Preview Faceoff Round 21 vs Essendon

[Gus]

VS

Last time we met
Essendon 16.17 (113) d Western Bulldogs 8.10 (58), round one, 2011, at Etihad Stadium

Western Bulldogs
B: Easton Wood, Dale Morris, Ryan Hargrave
HB: Shaun Higgins, Lukas Markovic, Robert Murphy
C: Christian Howard, Matthew Boyd, Daniel Cross
HF: Callan Ward, Liam Jones, Luke Dahlhaus
F: Nathan Djerrkura, Barry Hall, Daniel Giansiracusa
Foll: Ben Hudson, Ryan Griffen, Liam Picken
I/C: Brennan Stack, Jordan Roughead, Thomas Liberatore, Jayden Schofield
Emg: James Mulligan, Ayce Cordy, Ed Barlow

Essendon
B: Mark McVeigh, Jake Carlisle, Dustin Fletcher
HB: Ricky Dyson, David Myers, Tayte Pears
C: Jake Melksham, Jobe Watson, Dyson Heppell
HF: Alwyn Davey, Michael Hurley, David Zaharakis
F: Stewart Crameri, Patrick Ryder, Leroy Jetta
Foll: David Hille, Brent Stanton, Heath Hocking
I/C: Angus Monfries, Kyle Reimers, Kyle Hardingham, Ben Howlett
Emg: Andrew Welsh, Tom Bellchambers, Michael Ross

Dogs preview
Dogs footy is back! After a quiet last weekend of Foxtel Cup watching, we're back on the big stage.

This game vs the up and down Bombers sees us bring in a few changes from our last game. Williams, Sherman, Barlow, Hooper and Mulligan get the flick, while we welcome back Djerkurra, Markovic, Higgins, Morris, and Howard.

These changes are sure to get Dogs fans talking. Are Markovic and Djerkurra ever going to be up to it? This is the question. I think they both have potential. Whether they have the tools to reach that potential is yet to be seen. Morris back sures up our defence in the absence of Williams while Higgins and Howard give us some real polish and kicking power around the ground.

Not too sure how this one is going to pan out. I just want to see the kids like Howard, Dahlhaus, Schofield etc play well. Disappointed to not see Cordy out there but I guess we'll have to be patient. He'll be out there in the next few weeks. Or sooner.

We'll just have to wait and see.

Dons preview by Tassieboy

A nail biting win against Sydney has put the Bombers in the box seat for a position in the finals. However, we have to beat the Dogs to be confident of doing so.

After a promising start to the season, Essendon’s form dropped off mid-season with five consecutive losses, before pulling off a huge upset against Geelong. Key players – Hocking, Hurley, and Fletcher – returned last week, and key position defender, Tayte Pears, has recovered from a minor break in his leg this week, replacing two-game midfielder, Michael Ross.

The Bulldogs’ smaller brigade – especially the forwards – may provide a handful for the Bombers, in a vein similar to what Carlton’s did in Round 18. Nevertheless, I expect the combination of Pears, Fletcher and Hardingham to sufficiently nullify Hall and Jones, with Fletcher maybe playing on Giansiracusa if the Bulldog plays deep forward.

The midfield battle makes for an intriguing proposition. On paper, Essendon’s inside players look stronger, though the Bulldogs’ outside running contingent looks slightly superior. Hurley, Crameri, and ruckman Ryder and Hille may stretch the Dogs’ defence, and I expect this to be the difference in a hotly contested game.

Gus' tip
Essendon

 

[fishardansin]

I'm tipping Essendon to with with 65% probability. Win this and they play finals. Boyd and Cross vs Hocking and Watson should be a great battle and will be enjoyed by all inside mid affectionados.

With Pears coming back into the side it will be interesting if Essendon plan to give Carlisle a run up forward.

 

[Gus]

OP updated with Essendon preview by Tassieboy.

 

[gs17]

Interesting to see how Griff goes this week. Looked like he desperately needed a week off the few games before the bye so let's hope he is rested and he comes out all guns blazing and finishes off another great year personally.

 

[Werewolf]

Leading Goalkickers after r20:

Western Bulldogs:

Giansiracusa 38
Hall 34
Griffen 20
Sherman* 17
Grant* 14
Jones 14

Essendon:

Crameri 31
Zaharakis 27
Monfries 26
Reimers 23
Jetta 22
Ryder 22

*Not playing on Saturday

 

[Werewolf]

Interesting to see how Griff goes this week. Looked like he desperately needed a week off the few games before the bye so let's hope he is rested and he comes out all guns blazing and finishes off another great year personally.

Griffen averaged 25 possessions and 2 goals a game from rounds 13-17 but his last 2 games have been poor. A big game from him will go a long way towards a Bulldogs victory. Hopefully our midfield can get on top.

