Saturday’s AFL 2018 Finals Week 1 match is between West Coast Eagles and Collingwood Magpies. The opening kick is set to commence at 20:10 local time with the game to be played at OS. The away team Collingwood Magpies are the favourites for the match.
View our preview and teams for the game between West Coast Eagles and Collingwood Magpies.
When: 20:10 | Saturday 08/09/2018
Where: OS
Preview:
The second qualifying final sees the Eagles and Magpies and I think this could be a one-sided game with the Eagles exposing Collingwood’s lack of height in defence.
Big stakes for the Eagles with the prospect of earning a home preliminary final.
It’s a big advantage for them and if they win this week they get another week off before a home prelim final where they have been so hard to beat this year.
The one area Collingwood have the advantage is in the midfield.
Brodie Grundy is a beast is the ruck and Scott Pendlebury, Taylor Adams and Steele Sidebottom have been in great form in the engine room.
Collingwood will have to get on top in the middle otherwise West Coast’s forwards will get too much supply and easily kick a winning score against Collingwood’s makeshift defence.
KEY BATTLE: Brodie Grundy v Scott Lycett
For me, Grundy has been the most outstanding individual player all season.
His aerobic capacity will challenge Lycett.
He’ll push forward hard and try and help the Collingwood forwards by hitting the scoreboard.
He will win this battle.
The Verdict
With Kennedy coming back in for the Eagles to resume his partnership with Darling, I don’t see how the injury-riddled Magpies can stop them.
The Eagles have a 57-37-1 (60.0 percent) record after winning as a favourite since 2011.
Unibet Odds:
West Coast at $1.62
Collingwood at $2.35
Odds:
Tip: Collingwood Magpies at $2.35
Value Bet: First Goal Scorer: Josh Thomas at $12.00
More Info:
Teams:
West Coast Eagles: 
B: Hurn, Barrass, Sheppard
HB: Cole, McGovern, Jetta
C: Hutchings, Yeo, Masten
HF: Redden, Darling, Cripps
F: Rioli, Kennedy, LeCras
FOLL: Lycett, Shuey, Sheed
I/C: Ryan, Duggan, Venables, Vardy
EMG: Allen, Schofield, Ainsworth, Ah Chee
IN: Kennedy, Jetta
OUT: Allen, Schofield
Collingwood Magpies: 
B: Maynard, Langdon, Crisp
HB: Howe, Goldsack, Varcoe
C: Treloar, Pendlebury, Phillips
HF: Hoskin-Elliott, Mihocek, de Goey
F: Thomas, Cox, Stephenson
FOLL: Grundy, Adams, Sidebottom
I/C: Sier, Aish, Mayne, Greenwood
EMG: Blair, Brown, Daicos, Madgen
OUT: Madgen, Murphy, Oxley
AFL News:
Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley says his side will enter the finals full of confidence and with nothing to fear after wrapping up a prized top-four berth.
The Magpies came from eight points behind the final term to beat Fremantle 11.10 (76) to 9.13 (67) at Perth Stadium on Saturday night.
Collingwood’s ladder position – and opponent in week one of the finals – will depend on the result of Sunday’s clash between West Coast and Brisbane at the Gabba.
If the Eagles win, then Collingwood will finish third, meaning they will have to travel to Perth in week one of the finals to take on West Coast at Optus Stadium.
A shock Eagles loss would mean the Magpies finish second, and host Hawthorn in a qualifying final at the MCG.
The only top-eight side Collingwood have beaten this year is Melbourne, and the Magpies looked shaky against a wounded Fremantle outfit.
But Buckley is confident of what his charges can produce in the finals.
“We think our best footy stacks up. We’re not afraid of anyone we play,” Buckley said.
“We definitely won’t be approaching that (first final) with anything less than full confidence that we can get the job done.”
Saturday’s match against Fremantle was Collingwood’s first visit to Perth’s $1.6 billion new stadium.
Buckley is glad his players have been given a taste of the venue, given the high probability they will play there again at some point during the finals.
“It’s invaluable to be able to have a run on the ground and get a sense of it,” Buckley said.
Collingwood appear set to be without Sam Murray for the rest of the season after the young defender tested positive to a prohibited substance.
But Tyson Goldsack and Adam Treloar could rocket into selection calculations over the coming weeks.
Goldsack made a successful return from a knee reconstruction in the VFL over the weekend, while Treloar is progressing strongly from surgery on his left hamstring.
“The last couple of weeks he has taken really strong strides forward,” Buckley said of Treloar.
“I think I called him a Hail Mary opportunity anywhere from five weeks to two weeks ago.
“But he is starting to get in the realms of a possibility.
“Definitely in his own mind he is convinced he will be up for us in the next few weeks. Whether that is two weeks or four weeks, we can’t be clear at this point.”
