Friday 8 June 2007
Essendon v West Coast
Telstra Dome @ 7.40pm
Hasn’t Essendon been a surprise this year. Winning games it shouldn’t, losing games it shouldn’t either but I have to say Sheedy has his Bomber players committed and playing with a self-belief that was not at all evident last year. Little wonder footytalk.com.au refers to the 2006 Bombre’s as Sheedy’s Sherminators. The longer 2007 goes on, the more pronounced last year’s tank really was. Disgraceful Essendon!
West Coast are close to getting back to full strength and that’s with Cousins but as he is not playing this week, no more talk about it. The big “IN” this week is Daniel Kerr and he will be champing at the bit to get his hands on the ball. He has two weeks without a footy to make up and look out Bomber’s.
Hird, as previously mentioned, is back to career best form and will be high amongst the Brownlow voting if Scott McLaren has anything to do with it. Those Greg Louganis dives that Hird took last week were pathetic but obviously the umpire is noticing him. (Smug bastard!) It will be interesting to see what happens when Hird goes into the middle. Will he go in to run with someone? IF he does, it begs trouble for Hird. If he goes in to be the main extractor, it begs trouble for Sheedy as Hird is not as good as the West Coast midfielders at the moment.
Lucas has been disappointing in the past few weeks and really needs to get his hands on the ball and slot some goals. He won’t find it easy against Hunter but this match-up could well be what decides the game. IF Lucas can get on top of the worst mullet since Sticks Kernahan, then the Bomber’s will be a real chance.
Another match up worth going to see will be Michael on Lynch. The Big Q-tip loves to lead up the ground and get a lot of his possessions around half-forward/wing and this will trouble the stay-at-home Mal Michael. Lynch might get plenty of it but it will be too far from goal to really hurt.
The midfield matchups are a dream. Hird, Watson, McPhee, Campo, Monfries, Pev, Watson vs Judd, Kerr, Priddis, Fletcher, Braud and that guy from the Gestapo. Just looking at the names indicates that the West Coast forward line are going to have a picnic however we thought that last week when Essendon played Sydney and the Sherminators did a great job in shutting down the run. I just can’t see them doing it again against the best Mosquito fleet ever to play footy (at least since Carlton’s in the early 80’s)
One area where Essendon may be able to exploit any perceived weakness is at CHB. Even with only a few games under his belt, Patty Ryder looks to have more poise and rebound than what Staker can give the Eagles. They really do miss Hansen playing this role but this is the game where Staker HAS to step up and show that he is worthy of a position in the West Coast side.
Even though the game is at Telstra Dome, I am picking West Coast in a close match, by 10 points. I think they would appreciate ANY victory against the red and black attack.
Essendon
B: McVeigh Michael Bolton
HB: M Johnson Ryder Fletcher
C: Peverill Watson McPhee
HF: Welsh Lucas Hird
F: J Johnson Lloyd Davey
FOLL: Hille Stanton Rover: Winderlich
INTER: Camporeale Laycock Monfries Slattery
EMERG: Cole Johns Nash
IN: Camporeale Peverill
OUT: Houli Nash
West Coast
B: Wirrpanda Glass B Jones
HB: Waters Hunter Selwood
C: Stenglein Fletcher Braun
HF: R Jones Staker Morton
F: Chick Lynch Seaby
FOLL: Cox Judd Rover: Kerr
INTER: Brown Hurn Priddis Rosa
EMERG: Armstrong LeCras Mackenzie
IN: Kerr
OUT: LeCras
Saturday 9 Jun 2007
Hawthorn v Sydney
M.C.G @ 2.10pm
After being closed down by the Bomber’s last week, the Swannies will be ropeable and whilst there are cracks slowly beginning to appear in the Roos Fortress up there in Coathanger City, the realisation that the season is slowly slipping away should be enough to get the Swans back on track this week.
