Match day guide and preview for the 2022 AFL Semi Final between the Collingwood Magpies and Fremantle Dockers.

Match details

• Who: Collingwood Magpies vs Fremantle Dockers
• When: Saturday 10 September, 7.25pm
• Where: MCG
• Click here to buy tickets
• Head-to-head record since 1995: Played 34. Magpies 20 wins. Dockers 14 wins.

Teams

Magpies

IN: Trent Bianco

OUT: Nathan Kreuger (medi-sub), Taylor Adams (injured)

The Pies have lost Adams to a serious groin injury, with Bianco named his replacement.

Dockers

IN:

OUT: Bailey Banfield (medi-sub)

Freo are unchanged from last week’s Elimination Final win over the Bulldogs.

Click here for complete team line-ups.

First final

Collingwood Magpies 10.12 (72) lost to Geelong Cats 11.12 (78) at MCG

While they didn’t get the result they were after, the Pies lost no admirers in falling just short against the Cats in an instant classic last week.

Collingwood looked the winners halfway through the last quarter when Jordan De Goey put them two goals up, but Geelong found a way back into the game and Max Holmes kicked a goal with just over a minute left to seal the win.

De Goey was the Pies best player, ending the game with 26 touches and two goals, while skipper Scott Pendlebury racked up 34 possessions and Josh Daicos had 29 disposals and a goal.

The Magpies played a high-pressure brand of footy that stacked up well against the best team in the competition, so they should feel confident that if they bring that same heat again, they can beat anyone.

Fremantle Dockers 11.7 (73) defeated Western Bulldogs 8.12 (60)

Trailing 42-1 part way through the second quarter, the Dockers looked headed for an embarrassing finals exit at home.

However, to their credit, Freo lifted late in the first half and once they got the game on their terms, they always looked like winning.

Their young star midfielders in Caleb Serong and Andrew Brayshaw were the two that really got them moving, with both ending up with over 30 touches and a goal.

While it was a great comeback win in front of a packed Optus Stadium, Fremantle simply cannot afford to start that poorly against the Pies.

Last 5 meetings and MCG history

• 2022 round 10: Dockers 6.8 (44) lost to Magpies 12.8 (80) at Optus Stadium
• 2021 round 15: Magpies 12.7 (79) lost to Dockers 14.7 (91) at Marvel Stadium
• 2020 round 9: Dockers 10.1 (61) defeated Magpies 7.7 (49) at Optus Stadium
• 2019 round 11: Magpies 11.9 (75) lost to Dockers 11.13 (79) at MCG
• 2018 round 23: Dockers 9.13 (67) lost to Magpies 11.10 (76) at Optus Stadium

The Dockers have a slight 3-2 edge over Collingwood in their last five clashes, but the Pies were too good for them over in Perth earlier this year.

Collingwood came into that game as underdogs following a 48-point loss to the Bulldogs the week before. The round 10 win over Fremantle was the first of the Magpies’ famous 11-match win streak that featured nine wins by under 12 points.

Fremantle won the last meeting at the MCG, a thrilling four-point victory in 2019. It was their first win over Collingwood at the MCG since round 15 2006, breaking a streak of six straight losses.

Pre match predictions

One Moore week: Darcy Moore to be man of the match with 25 touches and 10 marks as the Pies progress to a Prelim next week. Collingwood by 21.

Showy De Goey: Jordan De Goey to step up again on the big stage with 3 goals and 20+ touches. Collingwood by 10 – Denholm Samaras