Big forwards will have Eagles soaring to flag
KEY MATCH-UPS JOSH KENNEDY v TYSON GOLDSACK
This match-up will have a significant impact on the result.
Kennedy has kicked 40 goals from 13 games this season, including four against Melbourne last week. His tail will be up.
But the Pies have done a marvellous job this season in stopping the 31-year-old, with Kennedy kicking only five goals from the past two games.
But in the qualifying final, Kennedy kicked 2.4. If he finds his range, the Magpies could be in trouble. Goldsack could be assigned the task of keeping him under control.
WILL SCHOFIELD v JORDAN DE GOEY
De Goey is one of Collingwood’s trickiest match-ups and it will be interesting to see who West Coast coach Adam Simpson sends to him.
I’m backing the job to go to former Geelong Falcon Will Schofield.
Schofield finds himself in the team on the back of an injury to Brad Sheppard, and while the two are different players, Schofield helps free up other Eagles to play further up the ground.
De Goey has kicked 45 goals this season, including seven in finals, and looms as a real matchwinner.
Schofield, or whoever has the task, cannot afford to let him off the leash.
SCOTT LYCETT & NATHAN VARDY v BRODIE GRUNDY
Can this West Coast duo stop one of the most dominant big men in the competition?
Grundy is an important part of the Collingwood team because he is not only a presence at the contest, but also athletic enough to have an impact around the ground.
When these sides met in the qualifying final, Grundy finished with 48 of his team’s 49 hit-outs. Vardy and Lycett had 14 each and really did not have an impact on the contest.
Grundy was also impressive in last week’s win over Richmond, racking up 56 hit-outs, 21 touches and four tackles against Toby Nankervis.
He gave his midfield first use of the ball for most of the night and it really helped Collingwood’s engine room, including another former Geelong Falcon, Taylor Adams, to gain control through the middle of the ground.
MARK HUTCHINGS v STEELE SIDEBOTTOM
Which Collingwood player does Simpson send Hutchings to tail?
There are lots of options and, let’s be honest, every single one of them can be a matchwinner on their day.
For me, the one you tag first is Steele Sidebottom.
Sidebottom has had a brilliant year, highlighted by his second-place finish in the Brownlow Medal.
He also had 41 touches against Richmond, so his con- fidence would be really high right now.
But if Scott Pendlebury or Adam Treloar get off the chain, then you might see Hutchings switch over to them.
KEY PLAYERS COLLINGWOOD MASON COX
Was last week’s game a flash in the pan? I don’t think so. Cox has always threatened to do that, but I don’t think anyone would have thought he would be clunking marks in a preliminary final against Richmond.
That performance will give him the world of confidence.
He doesn’t have to repeat that performance for Collingwood to win, but if he does, the Pies will be very, very hard to roll.
Also worth noting that he can give Grundy a break in the ruck as well.
LEVI GREENWOOD
Like the Hutchings decision for the Eagles, the Magpies will be carefully weighing up who Greenwood goes to.
This move will be important for coach Nathan Buckley to get right. Elliot Yeo, Jack Redden and Luke Shuey are all genuine options.
We know how well Yeo and Shuey have gone this season, while Redden has flown under the radar a little bit.
Yeo had 36 touches the last time these sides met, so it is likely Greenwood walks over to him first.
However, Redden, Shuey and Dom Sheed can all punish you if they get their hands on the footy.
WEST COAST SHANNON HURN
He is a backline general, a leader and sets the tone for the rest of the game.
He will be the creative force for the Eagles from defence and a lot of what they do from the backline will go through the hands of Hurn.
The 31-year-old has almost 250 games of experience under his belt and knows what it takes to play on the big stage.
If he ends up with too much of the ball, then Collingwood is in for a very, very long day.
JAMIE CRIPPS
One of West Coast’s underrated players, Cripps brings so much gut-running to the side, making his way up the ground and then working so hard back. He has averaged 16 touches and almost two goals a game. That sort of performance today would be very handy for West Coast.
THE GAME
The first quarter is going to be crucial. We saw last week how hard Collingwood hit Richmond and it set the tone for the rest of the game.
West Coast will need to hang in the game early and work their way into the contest.
The Eagles need to focus on the little wins and build momentum from that.
My fear is that Collingwood might have played its grand final a week only.
I don’t know what’s happening behind closed doors and how the players have moved on from the game, but from an outsider’s perspective, I will be interested to see if they can back it up.
The midfield battle is an interesting one. If there is one engine room that can match it with Collingwood, the Eagles can lay claim to that.
Redden is having an exceptional season, while Yeo, Sheed and Shuey are all class.
They can win the ball on the inside and outside and bring a lot of pressure around the contest.
Collingwood will have to contain West Coast’s forward line. If we end up getting a dry day, I think the Magpies might struggle to shut down Kennedy and fellow forward Jack Darling.
MY TIP: West Coast by 13 points.