MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 03: Taylor Adams of the Magpies runs with the ball from Lachie Neale of the Dockers during the round 11 AFL match between the Collingwood Magpies and the Fremantle Dockers at Melbourne Cricket Ground on June 3, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)
Arguably the most anticipated clash in a round stacked with huge matches, the Magpies will face the Demons on Monday for the annual Queen's birthday clash.
Both teams are in stellar form as they sit in the top eight of the league at the midway point of the season. The Demons have chalked up an 8-3 record and currently sit third on the ladder, while the Pies are seventh spot with seven wins.
Collingwood midfielder Taylor Adams is particularly excited for the upcoming clash at the MCG, highlighting the battle of the midfield.
“The reason you come to Collingwood is to play in games like this," he told SEN Breakfast.
“We think we’re in really good form, we think we’re playing really well together our midfield, it’s going to be a huge battle."
“They’ve got some very good midfielders, it’ll be interesting to see who we put a bit of time into, there’s guys who’ve had jobs over the last few weeks including Scott Pendlebury and Steele Sidebottom and myself.
“The thing about Melbourne is they’ve got really good midfield depth at the minute.”
The most exciting matchup in the midfield comes right at the centre, with the two form ruckman of the league going at it. Both Max Gawn and Brodie Grundy are in All-Australian form and it seems like whichever ruckman can outclass the other will have a huge impact on the result of the game. Adams believes both men are looking forward to the challenge.
“He’s a really competitive man Grundy, I know they get along really well Max (Gawn) and Brodie (Grundy), I imagine both are very excited for a battle between two of the best ruckmen in the competition,” he said.
If both ruckmen enter the game in the right mindset, we could be a in for a classic, given the form they are both in.