TonyK
CibbuanoRound eighteen preview: North Melbourne v Carlton
July 30th 2009 16:29
VENUE and TIME: Etihad Stadium, Friday July 31, 7.40pm (AEST)
HEAD TO HEAD: Played: 145, Carlton 93, North Melbourne 52
LAST TIME: North Melbourne 22.9 (141) def Carlton 14.6 (90), Round 20, 2008 at Etihad Stadium
RECENT HISTORY: North Melbourne has won its past six against Carlton with five of those wins coming at Etihad Stadium.
FORM: Carlton’s three-game winning streak came to an end when they were thumped to the tune of 54 points by Collingwood at the MCG last Friday night. The Blues are currently in seventh spot on the AFL ladder with a 9-8 win-loss record. North Melbourne’s disappointing season continued when it went down to a Jonathan Brown inspired Brisbane side by 41 points at the Gabba last Saturday night. The Kangaroos have lost seven of their past eight games - the other result during that period was a draw with Richmond in round 16.
MEDICAL ROOM: Carlton welcomes back promising young defender Michael Jamison who was a late withdrawal from the clash against the Magpies with a groin injury while utility Andrew Walker will play his first game for the year after being sidelined with a shoulder injury. Setanta O’hAilpin (general soreness) also returns but the Blues will be without Chris Johnson (hamstring) for two to three weeks. Joe Anderson will miss at least another week with a hamstring injury while Jarrad Waite (knee) is out for the season. For the Kangaroos, classy midfielder Daniel Wells (groin) is still a fortnight away while Jesse Smith (hamstring), Robbie Tarrant (shoulder), Jack Ziebell (leg/hip), Luke Delaney (shoulder) and Ben Warren (leg) won’t play again in 2009.
KEY MATCH-UPS: Aaron Joseph vs. Brent Harvey
Harvey was instrumental in the Roos’ convincing 51-point win over Carlton in round 17 last year with a game-high 30 possessions and three goals in a performance that earned him the three Brownlow medal votes.
The North Melbourne skipper is damaging with his ability to break the lines and kick goals.
Carlton will be keen to shut-down his drive as the Roos will struggle to receive enough quality supply without him having an impact in the middle.
Joseph, who has been given some defensive jobs so far this season, has held his own on most occasions and looms as the obvious candidate to tag Harvey.
The Blues youngster is a traditional tagger in the sense that he isn’t overly concerned with winning the football - he has averaged just under 11 disposals in 17 games.
If Harvey is going to have any hope of breaking a tight Joseph tag he will need his teammates to block for him at the stoppages.
Josh Gibson vs. Brendan Fevola
Fevola looms as the main danger man for North given that he has booted 16 goals in his past three matches against the Kangaroos.
Gibson was well beaten by Brown last weekend and will be keen to redeem himself with a good defensive performance against the Blues spearhead.
The North defender will need his midfield to suffocate Carlton’s running game with relentless pressure all over the ground otherwise Fevola feast on plenty of quality supply from the likes of Nick Stevens, Bryce Gibbs, Marc Murphy and Judd.
Don’t be surprised if the Roos use Daniel Pratt as a loose man in defence to try and clog up the space in which Fevola leads into.
It is vital for the Blues that they use the football a lot better going forward than they did in the loss to the Magpies otherwise Fevola will struggle to have an influence on the outcome of the contest.
Brady Rawlings vs. Chris Judd
Judd has been his side’s most consistent midfielder this season, averaging just under 27 possessions per game.
If North is going to have any hope of containing a Carlton forward line that is the third most productive in the AFL they will need to quell the influence of Judd who leads the AFL for total inside 50’s.
Rawlings is North’s best stopper in the middle and will be given the task of tagging the 2004 Brownlow medallist in what shapes as being a pivotal duel in determining the outcome of this match.
Judd has shown this season that he can be hurt going the other way so North will need Rawlings to be proactive otherwise the former West Coast skipper will dictate terms at the stoppages and dominate.
Paul Bower vs. Corey Jones
Jones was his side’s most productive forward in the loss to Brisbane, booting four goals.
North will need a similar performance from him on Friday night if they are going to have any hope of kicking a big enough score to secure just their fifth win of the season.