Hawthorn is cock-a-hoop and understandably so. It has taken on all comers recently and continues to improve. The big question is whether complacency has set in at all. The Hawks defeated Port easily last week in the end but it was not as easy as it seems. They really only put them away in the last term and had to come back from an early 5 goal deficit. They can’t afford to get behind in a similar fashion this week.
As vaunted as the Hawks forward line has been all year, it is the backline that has been the most important. NUTS Brown has heard of his reputation down here at Footytalk and is out to prove us wrong. Brent Guerra has a new lease of life. Trent Croad has decided that he wants to actually be remembered as a footy player and not a playgirl centrefold and the likes of Gilham, Birchall, Dana/Sewell and Ladson have not been around long enough to be lulled into the false sense of “Hawthorn” that has plagued the club in recent years.
Where is Sydney at? For some reason the team is struggling. The hardness and intensity it has brought to the game since Roos took over seems to be cracking and whether the message is not getting through any more, or whether the players are just not physically able to do what they used to is worrying for Roos. Kirk, Ablett, Buchananananananan, Hey Jude and O’Keefe are just playing so far below themselves that it is like a limbo convention at the SCG. And the poor decision making from blokes like Malceski and even Adam Goodess is a concern. There seems to be no fluency up there at the moment and THAT is the biggest worry for Paul Roos. Forward momentum is like a volcanic flow and this doesn’t give much hope to Barry Hall who seems to be a bit lost in relation to this stupid HITB interpretation.
Mind you, the Swannies were up against it two weeks ago and they came out and smashed North at home in Canberra. The only thing that would worry me this week is that the game is at the G where the hawthorn runners will be able to find a lot more space than if it was at the SCG, and use their skills accordingly.
Crawford is back in great form. Mitchell and Bateman likewise just keep getting it, and Hodge can play anywhere. Even Benny McGlynn pops up for the odd possession or 25 regularly. This is the danger for Sydney. If Roos can’t find players to close these running skilful players down on the wide expanses of the G, it is a case of how far Hawks.
And then there is the much-vaunted forward line, which is nearly as vaunted as West Coasts midfield. It will be more so next year I am betting.
Franklin has not been setting the world on fire recenty but he is contributing and that is what Clarkson would ask for. similarly with Dixon (although injured this week), Roughead, Boyle and Jacobs. It will
be a tough test for Leo Barry, Craig Bolton and Ted Richards. I would prefer to see Richards on Jacobs, Barry on Boyle, C Bolton on Franklin, and Kennelly running off Roughead.
ONLY because this is at the G will I tip the Hawks and then by about 3 goals.
Hawthorn
B: Guerra Brown Gilham
HB: Birchall Croad Ladson
C: Lewis Mitchell Bateman
HF: McGlynn Franklin Crawford
F: Jacobs Boyle Roughead
FOLL: Campbell Sewell Rover: Hodge
INTER: Osborne Smith Taylor Young
EMERG: Ellis Murphy Thurgood
IN: Croad Ladson
OUT: Ellis Dixon (hamstring)
Sydney
B: Richards Barry Dempster
HB: Kennelly C Bolton Mathews
C: Ablett Kirk Malceski
HF: O’Keefe O’Loughlin J Bolton
F: Davis Hall Buchanan
FOLL: Everitt Goodes Rover: Fosdike
INTER: McVeigh Jolly Schneider Bevan
EMERG: Thornton Grundy Schmidt
Saturday 9 Jun 2007
Brisbane Lions v Western Bulldogs
The Gabba @ 7.10pm
Hmmm..where are the Doggies at? TWo consecutive losses agaisnt two ordinary sides who outran the runners. Trouble in paradise down there at the Western Oval. The boys and girls over at FNWB.com will not be pleased being back in the pack and maybe it is a case of just getting a little bit ahead of themselves.
Whilst it is great to have a team full of skilled runners, it is no good if you don’t have a quality CHF or CHB to act as the Rocks of Gibraltar down there and this is what is troubling Rocket Eade at the moment.
