THE TEAMS

MELBOURNE
B: Daniel Ward, Nathan Carroll, Cameron Bruce
HB: Paul Wheatley, Clint Bizzell, Daniel Bell
C: Travis Johnstone, James McDonald, Aaron Davey
HF: Brad Green, Russell Robertson, Simon Godfrey
F: Colin Sylvia, David Neitz, Matthew Bate
FOLL: Jeff White, Brock McLean, Nathan Jones
I/C (from): Paul Johnson, Ricky Petterd, James Frawley, Nathan Brown, Ben Holland, Adem Yze, Simon Buckley
In: Holland, Yze, Buckley
Out: -
New: Simon Buckley (Sandringham Dragons)

COLLINGWOOD
B: Tarkyn Lockyer, Shane Wakelin, Brodie Holland
HB: Heath Shaw, Harry O’Brien, Rhyce Shaw
C: Scott Pendlebury, Paul Medhurst, Leon Davis
HF: Nick Maxwell, Travis Cloke, Alan Didak
F: Dane Swan, Anthony Rocca, Ben Johnson
FOLL: Josh Fraser, Shane O’Bree, Scott Burns
I/C (from): Dale Thomas, Tyson Goldsack, Alan Toovey, Shannon Cox, Paul Licuria, Danny Stanley, Chris Bryan
In: Wakelin, Licuria, Stanley, Cox, Bryan
Out: Prestigiacomo (foot), Richards
New: Danny Stanley (Geelong Falcons)

MATCH DETAILS

Monday, June 11, MCG, 2.10pm (local time)

MEDIA COVERAGE

Television – Network Ten, Radio – afl.com.au, ABC, 3AW, Triple M, SEN, 5AA

TAB SPORTSBET (VIC)

Melbourne – $2.15, Collingwood – $1.65

LADDER POSITION

Melbourne – 15th, Collingwood – 4th

WIN/LOSS RECORD

Played – 218, Melbourne – 78, Collingwood – 136, Drawn – 4

AT THIS GROUND

Played – 124, Melbourne – 53, Collingwood – 59, Drawn – 2

LAST TIME

Round 11, 2006 – Melbourne 22.9 (141) defeated Collingwood 14.10 (94), MCG

RECENT STREAK

Melbourne has won its past three games against Collingwood, while the Pies won the three encounters before that. The two clubs have played exclusively on the Queen’s Birthday Monday for the past nine seasons, with the record 6-3 in Melbourne’s favour in that time.

INJURIES

Melbourne – Brad Miller (wrist), Matthew Whelan (foot), Brent Moloney (groin), Jared Rivers (back), Isaac Weetra (wrist), Clint Bartram (knee), Ryan Ferguson (thumb), Mark Jamar (foot), Daniel Hughes (groin)

Collingwood – James Clement (calf), Heath Shaw (quad), Ryan Lonie (groin), Nathan Buckley (hamstring), Chris Dawes (knee), Sean Rusling (shoulder), Chris Egan (knee), John Anthony (neck)

SELECTION TABLE

Melbourne’s match committee enjoyed the rare luxury of not making any forced changes for Monday’s game. Aaron Davey has recovered from a jarred knee suffered in the closing stages of last weekend’s game against the Crows and has been named, while Adem Yze returns to the line-up. He’s joined by Ben Holland and potential debutant Simon Buckley.

Collingwood has added Shane Wakelin, but the absence of James Clement and Simon Prestigiacomo leaves the Pies short in defence. Paul Licuria returns to bolster the midfield, while youngsters Shannon Cox and Danny Stanley join Chris Bryan to round out the inclusions.>

FORM

Melbourne finally broke through for its first win of the season against Adelaide last weekend. It was just what the club needed after a month of largely encouraging performances. With a bit of luck, the Demons could well have been 4-6 heading into Monday’s game, instead of a discouraging 1-9 – a fact Collingwood will do well to remember in their preparation.

In contrast, the Pies have been winning admirers aplenty with their recent form. A come-from-behind win against Fremantle at the MCG last Friday night followed a stirring win against the Lions at the Gabba. Despite the absence of skipper Nathan Buckley and vice-captain James Clement, the Pies have shown their younger crop is more than capable of matching it with the league’s best teams.

RED HOT

After copping some heat in the newspapers on the morning of the round 10 match against Adelaide, Brad Green produced his best performance of the season with 37 disposals. More inspirational, however, was his relentless attack on the ball. Nothing lifts a team more than seeing their mate run back with the flight and take a telling mark with little regard for his own safety. Take a bow, Greeny.

MATCH-UP TO WATCH

Cameron Bruce v Scott Pendlebury – The versatile Melbourne star stunned the Pies by keeping Chris Tarrant out of the game in last year’s Queen’s Birthday clash. With Tarrant now at Fremantle, it’s likely Daniher will allow Bruce to have his head in the midfield and up forward. Exciting Magpies youngster Scott Pendlebury is one of the few Collingwood on-ballers with the size and agility to match Bruce in the midfield. The question is whether Bruce’s experience will prove too much for Pendlebury’s youthful athleticism.

HOW'S STAT?

Wins in Melbourne-Collingwood games tend to come in blocks. The Demons have won the past three, after breaking Collingwood’s run of three games in 2004 with a thrilling nine-point win. Before the Pies went on their run, Melbourne won three in a row from 1998-2000. For the Demons’ sake, let’s hope the runs of three have come to an end.

MEMORABLE MATCH

Round 14, 2000 – Melbourne 22.11 (143) defeated Collingwood 12.6 (78), MCG. Melbourne led by three points after a tight first half, with no impact from star goalsneak Jeff Farmer. The ‘Wiz’ had been dragged, but coach Neale Daniher was forced to bring him back on after Ben Beams suffered a broken wrist late in the second quarter. Farmer proceeded to tear the Pies apart with nine remarkable goals in the second half, spearheading the Dees to a 65-point win. Adem Yze (35 touches, one goal) and Russell Robertson (22 touches, 11 marks, 3.2) were also outstanding.

WHAT THE COACH SAYS

"I was pleased for the playing group to get some reward [against Adelaide] for what has been a tough first half of the year, and a well deserved win after some close matches over previous weeks. We have a nine day turnaround; it will give us a chance to freshen up and at the same time get some solid training sessions in before our match on Monday." – Neale Daniher on melbournefc.com.au.

WHAT THE FAN SAYS

"Last week’s win will give the boys no end of confidence, coming into the biggest home and away clash of the season. The squad’s as strong as it’s been all year and with Brucey and Greeny returning to their best, the Pies have every reason to be nervous. With Clement out, Collingwood’s defence will struggle to hold the Melbourne forwards.” – Mark, Oakleigh East.

The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the club.