Collingwood Coach Craig McRae has made one change to the Magpies’ team to take on the Brisbane Lions at the MCG on Saturday afternoon.

2023 Premiership player Jeremy Howe will return to the team, recovering from an adductor strain sustained in the Round 24 win over Melbourne.

Howe comes into the side in place of fellow defender Wil Parker (omitted), who collected 12 disposals and five marks in the Qualifying Final victory against Adelaide.

The Saturday twilight clash will mark Howe’s 19^th appearance in 2025 and 271^st career game. It will be the fifth Preliminary Final of his career.

Parker, forward Dan McStay and utility Will Hoskin-Elliott are the emergencies for the match.

Mid-season draftee Roan Steele has retained his position from the Pies’ Qualifying Final team, with the winger set to play his fifth AFL game.

The tactical substitution will be selected from the bench and will be named 60 minutes before the first bounce.

Veteran Scott Pendlebury will line-up for his 33^rd finals match, moving him into outright fourth for most finals in VFL/AFL history. He sits behind only Geelong’s Joel Selwood (40) and Hawthorn’s Michael Tuck (39) and Shaun Burgoyne (35).

It will also be the Pies’ games record-holder’s 425^th AFL game. He’s now just one match behind Tuck (426) who sits second for most games in VFL/AFL history and seven behind leader Brent Harvey (432).

The Preliminary Final will be the third clash between the Pies and Lions in 2025. The ledger is split at one win each following the Pies’ 52-point win in Round 6 and the Lions’ 27-point victory in Round 21.

The ledger is also even in finals matches between the teams, playing four times for two wins each. It will be their first meeting at the Preliminary Final stage, previously meeting three times in Grand Finals and once in a Qualifying Final.

Collingwood fans can watch the game live on Channel 7, Fox Footy and kayosports.com.au, with the first bounce at 5:15pm (AEST).

AFL PRELIMINARY FINAL
Saturday 20 September
Collingwood v Brisbane
MCG, Wurundjeri
5:15pm (AEST)

Join us at Victoria Park for the chance to WIN tickets to our AFL Preliminary Final! At half-time, a lucky Pies fan will be crowned the Fan of the Match and will WIN 2x tickets to our AFL Preliminary Final!