Also SC finals have arrived and my team needs everyone to be at their best!

 

[Slattery_20]

Probably Pears to Hall. Myers to Gia. Fletcher to space. Carlisle (had a good game on the other Sam Reid last week) to Liam Jones.
I would guess Markovic goes to Hille & Morris to Hurley - both giving away plenty of height. Hargrave seems a good match for Crameri. Boyd v Watson will be a good battle inside, maybe Cal Ward keeps Heppell honest.

David Myers starting to emerge as a strong charger off half-back, taking things on and opening the game up. Zaharakis and Howlett have steadily improved as the season's gone on, reliable week-in week-out contributors now. Mick Hurley & Hocking were both quiet last week, but did enough & should be better for the run.
The dome's been a happy hunting ground for this Essendon side. Dogs seem a bit fragile, still capable of good footy, but sides just sense if they can get an edge the Dogs are likely to fall away.
Could play out as a reversal of previous incarnations of this match-up, which has often seen talented but flaky Dons sides make the running, & the more experienced Dogs hold steady and kick away late, in entertaining, attacking affairs.

Even contest til half-time, Dons by 30 pts in the end.

 

[gs17]

Probably Pears to Hall. Myers to Gia. Fletcher to space. Carlisle (had a good game on the other Sam Reid last week) to Liam Jones.
I would guess Markovic goes to Hille & Morris to Hurley - both giving away plenty of height. Hargrave seems a good match for Crameri. Boyd v Watson will be a good battle inside, maybe Cal Ward keeps Heppell honest.

David Myers starting to emerge as a strong charger off half-back, taking things on and opening the game up. Zaharakis and Howlett have steadily improved as the season's gone on, reliable week-in week-out contributors now. Mick Hurley & Hocking were both quiet last week, but did enough & should be better for the run.
The dome's been a happy hunting ground for this Essendon side. Dogs seem a bit fragile, still capable of good footy, but sides just sense if they can get an edge the Dogs are likely to fall away.
Could play out as a reversal of previous incarnations of this match-up, which has often seen talented but flaky Dons sides make the running, & the more experienced Dogs hold steady and kick away late, in entertaining, attacking affairs.

Even contest til half-time, Dons by 30 pts in the end.

Not sure if you saw our last game, but West Coast definitely had an edge on us in the first half. Whilst having someone running off Gia can work if our midfield is getting slaughtered (which is more often than not these days), it is also the way Gia will get a lot of his goals if we can compete and pressure your backline. A lot of his goals come from turnovers where he gets away from his opponent.

 

[Slattery_20]

We've been hurt a lot less by turnovers off half-back this year. Partly personnel, partly because we're looking for contests rather than trying to break things open through the middle - often our rucks are an option near the boundary on centre wing.
Maybe McVeigh will get Gia. Certainly don't want Dahlhaus lining up on him, would be far too quick for him.

 

[gs17]

We've been hurt a lot less by turnovers off half-back this year. Partly personnel, partly because we're looking for contests rather than trying to break things open through the middle - often our rucks are an option near the boundary on centre wing.
Maybe McVeigh will get Gia. Certainly don't want Dahlhaus lining up on him, would be far too quick for him.

Yeah fair enough. Agree that McVeigh would probably go to Gia. Also agree that Myers has been given some freedom and is trying to take the game on (those bounces in the backline last week shown that). Just would be very surprised to see anyone but your best defensive small on Gia.

 

[bombermick]

What about Hardingham on Gia, SL20? Gia is good overhead for his size, assuming Hardy isn't the sub.

 

[rip it up]

Lets get these doggies over the line this week my Wife who is a mad Bombers supporter is 7months pregnant. We have decided (well she has) whoever wins tomorrow will be the babys team. (What she doesnt know is that the baby is going for the dogs no ifs buts or maybe it'll just make it easier if we win)

Heart says Dogs by 3pts

 

[Tassieboy]

Lets get these doggies over the line this week my Wife who is a mad Bombers supporter is 7months pregnant. We have decided (well she has) whoever wins tomorrow will be the babys team. (What she doesnt know is that the baby is going for the dogs no ifs buts or maybe it'll just make it easier if we win)

Heart says Dogs by 3pts

Good luck with that

 

[Shemp 54]

 

[ttomred17]

is tonight's game ticketed? can i just use my membership and sit anywhere on level 3?

 

[Pigdog]

is tonight's game ticketed? can i just use my membership and sit anywhere on level 3?

You can.

 

[Lance Uppercut]

is tonight's game ticketed? can i just use my membership and sit anywhere on level 3?

it's definitely not. Freaked me out when I booked tickets, printed them, and there's no seat number on them.

Weird for an Essendon supporter

 

[Testekill]