With the weekend off this week, its time for an "Early Edition" off this week's Faceoff!
Vs
Sunday July 27th, MCG 4:40pm (Local time)
Preview:
Now I don't like to talk in cliches a lot, I like to take it 1 week at a time, but if there was ever an 8 point game, well this is it. The winner will be a massive shot at making the 8, while the loser may want to start looking towards 2015
The Crows are in decent form and a chance to scrape into the 8. We were "ok" against the Hawks, but they were just that bit too clean when it counted. Their structures and ability to get out of tight spots with some amazing field kicking really set the teams apart. The Pies lack that structure and skill giving us more of a shot to win
The Pies are coming off an almighty spanking (Thanks Essendon) and will be fired up to make amends. Lets hope the week off quells some of that fire, but with rumours about that their last premiership captain is set to retire, they may have even more incentive!
Crows have some milestones though (providing they play), which we always go ok for:
Richie Douglas: 150 AFL games
Pods: 100 AFL Games
Scott Thompson: 100 consecutive AFL game
Line ups:
Us:
In: MacKay, L.Thompson
Out: Porplyzia, Rutten
Them:
In: Keefe, Broomhead, Elliott, Reid, Martin
Out: Swan, Ball, Maxwell, Toovey, Thomas
Swan, Maxwell, Toovey and Ball are massive outs for them, whilst we lose some experience with Truck out, Thompson gets his chance to shine and Porps is out again for the dash of Mookay
The outs for them are huge and we really need to get the job done this week!
History:
It's not been the best of history's (on our side) against the Pies. Many a floggings have been had, some even in finals.
The 2008 EF is a memorable one for 2 reasons: Scott Steven's carving up the Pies with a magical 6 goals, showing why he was one of the best swing men in the business
Then 2nd was the Pies bringing over a young team and smashing us
Actually, there is a 3rd! I worked at the Election polling office that day with a couple of Pies fans. Geez, they didn't mind rubbing it in!
How about the 2002 PF? s**t, we lost that too!
Err, 2009..... the SF we were leading that game with 45 seconds left! Surely we won that? Oh that's right, the umps decided to pay a free against Truck (that was there) but hadn't paid all night until that point.... *
It's not all doom and gloom though folks! We beat them in a season defining game earlier this year with a ferocious 2nd half display of tackling. It broke down what little structure the Pies had and we ended up winning (relatively) comfortably
Then there was this, one of my favourite (non finals) AFC moments..... the great man:
I love Gaz's reaction. Macca..... what more can you say?
So there are some happy moments, just don't look to us vs Pies in finals for any relief
Key match ups:
Dangerfield vs Macaffer
Danger was at his competitive best last week. Getting over 40 touches, 27 of them contested which is the 3rd highest contested count in AFL history for a match. Danger smashed Macaffer in Round 9, picking up 32 touches, 8 tackles and receiving 5 frees for from the dirty tagger. Danger will benefit greatly from a week off to get rid of some sore spots, we just need him to impact the score board a bit more
Someone vs Pendles
The big Kedge did a solid job on Pendles, managing to keep the pressure on him resulting in a massive amount of handballs, lessening the damage one of the best players going around did to us. With no Kedge available this time, who wil get the job?
Talia vs Cloke
Talia smashed Cloke last time, pantsed him. Will get the job again and will need to hold him again for us to have a chance to win. Keep Cloke down, and that could save us 3-4 goals. In Talia we trust
Brown vs Elliot
Elliot had been in super form this year, that is until Brown stepped in and played one of his best games of his short career. Will need to do the job again, as Elliot, Sidebottom and Blair are the types of players who normally chop us to pieces. Brown is a fine young defender and we need to remember, he's played less than 50 AFL games!
Sloane as the loose man
Sloane has had this role for a few weeks now, and its been one of the best moves our coaches have made! Smart player who knows where he needs to be and when. Can also run all day, so he goes back, he goes forward. A double threat! Just a gun and has the heart of a lion! We need him to go back and help our defence, and then run forward and hurt them on the scoreboard
Prediction:
I'm expecting a tight game and one that'll ebb and flow. I think we can win this, based off the fact that the Pies are lacking basic structures right now, which always helps us (we struggle under pressure)
A win here is much needed and will give us the best chance of kicking the Pies out of the 8 and potentially finish 8th come the end of the H&A season.
