Geelong Cats vs Collingwood Magpies preview, teams and tips – 2014 AFL NAB Challenge

Wednesday’s only 2014 AFL NAB Challenge match is between Geelong Cats and Collingwood Magpies. The opening bounce is set to commence at 7.10pm AEDT with the game to be played at Simonds Stadium. The home team Geelong Cats are the favourites for the match. View our preview and teams for the game between Geelong Cats and Collingwood Magpies.

Stadium: Simonds Stadium, 7.10pm AEDT
Weather: 18° Mostly Sunny

Featured Bookmakers:

Geelong Cats $1.48 vs Collingwood Magpies $2.55 at Sportsbet Australia get a $250 FREE BET on this match

Geelong Cats $1.51 vs Collingwood Magpies $2.55 at Luxbet Australia get a $500 FREE BET on this match

Odds Comparison:


Geelong Cats	1.48	1.53	1.51	1.53	1.48	1.52
Collingwood Magpies	2.55	2.50	2.55	2.50	2.55	2.40

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

Our Tip: Collingwood to win.

Preview:

COLLINGWOOD has named mature-age recruits Jesse White, Tony Armstrong and Taylor Adams in its squad to face Geelong in the NAB Challenge opener at Simonds Stadium on Wednesday night.

Magpies fans are also set to get a first look at draftees Nathan Freeman, Tom Langdon and Jonathon Marsh.

In contrast, draftee Jarrod Jansen is the only new player in the Cats’ lineup.

Both clubs were allowed to name 29-man squads on Monday, with three players to be omitted before the match.

However, the Pies have already confirmed that Alex Fasolo, Ben Hudson and Caolan Mooney will not play.

Geelong has included most of its biggest names, with Tom Hawkins set to line up at full-forward after overcoming the back problems that marred his 2013 campaign.

The Cats have been forced to leave out first-choice players Joel Selwood (foot), Steven Motlop (knee) and Allen Christensen (hip), who have all had interrupted pre-seasons.

Ruckman Hamish McIntosh will also have to wait a bit longer to make his debut in the navy blue and white hoops.

Dane Swan and Ben Reid are the highest-profile omissions from the Collingwood squad.

The Magpies have also left out a number other regular senior players, with Jarryd Blair, Ben Sinclair (shoulder), Nathan Brown, Alan Toovey (knee), Sam Dwyer and Paul Seedsman (hip) to watch from the sidelines.

Recruit Patrick Karnezis remains on a modified program after battling groin soreness.

The teams will name two subs prior to the match. Unlike in home and away season matches, they will be able to change their subs at half-time.

Teams:

GEELONG CATS

1. Mitch Brown, 2. Billie Smedts, 3. Jimmy Bartel, 4. Andrew Mackie, 5. Travis Varcoe, 6. Lincoln McCarthy, 7. Harry Taylor, 9. James Kelly, 12. Jesse Stringer, 13. Tom Lonergan, 15. Jordan Schroder, 16. Dawson Simpson, 19. Taylor Hunt, 20. Steven Johnson, 22. Mitch Duncan, 23. Josh Caddy, 25. Jared Rivers, 26. Tom Hawkins, 27. Mathew Stokes, 29. Cameron Guthrie, 30. Nathan Vardy, 31. George Burbury, 33. George Horlin-Smith, 34. Josh Walker, 35. Jarrod Jansen, 38. Jackson Sheringham

44. Corey Enright, 45. Joel Hamling, 46. Mark Blicavs

COLLINGWOOD MAGPIES

1. Alex Fasolo, 3. Brent Macaffer, 4. Brodie Grundy, 5. Nick Maxwell

7. Ben Kennedy, 8. Heritier Lumumba, 9. Martin Clarke, 10. Scott Pendlebury, 12. Luke Ball, 13. Taylor Adams, 14. Clinton Young, 17. Dayne Beams, 18. Jesse White, 19. Jamie Elliott, 21. Quinten Lynch, 22. Steele Sidebottom, 23. Lachlan Keeffe, 25. Ben Hudson, 26. Marley Williams,

27. Tony Armstrong, 29. Tim Broomhead, 31. Jackson Ramsay, 32. Travis Cloke, 38. Peter Yagmoor, 39. Nathan Freeman, 41. Tom Langdon, 45. Jack Frost, 46. Jonathon Marsh, 48. Caolan Mooney

News:

With over 67,000 members before the AFL’s pre-season competition even kicks off, Collingwood can sure draw a crowd.

So it’s fitting that the league’s 18-day, 18-game NAB Challenge series begins on Wednesday night with Geelong hosting Collingwood at Simonds Stadium in a rematch of the 2011 grand final.

Geelong, premiers in 2007, 2009 and 2011, are confident they can squeeze another big year out of their senior players.

Collingwood will be led by new skipper Scott Pendlebury and the Magpies will unveil two of their gun recruits on Wednesday night as ex-Sydney key forward Jesse White and former Giants’ midfielder Taylor Adams take the field.

Brownlow Medallist Dane Swan will have a rest for the Magpies, while the Cats will be missing several big names including skipper Joel Selwood, Allen Christensen, Steven Motlop and Hamish McIntosh.

Every club will play two games in the 18-day event, followed by a series of practice matches with each club having one hit-out.

Cats’ coach Chris Scott said on Tuesday the NAB Challenge was an opportunity to try things out.

“The NAB Challenge is a brilliant opportunity for the football purist to get a bit of a preview to what might lie ahead in the regular season,” Scott told afl.com.au.

“The heat’s still on our senior guys. Fortunately they’ve shown they’re pretty resilient to that pressure.

“But we really need those young ones to step up.”

Ex-forward Billie Smedts, now aiming to cement a place in defence, is one to watch for the Cats in pre-season.

Much interest will centre on some of the star recruits of the summer, including ex-Cat Paul Chapman at Essendon.

But there’s none bigger than Hawthorn’s two-time premiership forward Lance Franklin who has joined Sydney.

The Swans begin their pre-season campaign with a match against Greater Western Sydney in Canberra on February 20. The Giants will look to their recruits including Shane Mumford, Heath Shaw and Josh Hunt to provide some experience.

Hawthorn have named 13 members of their 2013 premiership lineup in their squad for Thursday’s game against Brisbane at Etihad Stadium. The Hawks have also included ex-St Kilda ruckman Ben McEvoy.

New Brisbane coach Justin Leppitsch has announced a youthful squad for the Etihad Stadium clash including No.7 draft pick James Aish.

Game three on Friday at Etihad Stadium will feature Richmond against Melbourne under new coach Paul Roos, as the struggling Demons inject ex-Bulldog Daniel Cross and former Crow Bernie Vince into their midfield.

Carlton face North Melbourne in Ballarat on Saturday as the Blues begin what they hope is a journey to the top four, with ex-Magpies’ midfield gun Dale Thomas the star signing for the Blues.

North have pinned their hopes of father-son selection Luke McDonald and ex-Saint Nick Dal Santo.

Sunday’s Adelaide-Port Adelaide clash will also spark plenty of interest, after the Crows recruited ex-Blues’ goalsneak Eddie Betts and former Geelong big man James Podsiadly to their forward line.

Port, the big improvers of last year after leaping from 14th to fifth under rookie mentor Ken Hinkley, are banking on a big year from forward John Butcher. The 2009 No.8 draft pick was restricted to eight games in 2013 because of injuries, but booted four majors in last weekend’s trial game.

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