Sunday’s AFL 2018 Round 14 match is between Collingwood Magpies and Carlton Blues. The opening kick is set to commence at 15:20 local time with the game to be played at MCG. The home team Collingwood Magpies are the favourites for the match. View our preview and teams for the game between Collingwood Magpies and Carlton Blues.
When: 15:20 | Sunday 24/06/2018
Where: MCG
Preview:
This is one of the great traditional rivalries in the AFL which obviously goes back a long way between two of the bigger clubs in Melbourne.
Magpies coach Nathan Buckley said there are areas they can improve in but I’m not too sure what those areas are.
That seems like coach speak to me and I’m not sure the Magpies are capable of playing any better right now.
Coming off a career-best five goals, American pie Mason Cox is one of the most improved players in the game and he’ll pose a massive threat to Carlton who don’t have a matchup tall enough to go with him.
Were there any good signs for the Blues in their defeat to the Dockers? No! None!
KEY BATTLE: Patrick Cripps v Scott Pendlebury
Cripps spent some time on Fremantle’s Nat Fyfe last week and probably had his colours lowered.
He should spend some time on the Collingwood skipper in the midfield this week.
The Verdict
Collingwood, which has a 20-17-1 (52.6 percent) W/L/D record playing as a home team after a win since 2012, to embarrass the struggling Blues.
Unibet Odds:
Collingwood at $1.07
Carlton at $9.00
Odds:
Tip: Collingwood Magpies at $1.07
Value Bet: First Goal Scorer: William Hoskin-Elliot at $9.00
More Info:
Teams:
Collingwood Magpies: 
B: Maynard, Dunn, Crisp
HB: Howe, Scharenberg, Langdon
C: Sidebottom, Pendlebury, Phillips
HF: De Goey, Mihocek, Hoskin-Elliott
F: Thomas, Cox, Stephenson
FOLL: Grundy, Adams, Treloar
I/C: Appleby, Daicos, Greenwood, Mayne,
EMG: Brown, Crocker, Oxley, Sier
IN: Appleby
OUT: Wells
Carlton Blues: 
B: Plowman, Jones, Simpson
HB: Mullett, Weitering, Rowe
C: O’Brien, Cripps, Fisher
HF: Lamb, C.Curnow, E.Curnow
F: Silvagni, Wright, Petrevski-Seton
FOLL: Kreuzer, Thomas, Dow
I/C: Casboult, Kennedy, Polson, Garlett,
EMG: Graham, Lang, Phillips, O’Shea
IN: Mullett, Polson, Garlett, Kennedy
OUT: Kerridge, Kerr, Graham, Lang
AFL News:
AFL young gun Jaidyn Stephenson says Collingwood’s versatile forward line is partly behind the Magpies’ revival this season.
The 19-year-old Rising Star nominee, who has booted 18 goals across his first 12 games, credits the club’s ability to get star performances from each of their forwards as to why the ‘Pies are sitting sixth mid-season with eight wins.
“When you’ve got six forwards who can all kick lots of goals, it’s certainly going to help the team,” the No.6 draft pick told reporters on Wednesday.
The young star, coming off a four-goal haul in Collingwood’s resounding 42-point Queen’s Birthday victory over Melbourne, is quick to sing the praises of his fellow forwards.
“I’m just lucky enough to get on the end of it,” Stephenson said.
“(Jordan) de Goey, (Mason) Cox, (Josh) Thomas, (Will) Hoskin-Elliott – they’ve all had big bags of five or six. It’s been great.”
The Magpies’ wealth of mid-sized forwards has been key to kicking big scores, Stephenson said, helping the club’s bid to end a four-year void of no finals.
“(We’ve got) the versatility,” he said when asked why the group was clicking so well.
“When we’ve got Mason Cox … Brody Mihocek or Ben Reid bringing the ball to ground, then all the little fellas can sort of swoop and get involved.”
Despite Collingwood piling on the points, kicking scores of 100 points or above this season in seven games, the youngster believes there’s still room for goal-sneak Jamie Elliott when and if he recovers from another hamstring setback.
“I don’t think I’ll spend too much time in the midfield,” he said when asked if Elliott’s return would precipitate a move into the guts.
“But I’m happy to do whatever and to have Jamie back in the side.”
Stephenson said the mid-season bye offered him a chance to recharge his first-year batteries, but he would have been content to soldier on.
“I would have been happy to keep playing,” he said.
“I was actually enjoying playing footy and we’ve been winning.”
The ‘Pies teenager, widely considered a favourite for the AFL’s Rising Star gong, said he’d exceeded his own expectations this year but was hungry for more top-level experience.
“I just rocked up day one and wanted to play round one,” he said.
“(I) just keep getting to play each week, so it’s been great.”