Brisbane on the other hand is about where it would have expected to be. It has a core group of senior players but too many younger blokes who are both inconsistent and still getting used to the pace and tempo of senior footy. They are relatively skilled but this inconsistency within games with their skill level is a killer. An unhealthy reliance on J. Brown is also a huge problem for them and although Mitch Clarke has stepped up in the past fortnight to take some of the pressure off him, his kicking is a worry and unreliable. (So is Brown’s just quietly). It will be interesting to see if the occurences during this week in Melbourne will have any effect upon Black. It may be the best way to forget about it for a while and just concentrate on footy. He should have a great game.
This game could be like last weeks Carlton/Footscray game – a shoot out. Eade would back his players to kick a lot of goals but can he rely on his backmen not to bleed majors? Hargrave and Williams will probably double-team Brown as much as possible which means Matthews should use the spare man to attack. It may sound silly to suggest Brown will be a decoy but in much the same way that Pagan used Fevola last week, it may be the most beneficial thing for him to do. Brown will still get enough of the footy to be damaging anyway; just don’t go to him all the time.
The big worry for Brisbane is the backline as well. Drummond, Copeland, Merrett, Brennan etc are still learning their roles and they are having to learn the hard way – on the job. Merrett should take Darcy whilst he is out of form but for crying out loud Daniel, don’t try to do to much with the ball. Expect to see Copeland on Johnson as a surprise match-up, or possibly Brennan but Brennan is a bit unreliable. Brennan would be better running with Cooney I think – just sticking with him.
Good to see McGrath back in the side, not just for my Dreamteam points either. He is a good crumber and gives the Brisbane side a little more potency up forward, and if he kicks 5, the Lions should win.
This is a difficult game to pick but I think the Doggies are in a situation that they just have to win and I reckon they will by 2 goals.
Brisbane Lions
B: Begley Merrett Brennan
HB: Adcock Drummond Copeland
C: Notting Lappin Stiller
HF: Sherman Brown Selwood
F: McGrath Patfull Clark
FOLL: Charman Black Rover: Hadley
INTER: Rischitelli Hooper MacDonald Allan
EMERG: Schmidt Proud Wood
IN: McGrath Allan MacDonald
OUT: Johnson (foot) Schmidt Harding
Western Bulldogs
B: Griffen Harris Morris
HB: Gilbee Williams Hargrave
C: Eagleton West Akermanis
HF: Giansiracusa Johnson Cooney
F: Murphy Darcy Higgins
FOLL: Street Cross Rover: Boyd
INTER: Addison Hahn Harbrow Ray
EMERG: Everitt Minson Wight
IN: Harbrow Murphy Ray Williams
OUT: McMahon Power Robbins Wight
Saturday 9 Jun 2007
Carlton v Port Adelaide
Telstra Dome @ 7.30pm
I can hear it from my place. That “Da Da-Da Da-Dahhhh”, that arrogance that only Carlton supporters can portray after one victory. Make no mistake – the Blue are coming. But they may not arrive until 2011. There is a lot to like about the Blues at the moment and they are generally all young kids learning the craft. Whoever takes over from Pagan will be licking his lips at the prospect. But that is a topic for another day.
Carlton has been as good in the past few weeks as Port has been bad. They have been playing some exciting footy yet falling apart at important times in each game since the round 3 victory over the Bomber’s but they ARE improving.
Port on the other hand has faltered after scaring itself to death with an exciting 6-1 first set, and the first three games of the second have been disappointing. It is hard to say where it has been particularly bad however.
The simple facts are that its defence is letting through a lot more goals, and its attack is kicking a lot fewer but the question is WHY? That is the challenge for Choco. (Respectful thoughts to Choco Williams and the Port Adelaide Club for the recent loss of his mother also).
