Pre Prelim. Pies v. Giants.

[Donny]

Preliminary Final.

Saturday. MCG. 4.35

Collingwood v. GWS.

B John Noble, Jordan Roughead, Jeremy Howe
HB Jack Crisp, Darcy Moore, Brayden Maynard
C Tom Phillips, Scott Pendlebury, Steele Sidebottom
HF Josh Thomas, Brody Mihocek, Will Hoskin-Elliott
F Jamie Elliott, Ben Reid, Jaidyn Stephenson

FOL Brodie Grundy, Adam Treloar, Taylor Adams
I/C James Aish, Callum L. Brown, Chris Mayne, Rupert Wills
EMG Josh Daicos, Jack Madgen, Matthew Scharenberg, Travis Varcoe

IN
Ben Reid, James Aish

OUT
Jordan De Goey (Injured), Levi Greenwood (Injured)

MILESTONES: Ben Reid - Playing 150th game

Let's hear ya !!

[Johnno75]

Atmosphere will be amazing let’s make sure it’s a sell out. MCC better open its doors so as many Pie fans get to go.

[Jezza]

Is this match definitely on Saturday?

Great to be in another prelim! Pumped for this!

[pietillidie]

We might be able to beat any team on our day, but so can the other finalists. Think first quarter against the Giants.

This is a huge maturity test given we will be cast as over-hyped favourites who have one leg the grand final. You can smell the spin already.

Heads down, lads. The prelim is the game to fear.

[Pies4shaw]

[Jezza]

^ Thanks, P4S.

My guess is it will be Saturday twilight as the opponent will be an interstate team.

[Johnno75]

I’m tipping around a 3.30 start, we as fans just need to make it as intimidating as possible for either Giants or Lions.

[David]

First question is who comes in for Greenwood and De Goey. One figures Varcoe and Scharenberg were the only really unlucky omissions, but neither are a strictly like-for-like replacement. I reckon Aish comes in for Greenwood, so maybe Varcoe’s the other one who gets the nod. Some have floated the idea of Reid playing, but that sounds pretty unwise to me.

Apart from the two injured players, does anyone lose their spot? Brown and Hoskin-Elliott both had a quiet one and might be at risk otherwise, but I reckon the changes will be kept to a minimum.

[AN_Inkling]

I think selection will depend partly on who we're playing.

If (as I suspect) it's the Giants then I'd be playing Berg as they have a tall forward line. Against the Cats or Tigers though we'd probably want the extra smaller defender.

More generally, Aish has always been a player on or near the fringe. Bringing him in on no footy is, I reckon, unlikely. He'd have to have been training the house down for several weeks. We have Berg and Varcoe in reserve, either of whom could play a role in defence.

It's tricky because if there's the potential of needing another small defender for the GF (ie. if we played Tigers), then Aish really needs to play the Prelim. The other alternative is to play Varcoe in defence.

Aside from that minor complication, the changes are obvious:
in: Varcoe, Scharenberg
out: JDG, Greenwood

Reid rather than Aish is the one under prepared player that could be brought in as he solves a serious structural issue.

[DT]

Ins: Reid and Aish
Likely opponent: GWS

[thebaldfacts]

Strange that we are playing the prelim on the Saturday. Always thought that the winner of the first prelim gets the Friday slot.

Oh well, better the Saturday than not being there.

[Damien]

We’ll play Brisbane and win easily. Tigers will play eagles which will be close.

[K]

[Bucks5]

We get the Saturday because Richmond finished higher up the ladder so they have earned the extra day advantage going into the GF (if they win).

[Pies4shaw]

I understand that's the official explanation but its vacuous, isn't it? If Richmond lose, then either Geelong gets handed back an advantage it forfeited by choking against us or we have a day less to recover as against a team that finished below us.