Elimination Final 1: Adelaide vs Collingwood
September 4th 2008 10:28
After Round 21, this match only looked like being played in Melbourne should things have gone the other way. Instead, Collingwood blew a chance to secure a top-four spot by losing to Framantle, and Adelaide defeated the Western Bulldogs to give themselves a big chance.
St. Kilda had to spoil the entire party, as by demolishing Essendon by 108 points, it leap-frogged the Crows on the ladder into fourth.
Adelaide has been in decent form over the past few weeks, as it has won five of its last six games, including a lucky nine-point win over the Doggies. It has suffered with injuries throughout the season, which included losing both Brett Burton and Jason Porplyzia for weeks. Burton has not come back, whilst the "porpoise" made an appearance last week.
Nick Gill can also kick goals as the Crows discovered, and he will be looked toward if Porplyzia is off the ground, or being kept quiet.
Collingwood's run of injuries has come at the wrong time for the club. With up to 12 players who could miss Saturday's clash at AAM Stadium, this will be a true test in every sense of the word. They struggled last week without their captain in Scott Burns - who is out with a calf injury - and looks set to miss this crucial match.
Anthony Rocca is still out, and will not be back in time to lead his squad. With Alan Didak and Heath Shaw missing due to a club-imposed suspension, the Magpies look like a depleted side.
Since the Shaw-Didak incident, the Pies have only lost one game - and it happened to be last week. They did manage to knock off the likes of Sydney and St. Kilda, so this will keep them in good stead. Also, Collingwood is renowned for travelling to Adelaide and taking the win. It has done this against the Crows the last three times the sides have met over in South Australia, and did it famously last year against the Crows' bitter-town rivals, Port Adelaide.
The winner faces either St. Kilda or Geelong, and it could be an interesting proposition either way. The loser can forget about the 2008 campaign, and begin planning for an assault in 2009.
St. Kilda had to spoil the entire party, as by demolishing Essendon by 108 points, it leap-frogged the Crows on the ladder into fourth.
Adelaide has been in decent form over the past few weeks, as it has won five of its last six games, including a lucky nine-point win over the Doggies. It has suffered with injuries throughout the season, which included losing both Brett Burton and Jason Porplyzia for weeks. Burton has not come back, whilst the "porpoise" made an appearance last week.
Nick Gill can also kick goals as the Crows discovered, and he will be looked toward if Porplyzia is off the ground, or being kept quiet.
Collingwood's run of injuries has come at the wrong time for the club. With up to 12 players who could miss Saturday's clash at AAM Stadium, this will be a true test in every sense of the word. They struggled last week without their captain in Scott Burns - who is out with a calf injury - and looks set to miss this crucial match.
Anthony Rocca is still out, and will not be back in time to lead his squad. With Alan Didak and Heath Shaw missing due to a club-imposed suspension, the Magpies look like a depleted side.
Since the Shaw-Didak incident, the Pies have only lost one game - and it happened to be last week. They did manage to knock off the likes of Sydney and St. Kilda, so this will keep them in good stead. Also, Collingwood is renowned for travelling to Adelaide and taking the win. It has done this against the Crows the last three times the sides have met over in South Australia, and did it famously last year against the Crows' bitter-town rivals, Port Adelaide.
The winner faces either St. Kilda or Geelong, and it could be an interesting proposition either way. The loser can forget about the 2008 campaign, and begin planning for an assault in 2009.
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