TonyK
CibbuanoRound ten preview: Essendon v Geelong
May 30th 2009 14:19
VENUE and TIME: Etihad Stadium, Sunday 31 May, 2.10pm (AEST)
HEAD TO HEAD: Played: 205: Essendon 112, Geelong 88, Drawn 5
LAST TIME: Geelong 22.18 (150) d Essendon 6.15 (51) at Etihad Stadium, Round 2, 2008
RECENT HISTORY: Geelong has won six of its past seven against Essendon with five of those wins coming at Etihad Stadium.
FORM: Geelong’s unbeaten start to the season almost came to an end last weekend but Western Bulldogs skipper Brad Johnson’s set shot after the siren from an acute sprayed wide as the Cats held on for a three-point win. Essendon overcame a sluggish start to thump Richmond to the tune of 40 points in the annual Dreamtime match at the MCG. The Bombers currently occupy sixth place on the AFL ladder with a 5-4 win-loss record.
MEDICAL ROOM: The Cats welcome back veteran defender Darren Milburn from an ankle injury but will be without Ryan Gamble who suffered concussion in the win over the Dogs. Paul Chapman (finger) and Shannon Byrnes (hamstring) will miss at least a week while Brad Ottens is a chance to return in round 12 from a knee injury. Matthew Egan (foot), Josh Hunt (knee) and youngster Mitch Brown (broken leg) are out for the season. For the Bombers, Hayden Skipworth and Mark McVeigh return from hamstring and ankle injuries respectively but veteran Courtenay Dempsey will miss after suffering an ankle injury against the Tigers. Dustin Fletcher (leg), Scott Gumbleton (back) and Andrew Welsh (ankle) remain on the sidelines while ruckman David Hille is out for the year with a knee injury.
KEY MATCH-UPS: Heath Hocking vs. Gary Ablett
Ablett made a stunning return from injury against the Bulldogs last weekend, helping himself to a game-high 38 possessions and four goal assists.
The last time these two sides met in round two last year Ablett earned the three Brownlow votes for his 36-possessions, one goal and seven inside 50’s.
Shutting down Ablett’s creative run will be a key for the Bombers if they are going to contain a Geelong side that has the most potent forward line in the AFL.
Hocking has been given some big tagging jobs so far in 2009 and will most likely be given the unenviable task of running with the Cats star.
While it vital that Hocking doesn’t give Ablett any time or space at the stoppages, the Dons need their young midfielder to be proactive and get his hands on the football in order to make the 25-year-old accountable.
Cameron Ling vs. Jobe Watson
Watson overcame a slow start against Richmond to finish the match with 24 disposals - 14 of which were by hand.
The son of former Essendon champion Tim Watson is an integral part of the Bombers midfield with his ability to win the football in close and dish it off by hand to find speedsters such as Andrew Lovett, Jason Winderlich and Alwyn Davey in space.
Limiting his influence at the stoppages will go a long way towards shutting down the Dons’ running game.
Watson faces a tough afternoon at the office with the number one tagger in the competition in Ling to be his direct opponent.
Not only will Ling apply relentless pressure all day but he will also try and hurt Watson going the other way - in the round two clash last year Ling collected 31 touches and booted one goal in a performance that earned him the two Brownlow medal votes.
Adam McPhee vs. Steve Johnson
Johnson was instrumental in the win over the Bulldogs, booting five goals to take his season tally to 26 majors.
McPhee is able to match Johnson in the air and at ground level and will most likely be given first crack at the Cats leading goal kicker.
Expect McPhee, who has averaged just under 18 possessions per game so far this season, to run off Johnson at every available opportunity and try and hurt him on the rebound.
If the former Fremantle Docker is going to have any hope of containing the classy Geelong forward he will need his midfield to suffocate the Cats with their pressure and deny them the use of the corridor otherwise Johnson will receive enough quality supply to kick yet another bag.
Matthew Scarlett vs. Matthew Lloyd
Lloyd continued his solid start to the season with four goals against Richmond last weekend.
The Dons will need another big performance from their skipper if they are going to secure their sixth win of the season.
