The third game on Saturday for AFL Round 17 is between Gold Coast Suns and Collingwood Magpies. The match is to be played at Metricon Stadium with the opening bounce set to commence at 4.40pm local time with away team Collingwood Magpies currently holding favouritism in the market. View our AFL live scores, odds and results for the game between Gold Coast Suns and Collingwood Magpies.

WHERE AND WHEN: Metricon Stadium, Saturday July 20, 4.40pm

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Opening odds comparison:

Gold Coast Suns	4.55	4.75	5.65	4.75	4.55	4.70
Collingwood Magpies	1.17	1.18	1.14	1.18	1.17	1.20

Preview:

The Gold Coast take on Collingwood in Saturday’s first real competition, kicking off at Metricon Stadium at 4.40pm. Saying that however, the Magpies should win this
relatively easy, even though the Suns have grown up a lot in 2013 and will be looking to improve once more in round 17. Despite their narrow loss last week to the Tigers, the Suns have proved they can trouble much better teams when they want to. Collingwood shouldn’t have too much trouble here though, defeating the Crows last week and continuing to improve at the right end of the season.

Teams:

Gold Coast Suns:
B: Trent McKenzie, Sam Day, Seb Tape
HB: Greg Broughton, Rory Thompson, Jarrod Harbrow
C: Matt Shaw, Gary Ablett, Luke Russell
HF: Andrew Boston, Steven May, Aaron Hall
F: Campbell Brown, Josh Hall, Jared Brennan
Foll: Tom Nicholls, Danny Stanley, Jaeger O’Meara
Int: Dion Prestia, Maverick Weller, Harley Bennell, Alex Sexton
Emerg: Jacob Gillbee, Tom Murphy, Joel Wilkinson

In: Weller Sexton
Out: Murphy Swallow (knee)

Collingwood Magpies:
B: Nathan Brown, Nick Maxwell, Ben Reid
HB: Tyson Goldsack, Heath Shaw, Marley Williams
C: Steele Sidebottom, Brent Macaffer, Luke Ball
HF: Jamie Elliott, Jarrod Witts, Dane Swan
F: Dayne Beams, Travis Cloke, Josh Thomas
Foll: Ben Hudson, Scott Pendlebury, Andrew Krakouer
Int: Ben Sinclair, Paul Seedsman, Sam Dwyer, Caolan Mooney
Emerg: Lachlan Keeffe, Ben Kennedy, Adam Oxley

In: Goldsack Mooney
Out: Young (hamstring) Blair (calf)

AFL Magpies’ coach defends Shaw’s outburst

Collingwood AFL coach Nathan Buckley says he doesn’t mind Heath Shaw’s on-field outbursts because they show he cares passionately for his team.

Buckley admits the fiery half-back struggled in last week’s win over Adelaide but says he has no concerns about seeing the 165-game veteran involved in arguments with teammates.

“He had a poor game,” Buckley told a media conference on Wednesday.

“He wears his heart on his sleeve.

“When he’s disappointed you know about it. When he’s happy you know about it.

“Managing that is not difficult because we know his intentions are for the betterment of the team.

“I’m glad it continues to mean something to him.

“If he was flat and lifeless and didn’t give anything I’d be worried.”

Buckley has guided the Magpies to seventh spot after 16 rounds, despite a wave of injuries and an avalanche of media speculation that the second-year coach’s methods had met with strong resistance from so-called “Rat Pack” members such as 2010 premiership trio Shaw, Dane Swan and Ben Johnson.

Buckley paid tribute to 32-year-old Johnson, who retired on Monday after a 235-game career that included two runner-up finishes in the club best and fairest award.

“He can leave his AFL experience with his head held high,” Buckley said.

“He has probably been one of the leaders outside the leaders. He has always had his teammates’ back.

“You need to find that from somewhere because it’s real heart-and-soul dedication to the playing group and to the cause.

“We need other little Ben Johnsons to pop up with the same passion and drive that he had.”

Buckley said he had tried a month ago to talk an exhausted Johnson out of retirement.

“We addressed it again last week and I agreed and he was happy to make that call and let his teammates know,” Buckley said.

Buckley smiled when asked if Johnson’s departure marked an end to Collingwood’s “Rat Pack”.

“There’s plenty of little packs in our larger pack, whatever you want to call them,” Buckley said.

“Blokes who are drawn to each other, different personality types who tend to hang around each other.

“That’s the beauty of the environment of a football club. It takes all types.”

Buckley said reigning club champion Dayne Beams was in good shape for Saturday’s clash with Gold Coast after playing his first senior game of an injury-interrupted season, claiming 25 disposals against Adelaide.

Collingwood are working with Travis Cloke to fine-tune his aggressive style following consultation with the AFL’s umpiring department.

The big left-footer booted 2.5 against Adelaide and conceded four free kicks in marking contests.

“He wins his contests by too much,” Buckley said.

“Once he has a player out of position (he wants) to continue to have them out of position before coming back to the ball.

“Matty Lappin our forwards coach has contacted the umpiring department and we’ve got a few tips and we’ll work on it.”