Collingwood v North Melbourne
Monday, August 24 - 7.10pm AEST
The Gabba
North Melbourne will meet Collingwood on Monday night in the final match of Round 13.
The Roos sit second from the bottom with a 3-9 record, while Collingwood’s struggles in recent weeks has seen it drop to eighth.
The Pies will enter has hot favourites as they look to stay in the finals hunt, but North will be full of confidence after pushing the Lions all the way in the last round.
Last time we met
Round 15, 2019
North Melbourne 11.15.81 def Collingwood 5.7.37
In what was arguably its best performance of 2019, North dismantled Collingwood at Marvel Stadium, keeping the Pies to their lowest score in 24 years.
The Roos led at every change, dominating throughout to win by 44 points.
Ben Cunnington was outstanding in the midfield with 37 disposals, while captain Jack Ziebell was excellent with 3 goals to go with 25 touches.
Remarkably, the margin could have been larger, with inaccurate kicking costing the Roos a higher score
The matchup
Todd Goldstein v Brody Grundy
Two of the premier ruckmen in the competition will go head-to-head.
Grundy has been the benchmark of the competition in recent years, winning All Australian honours in 2018 and 2019.
Goldstein has enjoyed a remarkable season, and is in the best form since his 2015 All Australian year.
The number 22 sits fifth for clearances in the AFL, and third for hitouts.
If Goldstein can win the battle and prevent the Pies star-studded midfield from taking control, it will go a long to helping the Roos’ chances.
The key men
Taylor Adams and Jed Anderson
Adams has arguably been the pick of the Pies’ midfielders, averaging 22 disposals, 6 clearances and 5 tackles.
His form has been recognised by the coaches, currently sitting equal-fourth on the AFLCA standings.
In the absence of Cunnington, Jed Anderson has been the Roos’ midfield enforcer, and has hit a purple patch of form.
Excluding the Round 11 match in which he missed most of the game with an eye issue, Anderson has averaged 26 disposals, 6.6 clearances and 7.3 tackles; numbers the game’s elite midfielders would be proud of.
The number 3 will once again need to be at his best against Collingwood.
The teams
