TonyK
CibbuanoRound seven preview: Geelong v Sydney
May 8th 2009 14:14
VENUE and TIME: Skilled Stadium, Saturday 9 May, 2.10pm (AEST)
HEAD TO HEAD: Played: 204: Geelong 111, Sydney 93, Drawn 5
LAST TIME: Geelong 20.13 (133) d Sydney 14.10 (94) at ANZ Stadium, Round 20, 2008
RECENT HISTORY: Geelong has won its past four against Sydney and hasn’t lost to the Swans in the past five matches between the two sides at Skilled Stadium.
FORM: Geelong maintained its unbeaten start to the season with a 43-point win over Melbourne at the MCG last Sunday. However, they remain in second place on the ladder as St Kilda has a superior percentage. Sydney bounced back from a disappointing 21-point loss to Fremantle with a hard-fought 19-point victory over Richmond at the SCG. The Swans currently occupy eighth place on the ladder with a 3-3 win-loss record.
MEDICAL ROOM: The Cats welcome back skipper Tom Harley for his first game of the season following knee surgery and tagger Cameron Ling who missed the past two matches with Achilles soreness. But star midfielder Gary Ablett will miss at least a fortnight with a groin injury while Matthew Egan (foot), Josh Hunt (knee) and youngster Mitch Brown (fractured leg) will miss the rest of the season. For the Swans, key defender Leo Barry (knee), former Cat Henry Playfair (hamstring) and promising youngster Patrick Veszpremi (ruptured finger tendon) are unavailable.
KEY MATCH-UPS: Brett Kirk vs. James Bartel
Bartel played a key role in the win over the Demons, racking up a game-high 41 possessions and pumping the football inside 50 six times.
The last time these two sides met in round 20 last year Bartel was among his side’s best with 29 disposals and one goal.
Bartel does his best work at close quarters - he is third at the Cats for contested possessions and clearances.
The Swans will need to limit his influence at the stoppages if they are going to be any hope of stopping Geelong from getting their running game going.
Like Bartel, Kirk is highly effective in close looms as the obvious candidate to go head-to-head with the 2007 Brownlow medallist in what will be a pivotal duel.
Kirk, who is ranked first in the AFL for tackles per game with an average of 8.8 per game, will make Bartel earn every possession.
Matthew Scarlett vs. Barry Hall
Hall made a solid return from injury against the Tigers last weekend, finishing the match with 11 possessions, 10 marks and two goals.
He will be better for the run and will be keen to have a big game on Saturday.
In the round 20 clash last year Hall was his side’s most productive forward with five goals.
The Swans will need a similar performance from him if they are going to secure a valuable win away from home.
However, his task won’t be an easy one as he will most likely be matched up by Geelong’s best defender in Scarlett.
If Hall is going to have any chance of having an impact he will need his midfield to be clean with their use of the football going forward otherwise they will be punished on the rebound by the likes of Scarlett who leads the Cats for rebound 50’s.
Craig Bolton vs. Cameron Mooney
Mooney was among his side’s best the last time these two sides met with 16 possessions, ten marks, two goals and four goal assists in a performance that earned him the two Brownlow medal votes.
The 29-year-old is damaging with his ability to not only kick goals but also consistently create scoring opportunities for his teammates.
The largely underrated Bolton is one of the best defenders in the competition and looms as the obvious candidate to match-up on Mooney.
If Bolton is going to win his battle with Mooney he will need his midfield to deny Geelong the use of the corridor and stop them from moving the football quickly by applying immense pressure.
Cameron Ling vs. Adam Goodes
Goodes was well below his best in the win over the Tigers, managing just 17 possessions.
The dual Brownlow medallist rarely has two bad games in a row and will need to be watched closely.
The 29-year-old is damaging with his ability to break the lines and kick goals.
Geelong will be keen to shut-down his run and carry and will use their best midfielder stopper in Ling in a negating role.
Ling, who is regarded as the best tagger in the competition, won’t give Goodes any time or space in which to work his magic.
Expect Ling, who is good overhead and a reliable kick in front of goal, to push forward at every available opportunity and make the Swans star accountable.
VERDICT: Geelong is missing their best player in Ablett but they still have plenty of class in the middle and will win more than their fair share of the football and provide their forwards with enough quality supply to kick a winning score. Cats by 27 points.
GEELONG v SYDNEY SWANS
GEELONG
B: Andrew Mackie, Matthew Scarlett, Darren Milburn
HB: Joel Corey, Harry Taylor, Max Rooke
C: Jimmy Bartel, Corey Enright, David Wojcinski
HF: James Kelly, Cameron Mooney, Mathew Stokes
F: Paul Chapman, Tom Hawkins, Steve Johnson
Foll: Mark Blake, Joel Selwood, Cameron Ling
I/C: Tom Harley, Shane Mumford, Travis Varcoe, Shannon Byrnes
Emg: Tom Lonergan, David Johnson, Ryan Gamble
In: Harley, Ling
Out: Gary Ablett (groin), David Johnson
SYDNEY SWANS
B: Craig Bolton, Lewis Roberts-Thomson, Martin Mattner
HB: Rhyce Shaw, Heath Grundy, Paul Bevan
C: Adam Goodes, Brett Kirk, Amon Buchanan
HF: Ryan O’Keefe, Ted Richards, Kieren Jack
F: Jarred Moore, Barry Hall, Michael O’Loughlin
Foll: Darren Jolly, Jarrad McVeigh, Jude Bolton
I/C: Nick Malceski, Brett Meredith, Mike Pyke, Kristin Thornton
Emg: Luke Ablett, Ed Barlow, Jesse White
No change
HEAD TO HEAD: Played: 204: Geelong 111, Sydney 93, Drawn 5
LAST TIME: Geelong 20.13 (133) d Sydney 14.10 (94) at ANZ Stadium, Round 20, 2008
RECENT HISTORY: Geelong has won its past four against Sydney and hasn’t lost to the Swans in the past five matches between the two sides at Skilled Stadium.
