TonyK
CibbuanoRound four preview: St Kilda v Fremantle
April 17th 2009 17:33
VENUE and TIME: Etihad Stadium, Saturday 18 April, 7.10pm (AEST)
HEAD TO HEAD: Played: 21, St Kilda 10, Fremantle 11
LAST TIME: St Kilda 17.10 (112) def Fremantle 9.15 (69), Round 20 2008 at Subiaco Oval
RECENT HISTORY: St Kilda has won its past three against Fremantle with two of those wins coming at Etihad Stadium.
FORM: St Kilda finds itself at the top of the AFL ladder after winning their first three games of the season. The Saints recorded solid wins over Sydney and Adelaide before thumping a hapless West Coast side to the tune of 97 points last Saturday. Fremantle is one of three side’s to start 2009 with an 0-3 win-loss record. The Dockers were completely outclassed by a Western Bulldogs side that cruised to a convincing 63-point victory in round one before being more competitive in losses to Essendon and Adelaide.
MEDICAL ROOM: St Kilda will be without Raphael Clarke (hamstring) and veteran defender Max Hudghton (calf) for another week while Sean Dempster (knee) is also unavailable. Matt Maguire, Josh Eddy and Xavier Clarke are all available but need to earn a place in the side with good performances in the VFL. Fremantle welcomes back hard-running defender Roger Hayden from a hamstring injury and Paul Duffield, who will replace Greg Broughton (ankle). Des Headland (calf) and Chris Mayne (ankle) will miss another three weeks. Brock O’Brien (quad), Hayden Ballantyne (wrist) and midfielder Andrew Browne are at least a month away from playing.
KEY MATCH-UPS: Ryan Crowley vs. Nick Dal Santo
Dal Santo continued his stellar start to the season against the Eagles, racking up 31 possessions and delivering the football inside 50 eight times.
If the Dockers are going to be any hope of containing a St Kilda side that kicked 25 goals last weekend they will need to keep Dal Santo quiet.
The 25-year-old is damaging with his ability to use the football cleanly and if he isn’t watched closely he will continually set up scoring opportunities for his teammates.
Crowley is Fremantle’s number one tagger and will most likely be given the task of running with Dal Santo.
The Dockers midfielder played his best game of the season against the Crows, collecting 17 disposals and booting two goals.
He will need to pay close attention to Dal Santo but also win his own football and kick goals in order to make the classy Saints midfielder accountable.
Zac Dawson vs. Matthew Pavlich
Pavlich performed solidly in the loss to Adelaide, collecting 15 possessions and booting three goals but he is yet to find the form that has seen him earn All-Australian honours six times.
The 27-year-old likes playing against the Saints and was their best the last time these two sides met at Etihad Stadium in round 13 last year with 16 disposals, seven marks and five goals.
The Dockers will need a similar performance from Pavlich on Saturday night if they are going to be any hope of recording their first win of the season.
Former Hawthorn defender Dawson has impressed since joining the Saints via last year's rookie draft and will most likely be given first crack at Pavlich with Sam Fisher another option for St Kilda coach Ross Lyon if the Dockers opt to start their star forward further up the ground.
Fremantle has continually butchered the football in the first three rounds of the season.
They will need to improve their use of the football dramatically to give the likes of Pavlich the best chance of having an impact otherwise they will be punished on the rebound by a St Kilda side that is ranked sixth in the AFL for rebound 50’s per game.
Luke McPharlin vs. Nick Riewoldt
Like Pavlich, Riewoldt hasn’t hit top form this season but he will head into this match with some confidence given how he performed against the Dockers last year.
In the two clashes between these two sides in 2008 Riewoldt averaged 23.5 possessions, 14.5 marks and booted eight goals.
McPharlin has the height and athletic capabilities to match the hard-leading Riewoldt and will most likely be given the tasking of matching up on the St Kilda skipper.
The Dockers have the worst defence in the competition - conceding 370 points in the first three rounds of the home-and-away season.
If McPharlin and his fellow defenders are going to be any hope of containing a talented St Kilda attack led by Riewoldt, Justin Koschitzke, Stephen Milne and Brendon Goddard they will need support from their midfield.
The Fremantle midfielders will need to apply the same sort of relentless pressure that St Kilda has in the opening three rounds otherwise the Saints forwards will receive silver service.
