TonyK
CibbuanoRound one preview: Brisbane v West Coast
March 26th 2010 15:46
VENUE and TIME: The Gabba, Saturday 27 March, 7.10pm, 8.10pm (AEDT)
HEAD TO HEAD: Played: 20, Brisbane 7 , West Coast 13
LAST TIME: Brisbane 14.11 (95) def West Coast 13.8 (86), Round 1 2009 at the Gabba
RECENT HISTORY: West Coast has won seven of its past ten matches against Brisbane but the Lions have won the past two at the Gabba.
FORM: Brisbane was overrun by the Western Bulldogs in the second half of their round one NAB Cup fixture, going down by eight points. The Lions then lost to Carlton in a NAB Challenge match before recording a 11-point win over Hawthorn in blustery conditions at Southport. Their last practice match was cancelled due a freak storm in Melbourne. West Coast accounted for Essendon by 35 points in the first round of the NAB Cup before being thumped to the tune of 73 points by Port Adelaide. The Eagles bounced back with wins over Carlton and Melbourne.
MEDICAL ROOM: Lions veteran Jamie Charman will be sidelined until round seven with an ankle injury while Callum Bartlett and ex-Saint Xavier Clarke are out indefinitely with knee injuries. West Coast has an injury free list.
KEY MATCH-UPS: Mitch Clark/Matthew Leuenberger vs. Dean Cox/Nic Naitanui
One of the AFL’s premier ruckman in Cox and excitement machine Natainui will go head-to-head with Lions young guns Clark and Leuenberger on Saturday night in what shapes as being a pivotal duel in determining the outcome of this match.
There are two aspects to this duel - firstly the battle in the ruck - where you would expect the Eagles to have a slight edge - and secondly the battle around the ground.
Like Cox and Naitanui, Clark and Leuenberger are very mobile.
Whichever duo is able to push forward and have an impact on the scoreboard should finish on the winning side.
Eric Mackenzie vs. Jonathan Brown
Brown was simply superb in 2009, booting 85 goals to finish second in the Coleman Medal race.
The Lions skipper will need to be contained if West Coast is going to kick off its 2010 campaign with a win.
MacKenzie spent some time on Brown the last time these two sides met and was far from disgraced.
With captain Darren Glass to take Brendan Fevola who will play closer to goal, MacKenzie will be given first crack at Brown.
The Eagles were ranked last in the AFL for tackles per game last season.
They will need to lift their rating significantly in the pressure stakes otherwise Brown will receive silver service all night from the likes of Simon Black, young gun Daniel Rich, Luke Power and Travis Johnstone.
Ashley McGrath vs. Mark LeCras
The last time these two sides met in round one last year LeCras booted six goals - five of which came in the first half to give the Eagles a handy break before they were overrun by the Lions.
The classy 23-year-old booted a career-best 58 goals in 2009 and looks set for another big year.
McGrath will be line-up on LeCras given that he was able to keep him in check during the second half of the corresponding fixture last season.
The Lions defender will need to be switched on defensively for the full four quarters as LeCras has the uncanny ability to create something out of nothing.
Adam Selwood vs. Travis Johnstone
Johnstone was instrumental in Brisbane’s come-from-behind nine-point win over West Coast last year with a game-high 37 possessions, two goals and nine inside 50’s.
Limiting Johnstone’s influence in the middle will be a key for the Eagles if they are going to contain the twin towers in Brown and Fevola.
Selwood is West Coast’s best stopper in the middle and looms as the obvious candidate to run with Johnstone.
Not only is Selwood adept at curtailing the influence of his opponents but he is also capable of winning his fair share of the football - he averaged 24.5 possessions per game in 2009.
It is vital for the Eagles that Selwood is proactive as it will force Johnstone to be accountable which in turn will help limit his impact on the contest as a creative midfielder.
VERDICT: West Coast will head into this clash with some confidence given they were in a winning position in the round one fixture last year. The Eagles’ midfield boasts a good mix of experience and emerging talent - and should be able to hold its own against Brisbane’s on-ball division - while their forward line is multi-pronged. Expect John Worsfold’s men to get up in a tight contest with the likes of Josh Kennedy, Quinten Lynch, LeCras and Naitanui to boot enough goals between them to get their side over a Lions outfit that will be relying heavily on Brown and Fevola to kick them to a winning score. Eagles by eight points.
BRISBANE LIONS v WEST COAST
BRISBANE LIONS
B: Joel Patfull, Daniel Merrett, Ashley McGrath
HB: Josh Drummond, Matt Maguire, Jed Adcock
C: Justin Sherman, Daniel Rich, Michael Rischitelli
HF: Luke Power, Jonathan Brown, Jack Redden
F: Amon Buchanan, Brendan Fevola, Todd Banfield
Foll: Mitchell Clark, Jared Brennan, Simon Black
I/C: Travis Johnstone, Andrew Raines, Matthew Leuenberger, Brent Staker
Emg: Cheynee Stiller,Tom Rockliff, James Hawksley
New: Todd Banfield (Swan Districts), Amon Buchanan (Sydney Swans), Brendan Fevola (Carlton), Matt Maguire (St Kilda), Andrew Raines (Richmond), Brent Staker (West Coast)
WEST COAST
B: Eric Mackenzie, Darren Glass, Brett Jones
HB: Beau Waters, Mitch Brown, Shannon Hurn
C: Andrew Embley, Matt Priddis, Adam Selwood
HF: Mark Nicoski, Josh Kennedy, Luke Shuey
F: Nic Naitanui, Quinten Lynch, Mark LeCras
Foll: Dean Cox, Daniel Kerr, Chris Masten
I/C: Sam Butler, Brad Ebert, Pat McGinnity, Tom Swift
Emg: Bradd Dalziell, Will Schofield, Matt Spangher
New: Luke Shuey (Oakleigh)
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