For only the second time in 15 years, Collingwood will head into clash with the same 22 players for the third match in succession after recording back-to-back triumphs over pre-season fancies Richmond and North Melbourne.
While Collingwood fielded an identical squad from rounds 18 to 20 last season, club history demonstrated it to be an anomaly, with the last previous occurrence transpiring during the ill-fated 1999 campaign.
Unlike 1999 however, the last two instances have occurred with Collingwood in the ascendancy as senior coach Nathan Buckley rewards a side which has responded to his urging for greater consistency over the course of a match.
With Taylor Adams, Nathan Brown and Sam Dwyer performing admirably at VFL level last weekend, Buckley certainly wasn’t short on options had he decided to introduce fresh faces to his side facing the Bombers.
This was further emphasised by the revelation up to 17 members of the AFL list are in line to feature in their own clash against Essendon at Windy Hill on Saturday.
But loathe to change a winning side; Buckley has instead maintained faith in the players who have delivered results to date, highlighting the stability offered by form and a rapidly shrinking injury list.
“There is no doubt that Browny is a leader at the football club and he is a fantastic one-on-one defender for us but, at the same time, Jack Frost and Lachie Keeffe stood up exceptionally well against pretty good opponents,” Buckley said.
“That's something you weigh up. If you're in our side, you've earned the right to be there. If you continue to perform, you earn the right to stay there.
“There is competition for spots but we have blokes who are in those roles at the moment who are playing really well within our structure.”
Adams, Brown and Dwyer meanwhile have been consigned to the emergencies list, while the prospective VFL returns of Tim Broomhead and Paul Seedsman further add to the litany of options at the club’s disposal.
And with Ben Sinclair and Ben Reid in contention to return in the next fortnight, a series of welcome selection dilemmas loom in the rounds ahead.
Collingwood v Essendon
ANZAC Day 2014
Round Six
Friday 25 April
MCG, 2.40pm
Collingwood
B: Alan Toovey, Jack Frost, Nick Maxwell
HB: Clinton Young, Lachlan Keeffe, Heritier Lumumba
C: Steele Sidebottom, Brent Macaffer, Dane Swan
HF: Josh Thomas, Jesse White, Jarryd Blair
F: Jamie Elliott, Travis Cloke, Tyson Goldsack
Foll: Brodie Grundy, Dayne Beams, Scott Pendlebury
Int: Alex Fasolo, Luke Ball, Jarrod Witts, Tom Langdon
Emg: Sam Dwyer, Taylor Adams, Nathan Brown
