eth-dog
Tier 1 WW Player
Essendon and Geelong meet in round 1 of the VFL this year, a week after their AFL counterparts played each other. Essendon split their 4 practice matches 2-2, whilst Geelong played two and only won the first. Geelong have won 3 of the last 5 matches between the two sides, and have never lost to the Dons at Kardinia Park in the VFL.
Geelong have recruited locally in the VFL this season, but have added former Swan Matthew Ling and former Docker Brett Bewley
to their list, whilst Ryan Abbott
returns as another COVID top up player. After beating North Melbourne in their first practice match in a low scoring affair, they came up against Essendon on Saturday as a dress rehearsal for round 1, going down by 3 goals in the end.
Essendon's fortunes varied from game to game this pre-season. A strong recruitment campaign meant that we saw James Peters, Dylan Landt, Tom Jolley, Shaun McKernan
and Jacob Brown return to the Dons, whilst also adding former Hawk Will Golds and former Coburg player Josh Iacobaccio to the squad. Essendon bookended their pre-season matches with wins, although a tough loss against Coburg also featured.
I think we'll finally break our Kardinia Park hoodoo here, Dons by 27. Possible side:
FB: Cody Brand - Brandon Zerk-Thatcher
- Garrett McDonagh
HB: Alastair Lord - Cian McBride - Dylan Landt
MF: Sam Durham - Joe Atley - Brayden Ham
HF: Matthew Guelfi - Josh Eyre - Ben Jolley
FF: Patrick Voss - Shaun McKernan - Tex Wanganeen
OB: Nick Bryan - Alec Waterman - Josh Iacobaccio
IC: James Harrold - Kyle Weightman - Sam Conforti - James Peters - Will Golds - Ben Archard - Jake Sutton - Cameron McLeod
23P: Ronald Fejo jr
Geelong have recruited locally in the VFL this season, but have added former Swan Matthew Ling and former Docker Brett Bewley
PLAYERCARDSTART
17
Brett Bewley
- Age
- 29
- Ht
- 185cm
- Wt
- 87kg
- Pos.
- M/F
Career
Season
Last 5
- D
- 14.4
- 4star
- K
- 8.9
- 3star
- HB
- 5.4
- 4star
- M
- 3.7
- 4star
- T
- 2.1
- 4star
- CL
- 0.6
- 3star
- D
- 15.1
- 4star
- K
- 9.3
- 4star
- HB
- 5.9
- 3star
- M
- 4.3
- 4star
- T
- 1.7
- 3star
- CL
- 0.7
- 3star
- D
- 13.6
- 4star
- K
- 7.8
- 3star
- HB
- 5.8
- 4star
- M
- 2.6
- 3star
- T
- 2.6
- 4star
- CL
- 0.2
- 2star
PLAYERCARDEND
PLAYERCARDSTART
27
Ryan Abbott
- Age
- 32
- Ht
- 200cm
- Wt
- 100kg
- Pos.
- Ruck
Career
Season
Last 5
- D
- 9.5
- 2star
- K
- 4.5
- 2star
- HB
- 5.0
- 4star
- CL
- 2.0
- 4star
- HO
- 22.3
- 5star
No current season stats available
- D
- 10.8
- 3star
- K
- 5.0
- 2star
- HB
- 5.8
- 4star
- CL
- 2.4
- 5star
- HO
- 26.4
- 5star
PLAYERCARDEND
Essendon's fortunes varied from game to game this pre-season. A strong recruitment campaign meant that we saw James Peters, Dylan Landt, Tom Jolley, Shaun McKernan
PLAYERCARDSTART
27
Shaun Mckernan
- Age
- 33
- Ht
- 196cm
- Wt
- 100kg
- Pos.
- F/R
Career
Season
Last 5
- D
- 13.0
- 3star
- K
- 8.3
- 3star
- HB
- 4.7
- 3star
- M
- 4.5
- 4star
- T
- 1.8
- 4star
- G
- 1.0
- 4star
- D
- 8.4
- 2star
- K
- 5.6
- 2star
- HB
- 2.8
- 2star
- M
- 3.6
- 4star
- T
- 1.6
- 3star
- G
- 1.0
- 4star
- D
- 17.0
- 5star
- K
- 8.2
- 4star
- HB
- 8.8
- 5star
- M
- 3.6
- 4star
- T
- 1.2
- 3star
- G
- 0.2
- 3star
PLAYERCARDEND
I think we'll finally break our Kardinia Park hoodoo here, Dons by 27. Possible side:
FB: Cody Brand - Brandon Zerk-Thatcher
PLAYERCARDSTART
25
Brandon...
- Age
- 25
- Ht
- 195cm
- Wt
- 91kg
- Pos.
- Def
Career
Season
Last 5
- D
- 11.5
- 3star
- K
- 8.5
- 3star
- HB
- 3.0
- 3star
- M
- 4.5
- 4star
- T
- 1.5
- 3star
- MG
- 148.5
- 2star
- D
- 12.0
- 3star
- K
- 7.0
- 3star
- HB
- 5.0
- 3star
- M
- 3.0
- 3star
- T
- 0.0
- 1star
- MG
- 124.0
- 2star
- D
- 11.5
- 3star
- K
- 8.5
- 4star
- HB
- 3.0
- 3star
- M
- 4.5
- 5star
- T
- 1.5
- 4star
- MG
- 148.5
- 3star
PLAYERCARDEND
HB: Alastair Lord - Cian McBride - Dylan Landt
MF: Sam Durham - Joe Atley - Brayden Ham
PLAYERCARDSTART
33
Brayden Ham
- Age
- 25
- Ht
- 182cm
- Wt
- 77kg
- Pos.
- M/F
Career
Season
Last 5
- D
- 10.7
- 3star
- K
- 7.7
- 3star
- HB
- 3.0
- 3star
- M
- 3.1
- 3star
- T
- 2.0
- 4star
- CL
- 0.6
- 3star
- D
- 11.5
- 3star
- K
- 8.3
- 3star
- HB
- 3.3
- 2star
- M
- 2.8
- 3star
- T
- 1.5
- 2star
- CL
- 0.5
- 3star
- D
- 10.0
- 3star
- K
- 7.2
- 3star
- HB
- 2.8
- 3star
- M
- 3.4
- 4star
- T
- 2.4
- 4star
- CL
- 0.6
- 3star
PLAYERCARDEND
HF: Matthew Guelfi - Josh Eyre - Ben Jolley
FF: Patrick Voss - Shaun McKernan - Tex Wanganeen
OB: Nick Bryan - Alec Waterman - Josh Iacobaccio
IC: James Harrold - Kyle Weightman - Sam Conforti - James Peters - Will Golds - Ben Archard - Jake Sutton - Cameron McLeod
23P: Ronald Fejo jr