However, his task won’t be an easy one as he will be matched up by one of the best defenders in the competition in Scarlett.
If Lloyd is going to have any impact on the scoreboard he will need his midfield to break the lines and deliver the football cleanly inside 50 otherwise they will be punished on the rebound by the likes of Scarlett who had 27 possessions against the Dogs.
VERDICT: Essendon has claimed some major scalps so far this season but it is highly unlikely that they will string together back-to-back wins on Sunday for the first time since round three. The Bombers will take the game on and have brief periods of dominance but Geelong has simply too much class and will punish the Dons on the rebound. Cats by 26 points.
ESSENDON v GEELONG
ESSENDON
B: Henry Slattery, Tayte Pears, Bachar Houli
HB: Brent Stanton, Adam McPhee, Cale Hooker
C: Ricky Dyson, Heath Hocking, David Zaharakis
HF: Angus Monfries, Jay Neagle, Andrew Lovett
F: Alwyn Davey, Matthew Lloyd, Sam Lonergan
Foll: Patrick Ryder, Jobe Watson, Jason Winderlich
I/C: Tom Bellchambers, Hayden Skipworth, Leroy Jetta, Mark McVeigh
Emg: Scott Lucas, David Myers, Jay Nash
In: Skipworth, McVeigh
Out: Courtenay Dempsey (ankle), Nathan Lovett-Murray (susp)
GEELONG
B: Andrew Mackie, Matthew Scarlett, David Johnson
HB: Joel Corey, Tom Harley, Darren Milburn
C: Jimmy Bartel, Corey Enright, David Wojcinski
HF: James Kelly, Cameron Mooney, Gary Ablett
F: Travis Varcoe, Tom Hawkins, Steve Johnson
Foll: Mark Blake, Joel Selwood, Cameron Ling
I/C: Shane Mumford, Nathan Djerrkura, Max Rooke, Harry Taylor
Emg: Shannon Byrnes, Ryan Gamble, Kane Tenace
In: Djerrkura, Mooney, Milburn
Out: Mathew Stokes (susp), Paul Chapman (finger), Ryan Gamble
New: Nathan Djerrkura (Wanderers/NT)
HEAD TO HEAD: Played: 205: Essendon 112, Geelong 88, Drawn 5
LAST TIME: Geelong 22.18 (150) d Essendon 6.15 (51) at Etihad Stadium, Round 2, 2008
RECENT HISTORY: Geelong has won six of its past seven against Essendon with five of those wins coming at Etihad Stadium.
FORM: Geelong’s unbeaten start to the season almost came to an end last weekend but Western Bulldogs skipper Brad Johnson’s set shot after the siren from an acute sprayed wide as the Cats held on for a three-point win. Essendon overcame a sluggish start to thump Richmond to the tune of 40 points in the annual Dreamtime match at the MCG. The Bombers currently occupy sixth place on the AFL ladder with a 5-4 win-loss record.
MEDICAL ROOM: The Cats welcome back veteran defender Darren Milburn from an ankle injury but will be without Ryan Gamble who suffered concussion in the win over the Dogs. Paul Chapman (finger) and Shannon Byrnes (hamstring) will miss at least a week while Brad Ottens is a chance to return in round 12 from a knee injury. Matthew Egan (foot), Josh Hunt (knee) and youngster Mitch Brown (broken leg) are out for the season. For the Bombers, Hayden Skipworth and Mark McVeigh return from hamstring and ankle injuries respectively but veteran Courtenay Dempsey will miss after suffering an ankle injury against the Tigers. Dustin Fletcher (leg), Scott Gumbleton (back) and Andrew Welsh (ankle) remain on the sidelines while ruckman David Hille is out for the year with a knee injury.
KEY MATCH-UPS: Heath Hocking vs. Gary Ablett
Ablett made a stunning return from injury against the Bulldogs last weekend, helping himself to a game-high 38 possessions and four goal assists.
The last time these two sides met in round two last year Ablett earned the three Brownlow votes for his 36-possessions, one goal and seven inside 50’s.
Shutting down Ablett’s creative run will be a key for the Bombers if they are going to contain a Geelong side that has the most potent forward line in the AFL.
