Changes vs Sydney

[NJ1983]

In; Bellchambers, McVeigh, Watson, Hurley
Out; monfries (inj), Hooker, Skipworth, NLM

Bellchambers comes in for one week only for 2 reasons

1) Jolly is a premier ruckman
2) Give Ryder a rest.

Due to match ups there is no position for Hooker but he will be back in the following week.

NLM, are you kidding? We're a 5 goal better side with he and Dempsey running off the half back line.

 

[Skeeta Olly]

McVeigh will play, Watson in doubt

Essendon champion, Mark McVeigh, will play against Sydney this Saturday after over-coming general soreness that forced him to miss Bendigo's game on the weekend.

http://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/news.asp?nid=6808

Meanwhile, Knights revealed that Jobe Watson is only at 70% fitness and is no certainty to play against the Swans.
"He would have to train really well on Friday and at this stage he is no guarantee to play," he said.
"He has certainly made significant ground and is running pretty well in straight lines and built his pace up but he hasn't done any off-line work at the moment, that will come later in the week. I won't be playing him unless he is 100% fit."

 

[ghostdog]

Houli can shut down Shaw and will hurt Sydney with his penetrating kicks on the small SCG ground.


NOTE: I would even consider dropping Stanton, just like Lyon dropped Del Santo. I honestly think if we did this Stanton would come back into the side a better player with a better appreciation for the game.

I like the kicking aspect of your ideas about Houli. I'm not so sure he could shut down Shaw though... he'd have to run with him, and I don't recall Houli checking his competitors that closely.

Dropping Stanton? You're game.

 

[Childish Gambino]

In: McVeigh, Watson (Houli if he doesn't get up) and Bellchambers
Out: Monfries (inj), Skipworth and NLM.

A lot of people are calling for Hooker to be dropped but he can just go back to playing in the position he is most comfortable in, before the injury to Bellchambers, a permanent defender. This would free up McPhee to take the Nathan Lovett-Murray role and provide run from half back.

On Skipworth, I honestly don't believe he brings enough to the team. Fair enough, when the team is doing well he gets involved, gets a lot of possessions and kicks goals but when the team isn't going well he, in my opinion, is one of the first players to go missing. He has a poor workrate and does not do enough defensively. He can get into dangerous positions and kick goals, this is only a result of him not bothering to pick up a man. He also doesn't go at the ball or man hard enough considering he has a pretty nuggetty frame.

NLM first two games back from suspension have been below par and he needs to be reminded that if he wants to play in the first team he needs to improve his consistency.

 

[topdon]

Re: who is going to sydney?

Flying up on Saturday morning, drop our stuff off at the hotel, then hit the pub!! Go and see some baby elephant on Sunday, then fly back late Monday afternoon. Nice!

 

[Houli to Neagle]

I like the kicking aspect of your ideas about Houli. I'm not so sure he could shut down Shaw though... he'd have to run with him, and I don't recall Houli checking his competitors that closely.

Dropping Stanton? You're game.

Houli can run with him no probs there.

Houli shut down Milne & Nahas when both of them were in white hot form.

I think Stanton hasn't reached his full capacity, he may just need a reality check, worked for Del Santo

 

[Donakebab]

Re: who is going to sydney?

I'd say we'd most likely stop off for a beer at the good old B&B. If we go after the footy i'll most likely be wearing my red hoodie. I'm a big bloke so i'll stand out too. Come say g'day (hopefully it's me and you don't look like a douche)

Considering both teams have red in their colours, I'm guessing there will be quite a few people in red hoodies.

 

[bOmBeR_BoY1]

Noticing a fair degree of arrogance & complacency on the Sydney board about their chances this coming Saturday. This is usually the case on most boards, obviously, but the Swans really haven't had much to get complacent about so far in 2009 and I doubt we're going to be the easy pickings many are assuming.

Apparently not many players on our list worth worrying about and the venue is pretty much going to guarentee them a victory. Interesting time to be a Swans fan though - lots of uncertainty with where they are going and I can't say I've been overly impressed with many of their youngsters.

Will be an interesting test for our younger players this week. Not great opposition but the fact we're travelling and at a hostile venue will be interesting.

 

[MarkJohnson#1]

Re: Barry Hall Retirement

His retirement was effective immediately so you'd think that would mean he won't be playing.

