Magpies, Blues Cooling On Kerr

COLLINGWOOD'S interest in acquiring West Coast star Daniel Kerr has cooled, with the Magpies suggesting that the asking price of two first-round draft picks means they are unlikely to pursue the All-Australian midfielder.

Magpies And Blues Going Cool On Kerr

COLLINGWOOD'S interest in acquiring West Coast star Daniel Kerr has cooled, with the Magpies suggesting that the asking price of two first-round draft picks means they are unlikely to pursue the All-Australian midfielder.

Hot Stuff In Toorak

IT'S BEEN 13 years and 21 days since I was last at the Trak Centre. I know because that night, after North Melbourne thumped Collingwood at the MCG, I kissed the woman who, much to her eternal regret, would end up my wife.

Magpies To Wait On New Skipper As Burns Retires

COLLINGWOOD'S next captain will be selected over summer from what the club president described yesterday as a "Melbourne Cup field", after the retirement of Scott Burns, who intends to become an assistant coach at a rival AFL side.

Burns' Retirement To Bring Third Leader In Three Years

COLLINGWOOD captain Scott Burns will announce his retirement from football today.

Late Lapse Is Just Like Old Times

IN LAST year's first preliminary final, the Cats, then opposed to Collingwood, looked like they were playing not to lose more than they were playing to win. But they succeeded. Just. And the extent to which Geelong, after that nervy five-point victory, dominated the following week's grand final could not be overstated.

Legalities Of Talk Set Dangerous Precedent

A COUPLE of weeks ago I found myself in a hypothetical discussion about whether a Smith Street junkie could be charged with funding a terrorist organisation if they bought Afghan-produced heroin. Afghan-produced heroin, we mused, had most likely spent a substantial part of its journey from opium poppy to the streets of Collingwood under the watchful eye of the Taliban. And the Taliban are high on the list of internationally outlawed terrorist organisations. Funding the Taliban - according to ...

Another Loss For Pies As Bombers Lure Development Coach

ESSENDON has continued its wide-ranging overhaul of its football department, appointing former Collingwood development coach Alan Richardson as an assistant to Matthew Knights.

Bombers Boost Coaching Staff With Former Pie

ESSENDON has continued its wide-ranging overhaul of its football department, appointing former Collingwood development coach Alan Richardson as an assistant to Matthew Knights.

Didak, Kerr On The Radar - Roos

SYDNEY coach Paul Roos says his club will "certainly" consider chasing either West Coast's Daniel Kerr or Collingwood's problem child Alan Didak, but only when told by their clubs that they are available for trade.

List Shake-up Likely For Pies

THE generational change that has engulfed Collingwood in the past 12 months moved a step further yesterday when Shane Wakelin became the first of possibly several players at the club to retire.

Saint Nick Silences Critics, Sets Sights On Hawks Showdown

IT WAS a happy and content St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt who fronted the media yesterday lauding his side's efforts against Collingwood and preparing the battle ground for an upcoming preliminary final against Hawthorn.

Wakelin Calls It A Day As Pies Look Ahead

THE generational change that has engulfed Collingwood in the past year continued yesterday with the retirement of defender Shane Wakelin following the Magpies' loss to St Kilda.

Saint Nick's Redemption

IT WAS a happy and content St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt who yesterday lauded his side's efforts against Collingwood and prepared the battle ground for their preliminary final against Hawthorn.

Pies Off Target, But There's Promise Of More To Come

IF THERE has been a theme to the last part of the Collingwood season, it could be summed up in one word - opportunity.

6 Degrees Of Carl Sagan

6 DEGREES OF CARL SAGAN The Projects, 169 Johnston St, Collingwood. Tel: 9415 7459. Until Sep 20, Tue-Sat 11am-5pm

Saints Humble Pies With Inspired Defensive Game To Set Up Hawks Showdown

ST KILDA 17.4 106 COLLINGWOOD 9.18 72

Saints Set Up Date With Hawks

ST KILDA last night marched into a preliminary final against Hawthorn with a magnificent 34-point win over a disappointing and out-of-sorts Collingwood.

Cloke The Target Of A Case Of Finals Fever

COME AFL finals time, the stakes are so much higher. And with that comes a corresponding increase in the number of conspiracy theories surrounding players. Yesterday it was Travis Cloke's turn, the Collingwood key forward rumoured to be suffering a bout of glandular fever that kept him off the training track earlier in the week.

Pies' Maxwell Does A 'millane' To Play With A Broken Wrist

COLLINGWOOD defender Nick Maxwell has revealed that he has played the Magpies' past two games with a broken wrist.

Huge Crowd Expected For Saints-pies

THE AFL is expecting a bumper crowd for tonight's sudden-death semi-final between StKilda and Collingwood at the MCG.