Hocking has been given some big tagging jobs so far in 2009 and will most likely be given the unenviable task of running with the Cats star.
While it vital that Hocking doesn’t give Ablett any time or space at the stoppages, the Dons need their young midfielder to be proactive and get his hands on the football in order to make the 25-year-old accountable.
Cameron Ling vs. Jobe Watson
Watson overcame a slow start against Richmond to finish the match with 24 disposals - 14 of which were by hand.
The son of former Essendon champion Tim Watson is an integral part of the Bombers midfield with his ability to win the football in close and dish it off by hand to find speedsters such as Andrew Lovett, Jason Winderlich and Alwyn Davey in space.
Limiting his influence at the stoppages will go a long way towards shutting down the Dons’ running game.
Watson faces a tough afternoon at the office with the number one tagger in the competition in Ling to be his direct opponent.
Not only will Ling apply relentless pressure all day but he will also try and hurt Watson going the other way - in the round two clash last year Ling collected 31 touches and booted one goal in a performance that earned him the two Brownlow medal votes.
Adam McPhee vs. Steve Johnson
Johnson was instrumental in the win over the Bulldogs, booting five goals to take his season tally to 26 majors.
McPhee is able to match Johnson in the air and at ground level and will most likely be given first crack at the Cats leading goal kicker.
Expect McPhee, who has averaged just under 18 possessions per game so far this season, to run off Johnson at every available opportunity and try and hurt him on the rebound.
If the former Fremantle Docker is going to have any hope of containing the classy Geelong forward he will need his midfield to suffocate the Cats with their pressure and deny them the use of the corridor otherwise Johnson will receive enough quality supply to kick yet another bag.
Matthew Scarlett vs. Matthew Lloyd
Lloyd continued his solid start to the season with four goals against Richmond last weekend.
The Dons will need another big performance from their skipper if they are going to secure their sixth win of the season.
However, his task won’t be an easy one as he will be matched up by one of the best defenders in the competition in Scarlett.
If Lloyd is going to have any impact on the scoreboard he will need his midfield to break the lines and deliver the football cleanly inside 50 otherwise they will be punished on the rebound by the likes of Scarlett who had 27 possessions against the Dogs.
VERDICT: Essendon has claimed some major scalps so far this season but it is highly unlikely that they will string together back-to-back wins on Sunday for the first time since round three. The Bombers will take the game on and have brief periods of dominance but Geelong has simply too much class and will punish the Dons on the rebound. Cats by 26 points.
ESSENDON v GEELONG
ESSENDON
B: Henry Slattery, Tayte Pears, Bachar Houli
HB: Brent Stanton, Adam McPhee, Cale Hooker
C: Ricky Dyson, Heath Hocking, David Zaharakis
HF: Angus Monfries, Jay Neagle, Andrew Lovett
F: Alwyn Davey, Matthew Lloyd, Sam Lonergan
Foll: Patrick Ryder, Jobe Watson, Jason Winderlich
I/C: Tom Bellchambers, Hayden Skipworth, Leroy Jetta, Mark McVeigh
Emg: Scott Lucas, David Myers, Jay Nash
In: Skipworth, McVeigh
Out: Courtenay Dempsey (ankle), Nathan Lovett-Murray (susp)
GEELONG
B: Andrew Mackie, Matthew Scarlett, David Johnson
HB: Joel Corey, Tom Harley, Darren Milburn
C: Jimmy Bartel, Corey Enright, David Wojcinski
HF: James Kelly, Cameron Mooney, Gary Ablett
F: Travis Varcoe, Tom Hawkins, Steve Johnson
Foll: Mark Blake, Joel Selwood, Cameron Ling
I/C: Shane Mumford, Nathan Djerrkura, Max Rooke, Harry Taylor
Emg: Shannon Byrnes, Ryan Gamble, Kane Tenace
In: Djerrkura, Mooney, Milburn
Out: Mathew Stokes (susp), Paul Chapman (finger), Ryan Gamble
New: Nathan Djerrkura (Wanderers/NT)
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