When and Where: 

Sunday, May 14 at 4:40pm
Wurundjeri Country | Melbourne Cricket Ground

What it Means for the GIANTS: 

The GIANTS currently sit just outside the top eight and travel to the MCG with a 3-5 record a third of the way through the season. Sunday’s clash against Collingwood is the GIANTS’ only home and away fixture at the MCG this season, providing Adam Kingsley with the only opportunity to claim his first home and away win at the iconic ground this season, and the GIANTS’ first since 2021.  

Last Time We Met: 

Collingwood survived a late charge from the GIANTS to record an 11-point win on a rain-soaked Sunday afternoon at the MCG late last year. The Pies looked home when they led by 34 points at the 12-minute mark of the final term, but the GIANTS sprung to life, booting four unanswered goals to cut the deficit to just 10 points with four minutes left on the clock. The GIANTS ran out of time in the end and the ‘Pies held on to claim a 11.22 (88) to 12.5 (77) win. Stephen Coniglio (31 disposals, one goal) and Jesse Hogan (four goals) stood out for the GIANTS, while Harry Himmelberg’s sensational move to defence continued with a 30 disposal, 11-mark outing.

Where’s the opposition at? 

Collingwood currently sit on top of the AFL ladder a third of the way through the season with seven wins from eight games, including a convincing 29-point win over the Swans at the MCG last weekend.

GIANTS Player to Watch: 

Adam Kingsley is licking his lips at what’s to come from GIANTS prodigy, Tom Green.

The 22-year-old went blow-for-blow with Western Bulldogs champion Marcus Bontempelli at Manuka Oval last weekend, and while master Bontempelli (25 contested possessions, 14 clearances) possibly got the points over apprentice Green (38 disposals, three goals), it was a tantalising display from the young GIANT.

Often labelled a ‘bull’ for his stoppage brutality, Kingsley said Green’s increased running power and ability to find uncontested ball was taking his game to new heights in 2023.

“Typically, he's been a really strong stoppage player, but he's now finding the ball in transition … that's through work-rate, through positioning, and then tonight he's been able to finish his work,” he said.

“He's (52) games into a career, it's a pretty special career already in terms of what he's capable of.

“I can't wait to see him progress and develop over the next two, three, five years, my belief is he could be an elite midfielder of the competition if he's not there already.

“Particularly in the second half tonight, that was next level, so that's the baseline for him, that's what I expect.”

In the Mix: 

A host of GIANTS face fitness tests this week in a bid to take on Collingwood this weekend. Toby Greene, who was a late withdrawal from the Bulldogs clash at Manuka Oval, will ramp up his training this week to be passed fit to face the Magpies at the MCG. Lachlan Keeffe (thumb) and Jason Gillbee (calf) are also expected to undergo fitness tests to return to the field this weekend following minor injuries, while wingman Ryan Angwin is also a test. Jake Riccardi, Max Gruzewski, Phil Davis and Cameron Fleeton will all be in contention after impressing in the VFL.

VFL:

Collingwood v GIANTS 
Sunday, May 14 at 11:05am
Wurundjeri Country | AIA Centre

All VFL matches will be live streamed free on AFL.com.au and the AFL Live Official App. 

Visit: afl.com.au/stream-vfl and follow the links. All matches will be available to watch on demand.

Rehab Report:

Get a full injury update ahead of the GIANTS' trip to the MCG, here.  

Where to watch: 

Sunday’s match will be shown live on Fox Footy and Kayo nationally and on 7Mate in NSW and the ACT from 4:30pm.

Collingwood nailed the Mother’s Day brief. Lunch for the players’ mums at the club, a march from the AIA Centre to the MCG, flowers in the rooms before the bounce and, most importantly, four premiership points for the drive home on Sunday night.

While Beau McCreery’s mum Julie travelled from South Australia and provided Craig McRae’s men with a spirited pre-game rev-up inside the rooms, Jeanette Cox spent the first few hours of Mother’s Day in Texas watching her boy produce a vintage performance to lead the Magpies to a 65-point win over the GIANTS.

Mason Cox saves his best for special days on the calendar, and this was one of the very best of the American’s 98 games in black and white in the 18.12 (120) to 7.13 (55) win.
 
With the Magpies’ No. 1 ruckman Darcy Cameron watching on from the stands, alongside Billy Frampton and Dan McStay, the two makeshift options Craig McRae has turned to since round three, Cox produced a timely reminder of his unique kitbag, just two weeks after his remarkable story was beamed into millions of households across the United States via 60 Minutes.

Cox did it all. The Oklahoma State product collected 25 hit-outs, 19 disposals, nine marks, four contested marks and two goals in a performance stacked full of highlights that might be picked up by ESPN, CNN or CBS.
 
Collingwood is now a game clear on top of the ladder after nine rounds, moving to 8-1 after winning a fifth straight game since the Easter Thursday loss to Brisbane at the Gabba.

Despite everything they achieved under McRae during a wild ride from second last in 2021 to the second-last weekend of September in 2022, the Magpies started 2023 with a question mark next to its name. That has been erased in the first two months of this season.
 
The GIANTS registered the first behind of the game, but from the moment Bobby Hill produced a moment of magic five minutes in, Collingwood was rarely troubled.
 
In his first game against his old side, Hill dribbled a clever goal around Nick Haynes at the city end to kick the first of the game.

Ten minutes later he added a second goal as the Magpies moved through the gears and started to rev. When Jamie Elliott slotted his first 30 seconds later, Collingwood was in cruise control.
 
They led by five goals at the main break and overcame being reversed over during a brief push from the GIANTS after half-time, to coast towards another victory under McRae.

And after another week of widespread interest in the merits of tagging Nick Daicos, the second-year sensation thrived on greater freedom.
 
Without a tagger following him around like a caravan, the Rolls Royce amassed 41 disposals and 540 metres gained in a spellbinding effort at the MCG.

COLLINGWOOD                         5.1    9.4    13.8   18.12 (120)
GIANTS                                           2.4    3.8     6.9     7.13 (55)

GOALS

Collingwood: Elliott 3, Mihocek 2, McCreery 2, Hill 2, Ginnivan 2, Cox 2, Hoskin-Elliott 2, De Goey, Johnson, J.Daicos
GIANTS: Hogan 3, O'Halloran, Kelly, Callaghan, Ash

BEST

Collingwood: Cox, De Goey, N.Daicos, Mitchell, Elliott, Noble, J.Daicos
GIANTS: Coniglio, Ash, Green, Hogan

INJURIES

Collingwood: TBC
GIANTS: TBC

SUBSTITUTES

Collingwood: Reef McInnes (replaced Scott Pendlebury in fourth quarter)
GIANTS: Callan Ward (replaced Callum Brown in third quarter)

Crowd: 37,631 at the MCG