TonyK
CibbuanoRound six preview: West Coast v Fremantle
May 1st 2009 13:46
VENUE and TIME: Subiaco Oval, Saturday 2 May, 4.10pm (AEST)
HEAD TO HEAD: Played: 28, West Coast 18, Fremantle 10
LAST TIME: Fremantle 17.14 (116) def West Coast 12.11 (83), Round 18 2008 at Subiaco.
RECENT HISTORY: Fremantle has won six of the past ten matches against West Coast, including the last three.
FORM: Fremantle broke through for its first win of the season last weekend, downing Sydney by 21 points at Subiaco Oval last weekend. The Dockers got the early jump before surviving several challenges from the Swans in the second half. West Coast went down to Hawthorn by 18 points in slippery conditions at Aurora Stadium last Saturday. The Eagles find themselves in 11th place on the ladder with a 2-3 win-loss record.
MEDICAL ROOM: West Coast welcomes back young midfielder Chris Masten who missed the loss to the Hawks with a corked thigh. Luke Shuey is out indefinitely with a groin injury. Top draft pick Nick Naitanui will have a fitness test on his hamstring before playing his first match of the season in the WAFL reserves while rugged utility Beau Waters (elbow) will miss the remainder of the season. The Dockers will be without midfielder Rhys Palmer who suffered a season-ending knee injury in the win over the Swans. Des Headland (calf/possible stress fracture) is at least one to two weeks away from playing while Chris Mayne (ankle) isn’t expected to return before round nine. Elevated rookie Greg Broughton (ankle) will miss at least another week while small forward Hayden Ballantyne (wrist) may be available to debut in a fortnight.
KEY MATCH-UPS: Darren Glass vs. Matthew Pavlich
Pavlich played his best game of the season last weekend, helping himself to 27 possessions and three goals.
The last time these two sides met in round 18 last year Pavlich collected 22 touches and booted four goals to help inspire his side to a 33-point win.
The Fremantle skipper has a history of performing well in the derby clashes - he has won the past two Ross Glendinning medals.
Curtailing the influence of Pavlich will be a key for the Eagles if they are going to secure their third win of the season.
Glass has returned to All-Australian form after struggling with injury in 2008 and will be given the task of matching up on Pavlich in what will be a pivotal duel in determining the outcome of this contest.
If Fremantle fails to get the football quickly inside 50 Pavlich will struggle to have an impact as Glass is one of the best spoilers and readers of the play in the competition.
Ryan Crowley vs. Daniel Kerr
Kerr failed to have an impact in the loss to the Hawks last Saturday, managing just 10 possessions.
The Eagles star will be keen to bounce back and will need to be watched closely, especially at the stoppages where he is damaging with his ability to win the football at close quarters and create.
Crowley is Fremantle’s best stopper in the midfield and will be given the task of tagging Kerr.
In West Coast’s two matches at home so far this season Kerr has turned the game on its head in the third quarter, so Crowley will need to pay close attention to him for the full four quarters and not give him any time or space.
Crowley will also need to win his fair share of the football and push forward and kick goals in order to make Kerr accountable.
Dean Cox vs. Aaron Sandilands
Sandilands played a key role in the Dockers’ win over Sydney, racking up a staggering 46 hit outs.
The Fremantle big man faces a big challenge on Saturday with his direct opponent to be the in-form Cox.
Sandilands and Cox are relatively evenly matched in terms of hit outs per game but it is around the ground where the Eagles ruckman holds the edge.
Cox averages just under 25 disposals per game while Sandilands has averaged just 15 possessions in 2009.
The Eagles will need Cox to run Sandilands ragged and also hurt him by kicking goals - something which he has failed to do on a consistent basis so far this season.
Roger Hayden vs. Mark LeCras
LeCras had his first goalless game of the season last weekend and will be keen to bounce back against the Dockers.
When these two sides met in round 18 last year LeCras was his side’s most productive forward with four goals.
