TonyK
CibbuanoRound five preview: Essendon v Collingwood
April 24th 2009 14:09
VENUE and TIME: MCG, Saturday 25 April, 2.20pm (AEST)
HEAD TO HEAD: Played: 218, Essendon 97, Collingwood 117, Drawn 4
LAST TIME: Essendon 19.14 (128) def Collingwood 11.14 (80), Round 17 2008 at the MCG
RECENT HISTORY: Collingwood has won three of its past four against Essendon.
FORM: Essendon had its two-game winning streak broken by North Melbourne who prevailed by 12 points in a contest that failed to reach any great heights at Etihad Stadium last Sunday. The Bombers find themselves in ninth place with a 2-2 win-loss record. Collingwood has also won two of its four matches - the most recent a gutsy 17-point win over Brisbane - and is in sixth place on the ladder thanks to a superior percentage.
MEDICAL ROOM: Essendon will be without midfielder Hayden Skipworth for two to three weeks after the former Adelaide Crow injured his hamstring in the loss to the Roos. Scott Gumbleton (back) and Jason Laycock (foot) are sidelined indefinitely. Michael Hurley (quad) and Darcy Daniher (groin) are a chance to return in round six while Kyle Reimers (quad) will be sidelined until at least round seven. Brent Prismall (knee) and Andrew Welsh (ankle) won’t play until the second half of the home-and-away season. For Collingwood, star defender Heath Shaw (hamstring) will miss the Anzac Day clash. John McCarthy (hamstring) and forward Sean Rusling (shoulder) are also unavailable while Ben Johnson (broken leg) will miss at least another eight weeks.
KEY MATCH-UPS: Simon Prestigiacomo vs. Matthew Lloyd
The last time these two sides met in round 17 last year Lloyd played a key role, booting four goals to help lift the Bombers to a 48-point win.
Lloyd was the only Essendon forward that had an impact in the loss to the Kangaroos - he booted three goals - and if the Magpies are able to contain him on Saturday they will secure the four premiership points.
Prestigiacomo is Collingwood’s most experienced defender and will be given first crack at the Essendon skipper in what shapes as being a crucial match-up in determining the outcome of this contest.
In the loss to the Roos the Bombers entered inside their forward 50 six more times than their opponents but managed three fewer goals.
The Essendon midfield will need to be cleaner and smarter with their use of the football going forward if the likes of Lloyd are going to have any hope of having a meaningful impact.
Shane O’Bree vs. Jobe Watson
Watson was influential in the round 17 clash between these two sides last year, racking up a game-high 41 possessions - 24 of which were by hand.
The 24-year-old is an integral part of the Essendon midfield with his ability to win the football at the stoppages and dish it off by hand to find the Bombers’ pacy runners in space.
If the Magpies are going to be any hope of shutting down Essendon’s running game they will need to limit Watson’s influence in close.
Expect O’Bree, who won a game-high nine clearances in the victory over the Lions to go head-to-head with Watson in the middle.
If O’Bree is able to prevent Watson from winning the football in close the Essendon forwards will struggle to get enough quality supply to kick a winning score.
Dustin Fletcher vs. Paul Medhurst
Medhurst was instrumental in the Magpies’ win over the Lions with four goals and was also damaging in his side’s last win over the Bombers in round six last year with six majors.
The former Fremantle Docker is good overhead for his size - making Fletcher - who has the ability to play on talls and small the obvious candidate to match up on him.
As he showed against the Lions, Medhurst is capable of turning a game on its head with a quick burst of goals, so Fletcher will need to be switched on defensively for the full four quarters.
Fletcher has averaged 17.5 disposals per game so far in 2009 and will try and punish Medhurst on the rebound.
Mark McVeigh vs. Scott Pendlebury
Pendlebury was his side’s most influential midfielder in the win over the Lions with a game-high 35 possessions.
When these two sides met in round six last year Pendlebury wreaked havoc, collecting a game-high 33 touches in a performance that earned him two Brownlow medal votes.
The 21-year-old hurts sides with his clean use of the football and if the Bombers are going to be any hope of containing a multi-pronged Collingwood attack they will need to limit his influence through the middle.
