Collingwood v Sydney Swans
2nd Elimination final

VENUE & TIME :
MCG, 7:30pm AEST, Saturday 8 September

HEAD TO HEAD :
Collingwood 130, Sydney 79, Draw 1

LAST TIME :
Collingwood 15.11 (101) d Sydney 11.10 (76)
Round 21, 2007 at the MCG

THE TEAMS

Collingwood
B: Clement Wakelin Lockyer
HB: H Shaw O'Brien Goldsack
C: Clarke Burns Buckley
HF: Maxwell Rocca Pendlebury
F: Thomas Cloke Rusling
FOLL: Richards O'Bree Rover: Davis
I/C: Swan Fraser Didak Medhurst
Emergencies: Licuria R Shaw Bryan
IN: Rusling Didak Fraser
OUT: Reid R Shaw Bryan

Sydney
B: Richards Barry Roberts-Thomson
HB: Bevan C Bolton Mathews
C: Malceski Kirk McVeigh
HF: O'Keefe O'Loughlin Fosdike
F: Schneider Hall Davis
FOLL: Jolly J Bolton Rover: Goodes
I/C: Barlow Crouch Dempster Everitt
EMER: Buchanan Schmidt Thornton
IN: Hall
OUT: Ablett (knee)

Preview :

The Pies have been up and down for most of the year but still remain the only team in the league not to have lost two consecutive games.
Collingwood have won their last three matches against Sydney, but it has been a long time since the two have played in a final.

For this match, The Pies will welcome back three key players whom they certainly missed last week against the Crows. Sean Rusling, who proved the difference two weeks ago when these two teams met is back, along with fellow forward Alan Didak. The most important inclusion for Collingwood is Josh Fraser who will need to combat the experienced ruck duo of Peter Everitt and Darren Jolly.

The Swans are in unfamiliar territory this year, finishing seventh and having to do things the hard way if they are to reach a third consecutive grand final. Injuries have hindered them in recent weeks and this week is no different having to be without Tadhg Kennelly, Luke Ablett and Amon Buchanan. Barry Hall comes back in for the Swans who hardly needed a forward-line inclusion after a thumping return from Michael O’Loughlin, Ryan O’Keefe and Nick Davis last weekend against the Hawks.

Verdict :

The Swans will need to keep the crowd out of the game to win this one as the 80,000 strong crowd will be frighteningly pro-Collingwood.

We all know what the Swans are capable of and they will be full of confidence after their big win against the Hawks last round.

FIXED ODDS BETTING :

Tip - Take the Swans by 6