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Collingwood’s midfield has received a significant boost ahead of Saturday night’s contest against Sydney with Dale Thomas and Dane Swan returning to the side while Simon Buckley and Alex Fasolo will miss the interstate clash.
Thomas returns after a one-week suspension enforced by the AFL tribunal for a strike to St Kilda’s Clinton Jones in the round 11 win and joins Swan, who is a welcome addition after training for two weeks in Flagstaff, Arizona.
After a spirited debut including a goal with his first AFL kick, Fasolo is omitted from the side and joins Luke Rounds and Lachlan Keeffe as emergencies while Buckley will miss due to a groin injury.
Thomas, 22, is enjoying his finest season at the club averaging career high numbers in disposals (25.7), marks (6.3) and tackles (3.9). The star midfielder was rated by his teammates as favourite for the Copeland Trophy after 13 rounds in Collingwoodfc.com.au’s annual mid-season player survey.
Fresh from a mid-year camp in the United States, Swan returns to the side after missing the Queen’s Birthday clash. The three-time Copeland Trophy winner polled two Brownlow votes the last time these two sides played and averages 30 disposals and nine marks in his last three games at ANZ Stadium.
Darren Jolly and Brent Macaffer appear to have benefited from the time in Arizona as both players return from injury through the VFL this weekend. They will join veteran Ben Johnson in Sunday's match against Sandringham.
The Swans have made three changes to the side which lost by 34 points to Carlton last week with Paul Bevan (127 games/ 38 goals), Jesse White (45/16) and Andrejs Everitt (45 /48) coming into the side. Sydney loses ruckman Shane Mumford to suspension while Lewis Jetta (omitted) and Alex Johnson (calf) will also miss.
The Magpies have a superb record against the Swans enjoying nine straight victories including the last five at ANZ Stadium.
AFL round 14
Collingwood v Sydney
Saturday 25 June 2011
ANZ Stadium, 7:10pm
Collingwood
B: Leon Davis, Ben Reid, Heritier O’Brien
HB: Alan Toovey, Nick Maxwell, Heath Shaw C: Dane Swan, Dale Thomas, Sharrod Wellingham
HF: Chris Tarrant, Chris Dawes, Andrew Krakouer
F: Alan Didak, Travis Cloke, Leigh Brown
Foll: Cameron Wood, Scott Pendlebury, Luke Ball
Int: John McCarthy, Jarryd Blair, Tyson Goldsack, Steele Sidebottom
Emg: Luke Rounds, Lachlan Keeffe, Alex Fasolo
In: Swan, Thomas
Out: Buckley (groin), Fasolo (omitted)
Sydney
B: Nicholas Smith, Ted Richards, Martin Mattner
HB: Tadhg Kennelly, Heath Grundy, Nick Malceski
C: Rhyce Shaw, Jude Bolton, Jarrad McVeigh
HF: Ben McGlynn, Sam Reid, Lewis Roberts-Thomson
F: Kieran Jack, Adam Goodes, Ryan O'Keefe
Foll: Mark Seaby, Craig Bird, Daniel Hannebery
Int: Paul Bevan, Jesse White, Josh Kennedy, Andrejs Everitt
Emg: Brett Meredith, Lewis Johnston, Lewis Jetta
In: Bevan, White, Everitt
Out: Mumford (suspension), Jetta (omitted), Johnson (calf)
