TonyK
CibbuanoRound one preview: Port Adelaide v North Melbourne
March 27th 2010 15:08
VENUE and TIME: AAMI Stadium, Sunday March 28, 12:40pm (1.10pm AEDT)
HEAD TO HEAD: Played:22, Port Adelaide 6, North Melbourne 16
LAST TIME: North Melbourne 10.11 (71) d Port Adelaide 9.13 (67), round 22, 2009 at AAMI Stadium
RECENT HISTORY: The Kangaroos won the two clashes against Port Adelaide last year.
FORM: Port progressed through to the semi-finals of the NAB Cup where they were went down to the eventual night premiers the Western Bulldogs by just three points. The Power were then thrashed by Collingwood by 81 points in a practice match in Mt Gambier. North upset Geelong in the first round of the NAB Cup before being bundled out by Fremantle thanks to a goal in the dying seconds from Ryan Murphy. The Kangaroos then accounted for Hawthorn before suffering a loss to Sydney.
MEDICAL ROOM: Power duo Robbie Gray and Daniel Motlop will miss the clash with the Roos with hamstring injuries while young gun Hamish Hartlett (hamstring) is expected to be sidelined until round three. Excitement machine David Rodan (knee)), Tom Logan (wrist), Daniel Webb (hip), Daniel Bass (knee), Josh Carr (eye), Wade Thompson (fractured eye socket) and John Butcher (back) are also unavailable. For North, star utility Drew Petrie is tipped to miss six weeks after fracturing a bone in his right foot at training. Ed Lower (leg), Majak Daw (foot) and Levi Greenwood (foot) will miss up to the first month of the season while Alan Obst (quad) is sidelined indefinitely.
KEY MATCH-UPS: Brady Rawlings vs. Danyle Pearce
When Pearce was on-song in 2009 the Power invariably won.
The 2006 NAB Rising Star winner is damaging with his ability to carry the football and continually pump it inside 50.
Shutting down the drive he provides through the middle will be a key for North if they are going to contain a Port side that is capable of scoring heavily.
The last time these two sides met in round 22 last year Rawlings did a superb blanketing job on Pearce, restricting the 23-year-old to just 11 possessions.
The Kangaroos veteran will be given the job once again.
Pearce will need to show a willingness to run hard on Sunday otherwise Rawlings will dictate terms from the outset.
Kane Cornes vs. Brent Harvey
Harvey was one of North’s best in the four-point win over Port in the final round of the home-and-away season last year with 24 touches and two goals.
The Roos skipper is at his damaging best when he is breaking the lines and having an impact on the scoreboard.
Cornes is regarded as one of the best stoppers in the AFL and will run with Harvey in what shapes as being a pivotal duel in determining the outcome of this match.
The Port veteran - who averaged 27 possessions per game in 2009 - will be proactive and try and hurt Harvey going the other way as it will force him to be accountable which in turn will help limit his impact on the contest as an attacking midfielder.
Lachie Hansen vs. Warren Tredrea
Tredrea was Port’s most productive forward last season, booting 51 goals in 21 appearances.
North will need to contain the former Power skipper if they are going to have any hope of kicking off their 2010 campaign with a win.
Hansen showed some promising signs down back last season, playing on the likes of Jarryd Roughead, Matthew Lloyd and Matthew Richardson, and will most likely be given first crack at Tredrea.
A feature of North’s impressive win over Geelong in the first round of the NAB Cup was their relentless pressure. They will need to play with the same level of intensity on Sunday otherwise Port’s runners will continually break the lines and deliver the football on a platter to Tredrea.
Alipate Carlile vs. David Hale
The 2009 season was very much a disappointing one for Hale after some impressive form in the second half of 2008.
With Petrie on the sidelines, North will need Hale to step up and have an impact if they are going to kick a winning score.
Carlile in Port’s best key defender and will line-up on Hale in what will be a crucial match-up.
It is vital for the Kangaroos that Hale gets on the board early as it will build his confidence.
VERDICT: North may be heading into this clash fancying their chances of securing the four premiership points given that they accounted for Port twice last year, but the loss of Petrie who booted three goals to get his side over the line the last time these two sides met significantly weakens an attack that was the least productive in the AFL last season. While Port will be without two of their most dynamic forwards in Gray and Motlop, they still have plenty of quality options inside 50. Power by 22 points.
PORT ADELAIDE v NORTH MELBOURNE
PORT ADELAIDE
B: Jacob Surjan, Alipate Carlile, Andrew Moore
HB: Nathan Krakouer, Chad Cornes, Steven Salopek
C: Danyle Pearce, Domenic Cassisi, Jason Davenport
HF: *Robbie Gray, Warren Tredrea, Brett Ebert
F: Cameron Hitchcock, Jay Schulz, *Daniel Motlop
Foll: Dean Brogan, Travis Boak, Kane Cornes
I/C: Jackson Trengove, Mitch Banner, Justin Westhoff, Paul Stewart
Emg: Scott Harding, Nick Salter, Matt Thomas
New: Mitch Banner (Western Jets), Cameron Hitchcock (Glenelg), Andrew Moore (Eastern Ranges), Jay Schulz (Richmond), Jackson Trengove (Calder)
NORTH MELBOURNE
B: Gavin Urquhart, Scott Thompson, Brady Rawlings
HB: Michael Firrito, Lachie Hansen, Scott McMahon
C: Ryan Bastinac, Jack Ziebell, Sam Wright
HF: Daniel Wells, Todd Goldstein, Brent Harvey
F: Leigh Harding, David Hale, Ben Warren
Foll: Hamish McIntosh, Liam Anthony, Andrew Swallow
I/C: Lindsay Thomas, Leigh Adams, Ben Ross, Matt Campbell
Emg: Nathan Grima, Corey Jones, Robbie Tarrant
New: Ryan Bastinac (Dandenong)
*Robert Gray and Daniel Motlop were ruled out on Saturday with hamstring injuries. Their replacements will come from the named emergencies.
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