Geelong and Collingwood will renew their rivalry this week when the two sides do battle on Friday night at the MCG.  

The Cats have found form with two consecutive wins over finals contenders, while the Magpies have lost their past two matches to fall out of the top eight.  

Friday night’s clash will mark the third time in four weeks that Geelong have played at the MCG, but it will also be their last game of the home and away season at the venue.  

The Cats can also record their 200th win in V/AFL history at the home of football, if they can knock over the Pies on Friday.  

Match Details  

Geelong v Collingwood 
7.40pm Friday 12 July 
MCG, Melbourne - Wurundjeri 

Last Time We Met  

Geelong have not faced Collingwood in 2024, with the last clash between the two sides coming in round 22 last season in front of 78,749 at the MCG.  

In a high scoring affair with both sides eclipsing 100 points for the game, the Cats led at quarter time and half time before the Magpies put the foot down in a big third quarter.  

The Cats pushed the eventual premiers all the way on the back of a seven goal haul from Jeremy Cameron, but it wasn’t enough as Collingwood held on for an eight point win.  

Cameron and Ollie Henry combined for 11 goals, Tom Atkins collected 34 disposals and eight clearances while Patrick Dangerfield and Mitch Duncan were both influential.  

Team Selection 

Geelong 
 
NO CHANGE

Collingwood
 
In: John Noble, Jamie Elliott, Reef McInnes

Out: Charlie Dean, Jeremy Howe, Brody Mihocek

Injury Report 

Tanner Bruhn (scaphoid) and Tom Hawkins (foot) continue to work their way back from injury and are getting closer to a return, while Toby Conway (foot) and Cam Guthrie (Achillies) are still being assessed.  

Click here to see the full round 18 GMHBA Health update.  

Key Players  

Tom Atkins has been one of Geelong’s highest rated players in the last four matches against Collingwood, averaging 24 disposals and six tackles per game.  

The tough on-baller collected a career high 34 disposals and 19 contested possessions in the last clash with the Magpies, while also winning eight clearances and eight tackles in an impressive display.  

Jeremy Cameron averages close to four goals per game in 15 career matches against Collingwood, while Patrick Dangerfield and Mitch Duncan consistently perform well.  

Broadcast   

The match will be broadcast live and free on channel seven from 7pm, while also being broadcast on Fox Footy and streamed on Kayo from 7.30pm.   

Fans can listen to all the build up and match coverage on K rock Football from 6.00pm, ahead of the opening bounce at 7.40pm.     

Broadcast Guide  

Geelong withstood a strong challenge from Collingwood to post its third win in a row, defeating the Magpies by 20 points at the MCG on Friday night.

After a fast start from the Cats, the Magpies pegged the lead back, with no more than two goals separating the teams for much of the frenetic contest, before the composed Cats put on three goals to two in the final term to secure a 13.13 (91) to 10.11 (71) win.

CATS v MAGPIES Full match coverage and stats

In what was Geelong’s 200th win at the venue since the league started in 1897, the Cats’ mix of exciting youth and classy experience combined to see off the Magpies. Star forward Jeremy Cameron led the goalkicking with three, while third-gamer Lawson Humphries stood up in big moments across half-back and finished with 23 disposals at an incredible 96 per cent efficiency, as well as 13 marks.

The Cats were dominant around clearances, particularly centre clearances, which they won 16-6.

Geelong started the game in blistering form, kicking two goals in the opening 40 seconds through Shaun Mannagh and Shannon Neale. A second major from Neale moments later made it three goals in the opening two minutes from just 10 possessions – with Collingwood only touching the ball once during that time.

But the Cats were left to rue some errors at both ends of the grounds, with the Magpies working their way back into the contest to lead by a goal at the first break.

The Cats’ dominance in centre clearances continued in the second term, and they again had an early goal, with Jeremy Cameron marking and curling around a right-foot snap to level the scores in the opening 41 seconds of the term.

He had his second six minutes later, giving the Cats the lead, and the teams traded blows, with the Cats getting out to a 12-point lead, before the Magpies pegged it back to just four points at the main break.

Jack Bowes and Patrick Dangerfield were strong around clearances, with seven and six clearances respectively in the first half as Geelong led Collingwood in the stat 24-19, including a 9-3 advantage in centre clearances.

In an even third term, the Cats extended their lead to 11 points off the back of goals to Cameron, Tyson Stengle and Ollie Dempsey, while Lawson Humphries was influential off half-back, with strong marking, pressure and sound decision-making.

Goals to Bowes, Ollie Henry and Stengle in the final term pushed Geelong's lead out to a game-high 26 points, before the Magpies kicked the last of the game through Darcy Cameron to see the final margin stand at 20 points.

COLLINGWOOD       4.5     6.8     8.10     10.11     (71)
GEELONG                  3.5     7.6     10.9     13.13     (91)

GOALS
Collingwood: Joe Richards 2, Jamie Elliott 2, Steele Sidebottom, Patrick Lipinski, Will Hoskin-Elliott, Jordan De Goey, Jack Crisp, Darcy Cameron
Geelong: Jeremy Cameron 3, Tyson Stengle 2, Shannon Neale 2, Gryan Miers, Shaun Mannagh, Ollie Henry, Ollie Dempsey, Brad Close, Jack Bowes

BEST 
Collingwood: Cameron, N.Daicos, Sidebottom, Noble, De Goey
Geelong: Dangerfield, Miers, Holmes, Bowes, Cameron

INJURIES 
Collingwood: N.Daicos (corked left hamstring), Schultz (head knock)
Geelong: Stewart (head knock)

SUBSTITUTES 
Collingwood: Reef McInnes (replaced Lachie Schultz in the final quarter)
Geelong: Ollie Henry (replaced Shannon Neale at three-quarter time)

Crowd: 73,435 at the MCG