FORM: Geelong maintained its unbeaten start to the season with a 43-point win over Melbourne at the MCG last Sunday. However, they remain in second place on the ladder as St Kilda has a superior percentage. Sydney bounced back from a disappointing 21-point loss to Fremantle with a hard-fought 19-point victory over Richmond at the SCG. The Swans currently occupy eighth place on the ladder with a 3-3 win-loss record.
MEDICAL ROOM: The Cats welcome back skipper Tom Harley for his first game of the season following knee surgery and tagger Cameron Ling who missed the past two matches with Achilles soreness. But star midfielder Gary Ablett will miss at least a fortnight with a groin injury while Matthew Egan (foot), Josh Hunt (knee) and youngster Mitch Brown (fractured leg) will miss the rest of the season. For the Swans, key defender Leo Barry (knee), former Cat Henry Playfair (hamstring) and promising youngster Patrick Veszpremi (ruptured finger tendon) are unavailable.
KEY MATCH-UPS: Brett Kirk vs. James Bartel
Bartel played a key role in the win over the Demons, racking up a game-high 41 possessions and pumping the football inside 50 six times.
The last time these two sides met in round 20 last year Bartel was among his side’s best with 29 disposals and one goal.
Bartel does his best work at close quarters - he is third at the Cats for contested possessions and clearances.
The Swans will need to limit his influence at the stoppages if they are going to be any hope of stopping Geelong from getting their running game going.
Like Bartel, Kirk is highly effective in close looms as the obvious candidate to go head-to-head with the 2007 Brownlow medallist in what will be a pivotal duel.
Kirk, who is ranked first in the AFL for tackles per game with an average of 8.8 per game, will make Bartel earn every possession.
Matthew Scarlett vs. Barry Hall
Hall made a solid return from injury against the Tigers last weekend, finishing the match with 11 possessions, 10 marks and two goals.
He will be better for the run and will be keen to have a big game on Saturday.
In the round 20 clash last year Hall was his side’s most productive forward with five goals.
The Swans will need a similar performance from him if they are going to secure a valuable win away from home.
However, his task won’t be an easy one as he will most likely be matched up by Geelong’s best defender in Scarlett.
If Hall is going to have any chance of having an impact he will need his midfield to be clean with their use of the football going forward otherwise they will be punished on the rebound by the likes of Scarlett who leads the Cats for rebound 50’s.
Craig Bolton vs. Cameron Mooney
Mooney was among his side’s best the last time these two sides met with 16 possessions, ten marks, two goals and four goal assists in a performance that earned him the two Brownlow medal votes.
The 29-year-old is damaging with his ability to not only kick goals but also consistently create scoring opportunities for his teammates.
The largely underrated Bolton is one of the best defenders in the competition and looms as the obvious candidate to match-up on Mooney.
If Bolton is going to win his battle with Mooney he will need his midfield to deny Geelong the use of the corridor and stop them from moving the football quickly by applying immense pressure.
Cameron Ling vs. Adam Goodes
Goodes was well below his best in the win over the Tigers, managing just 17 possessions.
The dual Brownlow medallist rarely has two bad games in a row and will need to be watched closely.
The 29-year-old is damaging with his ability to break the lines and kick goals.
Geelong will be keen to shut-down his run and carry and will use their best midfielder stopper in Ling in a negating role.
Ling, who is regarded as the best tagger in the competition, won’t give Goodes any time or space in which to work his magic.
Expect Ling, who is good overhead and a reliable kick in front of goal, to push forward at every available opportunity and make the Swans star accountable.
VERDICT: Geelong is missing their best player in Ablett but they still have plenty of class in the middle and will win more than their fair share of the football and provide their forwards with enough quality supply to kick a winning score. Cats by 27 points.
GEELONG v SYDNEY SWANS
GEELONG
B: Andrew Mackie, Matthew Scarlett, Darren Milburn
HB: Joel Corey, Harry Taylor, Max Rooke
C: Jimmy Bartel, Corey Enright, David Wojcinski
HF: James Kelly, Cameron Mooney, Mathew Stokes
F: Paul Chapman, Tom Hawkins, Steve Johnson
Foll: Mark Blake, Joel Selwood, Cameron Ling
I/C: Tom Harley, Shane Mumford, Travis Varcoe, Shannon Byrnes
Emg: Tom Lonergan, David Johnson, Ryan Gamble
In: Harley, Ling
Out: Gary Ablett (groin), David Johnson
SYDNEY SWANS
B: Craig Bolton, Lewis Roberts-Thomson, Martin Mattner
HB: Rhyce Shaw, Heath Grundy, Paul Bevan
C: Adam Goodes, Brett Kirk, Amon Buchanan
HF: Ryan O’Keefe, Ted Richards, Kieren Jack
F: Jarred Moore, Barry Hall, Michael O’Loughlin
Foll: Darren Jolly, Jarrad McVeigh, Jude Bolton
I/C: Nick Malceski, Brett Meredith, Mike Pyke, Kristin Thornton
Emg: Luke Ablett, Ed Barlow, Jesse White
No change
| 14 |
| Vote |
subscribe to this blog