Port welcomes back some quality players and it really needs them at the moment. Brogan will be ever so important if not for his possession tally, but for the fact that he frees La
de up to go forward and act as another tall option. This means that the undermanned Carlton defence will be severely tested. Saddington on Tredders, Thornton on the Lade/Brogan combination, and possibly Bannister on Ebert will be the main match-ups. Walker should take Pearce and Foolihan (if he MUST play back) will probably take P. Burgoyne.
Down the other end, Wakelin will take Fevalio, Thurstans on Whitnall and possibly Surjan on Lappin. The big danger for Port is Fisher who is a quality player. He is deceptive and takes a great mark. He has also improved his kicking somewhat, even if sometimes he struggles to kick over a Milo tin still but he will be important. Whether it is Symes or Wilson who mark him, they will need to be on their toes. Wilson is a bit of a danger himself however and his run and skills from the backline have been a trademark of his game up till now. Carlton will have to close him down with his attacking forward thrusts so he doesn’t hurt them on the rebound.
Good to see Waite named as a midfielder. I have been saying for 5 years that he is not a forward , nor a backman. He should be in the midfield (I prefer a wing) but if he lines up there, it could be very damaging for Port. He may actually have to go back to play on White if White plays beyond himself. Also good to see young Salopek playing after the shocking injuries he received last week. Well done for showing your teammates real courage young Steven.
The Cornes’ and the Burgoynes will get plenty of the ball. I can’t see there being any real tagging in this game through the middle but there must be some accountability and the winner will be the side whose players are more accountable for their direct opponents through the middle.
My heart is saying Carlton so I am going to tip them by 15 points at the Docklands.
Carlton
B: Houlihan Saddington Thornton
HB: Scotland Bannister Walker
C: Simpson Blackwell Gibbs
HF: Wiggins Fisher Lappin
F: Murphy Fevola Whitnall
FOLL: Ackland Waite Rover: Carrazzo
INTER: Bentick Koutoufides O’hAilpin Russell
EMERG: Bower Jackson Young
IN: Russell
OUT: Anderson (hamstring)
Port Adelaide
B: Wilson Wakelin Pettigrew
HB: Symes Thurstans Surjan
C: Cassisi S Burgoyne Salopek
HF: Pearce Tredrea P Burgoyne
F: Lade White Ebert
FOLL: Brogan C Cornes Rover: K Cornes
INTER: Gray Krakouer Rodan Westhoff
EMERG: Boak Deluca Lonie
IN: Brogan Krakouer Wilson
OUT: Bentley DeLuca Lonie
Sunday 10 June 2007
Adelaide v Geelong
AAMI Stadium @ 12.40pm
Cats going great guns. Crows really struggling. That’s about all that can be said in this game.
Great to see McGregor finally get a game. I can’t believe that Neil Craig has had him playing SANFL for this whole time. Little wonder they are struggling to kick a score for crying out loud. The sad thing is that he is in there by default only. An unfortunate injury to Perrie has given him his chance and he will give a great option at full-forward – if the ball gets down there.
Adelaide has to be thankful that the Rock has been playing at fullback in recent weeks. Rutten is a scrooge and doesn’t like to give away goals. He has not been All Australian fullback for nothing. You would imagine he will keep the younger of the Ablett’s pretty quiet but the older one is the real worry.
Geelong finally has found that self-belief that it has needed in the past few years. It has stablised behind its coach, it has solidified in its desire to win and all looks rosey down at Kardinia Park. In essence this is a game it should run away with.
So where will the game be won and lost?
Geelong just has too much run for the Adelaide side in its current form. The Cats run in waves (Some sick joke about Katrina and the Waves just begs to be mentioned here) through the middle of the ground and they just continue to run. It is a bit of Russian Roulette in some ways because the possibility of turning the ball over could leave them open on the rebound, but here’s the thing. They rarely turn it over!
Their skill level has improved out of sight this year and blokes like Rooke, Mackie, Corey, the Brownlow Medallist (Bartel) and Wojckinski just continue to basically shove the ball down the collective throats of the Cats forwards.
