Where and when: MCG, Friday, May 21, 7.40pm
Head to head: Collingwood 124 wins, Geelong 91 wins, one draw
Last time: Geelong 17.18 (120) d Collingwood 6.11 (47), preliminary final, 2009 at the MCG

MISSING IN ACTION
Collingwood
Sharrod Wellingham (calf) - test
Paul Medhurst (foot) - test
John McCarthy (hamstring) - 1 week
Tristan Francis (quadriceps) - 1 week
Sean Rusling (calf) - 1-2 weeks
Luke Rounds (shoulder) - 2 weeks
Anthony Corrie (knee) - 2-3 weeks

Geelong
Mitch Brown (leg) - 1 week
Joel Corey (knee) - 2-4 weeks
Marcus Drum (eye) - 1-2 weeks
James Kelly (calf) - test
Steven Motlop (shoulder) - 8 weeks
Brad Ottens (foot) - 4-6 weeks
James Podsiadly (groin) - test
Max Rooke (knee) - test

FORM
Collingwood: WWWWW
Geelong: WLWWW

SUMMARY
Collingwood’s supreme form continued last week when it ran away from Fremantle in the west. Another even spread of goalkickers underlined the Pies’ evenness across the board. Luke Ball’s form went up another gear, while Dane Swan and Travis Cloke did the bulk of the damage. All things are pointing north for Mick Malthouse’s men, but they know their biggest test will come this week.

Geelong also travelled last week but that didn’t bother them as they pummelled the Brisbane Lions into the firm Gabba surface. Mathew Stokes returned, Steve Johnson booted six while Tom Hawkins’ confidence must be at all-time high levels after he bagged four goals switching between a ruck and forward role. The win was the Cats’ third straight by more than 10 goals and the perfect warm-up for the clash with the Pies.

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Collingwood has an abundance of players it can swing through its midfield, but perhaps Scott Pendlebury is the most creative of the lot. Who Cat stopper Cameron Ling stands throughout the match will be pivotal for the Pies, but if Pendlebury can get off the chain and start setting up his side, it will go a long way to a black and white win.

Paul Chapman could easily vie with a couple of teammates for Geelong’s most valuable player. Put simply, when he fires, the Cats seldom lose. He is so tough to match up, given his strength over the ball, ability in the air and cleverness near goal that teams struggle to find a man capable of covering him in every facet. The Pies must do their best.

QUESTION MARKS
The match-ups all over the ground will be fascinating, but how will the Cats’ backline choose to square off against the Pies’ big forwards? Harry Taylor looks most likely to get Travis Cloke, but will Matthew Scarlett go to Jack Anthony or Chris Dawes?

The week-to-week talk of who will run with Gary Ablett starts again, although given Nathan Buckley’s comments regarding Chris Judd a few weeks back it seems the Pies won’t burden one player with the role. Could we see Dane Swan and Ablett - two of the AFL’s biggest ball-winners in recent seasons - go toe to toe on Friday night?

Will we get the shoot-out the two teams’ game styles suggest we will? And if so, is a blowout on the cards?

WHO WILL WIN AND WHY
One could easily make a case for either side winning. In this clash two years ago, the Cats were flying high, undefeated before the Pies stunned them by 86 points in a round-nine fixture.

The last time the two met the margin was almost as great, although the other side was victorious - and the game was vastly more significant.

Neither team will hold anything back in this one but one feels the Pies, like two years ago, will have to do everything right to win. The Cats, with a little more cream at the top, might just be eager to show the new No.1 contender who’s boss.

PREDICTION
Geelong by 26 points

Chat with host Murray Belkin and other fans in the AFL Match Centre on afl.com.au from 7.10pm Friday or join the conversation on Twitter: #aflpiescats

The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.