Backs: N.Murphy 28 D.Moore 30 J.Howe 38
Half Backs: B.Maynard 4 B.Frampton 17 I.Quaynor 3
Centreline: S.Sidebottom 22 S.Pendlebury 10 O.Markov 37
Half Forwards: B.Hill 23 B.Mihocek 41 J.Elliott 5
Forwards: B.McCreery 31 J.De Goey 2 J.Daicos 7
Followers M.Cox 46 N.Daicos 35 J.Crisp 25
Interchange: T.Mitchell 6 D.Cameron 14 W.Hoskin-Elliott 32 J.Ginnivan 33
Emergencies: P.Lipinski (nominated substitute) 1 J.Noble 9 F.Macrae 18 H.Harrison 36
In: B.Frampton
Out: P.Lipinski (omitted), D.McStay (injured)<\/p>\n
BRISBANE LIONS<\/strong> Collingwood young gun Jack Ginnivan will start in the club\u2019s 22.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>AFL Photos<\/cite><\/p>\n Peter Ryan<\/strong> Libby Birch<\/strong> Jon Pierik Brownlow medallist Lachie Neale.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty Images<\/cite><\/p>\n Marc McGowan<\/strong> Michael Gleeson Andrew Wu<\/strong> Jake Niall<\/strong> Greg Baum<\/strong> Caroline Wilson Mathew Stokes<\/strong> Sam McClure<\/strong> Marnie Vinall
Backs: B.Starcevich 37 H.Andrews 31 D.Gardiner 27
Half Backs: C.McKenna 26 R.Lester 35 K.Coleman 18
Centreline: H.McCluggage 6 J.Dunkley 5 D.Zorko 15
Half Forwards: C.Cameron 23 E.Hipwood 30 C.Ah Chee 4
Forwards: C.Rayner 16 J.Daniher 3 Z.Bailey 33
Followers: O.McInerney 46 L.Neale 9 J.Berry 7
Interchange: D.Robertson 2 L.McCarthy 11 J.Fletcher 28 D.Wilmot 44
Emergencies: J.Lyons 17 J.Tunstill 29 D.Fort 32 J.Payne 40
In: None
Out: J.Lyons (Sub)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
What the experts think<\/h3>\n
Brisbane Lions by 7 points.<\/em>
The Lions have improved their game inch by inch to get to a grand final and are poised to win it. Collingwood\u2019s loss of Dan McStay and Taylor Adams makes scoring harder against a team that kicks big totals.
Norm Smith: Joe Daniher.<\/p>\n
Brisbane Lions by 9<\/em>
They have been the quiet achievers all year. The Lions will overcome their MCG hoodoo, using their clearance game to give their versatile forwards good looks inside 50.
Norm Smith: Huge McCluggage.<\/p>\n
<\/strong>Brisbane Lions by 1 point.<\/em>
Dan McStay\u2019s absence is bigger than many think. The Lions have more goal-scoring options than the Magpies, while Harris Andrews will be pivotal in defence.
Norm Smith: Lachie Neale.
<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Collingwood by 8 points.<\/em>
The Magpies could, and maybe should, have lost both their finals this year, but instead found a way to win both times. That\u2019s been a trend in the Craig McRae era, and they are due to produce a really strong performance.
Norm Smith: Jordan De Goey.<\/p>\n
<\/strong>Collingwood by 8 points.<\/em>
Last time they played in Melbourne it was at Marvel Stadium and Collingwood lost by four goals without Darcy Moore, Nick Daicos, Jordan De Goey or Bobby Hill. On MCG with those four in the team, the Pies get up.
Norm Smith: Darcy Moore.<\/p>\n
Brisbane Lions by 22 points.<\/em>
In an era where defence rules, Brisbane have tightened up their game while maintaining their attacking flair. While both teams are well-drilled behind the ball, the Lions have more weapons capable of breaking through the defensive lines to hurt the Pies, who have been mighty under Craig McRae.
Norm Smith: Lachie Neale.<\/p>\n
Brisbane Lions by 15 points.<\/em>
Collingwood have faced stronger finals opposition but the Lions\u2019 form is better. The loss of Dan McStay and potential use of Billy Frampton highlight Collingwood\u2019s structural issue up forward, compared with the settled Lions, who have more firepower and improved grunt. It will be enough to overcome their MCG bogey.
Norm Smith: Josh Dunkley.<\/p>\n
Brisbane Lions by 15 points.<\/em>
In the all-enveloping drama of another Collingwood grand final appearance, it\u2019s easy to forget how consistently good Brisbane have been in recent years, and that they\u2019re measurably better this year, and that they\u2019re taking better form than Collingwood into the grand final \u2013 and that Melbourne as an excessively generous host is turning on Brisbane\u2019s weather.
Norm Smith: Cam Rayner.<\/p>\n
<\/strong>Brisbane Lions by 13 points.<\/em>
The Lions enter the MCG on Saturday as the significantly better-performed team of the past half-dozen games with better scoring potential and an equally solid defence. They might not have won on the MCG this year but they showed in the third quarter against Melbourne in July that they can play their best football there.
Norm Smith: Cam Rayner.<\/p>\n
Collingwood by 18 points.<\/em>
Their run will be too much for the Lions at the end of the game.
Norm Smith: Jack Crisp.<\/p>\n
Collingwood by 6 points.<\/em>
The Pies have been the best team all year and no matter what\u2019s thrown at them, they still seem to find a way.
Norm Smith: Mason Cox.<\/p>\n
<\/strong>Collingwood by 2 points.<\/em>
It\u2019ll be a close one. After this finals series, and with these two teams, how could it not be? But Collingwood at the \u2019G? That\u2019s a hard task for Lions, even if they have gotten the better of them recently. The Pies can come from behind to pull off the most Houdini-like escapes from defeat and defend a lead by suffocating the ball under pressure and chaos. If they get an early jump, they\u2019ll be hard to stop. And if the Lions leave the door even a bit ajar, the Magpies will swoop.
<\/strong>Norm Smith: Jack Crisp.
<\/strong><\/p>\n