Friday Night Footy: Tony Shaw - Collingwood Vs Fremantle

April 8, 2026·16 min·1 clip

Collingwood legend Tony Shaw previews a crucial Gather Round clash against Fremantle.

The episode opens with Shaw assessing Collingwood's early-season form as patchy, describing the Brisbane loss as a debacle but noting Brisbane remain the competition's benchmark side. He praises Brisbane's ability to close out tight games and raise their level under pressure. Shaw identifies Collingwood's key injury absences — Pendlebury, Moore, Howe, Daicos — as the primary explanation for their inconsistency. He then pivots to the structural concern: approximately 14 Collingwood players are aged 29 or older, and several could retire at season's end. Shaw explains this was the deliberate trade-off when the club chose to win now rather than rebuild, and notes they won one premiership but not the second they were hoping for. On the no-rebuild philosophy, Shaw traces it to the club's DNA and his own coaching tenure, where he undertook a four-year rebuild that is seen as an exception in the club's history. He predicts Collingwood will use upcoming salary cap space aggressively on free agents, naming Sam Darcy as a target and referencing a Gold Coast forward without naming him directly. He flags the difficulty of convincing players in non-football states to move south. Shaw identifies Ned Long as the most promising young Collingwood player but notes the new faster game may not suit contested specialists like Cripps. He proposes reducing interchange from five to four players and cutting rotation numbers as the only AFL rule adjustment worth considering. Shaw gives his analysis of Gather Round's future, arguing Adelaide is the only viable host city due to its geography and infrastructure, with the Gold Coast as a possible alternative. On the Collingwood-Fremantle match, Shaw stresses midfield dominance as decisive, cites Carlton as the cautionary tale for teams that dominate clearances but cannot defend, and tips Fremantle as slight favourites while keeping Collingwood very close in the assessment. He dispels any joy at Carlton's struggles, arguing Victorian football needs all its major clubs competitive for crowds and atmosphere.

As heard by us

A frank Collingwood preview with season form, list talk, and real stakes.

Friday night football on Gather Round sets up a Collingwood-Fremantle clash at Adelaide Oval, with Fremantle staying in Adelaide after beating the Crows and Collingwood coming in off a loss to Brisbane at the Gabba.

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Press play for Tony Shaw sizing up a big Friday night Gather Round test.

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