VENUE & TIME :
MCG, 7.40pm, Friday, August 17

HEAD TO HEAD :
Collingwood 136 wins, Melbourne 79 wins, four draws.

LAST TIME :
Melbourne 13.16 (94) d Collingwood 11.15 (81), round 11, 2007, at MCG

Preview :

This is a big game for Melbourne, with veteran forward Neitz becoming the first player in the club’s history to pass the 300-game mark.

Melbourne notched its fourth win of the year with its most impressive performance yet, an eight-goal battering of the Western Bulldogs.

They will look to replicate this effort with Nathan Jones and Daniel Bell once again in their tagging roles, while Brad Green and Travis Johnstone look to benefit from the stoppages.

Collingwood, meanwhile, dished up its worst effort in 2007 - a 20-point loss to lowly Richmond. The Pies see their perceived path through September slowly slipping out of their grasp. Despite being only one game and percentage from second spot on the ladder, their form of the past month suggests they’ll be just making up the numbers come finals time.

Despite the return of several players, including Rhyce Shaw and James Clement, the Magpies look physically and mentally spent. Mick Malthouse has admitted that he may need to rotate his midfield, raising the possibility that captain Nathan Buckley will play this weekend.

The Verdict :

Melbourne showed last week that milestones mean something. In Jeff White's 250th game the Demons produced their most aggressive effort of the season to comprehensively beat the Bulldogs.

This week inspirational skipper David Neitz strides out for his 300th match in the red-and-blue, becoming the first player at the oldest club in the land to reach the magical mark.

Neitz is a revered figure at Melbourne, like Nathan Buckley at Collingwood. Even if the Magpies attempt to counter the emotion of Neitz's achievement by recalling their skipper, it won't be enough.

Melbourne, while still missing at least half a dozen key players, match up well with the Pies. Ben Holland should once again contain Anthony Rocca while Neitz, Russell Robertson, Aaron Davey and the improving Michael Newton put a winning score on the board.

FIXED ODDS BETTING :

Melbourne to win @ 2.20 (best bet)
Melbourne +8.5 @ 1.88
Melbourne under 39.5 @ 2.75