TonyK
CibbuanoRound seven preview: Carlton v Fremantle
May 8th 2009 16:29
VENUE and TIME: Gold Coast Stadium, Saturday 9 May, 7.10 pm (AEST)
HEAD TO HEAD: Played: 20, Fremantle 11, Carlton 9
LAST TIME: Carlton 14.13 (97) def. Fremantle 14.4 (88), Round 9, 2008 at Etihad Stadium.
RECENT HISTORY: Fremantle has won nine of its past ten against Carlton but these two sides have never played each other in Queensland.
FORM: Carlton went down to Hawthorn by four points in a classic contest at the MCG last Saturday. Blues spearhead Brendan Fevola had a chance to win the game for his side in the last minute of the match but his set shot faded late. Brett Ratten’s men have won three of their first six matches. Fremantle has win its past two matches against Sydney and West Coast after starting the season with four straight losses.
MEDICAL ROOM: Carlton youngster Chris Yarran has recovered from a hamstring injury and will play his first game for the Blues but Andrew Carrazzo will miss the clash against the Dockers after suffering a hamstring injury in the loss to the Hawks. Shaun Grigg (ankle), Adam Bentick (knee) and ruckman Sam Jacobs (foot) are unavailable. Chris Johnson (quad) is expected to miss another month while former Fremantle Docker Roobie Warnock (foot) isn’t expected to play until the second half of the home-and-away season. For the Dockers, Ryan Crowley won’t return until the last month of the regular season after suffering a serious foot injury in the win over the Eagles while fellow midfielder Rhys Palmer is out for the season with a serious knee injury. Des Headland (calf) and small forward Hayden Ballantyne (wrist) are expected to be considered for selection in the coming weeks while utility Chris Mayne (shin stress fracture) won't play until after the week's break in June.
KEY MATCH-UPS: Antoni Grover vs. Brendan Fevola
Although he missed the match-winner, Fevola was without doubt one of his side’s best in the loss to the Hawks with eight goals.
The Blues star looms as the main danger man for Fremantle given his recent record against the Dockers - he has booted 14 goals in his past four matches against the West Australian side.
With Luke McPharlin spending more time up forward you would expect Grover to be given first crack at Fevola in what shapes as being a pivotal duel in determining the outcome of this contest.
The 28-year-old is at his most damaging when leading into space so Grover will need his midfield to apply immense pressure otherwise Carlton’s classy on-ball division will provide Fevola with plenty of quality supply.
Jarrad Waite vs. Matthew Pavlich
Pavlich has found his best form after a sluggish start to the season and will need to be contained if the Blues are going to secure their fourth win of the season.
The last time these two sides met in round nine last year Pavlich helped himself to 16 possessions, eight marks and four goals.
Waite has the height to match the Fremantle skipper if he starts up forward and also the tank to run with him if he pushes into the middle of the ground.
If Pavlich does start in the middle the Blues will need Waite to not only deny him any time or space but also be attacking and push forward and be a goal kicker in order to make the Dockers skipper accountable.
Garrick Ibbotson vs. Chris Judd
Judd led from the front in the loss to the Hawks, racking up a team-high 34 possessions and pumping the football inside 50 six times.
With Fremantle’s best midfield stopper in Crowley out of the side due to injury Judd could have yet another big game.
If the Dockers are going to be any chance of containing a Carlton forward line led by Fevola they will need to limit Judd’s influence at the stoppages and prevent him from delivering the football inside 50.
Fremantle coach Mark Harvey indicated during the week that Pavlich may be used on Judd but that is unlikely to eventuate.
Ibbotson has good pace and has shown he is more than capable of winning the football - he has averaged a touch under 19 disposals per game this season.
Expect him to be given the unenviable task of tagging the Carlton skipper.
While Ibbotson will need to pay close attention to Judd at the stoppages he can’t afford to be too reactive as the 2004 Brownlow medallist will simply dominate.
Bryce Gibbs vs. Paul Hasleby
Hasleby was instrumental in his side’s win over West Coast with a game-high 35 possessions in a performance that earned him the Ross Glendinning medal.
The 27-year-old got his side back into the contest in the second half, winning the football in close and dishing it off by hand to the likes of Stephen Hill, Byron Schammer and co. in space.
The Blues will be keen to limit his influence in close as it will help shut-down Fremantle’s running game.
