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Where are they now? Looking back at the 2019 Collingwood-GWS Preliminary Final

Ahead of Friday night, we took a trip back in time to assess the key changes that have occurred.

Published by
Annie Ireland

Four years on from their dramatic 2019 preliminary final battle, Collingwood and GWS will do battle once again for the first spot in this year's Grand Final.

It will be two very different teams that line up on Friday night for the Magpies and Giants compared to 2019's rendition, with plenty of new faces on either side and one player even crossing to the opposition since then.

Ahead of Friday night's sold-out blockbuster, we take a look back at the outcome of the 2019 preliminary final, as well as the changes that have taken place at both clubs since then.

The Outcome

The Giants' victory in 2019 was perhaps one of the biggest upsets in finals history. After defeating Geelong in week one of the finals, Collingwood was expected to return to the grand final after their heartbreaking grand final loss in 2018.

However, a five-goal third quarter from the Giants set up the victory and paved the way for the club's first grand final appearance in club history. Even bigger was the fact that they won without stars Toby Greene, Lachie Whitfield, Stephen Coniglio, and Callan Ward.

A resurgence from Collingwood in the final quarter almost saw them take victory, kicking 4.5 to the Giants' 1.1, however, inaccuracy and their poor third quarter proved costly, with their comeback coming too late.

Brodie Grundy was best-on-ground with 25 disposals, a monumental 73 hitouts, and 10 clearances, while then-GWS midfielder Tim Taranto stood up in the absence of the Giants' sidelined midfielders, finishing with 26 disposals, five marks, six tackles and a goal.

The Coaches

Nathan Buckley and Leon Cameron were both at the helm in 2019. Collingwood finished fourth on the ladder after a heartbreaking 2018 grand final loss, securing a home preliminary final after defeating Geelong in week one, while GWS finished in sixth position.

At the time in 2019, both Adam Kingsley and Craig McRae were at Richmond in assistant coaching roles and would face GWS in the 2019 Grand Final. It was Kingsley's first year at Richmond after eight seasons with St Kilda, while Craig McRae took Richmond's VFL side to a premiership in 2019 and was awarded both the VFL's Coach of the Year award and the AFLCA's Assistant Coach of the Year award.

Fast-forward four years to this Friday night, and Craig McRae will be coaching his 50th AFL game on his 50th birthday, while Kingsley will coach in his first-ever preliminary final.

The Players

All up, there are 22 players from 2019 who have departed from either club. 11 Collingwood players from the 2019 preliminary final are no longer at the club: Brodie Grundy, Adam Treloar, Rupert Wills, Callum Brown, Chris Mayne, James Aish, Josh Thomas, Ben Reid, Jaidyn Stephenson, Tom Phillips and Jordan Roughead (though Roughead is now in a coaching role with Collingwood).

John Noble and Taylor Adams were both in the side, though Adams will not play on Friday due to an ill-timed hamstring injury, while Noble was omitted from the side ahead of week one of the finals.

Of the anticipated line-up for this week, Nathan Murphy, Isaac Quaynor, Dan McStay, Jordan De Goey, Pat Lipinski, Tom Mitchell, Darcy Cameron, Oleg Markov, Josh Daicos, Nick Daicos and Mason Cox are all new faces.

Bobby Hill played in the 2019 prelim, however, he was playing for GWS at that point and will instead line up for Collingwood this weekend.

For GWS, they also have 11 players who are no longer with them: Heath Shaw, Sam Taylor, Aidan Corr, Zac Williams, Tim Taranto, Jeremy Finlayson, Bobby Hill (who will line up for Collingwood instead), Jeremy Cameron, Matt de Boer, Sam Reid, Adam Tomlinson.

Phil Davis and Adam Kennedy won't line up either after Kennedy did his ACL back in April and Davis retired last month. Meanwhile, Nick Haynes has also been out of the side due to form.

Jack Buckley, Connor Idun, Lachie Ash, Lachie Whitfield, Isaac Cumming, Tom Green, Toby Bedford, Kieren Briggs, Toby Greene, Callan Ward, Jake Riccardi, Jesse Hogan, Finn Callaghan, Callum Brown and Stephen Coniglio all didn't take part in the 2019 final and will play on Friday night.

Published by
Annie Ireland