Crows by 7
Sunday July 27th, MCG 4:40pm (Local time)
Preview:
Now I don't like to talk in cliches a lot, I like to take it 1 week at a time, but if there was ever an 8 point game, well this is it. The winner will be a massive shot at making the 8, while the loser may want to start looking towards 2015
The Crows are in decent form and a chance to scrape into the 8. We were "ok" against the Hawks, but they were just that bit too clean when it counted. Their structures and ability to get out of tight spots with some amazing field kicking really set the teams apart. The Pies lack that structure and skill giving us more of a shot to win
The Pies are coming off an almighty spanking (Thanks Essendon
) and will be fired up to make amends. Lets hope the week off quells some of that fire, but with rumours about that their last premiership captain is set to retire, they may have even more incentive!Crows have some milestones though (providing they play), which we always go ok for:
Richie Douglas: 150 AFL games
Pods: 100 AFL Games
Scott Thompson: 100 consecutive AFL game
Line ups:
Us:
In: MacKay, L.Thompson
Out: Porplyzia, Rutten
Them:
In: Keefe, Broomhead, Elliott, Reid, Martin
Out: Swan, Ball, Maxwell, Toovey, Thomas
Swan, Maxwell, Toovey and Ball are massive outs for them, whilst we lose some experience with Truck out, Thompson gets his chance to shine and Porps is out again for the dash of Mookay
The outs for them are huge and we really need to get the job done this week!
History:
It's not been the best of history's (on our side) against the Pies. Many a floggings have been had, some even in finals.
The 2008 EF is a memorable one for 2 reasons: Scott Steven's carving up the Pies with a magical 6 goals, showing why he was one of the best swing men in the business
Then 2nd was the Pies bringing over a young team and smashing us
Actually, there is a 3rd! I worked at the Election polling office that day with a couple of Pies fans. Geez, they didn't mind rubbing it in!
How about the 2002 PF? s**t, we lost that too!
Err, 2009..... the SF we were leading that game with 45 seconds left! Surely we won that? Oh that's right, the umps decided to pay a free against Truck (that was there) but hadn't paid all night until that point.... *
It's not all doom and gloom though folks! We beat them in a season defining game earlier this year with a ferocious 2nd half display of tackling. It broke down what little structure the Pies had and we ended up winning (relatively) comfortably
Then there was this, one of my favourite (non finals) AFC moments..... the great man:
I love Gaz's reaction. Macca..... what more can you say?
So there are some happy moments, just don't look to us vs Pies in finals for any relief
Key match ups:
Dangerfield vs Macaffer
Danger was at his competitive best last week. Getting over 40 touches, 27 of them contested which is the 3rd highest contested count in AFL history for a match. Danger smashed Macaffer in Round 9, picking up 32 touches, 8 tackles and receiving 5 frees for from the dirty tagger. Danger will benefit greatly from a week off to get rid of some sore spots, we just need him to impact the score board a bit more
Someone vs Pendles
The big Kedge did a solid job on Pendles, managing to keep the pressure on him resulting in a massive amount of handballs, lessening the damage one of the best players going around did to us. With no Kedge available this time, who wil get the job?
Talia vs Cloke
Talia smashed Cloke last time, pantsed him. Will get the job again and will need to hold him again for us to have a chance to win. Keep Cloke down, and that could save us 3-4 goals. In Talia we trust
Brown vs Elliot
Elliot had been in super form this year, that is until Brown stepped in and played one of his best games of his short career. Will need to do the job again, as Elliot, Sidebottom and Blair are the types of players who normally chop us to pieces. Brown is a fine young defender and we need to remember, he's played less than 50 AFL games!
Sloane as the loose man
Sloane has had this role for a few weeks now, and its been one of the best moves our coaches have made! Smart player who knows where he needs to be and when. Can also run all day, so he goes back, he goes forward. A double threat! Just a gun and has the heart of a lion! We need him to go back and help our defence, and then run forward and hurt them on the scoreboard
Prediction:
I'm expecting a tight game and one that'll ebb and flow. I think we can win this, based off the fact that the Pies are lacking basic structures right now, which always helps us (we struggle under pressure)
A win here is much needed and will give us the best chance of kicking the Pies out of the 8 and potentially finish 8th come the end of the H&A season.
Crows by 7
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