Gibbs has shown in his 49-game career that he is capable of quelling the influence of some of the competition’s best midfielders in the competition and also winning his fair share of the football.
Expect Carlton coach Brett Ratten to use Gibbs in an attacking run with role on Hasleby on Saturday night.
Gibbs, who has averaged 26 disposals per game so far in 2009, will try and hurt Haslbey going the other way with his clean use of the football.
VERDICT: This is a must-win match for Carlton if they are serious about finishing in the top-four. Fremantle has an uncanny knack of winning matches nobody expects them to but the Blues have a clear edge in the middle with Marc Murphy, Nick Stevens, Judd and Gibbs all in good form. Expect Carlton’s much-vaunted midfield to deliver the football lace out all night to Fevola who will kick a bag for the second week in a row. Blues by 41 points.
CARLTON v FREMANTLE
CARLTON
B: Richard Hadley, Bret Thornton, Michael Jamison
HB: Aaron Joseph, Paul Bower, Dennis Armfield
C: Chris Judd, Nick Stevens, Jarrad Waite
HF: Chris Yarran, Matthew Kreuzer, Kade Simpson
F: Cameron Cloke, Brendan Fevola, Eddie Betts
Foll: Shaun Hampson, Bryce Gibbs, Marc Murphy
I/C: Mark Austin, Jordan Russell, Heath Scotland, Simon Wiggins
Emg: Joe Anderson, Greg Bentley, Steven Browne
In: Austin, Hadley, Hampson, Yarran
Out: Greg Bentley, Andrew Carrazzo (hamstring), Ryan Houlihan, Setanta O’hAilpin
New: Chris Yarran (Swan Districts)
FREMANTLE
B: Roger Hayden, Michael Johnson, Antoni Grover
HB: Nic Suban, Luke McPharlin, Steven Dodd
C: Stephen Hill, Paul Hasleby, Garrick Ibbotson
HF: Paul Duffield, Chris Tarrant, Clayton Hinkley
F: Brett Peake, Matthew Pavlich, Dean Solomon
Foll: Aaron Sandilands, Byron Schammer, David Mundy
I/C: Ryan Murphy, Matt de Boer, Luke Pratt, Scott Thornton
Emg: Marcus Drum, Josh Head, Andrew Foster
In: Pratt
Out: Ryan Crowley (foot)
New: Luke Pratt (Swan Districts)
HEAD TO HEAD: Played: 20, Fremantle 11, Carlton 9
LAST TIME: Carlton 14.13 (97) def. Fremantle 14.4 (88), Round 9, 2008 at Etihad Stadium.
RECENT HISTORY: Fremantle has won nine of its past ten against Carlton but these two sides have never played each other in Queensland.
FORM: Carlton went down to Hawthorn by four points in a classic contest at the MCG last Saturday. Blues spearhead Brendan Fevola had a chance to win the game for his side in the last minute of the match but his set shot faded late. Brett Ratten’s men have won three of their first six matches. Fremantle has win its past two matches against Sydney and West Coast after starting the season with four straight losses.
MEDICAL ROOM: Carlton youngster Chris Yarran has recovered from a hamstring injury and will play his first game for the Blues but Andrew Carrazzo will miss the clash against the Dockers after suffering a hamstring injury in the loss to the Hawks. Shaun Grigg (ankle), Adam Bentick (knee) and ruckman Sam Jacobs (foot) are unavailable. Chris Johnson (quad) is expected to miss another month while former Fremantle Docker Roobie Warnock (foot) isn’t expected to play until the second half of the home-and-away season. For the Dockers, Ryan Crowley won’t return until the last month of the regular season after suffering a serious foot injury in the win over the Eagles while fellow midfielder Rhys Palmer is out for the season with a serious knee injury. Des Headland (calf) and small forward Hayden Ballantyne (wrist) are expected to be considered for selection in the coming weeks while utility Chris Mayne (shin stress fracture) won't play until after the week's break in June.
KEY MATCH-UPS: Antoni Grover vs. Brendan Fevola
Although he missed the match-winner, Fevola was without doubt one of his side’s best in the loss to the Hawks with eight goals.
The Blues star looms as the main danger man for Fremantle given his recent record against the Dockers - he has booted 14 goals in his past four matches against the West Australian side.
With Luke McPharlin spending more time up forward you would expect Grover to be given first crack at Fevola in what shapes as being a pivotal duel in determining the outcome of this contest.
