TonyK
CibbuanoRound one preview: Melbourne v Hawthorn
March 26th 2010 14:11
VENUE and TIME: MCG, Saturday 27 March, 2.10pm (AEDT)
HEAD TO HEAD: Played: 150, Melbourne 74, Hawthorn 76
LAST TIME: Hawthorn 17.12 (114) def Melbourne 13.14 (92). Round 9, 2009 at the MCG
RECENT HISTORY: The Hawks have won seven of their past ten matches against Melbourne including the past four.
FORM: Melbourne failed to win a single match during the pre-season, although they were unlucky to lose to Adelaide in the NAB Challenge with a late goal from Kurt Tippett giving the Crows a two-point victory. Hawthorn thumped Richmond to the tune of 73 points in the first round of the NAB Cup. It was their last win during the pre-season as they were soundly beaten by the Western Bulldogs before suffering losses to North Melbourne and Brisbane.
MEDICAL ROOM: The Demons have been rocked by injuries during the pre-season with Cale Morton (knee) out until round 10 while exciting small forward Liam Jurrah will miss up to four months with a shoulder injury. Classy midfielder Colin Syvia (broken jaw), Jack Watts (back), Sam Blease (fractured fibula) and Neville Jetta (groin) will be out for between two to four weeks while Paul Johnson (foot stress fractures) should be right in round five. Austin Wonaeamirri (hamstring), Luke Tapscott (hip), John Meesen (foot stress fractures), Max Gawn (knee) and Daniel Bell (shoulder) are sidelined indefinitely. Hawthorn has also been hit with the injury curse with Simon Taylor ruled out for three months with a broken leg while fellow ruckman Wayde Skipper will be sidelined for eight weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a ruptured hamstring tendon. Key midfielder Brad Sewell (broken collarbone), classy small forward Cyril Rioli (hip), Clinton Young (groin) and star recruit Shaun Burgoyne (hamstring) are expected to miss up to the first month of the home-and-away season while a return date hasn’t been set for Cameron Stokes (knee) and Brendan Whitecross (hip).
KEY MATCH-UPS: James McDonald vs. Sam Mitchell
Mitchell was Hawthorn’s most consistent performer last season, racking up a team-high 654 disposals.
The Hawks skipper and reigning best-and-fairest winner is highly adept at winning the football in contested situations and using it cleanly by hand and foot.
Like Mitchell, McDonald is effective at close quarters.
It is vital for the Demons that McDonald is proactive at the stoppages otherwise Mitchell will dictate terms and dominate.
Liam Shiels vs. Aaron Davey
Davey was one of the few shining lights in an otherwise dismal season for Melbourne in 2009, averaging close to 23 possessions per match.
The 26-year-old was ranked seven in the AFL for kicks per game last season and is damaging with his ability to set up scoring opportunities for his teammates with his clean use of the football.
With Sewell currently sidelined - Shiels - who has been earmarked for a tagging role - will most likely be given the task of trying to negate Davey.
If Shiels is able to quell his influence it is hard to see how Melbourne’s forwards will receive enough quality supply to have any hope of kicking a winning score.
Matthew Warnock vs. Jarryd Roughead
With Lance Franklin sidelined due to suspension, Roughead becomes the number one target up forward.
The last time these two sides met in round nine last year Warnock lined up on Roughead and did a serviceable job, keeping the 23-year-old to three goals.
The Demons defender will undoubtedly be given the job once again in what shapes as being a pivotal duel.
Melbourne was ranked 13th in the AFL for tackles per game last season.
They will need to lift their intensity otherwise Roughead will feast on silver service from an on-ball division which boasts quality users of the football in Sam Mitchell, Luke Hodge and Jordan Lewis.
Ryan Schoenmakers vs. Brad Miller
With Jurrah sidelined and Jack Watts at least a couple of years away from establishing himself as a genuine key forward of the AFL, the Demons will need Miller to have a big year otherwise they will struggle to kick big enough scores to win games of football.
Schoenmakers showed some good signs down back in his 13 games last year and looms as the obvious candidate to line-up on Miller given that he has athletic capabilities to go with the hard-leading Melbourne forward.
In 2009 Miller had a less than 50 per cent conversion rate in front of goal. He will need to make the most of his chances on Saturday given that the Demons were ranked 13th in the competition for inside 50’s last season.
VERDICT: This is a match Hawthorn simply must win if they are serious about making amends for a disappointing 2009 season in which they became the first reigning premier to miss the finals since Adelaide in 1999. Expect them to do just that with their experienced bodies in the middle and Roughead to be the difference. Hawks by 47 points.
MELBOURNE v HAWTHORN
MELBOURNE
B: Jamie Bennell, Matthew Warnock, Jared Rivers
HB: Jack Grimes, James Frawley, Joel Macdonald
C: Aaron Davey, Cameron Bruce, Nathan Jones
HF: James McDonald, Matthew Bate, Ricky Petterd
F: Brad Green, Brad Miller, Jack Trengove
Foll: Mark Jamar, Lynden Dunn, Brent Moloney
I/C: James Strauss, Jake Spencer, Jordie McKenzie, Tom Scully
Emg: Addam Maric, Rohan Bail, Clint Bartram
New: Joel Macdonald (Brisbane Lions), Tom Scully (Dandenong), James Strauss (Oakleigh), Jack Trengove (Sturt)
HAWTHORN
B: Grant Birchall, Josh Gibson, Tom Murphy
HB: Brent Guerra, Stephen Gilham, Rick Ladson
C: Jordan Lewis, Sam Mitchell, Xavier Ellis
HF: Michael Osborne, Ryan Schoenmakers, Rhan Hooper
F: Jarryd Morton, Jarryd Roughead, Campbell Brown
Foll: Brent Renouf, Luke Hodge, Garry Moss
I/C: Jarrod Kayler-Thomson, Carl Peterson, Liam Shiels, Matt Suckling
Emg: Taylor Duryea, Ben Stratton, Jordan Williams
New: Josh Gibson (North Melbourne), Rhan Hooper (Brisbane Lions), Carl Peterson (St Mary's), Jarrod Kayler-Thomson (Perth)
| 17 |
| Vote |
subscribe to this blog
