Collingwood has recalled big-name artillery to replace a couple of stars for Friday night’s final-round blockbuster against the Cats at the MCG.
Key defender Chris Tarrant returns after missing one week with soreness, along with premiership midfielders Luke Ball and Sharrod Wellingham.
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But in-form running defender Leon Davis will miss with a hamstring injury, while Dale Thomas will serve the first of his two-match suspension for engaging in rough conduct.
Davis’ hamstring injury isn’t severe and it’s hoped he’ll be available for the club’s first final against West Coast.
Young defender Tom Young has been omitted from the side that beat Fremantle by 80 points last week at Patersons Stadium.
Brent Macaffer, Luke Rounds and Simon Buckley are the three emergencies.
Ball, like Tarrant, missed just the win over the Dockers with soreness. The 27-year-old had played every match this season prior to last week.
Wellingham, meanwhile, comes back after missing two matches and appearing in just one of the past six outings due to a groin injury.
Captain Nick Maxwell remains out of the side as he recovers from a fractured thumb but coach Mick Malthouse said on Thursday he is very close to returning, while suspended defender Heath Shaw will be available for selection in week one of the finals.
The Magpies have secured their second-consecutive McClelland Trophy for finishing atop the AFL ladder at the conclusion of the home-and-away season, and last week notched 20 wins in the home-and-away season for the first time in the club’s history.
Geelong, meanwhile, has made two changes to its side bringing in Darren Milburn (291 games/ 94 goals) and Mitch Duncan (25/ 28) and have lost Tom Lonergan (72/ 44) to injury with Shannon Byrnes (103/ 99) omitted.
Geelong is second on the ladder with 18 wins and three losses, and has a game and substantial percentage in hand over third-placed Hawthorn.
The last time the teams met - in round eight this year - resulted in the Magpies’ only loss of the season, by three points.
AFL ROUND 24
COLLINGWOOD v GEELONG
Friday 2 September 2011
MCG, 7:40pm
COLLINGWOOD
B: Alan Toovey, Ben Reid, Harry O’Brien
HB: Ben Johnson, Chris Tarrant, Tyson Goldsack
C: Dayne Beams, Sharrod Wellingham, Alan Didak
HF: Ben Sinclair, Leigh Brown, Alex Fasolo
F: Steele Sidebottom, Travis Cloke, Luke Ball
Foll: Darren Jolly, Scott Pendlebury, Andrew Krakouer
Inter: Jarryd Blair, Dane Swan, Cameron Wood, Chris Dawes
Emg: Brent Macaffer, Luke Rounds, Simon Buckley
In: Chris Tarrant, Luke Ball, Sharrod Wellingham
Out: Leon Davis (hamstring), Dale Thomas (suspended), Tom Young (omitted)
GEELONG
B: Josh Hunt, Matthew Scarlett, Darren Milburn
HB: Corey Enright, Harry Taylor, Andrew Mackie
C: Jimmy Bartel, Cameron Ling, David Wojcinski
HF: Steve Johnson, Trent West, Travis Varcoe
F: Paul Chapman, James Podsiadly, Tom Hawkins
Foll: Brad Ottens, James Kelly, Joel Selwood
Inter: Matthew Stokes, Daniel Menzel, Mitch Duncan, Allen Christensen
Emg: Shannon Byrnes, Steven Motlop, Cameron Guthrie
In: Darren Milburn, Mitch Duncan
Out: Shannon Byrnes, Tom Lonergan (Quad contusion)
