Collingwood make call on struggling veteran Steele Sidebottom for huge AFL clash with Brisbane Lions

Collingwood have ‘managed’ out-of-form veteran Steele Sidebottom for their blockbuster clash with Brisbane on Thursday night.

Heat has come on the 33-year-old amid the Magpies’ winless start, and now the classy midfielder has been left out of the grand final rematch at the Gabba.

Coach Craig McRae instead made two changes with John Noble and Will Hoskin-Elliott coming back into the team while Oleg Markov was ommitted.

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Young gun Fin Macrae, the starting sub the past two games, is likely to be unleashed in the midfield.

Meanwhile, Brisbane have welcomed back dual Brownlow medallist Lachie Neale, who missed the Lions’ Round 1 loss to Fremantle.

The Lions have also recalled defender Jack Payne and ruck-forward Darcy Fort is back in the team.

Swingman Darcy Gardiner and and Jarrod Lyons have both been dumped while running defender Conor McKenna is out with a hamstring injury.

Star recruit Tom Doedee was due to make his first appearance for the Lions but his comeback was cruelly denied after tearing his ACL for a third time at training on Tuesday.

Scans confirmed a partial tear in his right ACL, the same one he ruptured last season while playing for the Crows.

Doedee had already recovered from an ACL tear suffered in 2019.

“It’s incredibly heartbreaking for Tom, and everyone at the club is really feeling for him,” Lions football boss Danny Daly said.

“Sport can produce some of the most amazing moments, but in cases like this it can also be extremely cruel.

“Tom is a fantastic person who has already become a highly popular member of our club, and everyone was excited to see him so close to making his comeback.”

Thursday, March 28

Brisbane v Collingwood at the Gabba, 6.30pm AEST

BRISBANE

In: J.Payne, L.Neale, D.Fort

Out: D.Gardiner (omitted), J.Lyons (omitted), C.McKenna (hamstring)

R1 sub: Kai Lohmann

COLLINGWOOD

In: W.Hoskin-Elliott, J.Noble

Out: O.Markov (omitted), S.Sidebottom (managed)

Last week’s sub: Fin Macrae

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