In the opening five weeks of the season, Collingwood emerged from the unknown to stamp themselves as genuine finals contenders. Throughout the summer it remained unclear which direction the Magpies were heading in. Some sections of the media were convinced they were on the decline, especially given the departures of premiership stars Dayne Beams (Brisbane), Heritier Lumumba (Melbourne), Dale Thomas (Carlton) and Heath Shaw (Greater Western Sydney) in recent seasons. But in the early stages of 2015, Nathan Buckley has rebuilt and regenerated a youthful Collingwood list, putting the famous club back on a path towards sustained success.
 
The Magpies brilliant start to the season has stuttered in the last fortnight with consecutive losses to Geelong (41 points) and Richmond (5 points). A common theme in both losses is Collingwood’s inability to stem the flow when opposition sides swing the momentum in their favour. In almost every game this season, Collingwood has conceded extended patches in quarters which have occasionally come back to bite them by the final siren. In their round six loss to Geelong, the Cats booted five straight goals in the opening ten minutes of the game to all but put the game to bed. Collingwood weren’t able to get within arms reach for the rest of the contest despite dominant patches. It was the same story last weekend with Richmond putting the Magpies to the sword in the opening half of the second quarter. In the space of nine minutes, the Tigers kicked five unanswered goals with Buckley’s side unable to stop the bleeding.
 
At Metricon Stadium on Saturday night, champion Collingwood midfielder Scott Pendlebury will run out for his 200th game. Already one of the greatest players to wear the black and white stripes in their long and decorated history, Pendlebury has been quiet for his lofty standards in recent weeks but his opening five weeks has him well on track for a fourth Copeland Trophy and sixth successive All Australian guernsey. The Magpies will be determined to reward their Rolls Royce with a victory in Carrara. Now in his tenth season, effective judgements can be made on the draft class of 2005. At the time, Derek Hine’s decision to take Pendlebury at pick No. 5 was widely criticised. In a crop that included Marc Murphy, Dale Thomas, Josh Kennedy (West Coast), Nathan Jones, Shannon Hurn and Grant Birchall, the Collingwood captain sits comfortably right at the top. Another masterstroke by the revered recruiting boss.
 
One of the biggest question marks regarding the Magpies list at the start of 2015 was their depth down back, both in the key posts and on the ground. With Lumumba and premiership skipper Nick Maxwell departing, and the fitness of Ben Reid still a concern, Collingwood looked vulnerable in defence. But as we have come to expect in this game, when opportunities arise, players come to the fore. After playing every game last season, Jack Frost has taken his game to the next level in 2015, emerging as one of the best shutdown defenders in the competition. His closing speed and ability to get his fist in for a spoil is right out of the top drawer. Nathan Brown has held down the other key post well, but it’s the Magpies commitment to team defence that has held them in such good stead. The running brigade of Paul Seedsman, Tom Langdon and Marley Williams has filled the void left by the departed Lumumba and Shaw.

Key Players

Dane Swan was below his leather-accumulating best last season. The numbers said that. And so did he. But in the opening quarter of 2015, the Brownlow medallist has emphatically turned back the clock. Niggling injuries plagued him last season but he is back racking up large numbers and his ball use is as good as it has ever been. The three-time Copeland Trophy winner is averaging 27.9 possessions across the opening seven rounds and his contested ball rate has risen from 8.8 per game in 2014 to 13.0 this year. Swan was Collingwood’s best player against the Tigers last weekend, gathering 32 possessions, 11 clearances and two goals. His ability to hit the scoreboard this year has also been telling with the champion onballer averaging 1.1 goals per game.
 
The importance of Anzac Day medallist Paul Seedsman was never more clear than when he was absent against the Cats in round six. He has emerged as one of the more damaging run and carry players in the competition this season, highlighted by the fact he is ranked third across the league for average metres gained at 537.5m. Against the Bombers on Anzac Day, Seedsman recorded a mind blowing 959m to highlight his damage with ball in hand. The former rookie is averaging 19.8 disposals this season, which further highlights his innate ability to take the game on when he receives the ball. Of the top ten ranked metres gained players in the game, only one player has averaged more possessions than Seedsman. Buckley has found an all-important quarterback, someone in a Nick Malceski or Brodie Smith mould. The challenge for Collingwood and Seedsman is keeping his injury-prone body on the park for an extended period.
 
Scott Pendlebury’s football resume is rapidly becoming one of the more decorated in the history of the Collingwood Football Club. His status in the game is unquestionable and his ability to stand up in big games will be a worry for Rodney Eade and the Gold Coast SUNS. Not only has he won two Anzac Day medals, but he also won the Norm Smith medal in Collingwood’s 2010 premiership. His milestone game looms as another opportunity to etch his name into football folklore. Pendlebury has been unusually quiet in the last two weeks, particularly against Richmond where he gathered only 19 disposals – the first time since round ten, 2012 that he has failed to reach 20 possessions. Expect the champion midfielder to respond on the Gold Coast on Saturday night.

New Faces

Former Brisbane Lions midfielder Jack Crisp was seen as a set of steak knives in the deal that sent Dayne Beams up north in exchange for the big-bodied Crisp and pick five and 25. But in the first seven weeks of the season he has proven to be much more than a sweetener to the Beams deal. With Brent Macaffer still sidelined, Crisp has performed the run with duty at different times in games as well as going to work as an offensive midfielder. He is averaging 19.6 possessions, 4.7 tackles and 3.4 clearances per game, playing his role within the evolving black and white tapestry with aplomb. 

Jordan De Goey was taken with the fifth selection in last year’s National Draft and after being given a taste against Brisbane in round one, he was sent back to the VFL to earn another opportunity at senior level. Weight of numbers and strong form ensured Buckley had no option but to select him last week and the St Kevin’s College product did not disappoint with his toughness on display from the outset. De Goey finished with 14 possessions and an impressive nine tackles to highlight his appetite for the contest. The teenager finds himself cut from the same cloth as other young midfielders in the Magpies engine room, like Taylor Adams and Jack Crisp, which have made opportunities scarce for De Goey.

Key Match Up

Saturday night’s clash will encompass an intriguing battle within the battle. Two in-form young ruckmen will face off at Metricon Stadium, with Gold Coast tap ruckman Tom Nicholls up against Collingwood brute Brodie Grundy. Nicholls has emerged as the SUNS No. 1 ruckman in the last month since returning from a long-term knee injury. He beat dangerous West Coast star Nic Naitanui last week, but Grundy presents a different kind of challenge this weekend. The Magpies big man is averaging 17 possessions, 26 hitouts, four clearances and four tackles this season and his ability to support his teammates at all parts of the ground has made him an invaluable resource in an age where midfields desire a fourth midfielder from their ruckman.

Recent Results

Rd7 Collingwood 16.9 (105) def by Richmond 15.10 (100) @ MCG
Rd6 Collingwood 8.11 (59) def by Geelong 15.10 (100) @ MCG
Rd5 Collingwood 18.12 (120) def Carlton 6.9 (45) @ MCG
Rd4 Collingwood 9.15 (69) def Essendon 6.13 (49) @ MCG