Collingwood v Port Adelaide
Who would have picked this back in March? The Pies were always considered good things for the finals, but the expectation was that they were a top four side that would start their finals series from the top four. Ken Hinkley took over as coach of Port Adelaide and while there was expected to be improvement, another year of pain and suffering was the likely outcome. Instead they meet in an MCG final.
WHERE AND WHEN: MCG, Saturday, September 8 7.45 pm
TV AND RADIO: Click here for broadcast guide and odds
LAST FIVE TIMES
R14, 2013, Port Adelaide 13.8 (86) d Collingwood 7.9 (51) at AAMI Stadium
R4, 2012, Collingwood 14.13 (97) d Port Adelaide 10.13 (73) at Etihad Stadium
R20, 2011, Collingwood 23.21 (159) d Port Adelaide 3.3 (21) at AAMI Stadium
R1, 2011, Collingwood 24.11 (155) d Port Adelaide 12.8 (80) at Etihad Stadium
R15, 2010, Collingwood 16.9 (105) d Port Adelaide 12.7 (79) at AAMI Stadium
2013 meeting
Round 14 @ AAMI Stadium: Port Adelaide 13.8 (86) def Collingwood 7.9 (51): Port Adelaide leapfrogged Collingwood into seventh on the ladder after this siren-to-siren win in their only clash of the season. Matthew Broadbent had 34 touches and Brad Ebert 30, while Jay Schulz kicked three goals. Port was too tough in the clinches throughout and this win, which came a week after beating the Sydney Swans, confirmed once and for all that Port was the real deal in 2013.
Key match-ups
Scott Pendlebury v Kane Cornes: The master midfielder versus a tagger who is still at the top of his craft. Port must curb one of Pendlebury or Dane Swan to win.
Brodie Grundy v Matthew Lobbe: Lobbe has quietly become an effective AFL ruckman and a weapon for Port. Grundy has been a star in his first seven games but must now step up to a final.
Travis Cloke v Alipate Carlile: Cloke leads the AFL in contested marks and his first half last week against North was ominous. Carlile needs to put the clamps on him nice and early.
Wildcards
Collingwood: Players and fans seem united in their wish for veteran goalsneak Alan Didak to remain in the Magpie line-up. Didak loves the big stage and is playing every game as if it might be his last. Imagine the lift for Collingwood if he jags one early.
Port Adelaide: Port lacks finals experience, but one player used to big games at the MCG is Angus Monfries. And he loves a goal. Or five.
Plan B
Collingwood: Do the Pies trust the Grundy/Quinten Lynch rotation for their rucks? Has Lynch done enough? Is there room for Darren Jolly as well?
Port Adelaide: Travis Boak is Port's most complete player and ideally will be given free rein. But if one of the elite Magpie midfielders gets on a roll, he may have to jump into some sort of run-with role.
THE SIX POINTS
1. This will be the 24th clash between the sides and Collingwood holds the advantage winning 13 games to 11. At the MCG the sides have met six times for three wins each; they haven’t played at the MCG since early in 2009.
2. This will be only the third finals contest between the sides. In a 2002 qualifying final at AAMI Stadium the Pies won by 13 points, while in a 2003 peliminary final the Pies won by 44 points at the MCG.
3. Collingwood will be playing in its 177th finals match for 77 wins, 94 losses and five draws. No team has played in more finals in league history. Port Adelaide will be playing its 18th final and first since the 2007 Grand Final. They have eight wins and nine losses.
4. The Magpies will be playing in their eighth consecutive finals series, something they last achieved in 1925-32.
5. Collingwood is the most experienced team in the 2013 finals, with a combined total of 340 finals matches, led by 22 games each to veterans Darren Jolly and Alan Didak. Port Adelaide has only 42 games of finals experience combined - Kane Cornes topping the list with 14.
6. Despite his dominance of the AFL's contested marking stats, Cloke is only ranked No.122 in the Official AFL Player Rankings brought to you by Vero. Chad Wingard is the leading Port forward, coming in at No.59.