Steven King/Michael Gardiner vs. Aaron Sandilands
King and Gardiner have been instrumental in St Kilda’s success so far this season and the pair face another big challenge on Saturday night when they go head-to-head with Sandilands who is ranked second in the AFL for hit-outs per game with an average of 28.7.
St Kilda doesn’t need King and Gardiner to win the hit-outs but as long as they provide a contest you would expect the Saints to win the majority of the football at the stoppages given that Fremantle is ranked 10th in the competition for clearances per game.
If the Dockers don’t lift their work rate at the stoppages it will be one-way traffic all night.
VERDICT: The last time these two sides met at Etihad Stadium St Kilda prevailed by just eight points in a low-scoring contest. It won’t be a close affair again on Saturday night with Fremantle expected to wilt under the pressure applied by the Saints. Ross Lyon’s men simply have too much grunt and class in the middle for a Dockers midfield that is currently in the process of rebuilding and too many options in attack for Mark Harvey's charges to contain. Expect this to be yet another percentage-boosting win for a Saints side on the rise. Saints by 61 points.
ST KILDA v FREMANTLE
ST KILDA
B: Farren Ray, Jason Blake, Zac Dawson
HB: Jarryn Geary, Sam Fisher, Brendon Goddard
C: Jason Gram, Luke Ball, Nick Dal Santo
HF: Stephen Milne, Nick Riewoldt, Adam Schneider
F: Lenny Hayes, Justin Koschitzke, Sam Gilbert
Foll: Michael Gardiner, Clint Jones, Leigh Montagna
I/C: Steven Baker, Andrew McQualter, James Gwilt, Steven King
Emg: Colm Begley, Ben McEvoy, Robert Eddy
No change
FREMANTLE
B: Roger Hayden, Michael Johnson, Chris Tarrant
HB: Josh Head, Antoni Grover, Steven Dodd
C: Rhys Palmer, Paul Hasleby, Garrick Ibbotson
HF: Daniel Gilmore, Luke McPharlin, Byron Schammer
F: Brett Peake, Matthew Pavlich, Kepler Bradley
Foll: Aaron Sandilands, Ryan Crowley, David Mundy
Int: Dean Solomon, Stephen Hill, Nic Suban, Paul Duffield,
Emg: Matt de Boer, Clayton Hinkley, Ryan Murphy
In: Hayden, Duffield
Out: Greg Broughton (ankle), Clayton Hinkley (omit)
HEAD TO HEAD: Played: 21, St Kilda 10, Fremantle 11
LAST TIME: St Kilda 17.10 (112) def Fremantle 9.15 (69), Round 20 2008 at Subiaco Oval
RECENT HISTORY: St Kilda has won its past three against Fremantle with two of those wins coming at Etihad Stadium.
FORM: St Kilda finds itself at the top of the AFL ladder after winning their first three games of the season. The Saints recorded solid wins over Sydney and Adelaide before thumping a hapless West Coast side to the tune of 97 points last Saturday. Fremantle is one of three side’s to start 2009 with an 0-3 win-loss record. The Dockers were completely outclassed by a Western Bulldogs side that cruised to a convincing 63-point victory in round one before being more competitive in losses to Essendon and Adelaide.
MEDICAL ROOM: St Kilda will be without Raphael Clarke (hamstring) and veteran defender Max Hudghton (calf) for another week while Sean Dempster (knee) is also unavailable. Matt Maguire, Josh Eddy and Xavier Clarke are all available but need to earn a place in the side with good performances in the VFL. Fremantle welcomes back hard-running defender Roger Hayden from a hamstring injury and Paul Duffield, who will replace Greg Broughton (ankle). Des Headland (calf) and Chris Mayne (ankle) will miss another three weeks. Brock O’Brien (quad), Hayden Ballantyne (wrist) and midfielder Andrew Browne are at least a month away from playing.
KEY MATCH-UPS: Ryan Crowley vs. Nick Dal Santo
Dal Santo continued his stellar start to the season against the Eagles, racking up 31 possessions and delivering the football inside 50 eight times.
If the Dockers are going to be any hope of containing a St Kilda side that kicked 25 goals last weekend they will need to keep Dal Santo quiet.
The 25-year-old is damaging with his ability to use the football cleanly and if he isn’t watched closely he will continually set up scoring opportunities for his teammates.
Crowley is Fremantle’s number one tagger and will most likely be given the task of running with Dal Santo.
The Dockers midfielder played his best game of the season against the Crows, collecting 17 disposals and booting two goals.
