Nathan Buckley will officially coach the Magpies for the first time on Saturday night after taking over from Mick Malthouse at the end of 2011. He will take on a Western Bulldogs outfit led by Brendan McCartney who will debut as senior coach at the age of 50.
The third team in Collingwood’s pool, Greater Western Sydney, will celebrate a night of firsts. It will be its first outing as an official part of the AFL competition, new recruits such as Tom Scully, Luke Power and Chad Cornes are a chance to be showcased for the first time, and the old fox himself, Kevin Sheedy, will make his official return to the AFL’s coaching ranks.
Purchase your tickets to the NAB Cup here.
The round-robin series will be staged at the AFL’s newest ground - the Blacktown International Sportspark in Western Sydney.
Each team will play each other once in matches that comprise two 20-minute halves. It is not a knockout series, as all teams will play a total of four NAB Cup matches. There will be a ladder used to determine the Grand Finalists, with each win worth four points and percentage.
Magpies’ fans will have to wait until the Greater Western Sydney v Western Bulldogs clash (to start at 7:15pm local time) finishes before seeing their side play the Western Bulldogs at 8:20pm local time. Their second and final round robin match will be played against Greater Western Sydney at 9:25pm.
Click here to view Collingwood's NAB Cup fixture for 2012.
Collingwood will be without the enforced absence of Alan Didak (adductor), Ben Johnson (hamstring), Andrew Krakouer (leave) and Jamie Elliott (hamstring), but is likely to hand the likes of Alex Fasolo, Tom Young, Jarrod Witts and Peter Yagmoor the opportunity to press their case for a place in the team in round one of the Home and Away season.
Luke Ball will captain Collingwood for the first time in the absence of Nick Maxwell. Ball was previously captain of St Kilda in 2006 and 2007.
The Magpies will have a week off during the second week of the first round of the NAB Cup before meeting Melbourne at Etihad Stadium on Friday 3 March. Their third round fixture will be against Adelaide at AAMI Stadium on Friday 9 March.
The word from Rocket
Collingwood’s new Football and Coaching Strategist Rodney Eade runs the rule over the Magpies’ opponents on Saturday night.
Western Bulldogs
How they play
“They’ve always been a pretty good contested ball team, and that’s been a focus over the summer as well. They’ve got a reasonably healthy list, so that should mean that they have a reasonably strong squad. They’ve got some midfield depth, and their ability to win the ball and also be able to use it with their transition from back to forward is another strength.”
The danger men
“Matthew Boyd and Ryan Griffen are probably the keys to their midfield. Robert Murphy had a great year last year so you’d think he’d continue his form.
Their kids can play
"Of the younger players, Liam Jones played very well in their practice match last week and is a good contested mark. I think he finished sixth in the competition for contested marks last year. Luke Dahlhaus and Tom Liberatore are the other two. They were only in their first year last year but did very well and now with another pre-season they’ll be able to improve.”
Greater Western Sydney
What to expect
“They’re obviously a very young, developing squad. They’ve got a few senior players, especially in the midfield. They’ve got reasonable midfield depth and they’ve even recruited very well in the midfield, so some of the youngsters that they’ve got are midfield players, so they’ll run and they’ve got some good skills. Down back is probably where they’re probably lacking a little bit in experience, which will hurt them a bit.
"In their forward line, Setanta O’hAilpin and Israel Folau will be the tall targets. I think the structure of their side, albeit young, will take a bit of time as will their body sizes, like Gold Coast last year, but they’ll certainly be able to run and use the ball well."
What will we see from Israel Folau?
“I reckon he’ll play. I’ve only seen a little bit on the tape. He’s very athletic and he’s got a very good spring on him. I think, like Karmichael Hunt, he just needs a bit of time to get used to the game. I think Hunt did very well last year. I thought he was really good. Folau is a different type of player but I think he’s got the basic ingredients of being a good AFL player.
The youngsters
“I think Coniglio comes in as a very highly rated young player. Curtly Hampton is a young player from Alice Springs. He’s an indigenous boy who has got some exciting skills. They’ve got a few injuries to some of their young players who probably won’t play but they’re exciting players. Obviously Jonathon Patton, Will Hoskin-Elliott, Jeremy Cameron and these sorts of players might not play but they’re exciting players for them down the track. Dylan Shiel’s another one who’s an exciting player, as is Liam Sumner, Adam Treloar and Dom Tyson.
Can the experienced players have an impact?
