Tigers and Magpies Battle at the G as History and High Stakes Collide
So, there’s been a lot of buzz leading into the Richmond vs. Collingwood clash at the MCG, and for good reason—this one had layers. Not just another Round 20 fixture, this was a matchup rich with history, emotion, and plenty of last-minute drama.
Let’s start with the headlines: both teams had to reshuffle their lineups at the eleventh hour. Collingwood’s veteran leader Scott Pendlebury was ruled out with an injury, and in came Oleg Markov, who stepped into the side as the substitute. Richmond wasn’t spared either—midfielder Tim Taranto was a late withdrawal due to a calf issue, replaced by young Jasper Alger, who also started as the sub.
Now, this game carried a bit more weight than usual. Collingwood was desperate to rebound after back-to-back losses, including a heartbreaker against Fremantle last week by just a single point. The pressure was on—they needed a win to stay in the top-four mix. Richmond, on the other hand, had started gaining momentum with two straight wins, bringing their season tally to five. They were looking to play spoiler and keep building toward next year.
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Unfortunately for the Magpies, Beau McCreery was ruled out with a minor hamstring strain and will miss a couple of weeks, and Mason Cox was also left out of the final squad.
On the Tigers’ side, it was a bit of a reshuffle too. Seth Campbell and Jacob Koschitzke didn’t make the cut, while Noah Balta returned after serving a court-imposed curfew, and Steely Green slotted back into the side.
And if you’re a fan of milestones, here’s a big one—Jack Crisp lined up for his 250th game in Collingwood colours. That puts him in legendary company, right alongside names like Peter Daicos and Lou Richards. It’s a huge achievement, especially considering he broke the record earlier this season for the most consecutive games played in V/AFL history.
So with old rivalries, fresh faces, and big-name returns all rolled into one, Sunday’s Richmond vs. Collingwood clash was more than just a regular-season game. It was a continuation of one of footy’s longest-standing rivalries—and the next chapter has just been written.
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