He will need to pay close attention to Dal Santo but also win his own football and kick goals in order to make the classy Saints midfielder accountable.
Zac Dawson vs. Matthew Pavlich
Pavlich performed solidly in the loss to Adelaide, collecting 15 possessions and booting three goals but he is yet to find the form that has seen him earn All-Australian honours six times.
The 27-year-old likes playing against the Saints and was their best the last time these two sides met at Etihad Stadium in round 13 last year with 16 disposals, seven marks and five goals.
The Dockers will need a similar performance from Pavlich on Saturday night if they are going to be any hope of recording their first win of the season.
Former Hawthorn defender Dawson has impressed since joining the Saints via last year's rookie draft and will most likely be given first crack at Pavlich with Sam Fisher another option for St Kilda coach Ross Lyon if the Dockers opt to start their star forward further up the ground.
Fremantle has continually butchered the football in the first three rounds of the season.
They will need to improve their use of the football dramatically to give the likes of Pavlich the best chance of having an impact otherwise they will be punished on the rebound by a St Kilda side that is ranked sixth in the AFL for rebound 50’s per game.
Luke McPharlin vs. Nick Riewoldt
Like Pavlich, Riewoldt hasn’t hit top form this season but he will head into this match with some confidence given how he performed against the Dockers last year.
In the two clashes between these two sides in 2008 Riewoldt averaged 23.5 possessions, 14.5 marks and booted eight goals.
McPharlin has the height and athletic capabilities to match the hard-leading Riewoldt and will most likely be given the tasking of matching up on the St Kilda skipper.
The Dockers have the worst defence in the competition - conceding 370 points in the first three rounds of the home-and-away season.
If McPharlin and his fellow defenders are going to be any hope of containing a talented St Kilda attack led by Riewoldt, Justin Koschitzke, Stephen Milne and Brendon Goddard they will need support from their midfield.
The Fremantle midfielders will need to apply the same sort of relentless pressure that St Kilda has in the opening three rounds otherwise the Saints forwards will receive silver service.
Steven King/Michael Gardiner vs. Aaron Sandilands
King and Gardiner have been instrumental in St Kilda’s success so far this season and the pair face another big challenge on Saturday night when they go head-to-head with Sandilands who is ranked second in the AFL for hit-outs per game with an average of 28.7.
St Kilda doesn’t need King and Gardiner to win the hit-outs but as long as they provide a contest you would expect the Saints to win the majority of the football at the stoppages given that Fremantle is ranked 10th in the competition for clearances per game.
If the Dockers don’t lift their work rate at the stoppages it will be one-way traffic all night.
VERDICT: The last time these two sides met at Etihad Stadium St Kilda prevailed by just eight points in a low-scoring contest. It won’t be a close affair again on Saturday night with Fremantle expected to wilt under the pressure applied by the Saints. Ross Lyon’s men simply have too much grunt and class in the middle for a Dockers midfield that is currently in the process of rebuilding and too many options in attack for Mark Harvey's charges to contain. Expect this to be yet another percentage-boosting win for a Saints side on the rise. Saints by 61 points.
ST KILDA v FREMANTLE
ST KILDA
B: Farren Ray, Jason Blake, Zac Dawson
HB: Jarryn Geary, Sam Fisher, Brendon Goddard
C: Jason Gram, Luke Ball, Nick Dal Santo
HF: Stephen Milne, Nick Riewoldt, Adam Schneider
F: Lenny Hayes, Justin Koschitzke, Sam Gilbert
Foll: Michael Gardiner, Clint Jones, Leigh Montagna
I/C: Steven Baker, Andrew McQualter, James Gwilt, Steven King
Emg: Colm Begley, Ben McEvoy, Robert Eddy
No change
FREMANTLE
B: Roger Hayden, Michael Johnson, Chris Tarrant
HB: Josh Head, Antoni Grover, Steven Dodd
C: Rhys Palmer, Paul Hasleby, Garrick Ibbotson
HF: Daniel Gilmore, Luke McPharlin, Byron Schammer
F: Brett Peake, Matthew Pavlich, Kepler Bradley
Foll: Aaron Sandilands, Ryan Crowley, David Mundy
Int: Dean Solomon, Stephen Hill, Nic Suban, Paul Duffield,
Emg: Matt de Boer, Clayton Hinkley, Ryan Murphy
In: Hayden, Duffield
Out: Greg Broughton (ankle), Clayton Hinkley (omit)
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