SUMMARY
It's hard to fault the Cats at the moment. They're undefeated with five wins and boast one of the hottest midfield brigades in the competition with not only Joel Selwood and Patrick Dangerfield influencing games but also the likes of Mitch Duncan, George Horlin-Smith, Jordan Murdoch and Cam Guthrie stepping up to more responsibility this year. The Magpies however are floundering, with their loss to Essendon on Anzac Day their fourth for the season. The heat has been well and truly turned up on coach Nathan Buckley and the club as a whole, with their inability to efficiently use the ball inside 50 continuing to be a problem. Captain Scott Pendlebury has had two quiet weeks and forward Alex Fasolo is suffering from kicking yips, although Jamie Elliot's return after an injury-ruined 2016 and Daniel Wells' debut after a slow summer are positives from the past fortnight.
WHERE AND WHEN: MCG, Sunday, April 30, 3.20pm AEST
TV AND RADIO: Click here for broadcast guide
LAST FIVE MEETINGS
R9, 2016, Collingwood 16.8 (104) d Geelong 11.14 (80) at the MCG
R22, 2015, Collingwood 17.8 (110) d Geelong 9.8 (62) at the MCG
R6, 2015, Geelong 15.10 (100) d Collingwood 8.11 (59) at the MCG
R3, 2014, Geelong 12.15 (87) d Collingwood 11.10 (76) at the MCG
R8, 2013, Collingwood 15.12 (102) d Geelong 14.12 (96) at the MCG
THE SIX POINTS
1. It was all about the first quarter for the Pies last year when they beat the Cats by 24 points at the MCG. They booted seven goals to none to open the game up, and the Cats didn't recover.
2. The Cats have form when the game's on the line this year, having won every last quarter since round one with 34 goals to their opponents' nine.
3. The Cats are scoring freely, having surpassed 100 points in all five games. On the other hand, the Magpies are yet to clear the ton in 2017 and are ranked 17th for total goals kicked.
4. While inaccuracy continues to be a problem for the Pies, they are ranked fourth in the competition in clearances while the Cats are ninth. But in the centre, the Cats have the ascendency and are rated fifth to the Pies' 11th.
5. Harry Taylor as a forward might not be working, but his presence has enabled Tom Hawkins more space. The burly goal-kicker is second to Eddie Betts in the race for the Coleman Medal.
6. The Cats have two players inside the top 10 in the Schick AFL Player Ratings. Patrick Dangerfield is holding on to the No.1 ranking and Joel Selwood has inched up a rung to ninth.
IT’S A BIG WEEK FOR … Scott Pendlebury
The Magpies captain is being forced to deny he's injured after two quiet games and following his surprising bench time in the third quarter last week against St Kilda. Last time he played the Cats, he had 26 disposals and kicked three goals, which is the kind of game he'll need this week if the Pies are to be any chance.
PREDICTION: Geelong by 28 points.
