Betts are off

Can you remember the Crows forward line without Eddie Betts? After having surgery to remove his appendix earlier this week, Betts will miss his first game since joining Adelaide ahead of the 2014 season. The two-time All Australian has played 100 consecutive AFL games dating back to Round 10, 2013, when he was still wearing Carlton colours.

The last time Adelaide played without Betts was against West Coast at Subiaco in Round 23, 2013. The selected Crows attack for the hit-out in Western Australia is nearly unrecognisable now.

Swingman Andy Otten and enigmatic forward Lewis Johnston held down the key-position posts. Named on a half-forward flank, Richard Douglas ranks alongside Otten as the only remaining Crows from the forward six named on that day.

Melbourne recruit Bernie Vince was picked in a pocket and Matthew Wright, who topped the Blues goalkicking last season, was named on the interchange bench. Popular mature-age pick-up Ian Callinan, who has since retired, occupied the other forward pocket while Norwood onballer Mitch Grigg was named on the opposite flank to Douglas. Captain Taylor Walker and 2012 Trade Period recruits Tom Lynch and Josh Jenkins were unavailable for selection against the Eagles because of injury.

Young forwards Charlie Cameron, Mitch McGovern and Riley Knight are among the Crows who have never played at AFL level without Betts.

The selected line-up the last time Adelaide played without Eddie Betts in Round 23, 2013

Three at the ‘G’

Sunday’s match will be Adelaide’s third at the MCG this season. In recent times the Crows, who are 2 – 0 at the ‘G’ this season, have gone a long way to reversing a poor record at the venue. The Club has won five of its last seven games at the ground, with its two losses coming against a powerful Hawthorn side.

Prior to that, Adelaide had lost 10 of its last 11 clashes at the MCG between 2009 and 2014. The Crows have also made inroads in changing their unflattering history against Collingwood. Of the 40 meetings between the teams, the Magpies have won 25 of them. However, the Crows have won the past four including the most-recent match by 28 points at Adelaide Oval in Round 17 last season.

The need for Seed

On Sunday, Crows wingman Paul Seedsman will play his first AFL game of the season and first match against his former team on Victorian soil. The ex-Magpie, who sought a trade to Adelaide at the end of 2015, has played 15 games for his new club but none this year because of a long-term groin injury. Seedsman has only played against the Pies once – at Adelaide Oval in Round 17 last year.

The long-kicking onballer is no stranger to playing at the MCG. He’s only returned to the ground once since joining the Crows (against Hawthorn in Round Five last season) but ran out onto the ‘G’ 30 times as a Magpie. His best-ever AFL game was an ANZAC Medal-winning performance at the ground against Essendon in 2015 when he gathered 31 possessions and a goal to also earn three Brownlow Medal votes. Popular amongst Crows fans, Seedsman might not receive such a warm reception from the Collingwood faithful on Sunday.

Black and white fright

The 13^th placed Pies are more competitive than their ladder position suggests. Collingwood has won seven games this season, including the past two in succession, and also given a number of top-eight teams a scare. The Magpies have an averaging losing margin of just 18 points this year – equal with the resurgent Sydney Swans as the lowest in the competition.

The club’s biggest loss was by 37 points against Essendon at the MCG a few weeks ago. The Pies came within a straight kick of beating Greater Western Sydney and also Melbourne. The Crows, who are without Betts and young pair Brad Crouch and Jake Lever, will need to carry on their form of last week to conquer Collingwood on Sunday.

Ruck and roll

Two of the in-form ruckmen in the competition, Sam Jacobs and Brodie Grundy, will battle it out on Sunday. Jacobs (first) and Grundy (fourth) are both among the leading hit-out winners in the League. Grundy averages more possessions (18.1) than any other ruckman and is equal-second for clearances (4.1). Jacobs ranks fourth for possessions on average (14.8) and has kicked six goals compared to Grundy’s two. The two South Australians have a 51 per cent winning hit-out record this season. Both Adelaide and Collingwood have capable midfields and getting first use at the contest will go a considerable way towards determining the result.