Lou looms large in Magpie memories
31 246 187cm 95kg Ever-reliable captain and key cog in defence who averages 21.1 disposals a game, 17.1 of them kicks.
21 25 186cm 81kg Mid-sized defender who rarely misses a target by foot and can win the hard ball.
27 186 190cm 85kg Third year at the Eagles after seven at Brisbane Lions. Averaging a career-high 25 disposals.
27 93 181cm 86kg Consistent midfielder who is strong in the clearances and can go forward and kick a goal.
23 22 175cm 80kg Revelation in his first year, having played every game since Round 2 for a return of 26 goals.
25 73 203cm 101kg Ruckman who has taken the No.1 ruck role since Nic Naitanui (knee) went down in Round 17.
21 11 179cm 72kg Made his debut this year, kicking 19 goals as a small forward and averaging 5.1 score involvements.
19 13 187cm 83kg Eagles’ youngest player today. Tough midfielder who has played 13 games in his debut season. THE family of Collingwood legend Lou Richards say he would be looking down on his beloved Pies’ premiership quest with pride in today’s AFL Grand Final.
The premiership captain died last year, as passionate as ever about the Pies and honoured with a state funeral and statue outside Collingwood’s headquarters.
Daughter Nicole Morrison said “Louie the Lip’’ would be thrilled with Collingwood’s
22 49 194cm 95kg Hoping his 50th game is a winner. Elite in kicking efficiency (82.5%) and contested marks (1.5).
26 101 196cm 99kg Hugely important key defender who ranks No.1 in the AFL for contested marks at 2.9 a game.
24 130 190cm 89kg Damaging midfielder, averaging 24.9 disposals, who ranks fourth in the league for metres gained.
26 170 191cm 95kg Powerful forward who ranks fifth in the AFL for contested marks and has booted 44 goals in 2018.
31 219 196cm 102kg Injuries have restricted him to 12 games this year, but he has averaged three e goals a game.
28 175 183cm 90kg Contested ball beast who ranks elite for clearances (6.6 a game) and inside50s (4.7).
21 68 184cm 83kg Developing midfielder who ranks elite for one percenters (2.7 a game) and rebound-50s (3.4).
27 55 200cm 100kg Didn’t get picked until Round 16 but has been a solid back-up ruckman who can kick a goal. march to the Grand Final.
“He would be so happy,’’ Morrison said.
“He would be so proud of them and think, ‘that’s the way they should be playing’.
“And he would be thinking that Nathan Buckley and Eddie McGuire have both done an amazing job.’’
Morrison said her dad “would have been beside himself’’ with the way Collingwood thrashed Richmond to book its spot in the Grand Final.
And Lou’s family, including five grandchildren and five great grandchildren, were praying for a Pies premiership party.
“We’ve all got our fingers crossed, you never know what’s going to happen but the way they’re playing has given us hope,’’ she said.
29 174 196cm 92kg Veteran key defender who returns for just his 11th game of the season, replacing Brad Sheppard.
29 172 182cm 80kg Veteran ex-Sydney defender who has played in 16 finals in his nine years in the AFL.
29 196 180cm 80kg Hard-at-it onballer who ranks elite for kicking efficiency (71.7 per cent) and marks (5.9 a game).
32 217 184cm 82kg Veteran silky forward who keeps on keeping on, kicking 29 goals from 21 games this year.
26 142 183cm 84kg Handy forward who can mark, loves to tackle and has kicked 34 goals this year.
23 76 185cm 87kg Emerging onballer who averages 22.1 disposals this year, but has stepped up this month.
“We’re all remembering dad because it’s that time of year and we all feel very grateful that people still feel Lou is part of the Collingwood legend and AFL in general.’’
As Collingwood prepares for battle, Pies defender Tyson Goldsack said players were counting on supporters to bring the noise to inspire the home team.
“We love hearing the ‘Colling-wood’, there is no better feeling,’’ Goldsack said.
“If I was the opposition team, it could have an influence I think.
“The fans will turn up in droves and they will make the necessary noise.’’
He said the feeling of being in a Grand Final was “magical’’ for players and fans.
“You got a glimpse of it after we won the prelim, just how excited and happy everyone was and rightly so,’’ he said.
“But just to make the Grand Final is not enough — you want to win it.’’
Even prisoners are on their best behaviour
Grand Final week is one of the quietest on Victoria’s prison system calendar.
One source said inmates tended to mind their manners because they did not want to lose television privileges.
“No one f---s up this week because they don’t want the TV taken off them on Saturday,” the source said.
He said it was not clear whether there was a disproportionate number of Collingwood supporters in the state’s corrections system.
Collingwood will stage a live site at its Holden Centre headquarters from noon for fans unable to score a seat at the MCG.