The Eagles forward doesn’t need much of the football to have a meaningful impact and will need to be watched closely.
Hayden is usually given the job on the opposition’s best small forward and will most likely be given the job of matching up on the dangerous LeCras.
Expect Hayden, who has averaged 17 possessions per game so far in ‘09, to run off LeCras at every available opportunity and try and hurt him on the rebound.
VERDICT: Fremantle will fancy their chances of recording back-to-back wins given their recent record against West Coast but the Eagles should win on Saturday with their depth in the middle and the class of Cox and Kerr to be the difference in what promises to be a titanic struggle. Eagles by nine points.
WEST COAST v FREMANTLE
WEST COAST
B: David Wirrpanda, Darren Glass, Eric Mackenzie
HB: Shannon Hurn, Mitch Brown, Adam Selwood
C: Andrew Embley, Matt Priddis, Matt Rosa
HF: Sam Butler, Ashley Hansen, Mark Nicoski
F: Ben McKinley, Quinten Lynch, Mark LeCras
Foll: Dean Cox, Daniel Kerr, Chris Masten
I/C: Adam Cockie, Adam Hunter, Brett Jones, Brent Staker
Emg: Will Schofield, Mark Seaby, Tyson Stenglein
In: Cockie, Masten
Out: Will Schofield, Tyson Stenglein
New: Adam Cockie (Subiaco/rookie elevation)
FREMANTLE
B: Roger Hayden, Michael Johnson, Antoni Grover
HB: Nic Suban, Luke McPharlin, Steven Dodd
C: Byron Schammer, Paul Hasleby, Garrick Ibbotson
HF: Paul Duffield, Chris Tarrant, Stephen Hill
F: Brett Peake, Matthew Pavlich, Dean Solomon
Foll: Aaron Sandilands, Ryan Crowley, David Mundy
I/C: Ryan Murphy, Matthew de Boer, Clayton Hinkley, Scott Thornton
Emg: Marcus Drum, Andrew Foster, Daniel Gilmore
In: de Boer
Out: Rhys Palmer (knee)
New: Matthew de Boer (Claremont/rookie elevation)
HEAD TO HEAD: Played: 28, West Coast 18, Fremantle 10
LAST TIME: Fremantle 17.14 (116) def West Coast 12.11 (83), Round 18 2008 at Subiaco.
RECENT HISTORY: Fremantle has won six of the past ten matches against West Coast, including the last three.
FORM: Fremantle broke through for its first win of the season last weekend, downing Sydney by 21 points at Subiaco Oval last weekend. The Dockers got the early jump before surviving several challenges from the Swans in the second half. West Coast went down to Hawthorn by 18 points in slippery conditions at Aurora Stadium last Saturday. The Eagles find themselves in 11th place on the ladder with a 2-3 win-loss record.
MEDICAL ROOM: West Coast welcomes back young midfielder Chris Masten who missed the loss to the Hawks with a corked thigh. Luke Shuey is out indefinitely with a groin injury. Top draft pick Nick Naitanui will have a fitness test on his hamstring before playing his first match of the season in the WAFL reserves while rugged utility Beau Waters (elbow) will miss the remainder of the season. The Dockers will be without midfielder Rhys Palmer who suffered a season-ending knee injury in the win over the Swans. Des Headland (calf/possible stress fracture) is at least one to two weeks away from playing while Chris Mayne (ankle) isn’t expected to return before round nine. Elevated rookie Greg Broughton (ankle) will miss at least another week while small forward Hayden Ballantyne (wrist) may be available to debut in a fortnight.
KEY MATCH-UPS: Darren Glass vs. Matthew Pavlich
Pavlich played his best game of the season last weekend, helping himself to 27 possessions and three goals.
The last time these two sides met in round 18 last year Pavlich collected 22 touches and booted four goals to help inspire his side to a 33-point win.
The Fremantle skipper has a history of performing well in the derby clashes - he has won the past two Ross Glendinning medals.