Dogged By A Recent Rough Trot, Eade Hopes It's Not All Final

THE apparent formality of deciding which teams will lose to Geelong and Hawthorn in next week's preliminary finals creates - for the non-aligned - all the excitement of a Davis Cup dead rubber. It is the Western Bulldogs versus Sydney and St Kilda versus Collingwood, both at the MCG. But it could be Peter Luczak versus Tomas Berdych on indoor clay.

Saints Drop Clarke, Run With Ball

STRUGGLING St Kilda midfielder Xavier Clarke has been dropped to make way for Luke Ball in tomorrow's sudden-death semi-final against Collingwood.

Magpies, Saints Semi-final Set To Pack Them In

SATURDAY night's sudden death semi-final between St Kilda and Collingwood was set to draw a massive crowd, the AFL said yesterday.

Didak In Talks With Mcguire

SUSPENDED star Alan Didak has fronted Collingwood president Eddie McGuire and coach Mick Malthouse pleading his case to remain with the Magpies in 2009.

Saints To Decide On Ball Well Before Bounce

ST KILDA has not abandoned hope of regaining leading midfielder Luke Ball for its cutthroat final against Collingwood this weekend, but will not rule on the fitness of its former skipper until today or tomorrow.

Pie In The Sky?

Collingwood has as good a chance as anyone of stopping Geelong's march to another premiership, but it will have to make history to even get the chance.

Skipper Burns Set To Fire Up Magpies For St Kilda Clash

COLLINGWOOD, already brimming with confidence after its elimination final win in Adelaide, is likely to welcome back captain Scott Burns for Saturday night's semi-final against St Kilda.

Pies Alive And Kicking After Putting The Boot Into Crows

COLLINGWOOD 19.11 125 ADELAIDE 14.10 94

Maxwell, Magpies' Mr Reliable, Happy To Play Hero For A Day

IT WAS some time last Wednesday that Mick Malthouse wandered up to Nick Maxwell and said he wanted him to do something he had never done before in his 93-game Collingwood career - spend a whole game in the midfield.

Collingwood Adds An Edge To Finals Campaign

IT'S NOT as if Geelong and St Kilda don't already have enough motivation for this afternoon's qualifying final at the MCG. But there's perhaps even more now after yesterday's events at AAMI Stadium. It's the smell of fear. And its name is Collingwood.

Mcguire Keeps Mum On Cousins

COLLINGWOOD president Eddie McGuire has refused to be drawn on speculation the Magpies will resurrect the career of former West Coast captain Ben Cousins or chase his former teammate, Daniel Kerr, who continues to be at the centre of trade speculation.

Woods Crush Crows' Dream

THEY sang "good old Collingwood forever" from the heart deep in the changerooms at AAMI Stadium last night after a resounding 31-point win over Adelaide in the first elimination final.

Victory Over Crows Ranks With Magpies' Best, Says Medhurst

WITH the players it had missing, by choice and injury, and with the young team it fielded, Collingwood's victory over Adelaide yesterday was a win to rival the club's most emotional finals triumphs, according to senior forward Paul Medhurst.

Pies Stun The Crows With Late Fightback

COLLINGWOOD 19.11 125 ADELAIDE 14.10 94

Pies Find Depth In Adversity

WITH the players it had missing, both by choice and by injury, and with the young team it fielded, Collingwood's victory over Adelaide yesterday was a win to rival the club's most emotional finals victories, according to senior forward Paul Medhurst.

The Illusionist

Dane Swan looks like nothing out of the ordinary but, just like the Collingwood midfielder, looks can be deceptive. Jake Niall reports.

The Illustionist

Dane Swan looks like nothing out of the ordinary but, just like the Collingwood midfielder, looks can be deceptive. Jake Niall reports.

Injured Burns Runs Out Of Time And Prays For A Magpie Win To Keep His Season Alive

COLLINGWOOD captain Scott Burns could still play again this year if the Magpies beat Adelaide, but his bid to play in tomorrow's first elimination final was dashed last night.

Porplyzia Ready For Pies'hard Knocks

ADELAIDE'S Jason Porplyzia is expecting to be hit hard on his troublesome right shoulder by Collingwood opponents in Saturday's first elimination final, despite assurances from the Magpies that they would not target an injured player.

Key Pie Keen On Cousins

KEY Collingwood midfielder Dane Swan would "love" to see Ben Cousins wearing the black and white next season, predicting that the fallen champion could take Collingwood to another level if he could overcome his issues and return to the game.

Top Dons Baffled By Hille Snub

ESSENDON coach Matthew Knights is stumped by David Hille's omission from the 40-strong All Australian nomination list, while Collingwood president Eddie McGuire yesterday questioned the selection criteria and added Leon Davis, Travis Cloke and Dane Swan to the list of notable absentees.

Top Trio Likely To Return

COLLINGWOOD is likely to be boosted by the return of three of its most important players from injury for the elimination final against Adelaide on Saturday.

Early Match Has Burns' Return In Doubt

THE weekend of surprise results not only cost Collingwood a top-four position, it also possibly cost Scott Burns a chance of returning this week.