The first game on Friday for AFL Round 1 is between Collingwood Magpies and Fremantle Dockers. The match is to be played at Etihad Stadium with the opening bounce set to commence at 7:50pm with away team Fremantle Dockers currently holding favouritism in the market. View our AFL live scores, odds and results for the game between Collingwood Magpies and Fremantle Dockers.

Round: Round 1, Friday March 14, 7:50pm
Stadium: Etihad Stadium
Weather: 28° Becoming mainly sunny.

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Odds Comparison:

Collingwood Magpies	2.35	2.40	2.30	2.40	2.35	2.25
Fremantle Dockers	1.62	1.60	1.64	1.60	1.62	1.65

All odds are subject to change. Odds listed are correct at the time of the latest update.

Preview:

It’s that time of the year many of us have been waiting for, with Round 1 of the AFL kicking off this weekend. Last year was a killer season, and fans will be looking forward to more of the same in 2014. The first match of the new season is between the Collingwood Magpies and Fremantle Dockers, Friday night, 7.50pm at Etihad Stadium. With the MCG unavailable due to domestic cricket, the Docklands venue will host the opening 2014 match for the first time ever.

Fremantle will go into this match as slight favourites, despite rough pre-season form that saw them lose to West Coast by 84 points. Collingwood were even worse in the pre-season, however, losing both of their matches against Geelong and Richmond. This game should give fans some insight into the future of Collingwood this season, with the Magpies facing a transitional period due to the loss of Heath Shaw, Alan Didak, Dale Thomas, and Darren Jolly at the end of last season.

Even the fans don’t really know what to expect with this new look Magpies team, so this weekend will be a great preview for the year ahead. Jesse White’s and Travis Cloke’s will be worth watching for the Magpies, with Dayne Beams also looking for a big season after an injury-ridden 2013. Fremantle ruckman Aaron Sandilands will also be key, in what looks like an exciting season opener.

Teams:

Collingwood Magpies:
B: Alan Toovey, Nathan J. Brown, Nick Maxwell
HB: Tyson Goldsack, Jack Frost, Tom Langdon
C: Steele Sidebottom, Brent Macaffer,Taylor Adams
HF: Dayne Beams, Travis Cloke, Jamie Elliott
F: Ben Kennedy, Jarrod Witts, Dane Swan
Foll: Brodie Grundy, Scott Pendlebury, Heritier Lumumba
I/C: Martin Clarke, Clinton Young, Luke Ball, Ben Sinclair
Emg: Quinten Lynch, Lachlan Keeffe,Tony Armstrong
New: Tom Langdon (Sandringham Dragons), Taylor Adams (GWS)

Fremantle Dockers:
B: Zac Dawson, Luke McPharlin, Lee Spurr
HB: Danyle Pearce, Michael Johnson,Tendai Mzungu
C: Cameron Sutcliffe, Ryan Crowley, David Mundy
HF: Matt de Boer, Chris Mayne, Nat Fyfe
F: Hayden Ballantyn, Matthew Pavlich, Michael Walters
Fol: Aaron Sandilands, Michael Barlow, Lachie Neale
I/C: Paul Duffield, Stephen Hill, Tommy Sheridan, Jack Hannath
Emg: Colin Sylvia, Zac Clarke, Clancee Pearce
New: Nil

News:

Collingwood’s key position options have take a double hit ahead of their AFL season opener against Fremantle.

Swingman Ben Reid and ruck-forward Jesse White will miss Friday night’s clash against the grand finalist at Etihad Stadium because of calf muscle injuries.

The pair were restricted to light duties at Wednesday morning training and the Magpies predictably decided playing them was not worth the risk.

Magpies football director Rodney Eade said the pair probably would have been available if the team played on the second weekend of the split first round.

“We made the decision not to train them,” Eade said.

“The feeling was they might have been able to get through, but there was some small risk that they might have been able to hurt themselves.

“We’ve decided not to take any risks with any players and they won’t play on Friday.

“The thought was that really round one, except for finals, is probably the fastest game of the year and it’s certainly a game you can be caught short in if you get some injuries during the game.”

The absence of White, who was recruited from Sydney, will complicate how Collingwood try to combat giant Dockers ruckman Aaron Sandilands.

Reid is also a major loss for the Magpies, given his ability at either end of the ground.

He injured his calf last month in the practice match against Gold Coast, while the Magpies are unsure exactly how White hurt himself.

“It’s a real odd one – it’s not at training and not in a game,” said Collingwood football director Rodney Eade.

“His pre-season has been very good and we think he’s going to add another dimension to our forward line.

“He believes he didn’t do anything on the Saturday it’s strange to get a tight calf in that situation.”

Eade added that veteran ruckman Ben Hudson might be an option for Sandilands.

“Huddo has done well in the past – he’s got a reasonable record of at least nullifying Sandilands at times,” he said.

“He’s a big unit, so I think it’s very difficult for any player to have an effect on him unless you’re (Nic) Naitanui who can jump over him.

Greater Western Sydney recruit Taylor Adams will play his first game for Collingwood, while third-round draft pick Tom Langdon is on track for his AFL debut.

Premiership defender Alan Toovey is back from the knee reconstruction he needed following last year’s Anzac Day match against Essendon.