TonyK
CibbuanoRound two preview: Brisbane v Carlton
March 31st 2010 15:16
VENUE and TIME: The Gabba, Thursday 1 April, 7.40pm (AEDT)
HEAD TO HEAD: Played: 37, Brisbane 15 , Carlton 22
LAST TIME: Brisbane 16.15 (111) def Carlton 15.14 (104), Elimination Final 2009 at the Gabba
RECENT HISTORY: Carlton has won three of its past four matches against Brisbane with two of those wins coming at the Gabba.
FORM: The Lions trailed West Coast at every change before turning it on in the final stanza to open their 2010 campaign with a 32-point win. The Blues put in a clinical performance in the season opener, thumping Richmond to the tune of 56 points.
MEDICAL ROOM: Brisbane will be without Amon Buchanan for up to six weeks after the former Swan suffered a broken thumb against the Eagles. Jamie Charman is five weeks away from returning from an ankle injury while ex-Saint Xavier Clarke (knee) is sidelined indefinitely. For Carlton, forward Brad Fisher (knee) won’t play until the second half of the home-and-away season while Mark Austin will miss another week with a groin injury.
KEY MATCH-UPS: Michael Jamison vs. Brendan Fevola
Fevola was lively in his debut for the Lions but let himself down in front of goal, booting a wasteful 3.7 and spraying one out of bounds on the full.
The 2009 Coleman medallist - who will be the centre of attention as he takes on his old side - has a habit of firing on the big stage.
Jamison will line-up on Fevola given that restricted him to just two goals and two marks when these two sides met in a NAB Challenge match earlier in the year.
A feature of Carlton’s win over the Tigers was their relentless pressure - they laid an impressive 78 tackles.
The Blues will need to apply the same level of pressure on Thursday night otherwise Fevola will feast on silver service from the Lions’ on-ballers.
Michael Rischitelli vs. Marc Murphy
Murphy is an integral part of the Carlton side as he is not only able to set up scoring opportunities for his teammates with his clean use of the football but he is also capable of having an impact on the scoreboard himself.
Rischitelli has matched up on Murphy in the past and will be given the job of running with the classy 22-year-old once again.
The Lions midfielder was impressive against West Coast with 28 possessions, including five clearances.
Brisbane will need Rischitelli to get his hands on the football at the stoppages once again as it will force Murphy to worry about his direct opponent which in turn will help limit his impact on the contest as an attacking midfielder.
Aaron Joseph vs. Simon Black
Black was instrumental in Brisbane’s stunning come-from-behind win over Carlton in an elimination final last year with a game-high 33 possessions - 19 of which were handballs.
The 2002 Brownlow medallist is damaging with his ability to win the contested football and use it cleanly by hand to find his teammates in space.
Limiting Black’s influence at the stoppages will be a key for the Blues if they are going to have any hope of containing the Lions’ twin towers in Jonathan Brown and Fevola who had 18 scoring shots between them last weekend.
Joseph is Carlton’s most effective tagger and will be given the task of trying to negate Black’s impact on the contest.
It is vital for the Blues that Joseph is switched on defensively for the full four quarters and denies Black any time or space in which to work in otherwise he will cut them to shreds with his sublime skills.
Ashley McGrath vs. Eddie Betts
Betts was one of his side’s most productive forwards in the win over Richmond with three goals.
If the Blues are going to have any hope of starting the season with back-to-back wins they will need the 23-year-old to fire once again.
However, Betts’ task won’t be an easy one as he will be matched up by McGrath who kept him quiet in the elimination final.
Not only does Carlton need Betts to have an impact on the scoreboard but they also need him to apply plenty of forward defensive pressure, as he did against the Tigers otherwise the Blues will be punished on the rebound by the likes of McGrath who racked up 19 possessions the last time these two sides met in 2009.
VERDICT: Carlton didn’t miss suspended skipper Chris Judd against Richmond but the Tigers’ midfield isn’t in the same class as Brisbane’s. Expect the Lions' on-ball brigade - led by Jared Brennan, young gun Daniel Rich and Black - to win more of the contested football and provide Brown and Fevola with ample quality supply. Lions by 25 points.
BRISBANE LIONS
B: Joel Patfull, Daniel Merrett, Ashley McGrath
HB: Jed Adcock, Matt Maguire, Travis Johnstone
C: Josh Drummond, Daniel Rich, Jared Brennan
HF: Luke Power, Jonathan Brown, Jack Redden
F: Brent Staker, Brendan Fevola, Justin Sherman
Foll: Mitch Clark, Michael Rischitelli, Simon Black
I/C: Cheynee Stiller, Andrew Raines, Matthew Leuenberger, Todd Banfield
Emg: Tom Rockliff, James Hawksley, Albert Proud
In: Stiller
Out: Amon Buchanan (thumb)
CARLTON
B: Aaron Joseph, Michael Jamison, Bret Thornton
HB: Joe Anderson, Paul Bower, Jordan Russell
C: Bryce Gibbs, Andrew Carrazzo, Heath Scotland
HF: Chris Yarran, Lachie Henderson, Eddie Betts
F: Jarrad Waite, Setanta O'hAilpin, Matthew Kreuzer
Foll: Robert Warnock, Brock McLean, Marc Murphy
I/C: Ryan Houlihan, Mitch Robinson, Kade Simpson, Andrew Walker
Emg: Dennis Armfield, Steven Browne, Sam Jacobs
No change
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