It’s the match that has again split the sports desk. In the Cats corner are Nick Wade, Ryan Reynolds and Lachie Young. In the Collingwood corner are Alex Oates, Damien Ractliffe and Grant Payne. Game on.

Geelong Advertiser

NICK WADE: Three of the past four against Geelong the Pies have won. Or so the black-and-white mob keep telling me. Sounds like Sunday’s game is in the bag.

RYAN REYNOLDS: It’s actually six of the past nine since the 2011 Grand Final, Wados. It’s entering curse territory! But I’ll take the Premiership Cup.

LACHIE YOUNG: They can have this one as well if they want, Wadey. Geelong has bigger fish to fry later in the year

GRANT PAYNE: We’ll take it. Thanks very much. What sort of fish? Is Paddy cooking snapper again when he should be concentrating on the footy?

LY: The South Australian teams are looking good, so it could be mullet.

ALEX OATES: Big Mason Cox will have a field day. The Cats will have no one to stop him. I’m thinking a bag of six for the American Pie.

GP: I’m hopeful things will pan out the same way they did when Gazza last played for the Cats against the Pies on prelim final night at the MCG in 2010 (standing by for 2011 GF sledge, off you go . . . ).

NW: You’re just lucky Tom Hawkins isn’t playing. From memory, I think he turned the game a bit that afternoon. Not sure. I’ll have to watch the replay again.

AO: I don’t remember 2011, all I can think about it 2010. What a great year!

NW: We can watch the replay together then.

DAMIEN RACTLIFFE: Is it time for Buckley to find a tagger, though? Tom Mitchell tore us up Round 1, Dayne Zorko did similar last week and it looks like Levi Greenwood won’t be fit enough to line up on Joel Selwood on Sunday.

RR: Could Gaz be more of a headache? Last time he played on the MCG against Collingwood he had it a lazy 53 times!

LY: Greenwood has been vital in recent years for the Pies. But this time around there are a couple of other players to consider. Ablett is back, Kelly is on fire, Duncan is in fine form. Do they let the midfields, with Sidebottom, Pendles, Treloar etc, go headto-head? Would be entertaining viewing

AO: Sidebottom’s been electric this season.

DR: I’d love to see Taylor Adams sacrifice his game.

GP: Please not another shootout — I nearly broke my son’s talking Joel Selwood on top of the mantelpiece last week and was surprised it didn’t bleed when I threw it at the bookcase when Zorko goaled late.

NW: OK, if your team wins, you can have Monday off. The losers, it’s 9am sharp. So, I’ll see you Tuesday.