gold Coast coaching staff.

But it is one thing to have inside knowledge, and another thing to actually put it to effect. It is not as if Collingwood’s game plan is a great secret. It looks to win contested footy and lock the ball inside 50 until a goal is scored. Unfortunately for the Suns, the team is far too inexperienced and lightly built to realistically have an impact around the stoppages.

Nonetheless, it has been a promising season for the Gold Coast. They already have four Rising Star nominees (Matera, Smith, Swallow and McKenzie) and so many other highly-rated teenagers. To have recorded three wins to date has been a good achievement for a side which was expected to win none. If Gary Ablett, Swallow, Rischitelli and Stanley have an impact around the stoppages, and the team plays with no fear, then the Suns could cause the Magpies a few headaches on Saturday night.

At The Selection Table
Despite both teams having a win in round seventeen, expect a number of changes at the selection table this week. Both sides are well known for making a constant stream of changes every week to keep their players in peak condition.

I am most interested with Collingwood’s selections. I get the feeling that Malthouse may use this as an opportunity to rest a few sore players. This may be seen as disrespectful to the opposition, but with six weeks to go to finals it is an ideal time to freshen up key players. It appeared, Pendlebury picked up a minor injury against Carlton last round, Thomas hurt his ankle the week prior, and Dane Swan has not been 100% fit for some time. It is also an opportunity to give youngsters like Rounds, Keefe, Fasolo and McCarthy more game time.

Alan Didak and Dayne Beams face fitness tests. However, Malthouse has already made comment that he is unlikely to risk players on a stadium in which the club has never played in and the quality of the surface is unknown. Brent Macaffer and Josh Thomas have been impressive at VFL level, as has Ben Sinclair.

Turning attention back to the Gold Coast, and the question for McKenna will be whether or not to bring in some bigger bodies. Karmichael Hunt and Daniel Harris will come into contention.

Focus on Collingwood
It’s not rocket science for the Magpies this week. Darren Jolly will look to get the ascendency in the ruck against Fraser and the inexperienced (yet extremely talented) Zac Smith, while the battle hardened midfield will look to impose their size and strength to intimidate their young opponents. Gold Coast possesses quality young talls, however the Collingwood defence is incredibly tight and should make goal scoring extremely tough.

Alex Fasolo - Could Fasolo be this year’s Jarryd Blair and hold his spot right through to the finals? Fasolo may find it a bit more difficult to do so as he has been used as the team’s designated substitute. This may affect his chances to hold his position as he has not yet proven his capacity over four quarters. Nonetheless, he is having immediate impacted once substituted into the game, and is proving a handful as a medium-sized forward. His tackling intensity is fantastic, and he is also a very nice kick of the footy...especially in front of goal. Given the youth of the Gold Coast team, I’m hoping Fasolo is given more game time this week.

Leon Davis - The ignitor is putting together a terrific season and is proving a really valuable player once again. As a creative defender, he is winning a lot of the ball and setting up a lot of forward thrusts. Importantly, he is still pushing forward and scoring goals when necessary. Davis’ silky skills are likely to be a real influence on Saturday’s game.

Harry O’Brien - I thought Harry was fantastic last week, mostly playing on Eddie Betts. Importantly, he generated a fair bit of run in the absence of Heath Shaw, which is a role that he will have to continue to do for the next seven weeks. He is likely to rotate through a number of opponents this weekend, including Brennan, Bennell and Stanley.

Travis Cloke - If Cloke is not the best forward in the competition at the moment, then he is at least on par with his nearest rival. With 43 goals for the season to his name, Travis has a real opportunity on Saturday night to kick a bag against a very inexperienced backline. Nathan Bock will take the match-up on Cloke. Bock is a veteran defender and will be a decent match-up for Cloke, but he is going to lack the support.

Focus on Gold Coast
No doubt the Suns will come out on Saturday looking to take a lot of risks and try to match Collingwood around the stoppages. The midfield is quite good on paper, but lacks depth at this stage. Further, the young key position players such as Lynch and Dixon are super talented, but still not ready to dominate against quality defenders such as Tarrant and Reid. Defence is an issue for the Suns, and relies heavily on Bock to hold down centre halfback. The future is very bright, but the side is a long way off challenging Collingwood at this stage.

Gary Ablett Jnr - The little master has silenced a lot of critics this year who were of the belief that he could not maintain such dominance without quality of players around him. He is averaging over 28 disposals a game, a goal and six tackles. This is all despite a severely interrupted pre-season and groin issues in the early rounds. Two weeks ago, Gary hurt his knee and was clearly hampered by it last week. Nevertheless, he still had 27 disposals and kicked a goal. Collingwood will not tag him, but will probably use Wellingham head to head.

David Swallow - If Swallow was playing in Victoria, he would be the most talked about youngster in the competition. The number one draft pick has been amazing in his first year, and is playing on a level beyond what most expected. He is still 18 years old, yet is averaging 20 disposals and 4 tackles in a midfield, which does not offer a lot of assistance. His form has got better as the season has gone on as well. He is an absolute gem and will relish the contested footy on Saturday night.

Danny Stanley - Many wrote off this guy as an AFL footballer when he was delisted by Collingwood. He has however proved to be an inspired pick by the Gold Coast and has become a leader of the club. He is playing as a small forward who is there to harass and pressure. Importantly, he is hitting the scoreboard, having kicked three goals last week. He is another who has improved as the season has worn on. His mature body has been important as he is averaging four tackles and is one of the few who can stand up to bigger bodied opponents.

Trent McKenzie - Keep an eye out for McKenzie on Saturday night. He won last week’s Rising Star Nomination after another impressive 21-disposal game. What is most noticeable about McKenzie is how far he can kick a footy. He is still young, however probably possesses one of the longest kicks in the game, and has already made a name for himself as a goal-kicking midfielder who can score from beyond 60.

The Wrap-Up
I don’t think this is going to be the obliteration many are predicting. I think Gold Coast will offer resistance, and maybe even send a few early concerns through the Magpie camp. However, I think the resistance will be very short-lived, and the eventual margin will most likely blow out to over 60 points. Collingwood’s strong depth and fitness will prove far too strong over four quarters. 

Nonetheless, Collingwood will begin to turn its attention to finals shortly, and percentage is not a real issue at the moment. Therefore, I don’t expect the Pies to do anything beyond what they need to do.

Collingwood by 65

By David Natoli
Aka DaVe86