Team Selection: Five return as Pies fly north

Collingwood Senior Coach Craig McRae has made five changes to the Magpies’ side for Saturday’s clash against the Gold Coast SUNS. 

Scott Pendlebury, Brody Mihocek, Jordan De Goey, Oleg Markov and Joe Richards all return to the side from injury.

Lachie Schultz will miss the clash due to gastro, while Charlie Dean, Finlay Macrae, Reef McInnes and Tew Jiath have all been omitted.

The tactical subsitute will be selected from the extended bench and will be named 60 minutes before the bounce.

Pendlebury returns after overcoming a partial tear in his left bicep which he sustained  during the Round 11 draw with Fremantle.

Saturday’s clash will mark the midfielder’s 395^th game at AFL level, taking him to five games away from the coveted 400 game milestone.

De Goey hasn’t played since Round 10 where he suffered an acute abdominal tear. Across 2024, De Goey has averaged 22.3 disposals, four clearances and 9.5 contested possessions from his eight games.

Mihocek suffered a hamstring strain in Round Eight and after a strong block of training, he will make his return to the side.

Mihocek has kicked 16 goals and had 51 score involvements so far in 2024.

After recovering well across the Bye week, defender Oleg Markov comes back into the side following his late exclusion from the match against North Melbourne due to a back complaint.

The speedy backman will face his former side Gold Coast for the second time after joining Collingwood at the start of the 2023 season.

After also suffering an injury in the Round 11 draw with Fremantle, small forward Joe Richards returns to the side.

The former country football star suffered a foot injury and has successfully completed his rehabilitation program.

Saturday’s clash marks Vice-Captain Isaac Quaynor’s 100^th at AFL level. After supporting the Club as a child, Quaynor was drafted at Pick 13 in the 2018 National Draft from the Oakleigh Chargers.

Quaynor was  a part of the Club’s Next Generation Academy due to his Ghanian heritage and is one of two Quaynors to play for the Club following younger brother Luke’s VFL debut earlier in the year.

Quaynor has been selected in the AFL Player’s Association’s 22 under 22 side on two occasions (2021 and 2022), joined the Club’s leadership group in 2024 and played a pivotal role in the 2023 Premiership won by Collingwood.

The last time Collingwood came up against the Gold Coast SUNS was in Round 16, 2023 where the Magpies ran out 78-point winners at People First Stadium.

Nick Daicos was dominant with 36 disposals, while Jamie Elliott booted five goals from 11 disposals.

Saturday 29 June
Gold Coast SUNS v Collingwood
People First Stadium, Yugambeh
4:35pm (AEST)

IN: Pendlebury, De Goey, Mihocek, Richards, Markov
OUT: Schultz (illness), Dean (omitted), Macrae (omitted), McInnes (omitted), Jiath (omitted)