No more Whiskers for Mooney, Johnson, Chapman and the Abletts. These Cats are dining out on Sherrin!
Adelaide does have some chance however but it is going to require a lot of planning and some strict methodology to it’s game plan. Slow the game down, create havoc and chaos, force stoppages, stop the run and most of all, pressure, pressure, pressure. The only way that Adelaide will win this game is by playing hard, contested one-on-one football.
Surely Shirley will tag Bartel. (There is the opening for that gag), and Mattner should run with Wojcinski everywhere he goes. The Highlander on Chapman, Johncock on Johnson and Doughty on Ling would seem like logical matchups IF Craig wishes to play a negative game plan.
Hudson should be able to get the better of Ottens and Blake in the centre but they will provide a lot of ball around the ground to the smaller Cats so expect a crap game with about 10-12 goals being scored each way.
I expect Geelong to win but only just – by 7 points.
Adelaide
B: Johncock Rutten Bassett
HB: McLeod Stevens Torney
C: Doughty Shirley Mattner
HF: Ricciuto Bock Thompson
F: Porplyzia McGregor Welsh
FOLL: Hudson Goodwin Rover: Edwards
INTER: From: Massie Griffin van Berlo Knights Douglas Vince Jericho
IN: Douglas Jericho McGregor Massie Vince
OUT: Perrie (shoulder) Reilly (ankle)
Geelong
B: Milburn Scarlett Enright
HB: Mackie Egan Rooke
C: Corey Bartel Wojcinski
HF: Chapman Mooney Varcoe
F: S Johnson N Ablett Stokes
FOLL: Ottens G Ablett Rover: Ling
INTER: From: Hawkins Harley Selwood Tenace Hunt Blake Kelly
IN: Hawkins Selwood Hunt
OUT: Nil
Sunday 10 June 2007
St Kilda v Kangaroos
Telstra Dome @ 2.10pm
Hmmm…..where do we start with this game. Has Karma come back to haunt the Saints this week. Is the dissipation of the El Nino effect causing the world to return itself to normality where St. Kilda is a rabble? Has Rod Buttress shot himself, and the rest of the Club, fairly and squarely in the foot. Will NUTS Riewoldt and Nick Dal Santo be concentrating more on the game or on their new contracts, or even on where they will meet Grant Thomas for a drink after the game?
All important questions to be asked.
It is these sorts of off-field shenanigans that will either galvanise a club or cause it to implode. Going on St. Kilda’s tragic history, both at the Junction Oval in St. Kilda, or at Linton St, Moorabbin, I am guessing the latter. It will be a test of the “new St. Kilda” as to how it reacts, and one must feel for Ross Lyon who has walked into as big a rabble as Denis Pagan did.
Back to the game. North was beaten handsomely last week but was really only disgraced in one quarter against the current Premiers in an away game in Perth. St. Kilda was beaten handsomely last week and were disgraced for all but about 10 mins in the 2nd term in a home game against a mob that was ordinary last year.
St. Kilda has injuries and infighting. North has solidarity and focus. St. Kilda has NUTS Riewoldt. North doesn’t. St. Kilda has ALL the negatives so far here. In addition to the political infighting is the recent troubles to beset the big full-forward with a stained halo. Where will his focus be? Maybe on retirement at the end of the year?
I just don’t see the Saints matching up well with North at the moment. Forget about names and reputations for a while, they names on paper mean nothing. The only shining light on the field for the Saints this year has been Robert Harvey who is a dead-set superstar and should be recognised accordingly. Apart from that they seem like a dispirited bunch of disjointed boys thrown together to stop a dyke leaking. NO unity at all is evident down there.
On the other hand, North has been playing some really good tight, hard, intense footy. And it’s skill level has improved significantly. There is a belief in their own ability and they have held their heads high all year.
