Collingwood will try and snap a two-game losing streak without Scott Pendlebury when it meets an in-form Tigers team that’s tied together consecutive wins for the first time in 2025.
But Richmond lost its own key star, with Tim Taranto a very late out on Sunday with calf tightness.
As first reported by Nine’s Tom Morris, Pendlebury was a late withdrawal for the Magpies due to management. The 37-year old has reportedly been sore, but is expected to face Brisbane next Saturday night in a blockbuster top four clash.
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Oleg Markov, who was originally omitted from the team that lost to Fremantle last week, will replace Pendlebury in Craig McRae’s 23 as the sub.
Collingwood (14-4, 133.7 per cent) will be desperate to return to the winner’s list on Sunday, with its top two spot suddenly in jeopardy. Tim Membrey, Tom Mitchell and Dan Houston are all back for McRae’s side, with Beau McCreery (injured), Mason Cox (omitted) and Pendlebury (managed) making way.
The Tigers (5-13, 68.5 per cent), coming off victories over Essendon and West Coast, face a much taller task against the ladder-leading Pies. Adem Yze’s side regains Steely Green and Noah Balta at the expense of Jacob Koschitzke (omitted) and Seth Campbell (injured).
Meanwhile Taranto, who’d been nursing a calf issue during the week pulled around 10 minutes before the bounce. Jasper Alger comes in as the sub.
Richmond has won just one of their last five games against Collingwood, with three losses and a draw amid the run. The Magpies have won 12 of their last 14 matches at the MCG, however lost their most recent with a one-point defeat to Fremantle last Sunday.
The first bounce will hit the MCG turf at 2:10pm local time in Melbourne, with the substitutes and final teams for each side to be confirmed an hour beforehand.
Watch it live on Fox Footy (channel 504), and streaming on Kayo, from 1:30pm AEST.
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