We'll endeavour to run through the form, incorporate appropriate stats and also supply a betting prediction which won't always just be who will win.

COLLINGWOOD v PORT ADELAIDE

Saturday 25 March @ MCG

You won't find two more imposing winners clashing than we have in the first game on Saturday afternoon.

Neither Collingwood nor Port Adelaide could have dreamed of what occurred last weekend. While winning was never out of the question it was the manner of it and who they beat that added to the nature of the victories.

To give the Premiers a nice touch up and the other to defeat a Prelim Finallist as well, they will bank those 4 points and enjoy the week ahead.

Collingwood were never really in the game and yet were always in the game if that makes sense. Down by over 3 goals on multiple occasions, it would have taken one more goal from Geelong and the chord was cut.

But with sheer determination and so much skill, they fought back so much so that they were close enough at the final change to make the Cats squirm.

From there it was a procession. 5 majors to zilch coming home put a gap in the match. Even more considerable was they did it without Jeremy Howe at the crucial time. His injury is a shocker (the stomach churns even thinking of it) and will impact them long term.

But they did overcome in one night. How much will it impact as we go?

Similarly Port Adelaide would have had some question marks going into the opening clash. Not that they would question their own ability but how would it match up against a good team like Brisbane.

And to half time those still were being posed down 2 goals. But they added nearly 100 points from that moment onwards. That wins nearly every game you'd see these days.

Even better for them it was the young guns who have had the team handed over to them. It's no longer Boak, Powell-Pepper, Wines etc per se.

Rozee, Horne-Francis, Butters, Bergman and the rest now take up the baton. They should give the forwards enough fodder if they play like that. Can those attackers use it as they did at the Adelaide Oval every week?

This will be a good test of that. Sadly no prison bars this week for the theatre of it all as it must wait a week for the Crows.

Port has a reasonable record against the Pies of late. In their last 13 games, the Power has won 9 of them and surprisingly many have come away from Adelaide.

The betting margin here appears very stark and should be closer. But Collingwood were a touch irresistible last week. Maybe they win but it should be tight.

Match Selection: Collingwood by 4 points

Suggested Bets: Port Adelaide +10.5 points @ $1.90