TonyK
CibbuanoRound nine preview: West Coast v Collingwood
May 22nd 2009 15:48
VENUE and TIME: Subiaco Oval, Saturday 23 May, 7.40pm (AEST)
HEAD TO HEAD: Played: 35, West Coast 20, Collingwood 14, Draws 1
LAST TIME: Collingwood 27.11 (173) def West Coast 10.13 (73), Round 10 2008 at the MCG
RECENT HISTORY: Collingwood has won five of its past seven against West Coast but none of those wins have come at Subiaco Oval.
FORM: West Coast had their chances to record their first away win in 18 months last weekend but their lack of composure in the dying stages proved to be costly as they went down to Sydney by five points in yet another classic contest. The Eagles occupy 10th place on the AFL ladder with a 3-5 win-loss record. Collingwood has been thumped to the tune of 88 and 53 points in its past two matches by St Kilda and Carlton. The Magpies have also won three of their first eight matches.
MEDICAL ROOM: The Eagles welcome back star midfielder Daniel Kerr from a groin injury. Brent Staker (hand) and youngster Luke Shuey (groin) are unavailable while Beau Waters is out for the season with a dislocated elbow. For the Magpies, number one ruckman Josh Fraser returns from a knee injury but Alan Didak (hamstring), Paul Medhurst (ankle), Anthony Rocca (knee) and Dale Thomas (knee) are on the sidelines. Key forward Travis Cloke will miss two to three weeks with a hamstring injury while Sean Rusling’s return to AFL football has been delayed after he suffered a fractured cheekbone in the VFL.
KEY MATCH-UPS: Simon Prestigiacomo vs. Quinten Lynch
Lynch was a busy contributor against the Swans, helping himself to 19 possessions and eight marks.
However, he failed to capitalise in front of goal, finishing the match with a wasteful 2.5.
The Eagles big man faces a tough night at the office with Prestigiacomo, who kept Blues spearhead Brendan Fevola goalless last weekend, to be his likely opponent.
Lynch will need to help West Coast apply early scoreboard pressure by making the most of his chances as he won’t get many shots on goal against Prestigiacomo who has been one of the most frugal defenders in the competition so far this season.
Adam Selwood vs. Scott Pendlebury
Pendlebury has been one of his side’s most consistent midfielders so far this season, averaging 29 disposals per game.
The impressive 21-year-old is damaging with his ability to set up scoring opportunities for his teammates with his clean use of the football.
The Eagles will be keen to quell his influence in the middle as it will go a long way towards starving Collingwood’s forwards of quality supply.
Selwood is West Coast’s best stopper in the midfield and looms as the obvious candidate to go head-to-head with Pendlebury.
The 25-year-old will need to deny Pendlebury any time or space in which to dispose of the football cleanly and also test out the defensive side of his game by winning his fair share of the football at the stoppages and being an attacking midfielder.
Josh Fraser vs. Dean Cox
Cox continued his consistent start to the season with 22 possessions, 30 hit outs and two goals against Sydney.
The Eagles big man will go head to head with Fraser in what shapes as being a pivotal duel in determining the outcome of this match.
The Magpies will need Fraser to apply plenty of body pressure and also push forward at every available opportunity otherwise Cox will be able to dictate terms in the middle and provide his on-ball division with first use of the football.
If Fraser fails to at least break even in the ruck it is hard to see how the Collingwood midfield will win enough of the football to provide their depleted forward line with enough chances to kick a winning score.
Darren Glass vs. John Anthony
With Cloke, Rocca, Thomas, Medhurst and Didak still out of the side the onus will be on Anthony to have a big game otherwise Collingwood will struggle to kick a winning score.
However, his task won’t be an easy one as he will most likely be matched up by one of the best defenders in the competition in Glass.
In last weekend’s loss to Carlton the Magpies entered inside their forward 50 four more times than the Blues yet they finished the match with six fewer scoring shots.
Their forwards weren’t helped by their midfield who moved the football slowly into the forward line and often went wide.
If the likes of Anthony are going to have any hope of having an impact the Pies will need to be direct and move the football quickly otherwise they will be punished on the rebound by the long-kicking Eagles.
VERDICT: All three of West Coast’s wins have come at home this season and you would expect them to make it four victories at Subiaco Oval on Saturday night. Collingwood will battle hard all night but with five of their first-choice forwards unavailable they will struggle to translate their hard work around the ground onto the scoreboard. Eagles by 23 points.
WEST COAST v COLLINGWOOD
WEST COAST
B: Mark Nicoski, Darren Glass, David Wirrpanda
HB: Shannon Hurn, Eric Mackenzie, Adam Selwood
C: Andrew Embley, Matt Priddis, Matt Rosa
HF: Brad Ebert, Josh Kennedy, Chris Masten
F: Mitch Brown, Quinten Lynch, Mark LeCras
Foll: Dean Cox, Daniel Kerr, Scott Selwood
I/C: Sam Butler, Adam Cockie, Ben McKinley, Mark Seaby
Emg: Adam Hunter, Brett Jones, Jamie McNamara
In: Kerr, Ebert
Out: Brett Jones, Jamie McNamara
COLLINGWOOD
B: Harry O’Brien, Simon Prestigiacomo, Martin Clarke
HB: Nick Maxwell, Nathan Brown, Ben Reid
C: Alan Toovey, Steele Sidebottom, Shannon Cox
HF: Scott Pendlebury, Leigh Brown, Leon Davis
F: Tarkyn Lockyer, Cameron Wood, Heath Shaw
Foll: Josh Fraser, Dane Swan, Shane O’Bree
I/C: John Anthony, Tyson Goldsack, Ryan Cook, Sharrod Wellingham
Emg: Jaxson Barham, Brad Dick, Dayne Beams
In: Fraser, Goldsack
Out: Dayne Beams, Anthony Corrie
HEAD TO HEAD: Played: 35, West Coast 20, Collingwood 14, Draws 1
LAST TIME: Collingwood 27.11 (173) def West Coast 10.13 (73), Round 10 2008 at the MCG
RECENT HISTORY: Collingwood has won five of its past seven against West Coast but none of those wins have come at Subiaco Oval.
