SATURDAY shapes up as a huge day for the Collingwood Football Club.
The stage is set for a blockbuster with the Magpies entering another Preliminary Final against a familiar foe in GWS.
However, as the tale has been throughout 2019 – Collingwood will once again be licking their wounds after two more casualties from their Qualifying Final win over Geelong.
Jordan De Goey (hamstring) and Levi Greenwood (knee) both succumbed to untimely injuries with only the former a chance to return after a ‘Hail Mary’ decision to send him to Germany for treatment.
Nathan Buckley, however, faces a dilemma with a plethora of options to choose from to replace their fallen combatants.
The question is – who will it be?
We take a look at some of the options.
Travis Varcoe
Like for like, tick.
Finals experience, tick.
Varcoe meets all the criteria to replace Jordan De Goey in the Magpies forward half this Saturday. The former Cat has had an up-and-down season as his lack of form has seen him been dropped four times and also miss due to suspension.
However, prior to the finals, the 221-game veteran had hit a rich spate of form – kicking six goals in four games and looked to have reinvented himself as a small-forward option only to miss out to the returning De Goey and Jaidyn Stephenson.
Varcoe is a two-time Premiership player and has played in 21 finals for a reason.
His finals form last year was a sight to behold and with that being said, his inclusion shapes up as almost a no-brainer at the selection table.
Matt Scharenberg
‘Shaz’ is a Pies fan-favourite and very well could be the key to how the Magpies shape up on Saturday.
Scharenberg returned from an ACL injury in Round 15 this season and has put together seven games in this period – filling in admirably since Darcy Moore went down with a hamstring injury. However, with Moore now back in the side, he has since lost his place after the Essendon clash and could very well be in the frame after Greenwood’s injury.
His versatility in defence means he can play a variety of roles as a tall or small defender and his elite ball-skills (81.8% by foot this season) have won plenty of admirers throughout his injury-riddled career.
If Scharenberg does play, it may allow for Jordan Roughead to go forward or play as a second-fiddle ruckman as the Pies look to combat the Giants tall timber up forward and in defence which may prove to be key come Saturday.
James Aish
The former Lion presents as a like-for-like replacement down back but is there a risk attached to it?
Aish has enjoyed one of his best seasons on the field this year but has been cruelled by a spate of head and shoulder injuries which have limited him to only 13 games this year.
The 23-year-old has reinvented himself into a handy lockdown defender but has not been sighted since the Magpies last contest against GWS back in July due to a shoulder concern.
In recent weeks, Aish has got himself back to full-fitness and could very well be thrusted back into proceedings to play a similar role as Greenwood was prior to his knee setback.
However, with the Giants’ tall-forward setup, it may mean Aish is lost in the shuffle meaning he may miss out due to a structural difference instead of his lack of games.
Ben Reid
Hasn’t this one come out of left-field?
Weeks ago, it seemed that the Magpies premiership player was done for the season and perhaps his career after a hamstring setback in July.
Prior to this, Reid had put together a really solid run of form and looked certain to play a key-role in the Magpies push to September.
The 30-year-old has not been sighted since their loss to the Kangaroos back in June but had kicked ten goals from seven games this season and provided adequate cover in the ruck.
With the Giants defence been in a rich vein of form throughout the Finals so far – the Magpies may need to bring in a second marking option which Reid does possess and work in his favour at the selection table.
There is no doubting the veteran’s ability, but the doubt lingers over his body and whether Nathan Buckley would risk giving his wounded soldier one last chance at September glory.
Daniel Wells
Another superstar of the competition searching for one last chance at being a Premiership player.
Wells’ run at the Magpies has been less than ideal.
The former Kangaroo has only played 15 games in three seasons since moving in 2017 but has shown signs of his brilliance in his short time on the field.
The 34-year-old has only featured once this season and in that appearance, he kicked three first-half goals before succumbing to a PCL injury in the third-quarter against the Swans.
The silky midfielder has worked tirelessly to get back on the park and managed to feature in the Magpies last VFL contest where he didn’t command selection with only 18 disposals on the day.
However, what Wells does have is experience and talent which can’t be bought.
The move may be risky but his sheer presence does provide the Magpies coaching staff with an interesting dilemma at the selection table.
Verdict
The weather is going to play a major part in this decision.
With it set to rain, Varcoe and Aish present as the most valuable options. However, the Giants forward structure presents in the favour of Scharenberg – allowing for Roughead to potentially be swung forward.
Reid coming in is a gutsy move which would allow for Roughead to stay in defence and for him to chop-out in the ruck while Wells is an extreme outside chance due to his lack of games.
Final decision: Travis Varcoe and Matt Scharenberg
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