All Australian pair Ben Reid and Dale Thomas return to the Collingwood side for Friday night’s preliminary final against Hawthorn.
Reid and Thomas are the only two inclusions, with Tyson Goldsack and Alex Fasolo the unlucky omissions.
Goldsack and Fasolo are emergencies along with ruckman Cameron Wood.
The dynamic Thomas comes back into the Magpie side after missing two matches through suspension for engaging in rough conduct against Fremantle’s Garrick Ibbotson in round 23. The 24-year-old has played 19 matches in 2011 for a career total of 130.
Key defender Reid, who played all 22 home-and-away games this season, returns after missing the first final with a groin injury. The 22-year-old has played 51 career games.
Nathan Brown and Brad Dick, who are both out for the season with knee injuries, are the only two senior players unavailable for selection this weekend.
The Magpies, who won their second-straight McClelland Trophy for finishing on top of the ladder with 20 wins and two losses, have enjoyed a week off to freshen up after their tough 20-point victory over West Coast in the qualifying final a fortnight ago.
The Hawks, meanwhile, who finished third on the ladder with 18 wins, bounced back with a 36-point triumph over Sydney in the semi final last Friday night after going down to Geelong in their qualifying final a week earlier and have made no changes to their side.
Earlier this week Reid and Thomas were two of the six Magpies named in the 2011 All Australian team.
Last year’s premier Collingwood is contesting its fourth preliminary final in the last five years, while the Hawks last played in a preliminary final in 2008, when they went onto win the flag.
Friday’s match-up is only the fourth final ever between the two clubs.
CLICK HERE for the complete metropolitan, regional and international television and radio broadcast guide for the Collingwood-Hawthorn preliminary final.
FIRST PRELIMINARY FINAL
COLLINGWOOD v HAWTHORN
Friday 23 September 2011
MCG, 7:45pm
COLLINGWOOD
B: Alan Toovey, Ben Reid, Harry O’Brien
HB: Nick Maxwell, Chris Tarrant, Heath Shaw
C: Dayne Beams, Sharrod Wellingham, Dale Thomas
HF: Ben Johnson, Leigh Brown, Alan Didak
F: Steele Sidebottom, Travis Cloke, Luke Ball
Foll: Darren Jolly, Scott Pendlebury, Andrew Krakouer
Inter: Leon Davis, Jarryd Blair, Chris Dawes, Dane Swan
Emer: Tyson Goldsack, Cameron Wood, Alex Fasolo
In: Ben Reid, Dale Thomas
Out: Alex Fasolo, Tyson Goldsack (both omitted)
HAWTHORN
B: Thomas Murphy, Josh Gibson, Benjamin Stratton
HB: Grant Birchall, Ryan Shoenmakers, Paul Puopolo
C: Jordan Lewis, Sam Mitchell, Isaac Smith
HF: Luke Hodge, Lance Franklin, Liam Shiels
F: Chance Bateman, David Hale, Cyril Rioli
Foll: Max Bailey, Shaun Burgoyne, Brad Sewell
Inter: Brent Guerra, Michael Osborne, Brendan Whitecross, Matt Suckling
Emer: Jordan Lisle, Shane Savage, Luke Breust
Milestones: Brendan Whitecross - 50 games
No changes
