The second game on Sunday for AFL Round 23 is between Collingwood Magpies and North Melbourne Kangaroos. The opening bounce is set to commence at 3:20pm with the game to be played at MCG. The favourite for the match is home team Collingwood Magpies. View our preview and teams for the game between Collingwood Magpies and North Melbourne Kangaroos.

Round: Round 23 3:20 PM September 01, 2013
Stadium: MCG
Weather: 21° Sunny.

Featured Bookmakers:

Collingwood Magpies $1.53 vs North Melbourne Kangaroos $2.50 at Sportsbet Australia get a $250 FREE BET on this match

Collingwood Magpies $1.52 vs North Melbourne Kangaroos $2.55 at Luxbet Australia get a $500 FREE BET on this match

Odds Comparison by AFL Odds:

Collingwood Magpies	1.53	1.52	1.52	1.52	1.53	1.54
North Melbourne Kangaroos	2.50	2.50	2.55	2.50	2.50	2.50

Preview:

This should be a great clash.

The Pies have found some form in recent times and recorded four wins form their past five matches, including wins over Sydney and Essendon. Their only loss during this period was to the high-flying Hawthorn.

Last week they were far too slick for a poor West Coast and will look to continue that form as they come up against the much stiffer opposition in North Melbourne.

The Kangaroos made Hawthorn earn their victory the hard way last week, leading well into the third quarter before finding Hawthorn a shade too strong late.

With Essendon now not taking part in the finals series, should Carlton lose to Port on Saturday, North have a chance to claim eighth spot with a superior percentage.

Keep a close eye on the Port/Carlton game and should the Adelaide team be in front or appear on top, take the price on North as it will shorten considerably if Port win.

Collingwood won by sixteen points when the two sides last met in the opening round of the season. That was the Pies’ fifth win over North in the past six encounters.

There’s not as much between these two teams as the current market would suggest and the line given to North is only -13.5.

Collingwood need to kick straight and make the most of their opportunities. Failure to do so will invite North back into the contest and they’ve got enough form on the board to make life very difficult for the Collingwood.

Teams:

Collingwood Magpies:
Backs: Brown Maxwell Shaw
Half-backs: Williams Keeffe Goldsack
Centres: O’Brien J Thomas Macaffer
Half-forwards: Sidebottom Lynch Blair
Forwards: Dwyer Cloke Reid
Followers: Grundy Pendlebury Swan
Interchange: From: Russell Didak Beams Hudson Kennedy Martin Seedsman
In: Jordan Russell, Kyle Martin, Dayne Beams, Ben Hudson
Out: Luke Ball (calf)

North Melbourne Kangaroos:
B: Hansen L Delaney Mullett
HB: Bastinac Firrito Atley
C: Wright Wells Gibson
HF: Macmillan Tarrant Harvey
F: Thomas Petrie Black
FOLL: Goldstein Cunnington Ziebell
I/C: From: McKenzie Jacobs Adams Greenwood Garner Sierakowski McMahon
IN: Leigh Adams, Taylor Garner, Scott McMahon
OUT: Nil

Hawks get home final after beating North

Hawthorn secured a home AFL qualifying final and all but put North Melbourne out of September contention with a hard-fought 14-point win.

The Hawks were in big trouble during the first half, but rallied to beat North 17.15 (117) to 15.13 (103) on Saturday at Etihad Stadium.

Captain Luke Hodge starred in defence for Hawthorn, while Lance Franklin kicked five goals.

Jarryd Roughead remains among the leaders for the Coleman Medal with four goals.

The win means Hawthorn cannot finish lower than second, while North’s slim finals hopes took a massive hit.

North midfielder Daniel Wells was outstanding with 27 possessions.

Hawthorn’s Luke Breust kicked the first goal of the game after two minutes, but North quickly responded with three of their own.

The Kangaroos’ intent was clear – run the Hawks off their feet.

A goal to Roughead at the end of the first term reduced the margin to two points.

But the Hawks lost Liam Shiels with an ankle injury early in the second quarter.

Their problems compounded as the Kangaroos took control of the match with three goals.

Then veteran Brent Harvey celebrated his latest one-year contract extension by first landing a heavy knock on Brian Lake and then running around the Hawks’ defender for a big goal.

That gave the Kangaroos a 26-point lead at eight minutes, their high-water mark for the game.

North’s mistakes, plus some dubious umpiring decisions and a growing sense of desperation among the Hawks, stopped the surge.

‘Roos coach Brad Scott was furious when Franklin blatantly pushed opponent Michael Firrito in the back, but was not penalised.

Franklin then kicked a crucial goal as the Hawks went into halftime trailing by 13 points.

The free-kick count at halftime was 13-6 Hawthorn’s way and 20-12 for the game.

North’s relentless attempt to control the match meant the Hawks only had 138 disposals in the first half to 211 for the Kangaroos.

With the game in the balance, Hodge was superb across half-back at the start of the third term.

He took several intercept marks as North pressed, but only managed one goal.

A superb spoil from Hodge at 12 minutes led directly to a Hawks counter-attack and a second goal to Breust – putting them in front for the first time since the opening term.

With coach Alastair Clarkson issuing urgent instructions from the interchange bench, Hawthorn kicked seven goals to four in the third term and led by seven points at the final break.

Cyril Rioli was among several Hawthorn players who lifted noticeably after halftime.

North again had their chances at the start of the final term, but only managed two behinds.

Goals to Roughead and Franklin gave Hawthorn a crucial break and they held on as North kicked 1.4 for the term.

Rioli gave Hawthorn a scare when he limped off midway through the last quarter, but the ankle injury apparently was not serious.