Key match-ups in this game will be Petrie Dish on NUTS Riewoldt. Nikki loves to run and lead up the ground and he will pick up his 20 touches and 10 marks but they will be so far away from goal that it won’t matter. Laidley would concede that and not give it another thought.
The only other worrying match-up that Laidley would have to consider is the Dal Santo one. Hmmm.. possibly Rawlings. Gee.. do you think? Rawlings has done the job tagging on some big names this year and he will keep Dal Santo relatively quite this week as well. This means that all the worry with match-ups is with Lyon and he will have a huge headache. Possibly Gram will run with Grant. Ball on Harris. I am so glad I don’t have to worry about it so I am not even going ot give any insight because there are sooo many headaches and sooo many possibilities on that regard. Good luck Ross.
North by 56 points.
St Kilda
B: Blake Hudghton Gwilt
HB: Attard S Fisher Baker
C: Gilbert Ball Gram
HF: Montagna Riewoldt Fiora
F: Milne Gehrig R Clarke
FOLL: Koschitzke Hayes Rover: Dal Santo
INTER: From: X Clarke Howard Jones Rix Thompson Voss Watts
IN: X Clarke Howard Jones Thompson Voss Watts
OUT: Armitage Birss L Fisher (hamstring)
Kangaroos
B: Archer Firrito Green
HB: Smith Petrie Brown
C: Pratt Harris Sinclair
HF: Thomas Jones Grant
F: Simpson Edwards Harvey
FOLL: McIntosh Swallow Rover: Rawlings
INTER: From: Campbell Grima Hale Lower Moran Sansbury Watt
IN: Hale Lower Moran Sansbury Watt
OUT: Gibson (head) McMahon
Sunday 10 June 2007
Fremantle v Richmond
Subiaco @ 2.40
Freo are a worry aren’t they. They struggle for years to get to where they want to be and just when they do, and things are looking rosey and the AFL’s “rationalisation” plan has them looking at a Premiership, they go and let themselves, their supporters and everyone who tips them regularly down. It’s just not fair Freo. Give us a break!
Richmond has been Ok at times this year and has been competitive in most games. A draw last week whilst disappointing, would give them heart that a win is just around the corner.
Sadly it won’t be this week over in Perth however.
The Tiges have unearthed a few really good young players over the past year or so. Circus “Foley’s”, Jo-King and Mr White, as well as young McGuane all point to that rosey future in 2011 that Terry pronounced at the start of the year and he would be genuinely pleased with their progress.
They will be competitive in this game but sadly, over at Perth, they just won’t have enough skill against the more highly fancied Shockers.
I hope that Connolly has had his goal kickers out during the week actually doing some goal kicking practice. Fair dinkum, for blokes to miss set shots from little angle, and short distance is a disgrace to the player, the coach and the players under-age coaches. Don’t they teach kids to KICK properly anymore? I tell you, I don’t reckon they do because it is a problem throughout the whole competition.
The Dockers will begin to win this in teh middle with Sandilands against Pattison. The Carrs, Hasleby, Headland, Peake and Mundy should have an armchair ride to get the ball but what Freo has to do is try to move it in quickly to the forward line and not try to slow play up and set up the perfect shot. Guess what guys. It hasn’t been working. You may as well take your chances in getting it in long and direct to your marking targets, and get some crumbers at the front of the pack. Hellooo…McFlyyyyy…..!!!
Some of the main matchups in this game are just the obvious ones. McPharlin/Richo. Polak/Pavlich, Tuck/Haselby. Black should run with Deledio. Jo-King should run with Bell, Raines on Headland, and the Carrs crashing into Johnson.
The way Richmond has been playing makes me want to tip an upset and if it was at the G I would but in Subi, I think Freo by 4 goals.