Expect Essendon coach Matthew Knights to use McVeigh in an attacking run with role on Pendlebury.
McVeigh will need to deny Pendlebury the time and space to dispose of the football cleanly and also win his fair share of the football and hurt the classy Magpies youngster going the other way.
VERDICT: These two teams traded wins last season with Collingwood thumping Essendon to the tune of 73 points before the Bombers bounced back with an eight goal win. It will be the Magpies who take the honours first again in 2009 with their multiple options in attack set to be too much for an inexperienced Essendon defence to contain. Magpies by 28 points.
ESSENDON v COLLINGWOOD
ESSENDON
B: Dustin Fletcher, Tayte Pears, Henry Slattery
HB: Courtenay Dempsey, Adam McPhee, Heath Hocking
C: Mark McVeigh, Brent Stanton, Sam Lonergan
HF: Jason Winderlich, Scott Lucas, David Zaharakis
F: Patrick Ryder, Matthew Lloyd, Alwyn Davey
Foll: David Hille, Jobe Watson, Andrew Lovett
I/C: Angus Monfries, Nathan Lovett-Murray, David Myers, Leroy Jetta
Emg: Ricky Dyson, Jay Nash, Bachar Houli
In: Lovett-Murray, Lonergan, Myers, Hocking, Jetta
Out: Darcy Daniher (groin), Hayden Skipworth (hamstring), Michael Quinn, Jay Nash, Ricky Dyson
Collingwood
B: Shannon Cox, Simon Prestigiacomo, Tyson Goldsack
HB: Harry O’Brien, Nathan Brown, Martin Clarke
C: Shane O’Bree, Alan Didak, Dale Thomas
HF: Dayne Beams, Travis Cloke, Paul Medhurst
F: John Anthony, Leigh Brown, Anthony Rocca
Foll: Josh Fraser, Tarkyn Lockyer, Scott Pendlebury
I/C: Leon Davis, Jaxson Barham, Dane Swan, Alan Toovey
Emg: Anthony Corrie, Brent Macaffer, Sharrod Wellingham
No Change
HEAD TO HEAD: Played: 218, Essendon 97, Collingwood 117, Drawn 4
LAST TIME: Essendon 19.14 (128) def Collingwood 11.14 (80), Round 17 2008 at the MCG
RECENT HISTORY: Collingwood has won three of its past four against Essendon.
FORM: Essendon had its two-game winning streak broken by North Melbourne who prevailed by 12 points in a contest that failed to reach any great heights at Etihad Stadium last Sunday. The Bombers find themselves in ninth place with a 2-2 win-loss record. Collingwood has also won two of its four matches - the most recent a gutsy 17-point win over Brisbane - and is in sixth place on the ladder thanks to a superior percentage.
MEDICAL ROOM: Essendon will be without midfielder Hayden Skipworth for two to three weeks after the former Adelaide Crow injured his hamstring in the loss to the Roos. Scott Gumbleton (back) and Jason Laycock (foot) are sidelined indefinitely. Michael Hurley (quad) and Darcy Daniher (groin) are a chance to return in round six while Kyle Reimers (quad) will be sidelined until at least round seven. Brent Prismall (knee) and Andrew Welsh (ankle) won’t play until the second half of the home-and-away season. For Collingwood, star defender Heath Shaw (hamstring) will miss the Anzac Day clash. John McCarthy (hamstring) and forward Sean Rusling (shoulder) are also unavailable while Ben Johnson (broken leg) will miss at least another eight weeks.
KEY MATCH-UPS: Simon Prestigiacomo vs. Matthew Lloyd
The last time these two sides met in round 17 last year Lloyd played a key role, booting four goals to help lift the Bombers to a 48-point win.
Lloyd was the only Essendon forward that had an impact in the loss to the Kangaroos - he booted three goals - and if the Magpies are able to contain him on Saturday they will secure the four premiership points.
Prestigiacomo is Collingwood’s most experienced defender and will be given first crack at the Essendon skipper in what shapes as being a crucial match-up in determining the outcome of this contest.
