TonyK
CibbuanoRound two preview: West Coast v Port Adelaide
April 2nd 2010 11:51
VENUE and TIME: Subiaco Oval, Saturday April 3, 5:40pm AWST (8.40pm AEDT)
HEAD TO HEAD: Played: 19, Port Adelaide 13, West Coast 6
LAST TIME: Port Adelaide 17.10 (112) d West Coast 11.10 (76), Round 16, 2009 at AAMI Stadium
RECENT HISTORY: Port Adelaide has won eight of its past ten matches against West Coast but only two of those wins came at Subiaco Oval.
FORM: West Coast led Brisbane at every change at the Gabba last Saturday night before fading badly in the last term as the Lions romped to a 32-point victory. Port got the early jump and survived a spirited fight-back from North to win their opening round clash by 14 points.
MEDICAL ROOM: Star Eagles small forward Mark LeCras will miss the match against the Power with hamstring soreness while Ryan Neates (shoulder), Adam Cockie (knee), Brad Sheppard (fractured eye socket) and Koby Stevens (knee) are a few weeks away from playing. Tim Houlihan (lacerated foot) isn’t expected to be considered for selection until at least round 10. For Port, Robert Gray, Daniel Motlop and young gun Hamish Hartlett will miss at least another week with hamstring injuries while John Butcher (back) and Marlon Motlop (foot stress fractures) are sidelined indefinitely.
Kane Cornes vs. Daniel Kerr
Kerr was instrumental in the Eagles’ 50-point win over Port at Subiaco Oval in round two last year with 28 possessions and four goals in a performance that earned him the three Brownlow medal votes.
Power coach Mark Williams didn’t put a tag on Kerr that day - he won’t make the same mistake twice.
Cornes is capable of not only quelling the influence of his opponents but also winning his fair share of the football - highlighted by his effort in round one when he kept Kangaroos star Daniel Wells to 16 possessions and collected 39 of his own.
It is vital for the Eagles that Kerr works hard going both ways.
Darren Glass vs. Warren Tredrea
Tredrea got his season off to a solid start with 13 possessions, five marks, two goals and seven inside 50’s against North.
The former Port skipper will be keen to back it up with a big performance in what will be his 250th game.
However, his task won’t be any easy one as he will be matched up by Glass who kept him goalless the last time these two sides met at Subiaco Oval.
The West Coast captain is regarded as one of the best spoilers of the football in the competition so the Power will need to be quick and precise with their delivery inside 50.
Alipate Carlile vs. Josh Kennedy
Kennedy was West Coast’s second most productive forward behind LeCras in 2009 and will need to fire to if the Eagles are going to record their first win of the season.
With Quinten Lynch out of the side you would expect Kennedy to play out of the square which means he will be matched up by Carlile.
West Coast was guilty of bombing the football haphazardly into the forward line at time last weekend - especially during the last quarter.
The Eagles will need to be smarter with their use of the football going forward on Saturday night otherwise they will be consistently punished on the rebound by the Power.
Patrick McGinnity vs. Danyle Pearce
Pearce is an integral part of Port’s midfield with his ability to break the lines and pump the football inside 50.
Shutting down the drive the 23-year-old provides through the middle of the ground will be vital for West Coast if they are going to restrict a Power side that is capable of scoring heavily.
The last time these two sides met in round 16 last year McGinnity did a good job on Pearce, limiting him to just 16 disposals.
Expect McGinnity to apply plenty of body pressure - especially early in an attempt to put Pearce off his game.
VERDICT: When these two teams met in round two of the NAB Cup Port had no recognised ruckman in their side as they elected to rest Dean Brogan. As a result West Coast enjoyed a 22-0 centre hit-out dominance that was extended to 41-10 around the ground. While the Power convincingly won the clearances and the match, the Eagles were missing a host of midfielders including their two best clearance players in Matt Priddis and Kerr. Expect Port’s lack of a quality second ruckman to support Brogan to hurt them in what shapes as being a tight contest. Eagles by 15 points.
WEST COAST v PORT ADELAIDE
WEST COAST
B: Sam Butler, Darren Glass, Brett Jones
HB: Scott Selwood, Eric Mackenzie, Shannon Hurn
C: Andrew Embley, Matt Priddis, Adam Selwood
HF: Luke Shuey, Mitch Brown, Beau Waters
F: Nic Naitanui, Josh Kennedy , Mark Nicoski
Foll: Dean Cox, Chris Masten, Daniel Kerr
I/C: Brad Ebert, Pat McGinnity, Matt Spangher, Tom Swift
Emg: Bradd Dalziell, Quinten Lynch, Will Schofield
In: S. Selwood, Spangher
Out: Mark LeCras (hamstring), Quinten Lynch
PORT ADELAIDE
B: Jacob Surjan, Alipate Carlile, Troy Chaplin
HB: Nathan Krakouer, Chad Cornes, Steven Salopek
C: Danyle Pearce, Domenic Cassisi, Jason Davenport
HF: Matt Thomas, Warren Tredrea, Brett Ebert
F: Cameron Hitchcock, Jay Schulz, Justin Westhoff
Foll: Dean Brogan, Travis Boak, Kane Cornes
I/C: Jackson Trengove, Paul Stewart, Mitch Banner, Tom Logan
Emg: Jay Nash, Andrew Moore, Daniel Stewart
In: Chaplin, Logan
Out: Andrew Moore, Scott Harding
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