THE Peter Jackson VFL's two stand-alone AFL teams will start their seasons a week late on Saturday, going head to head at Simonds Stadium after having the bye last weekend, as Samantha Landy reports.
Both the Cats and Pies will be keen to improve on disappointing 2011 seasons - Geelong just missed out on playing finals after a surge late in the year, finishing ninth with six wins, and Collingwood came in at 12th on the ladder with just four victories.
Geelong has a brand new coach, former Essendon coach Matthew Knights, who will be assisted by Geelong premiership player Max Rooke as development coach and ex-Werribee captain Dom Gleeson as a playing assistant coach.
The home side has also added Rob Condy from Collingwood's VFL side and a number of young local talents to its list, as well as maintaining the services of delisted Geelong rookie Ben Johnson.
2009 Best First Year VFL player Ben Raidme is set to play his 50th game for Geelong after two seasons at the club.
The Pies have almost completely overhauled their 2011 list, retaining only four players and notably surrendering Condy to Geelong and Tom Couch, who was drafted to Melbourne in the AFL.
But this week's Collingwood side will be bolstered by the inclusions of experienced AFL players Sharrod Wellingham, Dayne Beams, Cameron Wood and Ben Johnson.
Also, joining the boys at Victoria Park for season 2012 are Mitch Hahn from the Western Bulldogs, Matt Boland, Rob Cathcart and Ricky Ferraro from VFL competitor Sandringham, Frankston's Chris Doria and TAC Cup graduates, Lachlan Wallace from the Dandenong Stingrays and the Sandringham Dragons' Brede Seccull.
Collingwood's Player Development Manager Christian Stagliano said many of its VFL recruits were "mature and experienced footballers", picked up to "assist the growth" of its young AFL players.
It is difficult to predict how this rejuvinated side will perform against a relatively unchanged Geelong tomorrow, regardless of the maturity it possesses.
An experienced Pies line up did defeat the Cats by five points in their first practice match in late February, but went on to lose to cellar dwellers Frankston by seven points and the Nothern Blues by two points in the second and third.
Geelong bounced back from its first loss to Collingwood with two thumping wins to round out the pre-season, trumping Bendigo by 38 points and smashing Coburg by 70.
The Cats then turned the tables on the Pies, defeating them by 25 points at Simonss Stadium in their final practice match two weekends ago.
Andrew Banjanin, Daniel Gibbs and Jordan Murdoch starred for the Catters, while Heath Brown, Dominic Gleeson and Darcy Holden booted two goals apiece.
If not for the stong AFL presence in the Pies' side, Geelong would go into its round two match against Collingwood as deserved favourites, bolstered by the home ground advantage and hopefully by a spattering of Geelong fans craving some live action while their beloved AFL team play on the other side of the country.
But such quality inclusions in Wellingham, Beams, Wood and Johnson are sure to boost Collingwood's prospects in this game.
It will be interesting to see the new Collingwood in action - how the club will perform this season is a bit of an unknown, something that won't become clear until they take to the field tomorrow afternoon.
Last Modified on 30/03/2012 17:20