TonyK
CibbuanoRound fifteen preview: Hawthorn v North Melbourne
July 11th 2009 14:10
VENUE and TIME: Aurora Stadium, Sunday 12 July, 1.10pm (AEST)
HEAD TO HEAD: Played: 162: Hawthorn 87, North 73, Drawn 2
LAST TIME: Hawthorn 19.9 (123) d North Melbourne 10.9 (69) at Etihad Stadium, Round 3, 2009
RECENT HISTORY: North Melbourne has won three of its past five matches against Hawthorn.
FORM: Hawthorn has lost its past three matches by an average of 50 points to slump to 11th place on the AFL ladder with a 6-8 win-loss record. North Melbourne have shown some good signs under caretaker coach Darren Crocker but have lost both matches to the Western Bulldogs and Sydney. The Kangaroos are in 13th spot with four wins for the season.
MEDICAL ROOM: Hawthorn welcomes back classy forward Cyril Rioli from a hamstring injury but are still without Brendan Whitecross (knee), Brent Renouf (ankle), Stuart Dew (quad) and Trent Croad (foot) while Mark Williams is a chance to return later in the year from a knee injury if the Hawks make the finals. For the Kangaroos, classy midfielder Daniel Wells remains on the sidelines with a groin injury while youngster Jack Ziebell (leg) is likely to miss the remainder of the season. Ben Warren is out for the year with a leg injury while Matt Campbell (hamstring) remains unavailable.
KEY MATCH-UPS: Josh Gibson vs. Lance Franklin
Franklin was held goalless last weekend and the Hawks will need him to fire on Sunday if they are going to get their season back on track.
Gibson has more than held his own against last year’s Coleman medallist in the past and looms as the obvious candidate to line-up on Franklin in what will be a crucial contest in determining the outcome of this contest.
The North defender will need his teammates to suffocate the Hawks’ midfield with their pressure skills otherwise Franklin will receive enough quality football to kick a bag.
Expect Gibson, who has averaged 16.5 disposals per game so far this season, to run off Franklin at every available opportunity and try and hurt him on the rebound.
Brad Sewell vs. Brent Harvey
Harvey made a solid return from injury, collecting 17 possessions and pumping the football inside 50 six times against the Swans.
The North Melbourne skipper will be better for the run and will be keen to have a big game to help keep his side’s slim finals hopes alive.
However, his task won’t be an easy one with Hawthorn’s number one tagger in Sewell to be his likely opponent.
Not only will Sewell apply relentless pressure but he will also try and hurt Harvey going the other way -he has averaged 27 disposals per game so far in ‘09.
Brady Rawlings vs. Sam Mitchell
Mitchell was instrumental in his side’s last win over the Kangaroos in round three with 37 possessions - 25 of which came by hand.
The Hawthorn skipper is damaging with his ability to win the football at the stoppages and use it cleanly by hand to find his teammates in space.
The Roos will need to shut him down if they are going to have any hope of containing the Hawks’ talent laden forward line.
Rawlings has claimed some major scalps during his 193-game career and will be given first crack at Mitchell in what shapes as being a pivotal duel.
North will need Rawlings to deny Mitchell any time or space at the stoppages otherwise he will continually win the football at close quarters and help get his side going.
Rawlings will also need to be proactive and win his fair share of the football in order to make Mitchell accountable.
Stephen Gilham vs. David Hale
Hale’s indifferent year continued last Sunday against the Swans with the 25-year-old managing just four behinds.
If the Kangaroos are going to have any hope of kicking a winning score they will need Hale to step up and make the most of his chances in front of goal.
With Croad still out of the side you would expect Hawthorn’s next best defender in Gilham to be given the task of lining up on Hale.
Gilham will be giving away 10cms to Hale so if the Kangaroos can get the football quickly into the forward line he is capable of causing some headaches.
VERDICT: This is a must-win match for the reigning premiers if they are serious about playing finals football this season. North Melbourne has battled hard in the past fortnight and you would expect them to be competitive once again but their lack of class and firepower up forward will prove to be costly. Hawks by 19 points.
HAWTHORN v NORTH MELBOURNE
HAWTHORN
B: Brent Guerra, Stephen Gilham, Thomas Murphy
HB: Grant Birchall, Luke Hodge, Rick Ladson
C: Jordan Lewis, Sam Mitchell, Xavier Ellis
HF: Ben McGlynn, Lance Franklin, Michael Osborne
F: Cyril Rioli, Jarryd Roughead, Campbell Brown
Foll: Robert Campbell, Brad Sewell, Chance Bateman
I/C: Beau Dowler, Josh Kennedy, Liam Shiels, Simon Taylor
Emg: Ryan Schoenmakers, Cameron Stokes, Brendan Whitecross
In: Rioli
Out: Cameron Stokes
NORTH MELBOURNE
B: Scott McMahon, Nathan Grima, Scott Thompson
HB: Michael Firrito, Lachie Hansen, Josh Gibson
C: Gavin Urquhart, Adam Simpson, Liam Anthony
HF: Leigh Harding, Drew Petrie, Brent Harvey
F: Corey Jones, David Hale, Lindsay Thomas
Foll: Hamish McIntosh, Andrew Swallow, Brady Rawlings
I/C: Daniel Harris, Sam Power, Leigh Adams, Todd Goldstein
Emg: Ben Ross, Josh Smith, Levi Greenwood
In: Power, Thomas, Adams
Out: Daniel Pratt (susp), Cruize Garlett, Ben Ross
HEAD TO HEAD: Played: 162: Hawthorn 87, North 73, Drawn 2
LAST TIME: Hawthorn 19.9 (123) d North Melbourne 10.9 (69) at Etihad Stadium, Round 3, 2009
RECENT HISTORY: North Melbourne has won three of its past five matches against Hawthorn.