Fremantle
B: Hayden McPharlin Thornton
HB: Black Grover Dodd
C: Peake Hasleby Mundy
HF: Headland Pavlich Solomon
F: Bell Tarrant Johnson
FOLL: Sandilands M Carr Rover: J Carr
INTER: From: C
ampbell Cook Ibbotson McManus Walker Warnock Webster
IN: Campbell Ibbotson Walker Warnock
OUT: Crowley (suspended)
NEW: Garrick Ibbotson, 19, East Fremantle
Richmond
B: King Thursfield J Bowden
HB: Raines Polak Newman
C: White Tuck Howat
HF: Pettifer Richardson Edwards
F: Tambling Deledio Jackson
FOLL: Pattison Johnson Rover: Foley
INTER: From: Kingsley Tivendale Hughes Polo McGuane Schulz Hyde
IN: Hughes McGuane Hyde
OUT: Nil
Queens Birthday
Monday 11 June 2007
Melbourne v Collingwood
The M.C.G @ 2.10pm
Happy Birthyday Lizzie. Hang on.. it’s not your birthday. What sort of scam is this. Is this just because Australians wanted another public holiday (that Mr Howard wants to take away) or what is it. What sort of a present to give you Your Majesty, for celebrating your day of honour but a game of antipodean ruckles between the conservatives monarchists and the republicans.
(This is really dragging the train tonight – sorry readers. I am embarrassed with myself now)
I am tipping Melbourne to win by 15 points. Collingwood is due for a loss now, after getting a little ahead of itself for quite a few weeks and as yin-yang has beset St. Kilda, I am tipping the same for the Caringbush.
Melbourne is back in town after last weeks victory over Adelaide and they will be walking a bit taller at training this week with a real belief that they aren’t as bad as a 1-9 team.
The Dee’s have been very competitive over the past month and are unlucky not to have more wins. Collingwood on the other hand has been solid without being really brilliant but that is to be expected with a bunch of young players. Sadly we may have seen the last of Nathan Buckley but time will tell.
As always the danger-mouse of this game will be Alan Didak. The guys from Alandidak.com will be rapt with his return to footy and he is not yet near his best. I think that Ward will probably tag him. (Wherefore art though Clint Bartram).
Obviously the ‘Woods have a free-flowing running game that has been difficult to contain this year. It is here that Melbourne must sacrifice some of its “pzazz” and try to shut down Pendlebury, the Shaw boys, SWAN and Lockyer. Collingwoods drive comes off half-back, as does all good teams these days, and they way they switch play – knowing they will have two loose players on the opposite half-back flank, is as well drilled and practised as Essendon’s 2000 team who used to switch to two loose players at half-forward.
Green, Godfrey, Davey, Johnstone – you blokes are on notice because if you fail to shut down this switch, you guys are stuffed.
Mclean adds a bit of grunt and muscle to the midfield and he should be able to flex a little bit of agro so the ball bounces Melbourne’s way a bit more but if the ball goes out Collingwood’s way too easily, I fear for Carroll on Rocca and Bizzell on Cloke. Actually I think Bizzell would have Clokes measure, and surely Rocca can’t kick 5 straight again. He only does it once a year.
For that reason I am on the Dees by 15 points.
Melbourne
B: Ward Carroll Bruce
HB: Wheatley Bizzell Bell
C: Johnstone McDonald Davey
HF: Green Robertson Godfrey
F: Sylvia Neitz Bate
FOLL: White McLean Rover: Jones
INTER: From: P Johnson Petterd Frawley Brown Holland Yze Buckley
IN: Holland Yze Buckley
OUT: Nil
NEW: Simon Buckley, 20, Sandringham U18
Collingwood
B: Lockyer Wakelin Holland
HB: H Shaw O’Brien R Shaw
C: Pendlebury Medhurst Davis
HF: Maxwell Cloke Didak
F: Swan Rocca Johnson
FOLL: Fraser O’Bree Rover: Burns
INTER: From: Thomas Goldsack Toovey Cox Licuria Stanley Bryan
IN: Wakelin Licuria Stanley Cox Bryan
OUT: Prestigiacomo (foot) Richards
NEW: Danny Stanley, 19, Geelong U18