The 28-year-old is at his most damaging when leading into space so Grover will need his midfield to apply immense pressure otherwise Carlton’s classy on-ball division will provide Fevola with plenty of quality supply.
Jarrad Waite vs. Matthew Pavlich
Pavlich has found his best form after a sluggish start to the season and will need to be contained if the Blues are going to secure their fourth win of the season.
The last time these two sides met in round nine last year Pavlich helped himself to 16 possessions, eight marks and four goals.
Waite has the height to match the Fremantle skipper if he starts up forward and also the tank to run with him if he pushes into the middle of the ground.
If Pavlich does start in the middle the Blues will need Waite to not only deny him any time or space but also be attacking and push forward and be a goal kicker in order to make the Dockers skipper accountable.
Garrick Ibbotson vs. Chris Judd
Judd led from the front in the loss to the Hawks, racking up a team-high 34 possessions and pumping the football inside 50 six times.
With Fremantle’s best midfield stopper in Crowley out of the side due to injury Judd could have yet another big game.
If the Dockers are going to be any chance of containing a Carlton forward line led by Fevola they will need to limit Judd’s influence at the stoppages and prevent him from delivering the football inside 50.
Fremantle coach Mark Harvey indicated during the week that Pavlich may be used on Judd but that is unlikely to eventuate.
Ibbotson has good pace and has shown he is more than capable of winning the football - he has averaged a touch under 19 disposals per game this season.
Expect him to be given the unenviable task of tagging the Carlton skipper.
While Ibbotson will need to pay close attention to Judd at the stoppages he can’t afford to be too reactive as the 2004 Brownlow medallist will simply dominate.
Bryce Gibbs vs. Paul Hasleby
Hasleby was instrumental in his side’s win over West Coast with a game-high 35 possessions in a performance that earned him the Ross Glendinning medal.
The 27-year-old got his side back into the contest in the second half, winning the football in close and dishing it off by hand to the likes of Stephen Hill, Byron Schammer and co. in space.
The Blues will be keen to limit his influence in close as it will help shut-down Fremantle’s running game.
Gibbs has shown in his 49-game career that he is capable of quelling the influence of some of the competition’s best midfielders in the competition and also winning his fair share of the football.
Expect Carlton coach Brett Ratten to use Gibbs in an attacking run with role on Hasleby on Saturday night.
Gibbs, who has averaged 26 disposals per game so far in 2009, will try and hurt Haslbey going the other way with his clean use of the football.
VERDICT: This is a must-win match for Carlton if they are serious about finishing in the top-four. Fremantle has an uncanny knack of winning matches nobody expects them to but the Blues have a clear edge in the middle with Marc Murphy, Nick Stevens, Judd and Gibbs all in good form. Expect Carlton’s much-vaunted midfield to deliver the football lace out all night to Fevola who will kick a bag for the second week in a row. Blues by 41 points.
CARLTON v FREMANTLE
CARLTON
B: Richard Hadley, Bret Thornton, Michael Jamison
HB: Aaron Joseph, Paul Bower, Dennis Armfield
C: Chris Judd, Nick Stevens, Jarrad Waite
HF: Chris Yarran, Matthew Kreuzer, Kade Simpson
F: Cameron Cloke, Brendan Fevola, Eddie Betts
Foll: Shaun Hampson, Bryce Gibbs, Marc Murphy
I/C: Mark Austin, Jordan Russell, Heath Scotland, Simon Wiggins
Emg: Joe Anderson, Greg Bentley, Steven Browne
In: Austin, Hadley, Hampson, Yarran
Out: Greg Bentley, Andrew Carrazzo (hamstring), Ryan Houlihan, Setanta O’hAilpin
New: Chris Yarran (Swan Districts)
FREMANTLE
B: Roger Hayden, Michael Johnson, Antoni Grover
HB: Nic Suban, Luke McPharlin, Steven Dodd
C: Stephen Hill, Paul Hasleby, Garrick Ibbotson
HF: Paul Duffield, Chris Tarrant, Clayton Hinkley
F: Brett Peake, Matthew Pavlich, Dean Solomon
Foll: Aaron Sandilands, Byron Schammer, David Mundy
I/C: Ryan Murphy, Matt de Boer, Luke Pratt, Scott Thornton
Emg: Marcus Drum, Josh Head, Andrew Foster
In: Pratt
Out: Ryan Crowley (foot)
New: Luke Pratt (Swan Districts)
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