Bower has the ability to match Jones in the air and at ground level and will most likely be given first crack at the Roos veteran.
The Kangaroos will need to be clean and smart with their delivery of the football inside 50 to give Jones the best chance of having an impact on the scoreboard otherwise they will be punished on the rebound by the likes of Bower who has averaged 20 touches per game so far in 2009.
VERDICT: North will be keen to send former skipper Adam Simpson out on a high and they will fancy their chances of doing just that given their record against Carlton in recent times. However, the Blues simply have too much class through middle for the Kangaroos to contain and should prevail with Fevola likely to kick a bag to help get his side over the line. Blues by 24 points.
NORTH MELBOURNE v CARLTON
NORTH MELBOURNE
B: Josh Gibson, Drew Petrie, Nathan Grima
HB: Scott McMahon, Scott Thompson, Levi Greenwood
C: Sam Power, Adam Simpson, Gavin Urquhart
HF: Matt Campbell, Lachie Hansen, Liam Anthony
F: Lindsay Thomas, Corey Jones, Brent Harvey
Foll: Hamish McIntosh, Brady Rawlings, Michael Firrito
I/C: Andrew Swallow, Todd Goldstein, Daniel Pratt, Leigh Harding
Emg: Daniel Harris, Ben Ross, Josh Smith
In: Grima, Pratt
Out: Ben Ross, David Hale
CARLTON
B: Paul Bower, Michael Jamison, Dennis Armfield
HB: Andrew Walker, Bret Thornton, Bryce Gibbs
C: Nick Stevens, Kade Simpson, Heath Scotland
HF: Ryan Houlihan, Setanta O’hAilpin, Jordan Russell
F: Eddie Betts, Brendan Fevola, Matthew Kreuzer
Foll: Shaun Hampson, Marc Murphy, Chris Judd
I/C: Mark Austin, Andrew Carrazzo, Aaron Joseph, Mitch Robinson
Emg: Cameron Cloke, Shaun Grigg, Richard Hadley
In: Armfield, Jamison, O’hAilpin, Robinson, Stevens, Walker
Out: Chris Johnson (hamstring), Greg Bentley, Brad Fisher, Shaun Grigg, Adam Hartlett, Chris Yarran
HEAD TO HEAD: Played: 145, Carlton 93, North Melbourne 52
LAST TIME: North Melbourne 22.9 (141) def Carlton 14.6 (90), Round 20, 2008 at Etihad Stadium
RECENT HISTORY: North Melbourne has won its past six against Carlton with five of those wins coming at Etihad Stadium.
FORM: Carlton’s three-game winning streak came to an end when they were thumped to the tune of 54 points by Collingwood at the MCG last Friday night. The Blues are currently in seventh spot on the AFL ladder with a 9-8 win-loss record. North Melbourne’s disappointing season continued when it went down to a Jonathan Brown inspired Brisbane side by 41 points at the Gabba last Saturday night. The Kangaroos have lost seven of their past eight games - the other result during that period was a draw with Richmond in round 16.
MEDICAL ROOM: Carlton welcomes back promising young defender Michael Jamison who was a late withdrawal from the clash against the Magpies with a groin injury while utility Andrew Walker will play his first game for the year after being sidelined with a shoulder injury. Setanta O’hAilpin (general soreness) also returns but the Blues will be without Chris Johnson (hamstring) for two to three weeks. Joe Anderson will miss at least another week with a hamstring injury while Jarrad Waite (knee) is out for the season. For the Kangaroos, classy midfielder Daniel Wells (groin) is still a fortnight away while Jesse Smith (hamstring), Robbie Tarrant (shoulder), Jack Ziebell (leg/hip), Luke Delaney (shoulder) and Ben Warren (leg) won’t play again in 2009.
KEY MATCH-UPS: Aaron Joseph vs. Brent Harvey
Harvey was instrumental in the Roos’ convincing 51-point win over Carlton in round 17 last year with a game-high 30 possessions and three goals in a performance that earned him the three Brownlow medal votes.
The North Melbourne skipper is damaging with his ability to break the lines and kick goals.
Carlton will be keen to shut-down his drive as the Roos will struggle to receive enough quality supply without him having an impact in the middle.