In the loss to the Roos the Bombers entered inside their forward 50 six more times than their opponents but managed three fewer goals.
The Essendon midfield will need to be cleaner and smarter with their use of the football going forward if the likes of Lloyd are going to have any hope of having a meaningful impact.
Shane O’Bree vs. Jobe Watson
Watson was influential in the round 17 clash between these two sides last year, racking up a game-high 41 possessions - 24 of which were by hand.
The 24-year-old is an integral part of the Essendon midfield with his ability to win the football at the stoppages and dish it off by hand to find the Bombers’ pacy runners in space.
If the Magpies are going to be any hope of shutting down Essendon’s running game they will need to limit Watson’s influence in close.
Expect O’Bree, who won a game-high nine clearances in the victory over the Lions to go head-to-head with Watson in the middle.
If O’Bree is able to prevent Watson from winning the football in close the Essendon forwards will struggle to get enough quality supply to kick a winning score.
Dustin Fletcher vs. Paul Medhurst
Medhurst was instrumental in the Magpies’ win over the Lions with four goals and was also damaging in his side’s last win over the Bombers in round six last year with six majors.
The former Fremantle Docker is good overhead for his size - making Fletcher - who has the ability to play on talls and small the obvious candidate to match up on him.
As he showed against the Lions, Medhurst is capable of turning a game on its head with a quick burst of goals, so Fletcher will need to be switched on defensively for the full four quarters.
Fletcher has averaged 17.5 disposals per game so far in 2009 and will try and punish Medhurst on the rebound.
Mark McVeigh vs. Scott Pendlebury
Pendlebury was his side’s most influential midfielder in the win over the Lions with a game-high 35 possessions.
When these two sides met in round six last year Pendlebury wreaked havoc, collecting a game-high 33 touches in a performance that earned him two Brownlow medal votes.
The 21-year-old hurts sides with his clean use of the football and if the Bombers are going to be any hope of containing a multi-pronged Collingwood attack they will need to limit his influence through the middle.
Expect Essendon coach Matthew Knights to use McVeigh in an attacking run with role on Pendlebury.
McVeigh will need to deny Pendlebury the time and space to dispose of the football cleanly and also win his fair share of the football and hurt the classy Magpies youngster going the other way.
VERDICT: These two teams traded wins last season with Collingwood thumping Essendon to the tune of 73 points before the Bombers bounced back with an eight goal win. It will be the Magpies who take the honours first again in 2009 with their multiple options in attack set to be too much for an inexperienced Essendon defence to contain. Magpies by 28 points.
ESSENDON v COLLINGWOOD
ESSENDON
B: Dustin Fletcher, Tayte Pears, Henry Slattery
HB: Courtenay Dempsey, Adam McPhee, Heath Hocking
C: Mark McVeigh, Brent Stanton, Sam Lonergan
HF: Jason Winderlich, Scott Lucas, David Zaharakis
F: Patrick Ryder, Matthew Lloyd, Alwyn Davey
Foll: David Hille, Jobe Watson, Andrew Lovett
I/C: Angus Monfries, Nathan Lovett-Murray, David Myers, Leroy Jetta
Emg: Ricky Dyson, Jay Nash, Bachar Houli
In: Lovett-Murray, Lonergan, Myers, Hocking, Jetta
Out: Darcy Daniher (groin), Hayden Skipworth (hamstring), Michael Quinn, Jay Nash, Ricky Dyson
Collingwood
B: Shannon Cox, Simon Prestigiacomo, Tyson Goldsack
HB: Harry O’Brien, Nathan Brown, Martin Clarke
C: Shane O’Bree, Alan Didak, Dale Thomas
HF: Dayne Beams, Travis Cloke, Paul Medhurst
F: John Anthony, Leigh Brown, Anthony Rocca
Foll: Josh Fraser, Tarkyn Lockyer, Scott Pendlebury
I/C: Leon Davis, Jaxson Barham, Dane Swan, Alan Toovey
Emg: Anthony Corrie, Brent Macaffer, Sharrod Wellingham
No Change
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