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The Gold Coast Suns face the best team in the league when the ladder leading Collingwood head north on Saturday evening. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 4:35pm (AEST).
Never before have the Suns looked better chances to play in their first final: equal on points with Adelaide in eighth, they are and playing the type of tough and classy football that makes them a serious threat to other clubs on the fringes of finals contention.
Wins against the Bulldogs, Adelaide and Hawthorn have seen the Suns’ momentum build, and only a spanking at the hands of the Blues has blemished their recent record.
Collingwood continue to astonish AFL fans, with a seemingly innate ability to snatch games from the fire, as proven in Adelaide last time out when the Crows did everything but win against the class of the competition.
With just two losses for the season thus far, the Pies are simply setting themselves up as best as possible for a run at the premiership and they will be there when the whips are cracking in September.
Team news see the Suns enter the match with no changes from the 22 that won comfortably against the Hawks last weekend. The Pies are also settled and healthy, with Billy Frampton in for the disappointing Ash Johnson, whose confidence does appear to be waning as the season nears the crucial run into the finals.
How the Suns cope with Nick Daicos and Jamie Elliott could well be fundamental to deciding a winner in this one, with Mason Cox versus Jarrod Witts an intriguing battle throughout the contest.
Prediction
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As much as it would be wonderful to see the Suns knock off the Pies and make a real statement this afternoon, it is unlikely. Gold Coast could well hold an early lead, but the class of Collingwood will wear them down across the course of the contest; eventually seeing the visitors remain firmly at the top of the AFL ladder.
Collingwood by 38 points.
Game Information
Venue: Heritage Bank Stadium, Gold Coast First bounce:4:35pm (AEST) TV: Fox Footy Streaming:Kayo Sports Betting: Suns $2.20, Magpies $1.67 – odds via PlayUp
