GWS Giants vs Collingwood Tips - Pies to feast on depleted Giants in Opening Round clash

GWS featured in the AFL Finals Series in 2024, qualifying in 4th position before being bundled out in straight sets by the two sides that eventually made the Grand Final, Sydney and the Brisbane Lions. The Giants won 15 of their 23 home and away matches. 

Collingwood could not back up their 2023 form that saw them claim the premiership. They were slow out of the blocks in 2024, always playing catch-up and missed the finals on percentage, finishing with the same points as 8th placed Carlton but having to settle for 9th. Craig McRae’s side claimed 12 wins and a pair of draws. 

The Magpies picked up a number of key recruits in the trade period and are likely improvers in 2025. The Giants won the corresponding match last year but come in with a number of injuries to key players, while there recent showing against Carlton in the Community Series was a concern. 

The two sides met just once in 2024, which was the corresponding fixture in Opening Round. In that match it was the Giants by 32 points. Tom Green, Josh Kelly and Lachie Whitfield all had 30+ disposals, while Nick Daicos had 34 for Collingwood. 

Callum Brown, Jesse Hogan and Brent Daniels combined for 14 goals, while Brody Mihocek booted three for the Pies. 

Collingwood claimed the three games between the two sides prior to that, including a one-point win in the 2023 Preliminary Final. The Giants have won the past four matches between the two sides at the venue by an average margin of 21 points. 

GWS were well beaten by Carlton in their practice match, going down by 58 points. The Giants performance was a bit concerning heading into this. A number of their key midfielders were on reduced minutes. Lachie Whitfield picked up 27 disposals, while Jesse Hogan booted three goals. The latter will miss due to an injury sustained since then

The Giants will be without several key players due to injuries. Midfielder Tom Green is out with a calf strain, forward Jesse Hogan fractured his thumb in a door accident, and forward Jake Stringer is dealing with a hamstring strain. On a positive note, forward Callum Brown has returned from a hamstring injury, and ruckman Kieren Briggs has overcome an illness, both available for selection. First-round draftee Phoenix Gothard is also a test for the match after recovering from an ankle sprain. 

Collingwood has shown strong pre-season form, highlighted by an impressive 83-point win over Richmond in the Charity Shield. The team’s new recruits have settled in well, and the Magpies are looking to build on this momentum heading into the 2025 season. 

Nick Daicos had 32 disposals in the Tigers match from just 59% game time, while Brody Mihocek, Tim Membrey and Bobby Hill each kicked four goals in Collingwood’s accurate 21.6 total.

Collingwood's Round 1 lineup will be impacted by the absence of star midfielder Jordan De Goey, who is sidelined due to knee bruising that required a de-loading period. In De Goey's absence, players like Oleg Markov and Ed Allan are expected to step up. Brayden Maynard is expected to play despite missing the Community Series match against Richmond. Harry Perryman steps out in black and white colours for the first time and will be up against his former side. Former Port Adelaide playmaker, Dan Houston, will have to wait a week as he serves out a suspension from 2024.