Curtailing the influence of Pavlich will be a key for the Eagles if they are going to secure their third win of the season.
Glass has returned to All-Australian form after struggling with injury in 2008 and will be given the task of matching up on Pavlich in what will be a pivotal duel in determining the outcome of this contest.
If Fremantle fails to get the football quickly inside 50 Pavlich will struggle to have an impact as Glass is one of the best spoilers and readers of the play in the competition.
Ryan Crowley vs. Daniel Kerr
Kerr failed to have an impact in the loss to the Hawks last Saturday, managing just 10 possessions.
The Eagles star will be keen to bounce back and will need to be watched closely, especially at the stoppages where he is damaging with his ability to win the football at close quarters and create.
Crowley is Fremantle’s best stopper in the midfield and will be given the task of tagging Kerr.
In West Coast’s two matches at home so far this season Kerr has turned the game on its head in the third quarter, so Crowley will need to pay close attention to him for the full four quarters and not give him any time or space.
Crowley will also need to win his fair share of the football and push forward and kick goals in order to make Kerr accountable.
Dean Cox vs. Aaron Sandilands
Sandilands played a key role in the Dockers’ win over Sydney, racking up a staggering 46 hit outs.
The Fremantle big man faces a big challenge on Saturday with his direct opponent to be the in-form Cox.
Sandilands and Cox are relatively evenly matched in terms of hit outs per game but it is around the ground where the Eagles ruckman holds the edge.
Cox averages just under 25 disposals per game while Sandilands has averaged just 15 possessions in 2009.
The Eagles will need Cox to run Sandilands ragged and also hurt him by kicking goals - something which he has failed to do on a consistent basis so far this season.
Roger Hayden vs. Mark LeCras
LeCras had his first goalless game of the season last weekend and will be keen to bounce back against the Dockers.
When these two sides met in round 18 last year LeCras was his side’s most productive forward with four goals.
The Eagles forward doesn’t need much of the football to have a meaningful impact and will need to be watched closely.
Hayden is usually given the job on the opposition’s best small forward and will most likely be given the job of matching up on the dangerous LeCras.
Expect Hayden, who has averaged 17 possessions per game so far in ‘09, to run off LeCras at every available opportunity and try and hurt him on the rebound.
VERDICT: Fremantle will fancy their chances of recording back-to-back wins given their recent record against West Coast but the Eagles should win on Saturday with their depth in the middle and the class of Cox and Kerr to be the difference in what promises to be a titanic struggle. Eagles by nine points.
WEST COAST v FREMANTLE
WEST COAST
B: David Wirrpanda, Darren Glass, Eric Mackenzie
HB: Shannon Hurn, Mitch Brown, Adam Selwood
C: Andrew Embley, Matt Priddis, Matt Rosa
HF: Sam Butler, Ashley Hansen, Mark Nicoski
F: Ben McKinley, Quinten Lynch, Mark LeCras
Foll: Dean Cox, Daniel Kerr, Chris Masten
I/C: Adam Cockie, Adam Hunter, Brett Jones, Brent Staker
Emg: Will Schofield, Mark Seaby, Tyson Stenglein
In: Cockie, Masten
Out: Will Schofield, Tyson Stenglein
New: Adam Cockie (Subiaco/rookie elevation)
FREMANTLE
B: Roger Hayden, Michael Johnson, Antoni Grover
HB: Nic Suban, Luke McPharlin, Steven Dodd
C: Byron Schammer, Paul Hasleby, Garrick Ibbotson
HF: Paul Duffield, Chris Tarrant, Stephen Hill
F: Brett Peake, Matthew Pavlich, Dean Solomon
Foll: Aaron Sandilands, Ryan Crowley, David Mundy
I/C: Ryan Murphy, Matthew de Boer, Clayton Hinkley, Scott Thornton
Emg: Marcus Drum, Andrew Foster, Daniel Gilmore
In: de Boer
Out: Rhys Palmer (knee)
New: Matthew de Boer (Claremont/rookie elevation)
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