Stay tuned to Collingwoodfc.com.au on Thursday 8 July (5pm AEST) to view the final side selected for the Friday night match at AAMI Stadium.
Impending milestones
250 Collingwood games coached - Mick Malthouse
Malthouse is due to become the third person in history to coach Collingwood for 250 games, joining Jock McHale (714 games between 1912-49) and Phonse Kyne (272 games between 1950-63). Malthouse is in his 11th season at Collingwood, having coached the Magpies to 131 victories and six finals series in that time, and In round 13 he became the third person in the history of the game to be involved in 800 games as a player and coach.
200 games - Josh Fraser
Fraser’s next AFL game will be his 200th at the elite level. Drafted with the first overall pick in the 1999 AFL Draft from the Murray Bushrangers, Fraser made his AFL debut in round one of the 2000 season, and carried the Magpies’ ruck division for most of the decade. He played an important role in the club's grand final years of 2002 and 2003, and enjoyed arguably his best season in 2006, when he played all 23 matches and finished a career-high fourth in the Copeland Trophy voting.
100 games - Dale Thomas
Thomas, who was recruited with the second overall pick in the 2005 draft from Drouin in country Victoria, made his debut in round one of 2006 and has been a regular member of the side ever since. The former Gippsland Power under 18s player enjoyed an excellent 2007 season, finishing sixth in the best-and-fairest in a year the Magpies made it to a preliminary final, but has undoubtedly enjoyed his best season to date in 2010, having played every game, mostly as a wingman, averaging career highs in possessions (24 per game), tackles and contested possessions.
100 games - Harry O’Brien
O’Brien missed out on being drafted at the end of 2004, but paid his own way to Melbourne to train with Collingwood, and was rewarded with a place on the rookie list for the 2005 season. The former Claremont player made his debut in round 18 of that year due to temporary elevation, and at the end of 2006, after 15 AFL games, he was permanently elevated to the senior list. Now a member of the leadership group and an important part of the defence, O’Brien has played 75 consecutive matches, a streak that began in round 14, 2007, and is enjoying his finest season to date in 2010.
100 consecutive games - Dane Swan
Dane is due to play his 100th consecutive game, a streak that began in Round 13, 2006. He will become the seventh current player with an active streak of 100 games or more, joining Brett Kirk (190 games), Kane Cornes (163), Darren Jolly (127), David Mundy (122), Jude Bolton (121) and Kade Simpson (111). Swan, who was drafted from the Calder Cannons under 18s with the 58th overall pick in the 2001 draft, played just 30 matches in his first four seasons, but is now a legitimate superstar of the competition, having won the past two Copeland trophies, and been All Australian in 2009. He has more kicks than any other player in the AFL this season, and is averaging 31 possessions per outing.