 

[Skeeta Olly]

Melbourne were talking up their chances against us as well.

Ignore it.

 

[stay true]

We usually win when opposition fans write off games against us as wins.

 

[stay true]

Re: Barry Hall Retirement

I don't think he's retired, he's just quit the swans.

Also, he's still suspended for this week anyway lol.

 

[warney7]

Re: Barry Hall Retirement

He's suspended too, so that could have a major influence of whether he lines up or not

 

[yaco55]

Very easy. Paddy is getting worn out by rucking for 80% of the game. The reason Knights had to leave Hooker for longer periods in the ruck is becasue of the fact that Ryder is starting to pick up a few niggling injuries and has been carrying most of the work load.

Bellchambers probably wont give us any more than Hooker but we need to make a decision on who we can give more ruck time to or Ryder will not make it to the end of the season.

Week by week he has started to take longer to come up for games.

The way that the match commitee set up with Ryder and Hooker worries me.

We have a situation where Ryder is struggling with the workload and Hooker is being punished by rucking and playing back.

It is challenging for Hooker to spend 20 minutes as a Key back and then ruck for 10 minutes. It means that their is a shuffle in the backline every 20 minutes.

Far easier to have Hooker and Ryder changing in the forward line.

Look to two weeks ago when Merritt from Brisbane returned from injury and helped Clark in the backline.

Merritt wasn't rucking and then returning to the backline.

 

[Skeeta Olly]

It doesn't look like it will happen this week, but Knights is looking to bring Hurley in as a 3rd tall.

 

[Giants FC]

Re: who is going to sydney?

We are sitting in Bay 12 I think, never been to the SCG before so I don't have a clue what part of the ground it's in. Look for 4 blokes cheering for Essendon quite loudly and that will most likely be me.

Bay 12 is at the bottom level of the new Victor Trumper Stand.

Can't wait to have the mighty Bombers coming to town. I'll be in Bay 7 seat C14, in the O'Reilly Concourse.

 

[Strike Swiftly]

Hurley, McVeigh: IN

Watson fitness test.

 

[Skeeta Olly]

Hurley, McVeigh: IN

Watson fitness test.

That off the back of any knowledge?

If so: Out: NLM, Monfries....

 

[Strike Swiftly]

Dont know the outs sorry. I can only assume the same as you. Hold me to the in's though.

 

[Skeeta Olly]

Dont know the outs sorry. I can only assume the same as you. Hold me to the in's though.

Cheers.

I'll assume the Outs are from: Monfries, NLM, Lonergan or another mid..... All depends on Watson...

 

[BOMBERSG8]

Team for Sydney

Emerging key position player Michael Hurley has been named to make his second senior appearance when the team heads north to take on Sydney at the SCG on Saturday.

Mark McVeigh and Jobe Watson are also listed as inclusions for the Bombers however Matthew Knights revealed in his exclusive match preview that Watson still has to pass a medical assessment at training tomorrow before he will be given the all-clear to play.

The trio will replace Nathan Lovett-Murray (omitted), Angus Monfries (hamstring) and Hayden Skipworth (patella).

 

[Skeeta Olly]

In: Hurley, McVeigh, Watson
Out: NLM, Monfires, Skipworth

Watson still needs to prove fitness

http://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/news.asp?nid=6816

 

[Skeeta Olly]

Re: Team for Sydney

Interesting to see no back-up ruckman.

 

[B-Bomber]

Re: Team for Sydney

Is this our strongest team for the year?

Will Hurley play Forward like Knights said or Back so that Hooker has a chance to put most of his energy into actually competing in the ruck?

Everyone make Jolly their dreamteam captain this week... could be in for quite a few hitouts!

 

[EFL Boy]

Re: Team for Sydney

Sydney Swans

B: Bevan, Roberts-Thomson, Bolton, C.
HB: Shaw, Richards, Crouch
C: Smith, Kirk, Mattner
HF: McVeigh, O’Keefe, R., Bird
F: Grundy, O'Loughlin, Goodes
FOLL: Jolly, Jack, Bolton, J.
Interchange: Ablett, Barlow, Malceski, Veszpremi

Emergency: Brabazon, Pyke, White


In: Ablett
Out: Brabazon