Collingwood will aim to get back to an even win-loss ratio in the VFL on Saturday night against the Werribee Tigers at Avalon Airport Oval.

While the VFL Magpies will be made up of mostly AFL experience, Collingwood supporters will be eager to watch the performances of two of the club’s first-year players.

After an injury-plagued preseason, Ben Sinclair and Josh Thomas will make their VFL debut in round four of the home-and-away season.

 Sinclair started the season strongly playing in two NAB Challenge matches including an impressive outing in the wet against Adelaide in round one.  His progress came to a halt when on the eve of the season proper, the 18-year-old developed shin soreness and was forced out of action for the first few rounds of 2010.

Joining Sinclair in his return from injury, fellow first-year Magpie Thomas has overcome a calf injury which severely restricted his preseason.  Selected in last year’s draft with pick 75 overall, the Queensland-native was acquired as a stoppage specialist who will be guided by seasoned midfielders Luke Ball and Shane O’Bree.

After last week’s disappointing loss to Bendigo at home, the VFL Magpies will look to rebound against the winless Tigers. 

Collingwoodfc.com.au will be covering the match with a live chat from Avalon Airport Oval set to commence at 6.30 pm (AEST).  Click here to receive a reminder.

Werribee Tigers vs. Collingwood
Saturday 1st May
Avalon Airport Oval at 7:00 PM

Werribee Tigers
B: MacMillan, Pask, Sharp
HB: Chisholm, Obst, Wormald
C: Ross, Gleeson, Magnabosco
HF: Tarrant, Bongetti, O'Keefe
F: Dickson, Thorp, Prismall
R: Daw, Rockefeller, Castello
Int: Laracy, Moloney*, Haby, Saker, S. Kennedy, Sherlock, A. Kennedy,  Lunardi

Collingwood
B: Tyson Goldsack, Jack Carter, Sean Rusling
HB: Jarrad Blight, Kris Pendlebury, Simon Buckley
C: Jaxson Barham, John McCarthy, Shane O'Bree
HF: Tom Young, Scott Reed, Tom Hunter
F: Jarryd Blair, John Anthony, Leigh Brown
R: Cameron Wood, Ryan Cook, Tarkyn Lockyer
Int. from: Tristan Francis, Josh Thomas, Shae McNamara, Lachlan Keeffe, Tom Sundberg, Ben Sinclair, Luke Rounds, Corey Millard*

*Mellington and Moloney will serve as the 23rd man for their respective sides on Saturday afternoon as part of a new rule implemented by the VFL which allows for a player on the list or from a feeder club, who participated in the TAC Cup in 2009 and has never played a VFL match, to play two VFL matches this year as the 23rd man on the interchange.

Both sides will be finalised 60 minutes before the opening bounce.