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GWS Giants vs Collingwood Tips & Preview - Pies to begin premiership defence with narrow win

Ryan Tucker

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Last updated: 08 Mar 2024

Ryan Tucker 08 Mar 2024

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GWS Giants vs Collingwood expert predictions for Saturday’s AFL game
2023 Prelim opponents, GSW Giants and Collingwood Magpies face off in Opening Round 2024.
Collingwood expected to win the season’s opening game.

Expired

Toby Greene of the Giants and Daniel McStay of the Magpies (Getty Images)

GWS Giants vs Collingwood Tips

The final game of Opening Round will see 2023 Prelim opponents the GWS Giants and Collingwood Magpies face off in Western Sydney. Collingwood are expected to inflict further pain on the Giants and take their first win of the season in another close battle.

GWS Giants vs Collingwood Tips
Head to Head
GWS Giants Form
GWS Giants Team News
GWS Giants Team List
Collingwood Form
Collingwood Team News
Collingwood Team List

They say the game of footy is one of inches and how true it was in the 2023 Preliminary Final for these teams as Collingwood won 58-57.

This game is tipped to come down to the wire and may be decided on how accurate the forwards can kick early in the season.

GWS averaged 382 disposals per game in 2023 ranking 3rd in the league
Both teams were below average at Centre Clearances GWS (9th) & Collingwood (12th)
The Magpies averaged 12.8 marks Inside 50 last year, 7th in the AFL
Collingwood made the most tackles of any team in 2023 averaging 64 per game

Head to Head

These teams have met in five regular season games since 2019 with GWS holding a 3-2 advantage. They have also met in finals twice with Collingwood winning both games by the smallest of margins.

Collingwood have won the last two regular season games which have been played at the MCG but haven’t won when GWS host in their past two attempts.

GWS Giants Form

The Giants were the AFL’s best team at gaining Uncontested Possessions being the only club to go over the 6000 mark on the season.

GWS played the Gold Coast Suns in Canberra in their 2024 Community Series match winning the game by 44 points.

They outdid the Suns in almost every metric but a telling statistic was forward entries with the Giants racking up 72 Inside 50’s to the Suns’ 41.

GWS will need to put all of their eggs in one basket if they are any hope of claiming a premiership in the Toby Greene, Stephen Coniglio and Lachie Whitfield window.

GWS Giants Team News

The Giants will lineup without their gun utility players in Isaac Cumming, Finn Callaghan and Harry Perryman.

Jesse Hogan missed the Pre-Season hit out but has retained his place in the team ahead of Aaron Cadman who is on the Interchange.

GWS Giants Team List

B: H.Himmelberg, S.Taylor, C.Idun

HB: L.Whitfield, J.Buckley, L.Ash

C: X.O’Halloran, J.Kelly, J.Wehr

HF: B.Daniels, J.Riccardi, T.Bedford

F: T.Greene ©, J.Hogan, C.Brown

FOLL: K.Briggs, S.Coniglio, T.Green

I/C: C.Ward, H.Thomas, N.Haynes, T.McMullin, A.Cadman

EMG: L.Keeffe, R.Angwin, J.Peatling

Collingwood Form

The Magpies will need to be wary of the Grand Final Hangover which has plagued teams in recent years and with their ageing list it is all the more important to get out to a good start and play consistent footy.

Collingwood faced off against Richmond in their Community Series game just over a week ago. In a relatively low scoring affair the Magpies were able to restrict the Tigers to only five goals winning the game 76-46.

The Pies had trouble converting in front of goal going 10.16 on the day, something that will need to improve if they are to beat top tier teams.

They took over double the amount of marks as Richmond (130-66) showing their skill moving the ball around the ground.

Collingwood Team News

Lachie Schultz slots straight into the starting line-up after his move from Fremantle.

Dan McStay picked up an ACL injury in pre-season with Ash Johnson getting the nod ahead of Mason Cox who will come off the interchange bench.

Collingwood Team List

B: B.Maynard, D.Moore ©, C.Dean

HB: S.Pendlebury, I.Quaynor, N.Daicos

C: W.Hoskin-Elliott, J.Crisp, J.Daicos

HF: S.Sidebottom, A.Johnson, B.Mihocek

F: P.Lipinski, J.Elliott, B.Hill

FOLL: D.Cameron, J.De Goey, L.Schultz

I/C: J.Noble, T.Mitchell, B.McCreery, O.Markov, M.Cox

EMG: B.Frampton, F.Macrae, H.Harrison

Verdict

Greater Western Sydney v Collingwood

There is no doubt in my mind that this game will be another close one. The Giants will have had this game pencilled in ever since the schedule was released in the hope of retribution.

Collingwood though are the better team and I am backing a small margin on a low total here.

Collingwood 1-39

Winning Margin

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