FORM: Hawthorn has lost its past three matches by an average of 50 points to slump to 11th place on the AFL ladder with a 6-8 win-loss record. North Melbourne have shown some good signs under caretaker coach Darren Crocker but have lost both matches to the Western Bulldogs and Sydney. The Kangaroos are in 13th spot with four wins for the season.
MEDICAL ROOM: Hawthorn welcomes back classy forward Cyril Rioli from a hamstring injury but are still without Brendan Whitecross (knee), Brent Renouf (ankle), Stuart Dew (quad) and Trent Croad (foot) while Mark Williams is a chance to return later in the year from a knee injury if the Hawks make the finals. For the Kangaroos, classy midfielder Daniel Wells remains on the sidelines with a groin injury while youngster Jack Ziebell (leg) is likely to miss the remainder of the season. Ben Warren is out for the year with a leg injury while Matt Campbell (hamstring) remains unavailable.
KEY MATCH-UPS: Josh Gibson vs. Lance Franklin
Franklin was held goalless last weekend and the Hawks will need him to fire on Sunday if they are going to get their season back on track.
Gibson has more than held his own against last year’s Coleman medallist in the past and looms as the obvious candidate to line-up on Franklin in what will be a crucial contest in determining the outcome of this contest.
The North defender will need his teammates to suffocate the Hawks’ midfield with their pressure skills otherwise Franklin will receive enough quality football to kick a bag.
Expect Gibson, who has averaged 16.5 disposals per game so far this season, to run off Franklin at every available opportunity and try and hurt him on the rebound.
Brad Sewell vs. Brent Harvey
Harvey made a solid return from injury, collecting 17 possessions and pumping the football inside 50 six times against the Swans.
The North Melbourne skipper will be better for the run and will be keen to have a big game to help keep his side’s slim finals hopes alive.
However, his task won’t be an easy one with Hawthorn’s number one tagger in Sewell to be his likely opponent.
Not only will Sewell apply relentless pressure but he will also try and hurt Harvey going the other way -he has averaged 27 disposals per game so far in ‘09.
Brady Rawlings vs. Sam Mitchell
Mitchell was instrumental in his side’s last win over the Kangaroos in round three with 37 possessions - 25 of which came by hand.
The Hawthorn skipper is damaging with his ability to win the football at the stoppages and use it cleanly by hand to find his teammates in space.
The Roos will need to shut him down if they are going to have any hope of containing the Hawks’ talent laden forward line.
Rawlings has claimed some major scalps during his 193-game career and will be given first crack at Mitchell in what shapes as being a pivotal duel.
North will need Rawlings to deny Mitchell any time or space at the stoppages otherwise he will continually win the football at close quarters and help get his side going.
Rawlings will also need to be proactive and win his fair share of the football in order to make Mitchell accountable.
Stephen Gilham vs. David Hale
Hale’s indifferent year continued last Sunday against the Swans with the 25-year-old managing just four behinds.
If the Kangaroos are going to have any hope of kicking a winning score they will need Hale to step up and make the most of his chances in front of goal.
With Croad still out of the side you would expect Hawthorn’s next best defender in Gilham to be given the task of lining up on Hale.
Gilham will be giving away 10cms to Hale so if the Kangaroos can get the football quickly into the forward line he is capable of causing some headaches.
VERDICT: This is a must-win match for the reigning premiers if they are serious about playing finals football this season. North Melbourne has battled hard in the past fortnight and you would expect them to be competitive once again but their lack of class and firepower up forward will prove to be costly. Hawks by 19 points.
HAWTHORN v NORTH MELBOURNE
HAWTHORN
B: Brent Guerra, Stephen Gilham, Thomas Murphy
HB: Grant Birchall, Luke Hodge, Rick Ladson
C: Jordan Lewis, Sam Mitchell, Xavier Ellis
HF: Ben McGlynn, Lance Franklin, Michael Osborne
F: Cyril Rioli, Jarryd Roughead, Campbell Brown
Foll: Robert Campbell, Brad Sewell, Chance Bateman
I/C: Beau Dowler, Josh Kennedy, Liam Shiels, Simon Taylor
Emg: Ryan Schoenmakers, Cameron Stokes, Brendan Whitecross
In: Rioli
Out: Cameron Stokes
NORTH MELBOURNE
B: Scott McMahon, Nathan Grima, Scott Thompson
HB: Michael Firrito, Lachie Hansen, Josh Gibson
C: Gavin Urquhart, Adam Simpson, Liam Anthony
HF: Leigh Harding, Drew Petrie, Brent Harvey
F: Corey Jones, David Hale, Lindsay Thomas
Foll: Hamish McIntosh, Andrew Swallow, Brady Rawlings
I/C: Daniel Harris, Sam Power, Leigh Adams, Todd Goldstein
Emg: Ben Ross, Josh Smith, Levi Greenwood
In: Power, Thomas, Adams
Out: Daniel Pratt (susp), Cruize Garlett, Ben Ross
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