Joseph, who has been given some defensive jobs so far this season, has held his own on most occasions and looms as the obvious candidate to tag Harvey.
The Blues youngster is a traditional tagger in the sense that he isn’t overly concerned with winning the football - he has averaged just under 11 disposals in 17 games.
If Harvey is going to have any hope of breaking a tight Joseph tag he will need his teammates to block for him at the stoppages.
Josh Gibson vs. Brendan Fevola
Fevola looms as the main danger man for North given that he has booted 16 goals in his past three matches against the Kangaroos.
Gibson was well beaten by Brown last weekend and will be keen to redeem himself with a good defensive performance against the Blues spearhead.
The North defender will need his midfield to suffocate Carlton’s running game with relentless pressure all over the ground otherwise Fevola feast on plenty of quality supply from the likes of Nick Stevens, Bryce Gibbs, Marc Murphy and Judd.
Don’t be surprised if the Roos use Daniel Pratt as a loose man in defence to try and clog up the space in which Fevola leads into.
It is vital for the Blues that they use the football a lot better going forward than they did in the loss to the Magpies otherwise Fevola will struggle to have an influence on the outcome of the contest.
Brady Rawlings vs. Chris Judd
Judd has been his side’s most consistent midfielder this season, averaging just under 27 possessions per game.
If North is going to have any hope of containing a Carlton forward line that is the third most productive in the AFL they will need to quell the influence of Judd who leads the AFL for total inside 50’s.
Rawlings is North’s best stopper in the middle and will be given the task of tagging the 2004 Brownlow medallist in what shapes as being a pivotal duel in determining the outcome of this match.
Judd has shown this season that he can be hurt going the other way so North will need Rawlings to be proactive otherwise the former West Coast skipper will dictate terms at the stoppages and dominate.
Paul Bower vs. Corey Jones
Jones was his side’s most productive forward in the loss to Brisbane, booting four goals.
North will need a similar performance from him on Friday night if they are going to have any hope of kicking a big enough score to secure just their fifth win of the season.
Bower has the ability to match Jones in the air and at ground level and will most likely be given first crack at the Roos veteran.
The Kangaroos will need to be clean and smart with their delivery of the football inside 50 to give Jones the best chance of having an impact on the scoreboard otherwise they will be punished on the rebound by the likes of Bower who has averaged 20 touches per game so far in 2009.
VERDICT: North will be keen to send former skipper Adam Simpson out on a high and they will fancy their chances of doing just that given their record against Carlton in recent times. However, the Blues simply have too much class through middle for the Kangaroos to contain and should prevail with Fevola likely to kick a bag to help get his side over the line. Blues by 24 points.
NORTH MELBOURNE v CARLTON
NORTH MELBOURNE
B: Josh Gibson, Drew Petrie, Nathan Grima
HB: Scott McMahon, Scott Thompson, Levi Greenwood
C: Sam Power, Adam Simpson, Gavin Urquhart
HF: Matt Campbell, Lachie Hansen, Liam Anthony
F: Lindsay Thomas, Corey Jones, Brent Harvey
Foll: Hamish McIntosh, Brady Rawlings, Michael Firrito
I/C: Andrew Swallow, Todd Goldstein, Daniel Pratt, Leigh Harding
Emg: Daniel Harris, Ben Ross, Josh Smith
In: Grima, Pratt
Out: Ben Ross, David Hale
CARLTON
B: Paul Bower, Michael Jamison, Dennis Armfield
HB: Andrew Walker, Bret Thornton, Bryce Gibbs
C: Nick Stevens, Kade Simpson, Heath Scotland
HF: Ryan Houlihan, Setanta O’hAilpin, Jordan Russell
F: Eddie Betts, Brendan Fevola, Matthew Kreuzer
Foll: Shaun Hampson, Marc Murphy, Chris Judd
I/C: Mark Austin, Andrew Carrazzo, Aaron Joseph, Mitch Robinson
Emg: Cameron Cloke, Shaun Grigg, Richard Hadley
In: Armfield, Jamison, O’hAilpin, Robinson, Stevens, Walker
Out: Chris Johnson (hamstring), Greg Bentley, Brad Fisher, Shaun Grigg, Adam Hartlett, Chris Yarran
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