FORM: West Coast had their chances to record their first away win in 18 months last weekend but their lack of composure in the dying stages proved to be costly as they went down to Sydney by five points in yet another classic contest. The Eagles occupy 10th place on the AFL ladder with a 3-5 win-loss record. Collingwood has been thumped to the tune of 88 and 53 points in its past two matches by St Kilda and Carlton. The Magpies have also won three of their first eight matches.
MEDICAL ROOM: The Eagles welcome back star midfielder Daniel Kerr from a groin injury. Brent Staker (hand) and youngster Luke Shuey (groin) are unavailable while Beau Waters is out for the season with a dislocated elbow. For the Magpies, number one ruckman Josh Fraser returns from a knee injury but Alan Didak (hamstring), Paul Medhurst (ankle), Anthony Rocca (knee) and Dale Thomas (knee) are on the sidelines. Key forward Travis Cloke will miss two to three weeks with a hamstring injury while Sean Rusling’s return to AFL football has been delayed after he suffered a fractured cheekbone in the VFL.
KEY MATCH-UPS: Simon Prestigiacomo vs. Quinten Lynch
Lynch was a busy contributor against the Swans, helping himself to 19 possessions and eight marks.
However, he failed to capitalise in front of goal, finishing the match with a wasteful 2.5.
The Eagles big man faces a tough night at the office with Prestigiacomo, who kept Blues spearhead Brendan Fevola goalless last weekend, to be his likely opponent.
Lynch will need to help West Coast apply early scoreboard pressure by making the most of his chances as he won’t get many shots on goal against Prestigiacomo who has been one of the most frugal defenders in the competition so far this season.
Adam Selwood vs. Scott Pendlebury
Pendlebury has been one of his side’s most consistent midfielders so far this season, averaging 29 disposals per game.
The impressive 21-year-old is damaging with his ability to set up scoring opportunities for his teammates with his clean use of the football.
The Eagles will be keen to quell his influence in the middle as it will go a long way towards starving Collingwood’s forwards of quality supply.
Selwood is West Coast’s best stopper in the midfield and looms as the obvious candidate to go head-to-head with Pendlebury.
The 25-year-old will need to deny Pendlebury any time or space in which to dispose of the football cleanly and also test out the defensive side of his game by winning his fair share of the football at the stoppages and being an attacking midfielder.
Josh Fraser vs. Dean Cox
Cox continued his consistent start to the season with 22 possessions, 30 hit outs and two goals against Sydney.
The Eagles big man will go head to head with Fraser in what shapes as being a pivotal duel in determining the outcome of this match.
The Magpies will need Fraser to apply plenty of body pressure and also push forward at every available opportunity otherwise Cox will be able to dictate terms in the middle and provide his on-ball division with first use of the football.
If Fraser fails to at least break even in the ruck it is hard to see how the Collingwood midfield will win enough of the football to provide their depleted forward line with enough chances to kick a winning score.
Darren Glass vs. John Anthony
With Cloke, Rocca, Thomas, Medhurst and Didak still out of the side the onus will be on Anthony to have a big game otherwise Collingwood will struggle to kick a winning score.
However, his task won’t be an easy one as he will most likely be matched up by one of the best defenders in the competition in Glass.
In last weekend’s loss to Carlton the Magpies entered inside their forward 50 four more times than the Blues yet they finished the match with six fewer scoring shots.
Their forwards weren’t helped by their midfield who moved the football slowly into the forward line and often went wide.
If the likes of Anthony are going to have any hope of having an impact the Pies will need to be direct and move the football quickly otherwise they will be punished on the rebound by the long-kicking Eagles.
VERDICT: All three of West Coast’s wins have come at home this season and you would expect them to make it four victories at Subiaco Oval on Saturday night. Collingwood will battle hard all night but with five of their first-choice forwards unavailable they will struggle to translate their hard work around the ground onto the scoreboard. Eagles by 23 points.
WEST COAST v COLLINGWOOD
WEST COAST
B: Mark Nicoski, Darren Glass, David Wirrpanda
HB: Shannon Hurn, Eric Mackenzie, Adam Selwood
C: Andrew Embley, Matt Priddis, Matt Rosa
HF: Brad Ebert, Josh Kennedy, Chris Masten
F: Mitch Brown, Quinten Lynch, Mark LeCras
Foll: Dean Cox, Daniel Kerr, Scott Selwood
I/C: Sam Butler, Adam Cockie, Ben McKinley, Mark Seaby
Emg: Adam Hunter, Brett Jones, Jamie McNamara
In: Kerr, Ebert
Out: Brett Jones, Jamie McNamara
COLLINGWOOD
B: Harry O’Brien, Simon Prestigiacomo, Martin Clarke
HB: Nick Maxwell, Nathan Brown, Ben Reid
C: Alan Toovey, Steele Sidebottom, Shannon Cox
HF: Scott Pendlebury, Leigh Brown, Leon Davis
F: Tarkyn Lockyer, Cameron Wood, Heath Shaw
Foll: Josh Fraser, Dane Swan, Shane O’Bree
I/C: John Anthony, Tyson Goldsack, Ryan Cook, Sharrod Wellingham
Emg: Jaxson Barham, Brad Dick, Dayne Beams
In: Fraser, Goldsack
Out: Dayne Beams, Anthony Corrie
| 19 |
| Vote |
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