Collingwood will host Sydney in the second elimination final at the MCG next Saturday night, after the AFL announced scheduling for week one of the 2007 finals series on Sunday evening.

The Magpies, who finished sixth, will clash with the seventh-placed Swans for the second time in three weeks, with Collingwood having triumphed by 25 points in the round 21 encounter, also at the MCG on a Saturday night.

It will be the third meeting between the two teams this season, with the Magpies also successful back in round 12 at Telstra Stadium, to the tune of 19 points, so the form of the black and white against the 2005 premier is very strong.

Significantly, Collingwood will have eight days to recover from their round 22 loss to Adelaide, while Sydney, which comprehensively defeated Hawthorn on Sunday at the SCG, has only six days to recover.

With more than 63,000 having attended the round 21 battle between the two sides, and over 84,000 showing up for Collingwood’s home elimination final against the Bulldogs in 2006, a huge crowd is expected with the Magpies searching for their first finals victory since the 2003 preliminary final.

Channel Ten will show the game live into Adelaide, Perth, Sydney and Brisbane, and on a 30-minute delay into Melbourne.

If successful on Saturday night, the Magpies will travel to play a semi final against the loser of the Port-Adelaide-West Coast qualifying final.

The schedule for week one of the finals is as follows:

Friday 7 September
Second Qualifying Final
Port Adelaide v West Coast
AAMI Stadium, 7:50PM CST

Saturday September 8
First Elimination Final
Hawthorn v Adelaide
Telstra Dome, 2.30pm AEST

Second Elimination Final
Collingwood v Sydney
MCG, 7.30pm AEST

Sunday September 9
First Qualifying Final
Geelong v Kangaroos
MCG, 2.45pm AEST