Sunday second AFL Round 23 match is between Collingwood Magpies and North Melbourne Kangaroos with the game to be played at MCG. The opening bounce is set to commence at 3:20pm local time with home team Collingwood Magpies currently holding favouritism. View our AFL live scores, odds and results for the game between Collingwood Magpies and North Melbourne Kangaroos.

WHERE AND WHEN: MCG, 3:20pm AEST, Sunday 1 September

Opening odds comparison:

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:

Collingwood take on North Melbourne on Sunday, 3.20pm at the MCG. This is another significant game, with North Melbourne another team with an ever-so-slim chance
of making the finals. The Magpies are coming good at the right time of the season, however, currently in 6th position just behind Richmond on percentages. The
Kangaroos have a good record against tough opponents this year, however, so this game could be closer than many people are expecting.

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

Magpies won’t flirt with AFL form

Collingwood won’t be flirting with their AFL form or selection against North Melbourne on Sunday despite the match having little impact on their finals positioning.

The sixth-placed Magpies are certain to finish fifth or sixth, which either way means a home elimination final.

But after impressing in winning four of their past five games, coach Nathan Buckley said it was vital they maintained that standard.

He said experimenting in any way that might affect their form wasn’t an option.

“It’s not even in our consideration,” Buckley told reporters on Thursday.

“We come up against an opponent who’s performed really well this year.

“We’ve been ramping up for a month – we’ve shown better form.

“We’ve got some momentum and we want to take advantage of it.”

He said whether North Melbourne were still in finals contention by the time Sunday’s game arrives, which depends on results earlier in the weekend, meant nothing to Collingwood.

“Clearly the biggest focus for us is the way we want to play our footy,” Buckley said.

“It’s a really good opportunity to tune up and to display our best football going into a finals series.”

Luke Ball, who was subbed out with a calf injury against West Coast last Friday night, did not train on Friday and remains in doubt for the Kangaroos clash.

But reigning best and fairest Dayne Beams is expected to return after being a late withdrawal with back soreness against the Eagles.