AFL 2022 round 18 LIVE updates: Pendlebury reaches 350 as Pies aim for eight straight against Crows
Key posts
- Bad omens for GWS
- Team changes
- Subs confirmed
- Today’s milestones
1 of 1
Bad omens for GWS
The Lions might be coming off an upset loss to Essendon last week, but will be confident of maintaining their grip on a top-four spot today, having won four of their last five games against GWS.
Brisbane also get a swag of key players back who were ruled out last round either due to injury or COVID.
Manuka Oval is supposedly a home away from home for the Giants, but they have lost their last five games there by an average of 40 points. And with only five wins to their credit for the season, they have a huge task ahead of themselves to beat Brisbane.
GWS are also coming off a shocking effort last week which saw them held to a paltry total of 3.11.29 – their second-lowest score in their history (excluding the 2020 season).
This marks the Lions’ first ever game at the Canberra venue.
Lachie Neale.Credit:Getty Images
Team changes
ADELAIDE v COLLINGWOOD
Adelaide
In: Shane McAdam, Lachlan Murphy, Mitchell Hinge
Out: Ben Davis, Jackson Hately, Matt Crouch
Collingwood
In: Darcy Moore, Ash Johnson (new), Trent Bianco
Out: Isaac Quaynor (COVID), Taylor Adams (concussion), Tyler Brown
GWS v BRISBANE LIONS
GWS
In: Jacob Hopper, Connor Idun, Jake Riccardi
Out: Lachie Whitfield (hip), Phil Davis (hamstring), Adam Kennedy (concussion)
Brisbane Lions
In: Callum Ah Chee, Daniel McStay, Darcy Gardiner, Harris Andrews, Keidean Coleman, Noah Answerth
Out: Marcus Adams (injured – TBC), Oscar McInerney (COVID), Carter Michael, James Madden, James Tunstill, Ryan Lester
Darcy Moore.Credit:Getty Images
Subs confirmed
The medical substitutes at Adelaide Oval are James Rowe (Adelaide) and Ollie Henry (Collingwood).
And at Manuka Oval, Callum Brown (GWS) and Tom Fullarton (Brisbane Lions) are the starting subs.
Ollie Henry.Credit:Getty Images
The run home: Where the contenders stand in the race for the top eight
The race for the top eight is well and truly on as we head into the home stretch of the AFL season, with all positions there for the taking.
Geelong and Collingwood are surging but Melbourne and Richmond have stumbled. Fremantle are also making their move, while the Suns are finally rising. Could Carlton and Collingwood meet in the opening week of the finals?
Essendon and Greater Western Sydney made the finals last season with only 11 wins each (the Giants with also a draw) but a minimum of 12, possibly 13 wins, appear required in a tight 2022 campaign.
Click here to read more.
Patrick Dangerfield.Credit:Getty Images
‘He could be one of the greatest players ever’
It’s draft day 2005. Moments before Collingwood are to make left-field selections that would set up their next successful era, recruiting manager Derek Hine briefs then club president Eddie McGuire on the Magpies’ unorthodox strategy.
“I remember him saying to me ‘we’ve got pick two and we’ll get Dale Thomas instead of Xavier Ellis. There’s another kid. If we only had one pick, we’d go for this bloke. But we’ve got two and I reckon he’ll be there. He has a basketball background, there’s something about him, I think he could be one of the greatest players ever.’ ”
“I said ‘gee, you’ve talked him up.’ He said ‘he could be something absolutely special.’ I said “what’s his name?” he said ‘Scott Pendlebury.’
“Sure enough, Derek Hine has never said anything more accurate in his life.”
Click here to read more
“He could be one of the greatest players ever.”Credit:Fairfax Media
All signs point to victory for Pies
It’s a momentous day for the Collingwood Football Club as their captain and spiritual leader Scott Pendlebury runs out for his 350th game – becoming just the 20th player in VFL/AFL history to achieve the milestone.
But the Magpies are also chasing an eighth consecutive win for the first time since 2012, as they aim to keep their unlikely push for a top-four spot alive.
They come up against a disappointing Adelaide outfit, but Collingwood would want to be on guard because, although they have won their last seven games, there have been some signs in their last three matches they could be headed for defeat soon, with narrow victories against bottom-10 sides North Melbourne, Gold Coast and GWS.
However, to their credit, they’ve kept finding a way to win, and five of their last six victories have been by 11 points or fewer. Their ability to consistently get it done in the tight ones has been quite remarkable.
The Pies also have a great recent record against the Crows, winning their last five meetings by an average of 37 points.
And Collingwood have also won their last four games at Adelaide Oval (all against the Crows) by an average of six goals.
Conversely, Adelaide’s own home ground has turned into a bit of a graveyard for them recently, having lost four of their last five games there by an average of 36 points.
Today’s milestones
Scott Pendlebury (Coll) – 350 games
Isaac Cumming (GWS) – 50 games
Bailey Scott (NM) – 50 games
Scott Pendlebury.Credit:Getty Images
Greetings, everybody
Hello everyone and welcome to our blockbuster live rolling AFL Saturday blog for Round 18.
We are bumper to bumper today with a full complement of five matches, so the next 10 hours promise to be action-packed.
We kick things off at Adelaide Oval where Magpies champion Scott Pendlebury becomes the first Collingwood player to reach 350 games against the Crows. At the same time, GWS host the Brisbane Lions at Manuka Oval in Canberra.
The twilight fixture sees a rejuvenated North Melbourne begin their post-David Noble era against Richmond at Marvel Stadium.
And the best is saved for last with two monster clashes later tonight that have top-four ramifications.
At the MCG, Carlton face Geelong, and at Optus Stadium, Fremantle host Sydney.
It promises to be a fantastic day and night of footy, so follow along as we bring you all the action.
Jacob Weitering marks in front of Tom Hawkins.Credit:Getty Images
1 of 1
Most Viewed in Sport
Source: Read Full Article