“I think it’s probably going to be harder for the older players to make an impact. I think they’re there more for their experience and the education. Guys like Luke Power, Chad Cornes, Dean Brogan and those types of players. I think Callan Ward and Scully are probably the two who can have the most impact for them. I coached Ward and he’s a quality young lad, and he’s only 21, but he’s tough and can win his own ball. I think he’ll set a really good example for his young teammates.”
What will we see from them in 2012?
“I think it’s really going to be a big education year for them. Until their bodies actually develop and cope with the rigors of AFL footy it’s always going to be tough. I know some of them have been up there for a couple of years now and they topped up in November, but just getting used to what’s required at AFL level for training, the professionalism of it and getting your body to be able to cope with it. I think Gold Coast did well last year. They rotated and everyone got a game, and the kids will need a rest sometimes.”
Need to know
Match times (all times EDT)
Greater Western Sydney v Western Bulldogs
7:15pm
Western Bulldogs v Collingwood
8:20pm
Collingwood v Greater Western Sydney
9:25pm
Broadcast Guide
Click here to view the broadcast guide for Collingwood’s first round NAB Cup fixture.
New to the club
Players - Marty Clarke, Jamie Elliott, Corey Gault, Michael Hartley (rookie), Caolan Mooney (rookie) Jackson Paine, Lachlan Smith (rookie), Marley Williams (rookie), Jarrod Witts, Peter Yagmoor.
Coaches - John Barnes, Rodney Eade, Mitch Hahn, Ben Hart, Robert Harvey, Dale Tapping.
Farewell
Players - Jye Bolton, Leigh Brown, Leon Davis, Brad Dick, Tom Gordon, Tom Hunter, John McCarthy, Jack Perham, Declan Reilly.
Coaches - Paul Licuria, Mick Malthouse, Mark Neeld, Scott Watters.
Last time they met
Collingwood v Footscray/Western Bulldogs
Pre-Season:
Round 1 - Ansett Cup 1995
Collingwood 12.15 (87) def. by Footscray 12.16 (88)
Crowd: 18,310 at Waverley Park
Home and Away:
Round 6 2011
Collingwood 15.15 (105) def. Western Bulldogs 8.9 (57)
Crowd: 53,776 at the MCG.
Collingwood v New Teams (since 1995)
Round 8 1995
Collingwood 20.11 (131) def. Fremantle 14.9 (93)
Crowd: 22,466 at Victoria Park
Round 1 1997
Collingwood 26.10 (166) def. Port Adelaide 13.9 (87)
Crowd: 51,883 at the MCG.
Round 18 2011
Collingwood 19.15 (129) def. Gold Coast 11.9 (75)
Crowd: 23,302 at Metricon Stadium.
*Collingwood has never played a team in its first season during the pre-season/night competition.
Most Pre-Season Games
23 - Ben Johnson
19 - Alan Didak, Chris Tarrant
15 - Luke Ball, Andrew Krakouer
Most Pre-Season Goals
26 - Chris Tarrant
17 - Alan Didak
15 - Travis Cloke, Andrew Krakouer
What happened last year?
Round One
Collingwood 0.7.8 (50) def. Richmond 0.1.1 (7) at Etihad Stadium.
Collingwood 0.5.3 (33) def. Carlton 0.3.8 (26) at Etihad Stadium.
Round Two
Collingwood 1.12.12 (93) def. Sydney 1.10.10 (79) at Etihad Stadium.
Round Three
West Coast 0.8.8 (56) def. by Collingwood 1.9.17 (80) at Patersons Stadium.
Grand Final
Collingwood 1.15.9 (108) def. Essendon 0.13.8 (86) at Etihad Stadium.
New Rules (NAB Cup only)
• The interchange will be reduced to two players, with two substitutes. In previous seasons, up to eight players could be named on the bench. This will not be used during the final week of the NAB Cup.
• Free kicks will be paid against a player who drags or holds the ball under an opponent.
• A free kick will be paid against the last team to dispose of the ball with a kick or a handball before it goes out of bounds, as long as no one touches it before it goes over the boundary line.
• Ruckmen will not be permitted to make contact with their opponent prior to bounces and throw-ins around the ground until the ball leaves the umpire’s hand.
• Boundary umpires and goal umpires will be permitted to pay free kicks for holding and high contact at stoppages.
• The official scorer is able to participate in the consultation process for scoring decisions (the role of a fourth umpire).
• The nine-point Super Goal for goals kicked from outside the 50m arc will remain in the competition (as it has since 2003).
