Game Day Dons v Cats - TUES 25th 7.10pm @ the Cattery

[eth-dog]

AAMI Community Series squad selection: Bombers ready to take on Cats

Bombers name squad for final practice match before Opening Round.

www.essendonfc.com.au

Their side:

 

[thebigboy]

Surprising El-Hawli isn’t getting run - seems like he’s fallen down the pecking order.

Good to see Hayes getting a game, although I do wonder how much is tied to his pre-season and how much is tied to the fact that Ridley, McKay and Reid all probably will have mins managed to varying levels

Dons by 75

 

[Jobe Watson]

No Redman?

 

[eth-dog]

No Redman?

Bruised ribs from the Naughton hit

 

[JayJ20]

Pretty close to best 22. With OR being next week, we should get a good indication of what we can expect.

 

[Zach Package]

Ridley is playing small in defence, this is not a ****ing drill.

8 years in the system, what a miracle

 

[ant555]

Ridley is playing small in defence, this is not a ****ing drill.

8 years in the system, what a miracle

You are really believing they will line up as selected ?

 

[Zach Package]

You are really believing they will line up as selected ?

I guess what is far more likely is that the slope heads we have in the box will play Ridley on Cameron and Ben McKay will play on Miers.

 

[eth-dog]

You are really believing they will line up as selected ?

Unless Roberts shifts back we've really only picked the 7 nominal defenders

 

[ant555]

Unless Roberts shifts back we've really only picked the 7 nominal defenders

Roberts will play some half back. So will Merrett if they stay true to pre season match sim.

 

[Keystone agony]

I suspect Ridley will play very limited game time and maybe just a half

Id assume Roberts would go back once thats finished. So .5 wing, .5 half back

Im very glad to see the game time of Lewis Hayes

El Hawli unfortunately missing out

Ridley will play 3rd tall, not 4th tall i suspect when playing for points

 

[JT_the_Man]

I really hope we get to see Ridley as a 4th tall tomorrow.

I’ve been waiting for us to unleash a super sized defense.

 

[Bombers36]

They wont line up anything like named - whilst minutes will be managed the team will be more like;-

Prior McKay McGrath
Ridley Reid Shiel
Martin Caldwell Duursma
Perkins Caddy Gresham
Langford Draper Kako

Bryan Durham Merrett

Bench: Tsatas Hobbs Roberts Jones 2MP Edwards Hayes Setters

The basis of the team to face GCoast opening round is there. Redman will come in so this means the 6 guys in italics are likely fighting it out for the last two spots in the 23 to face the GCoast

 

[FlyingV]

Let’s see how the worlds tallest and slowest back 6 contain the leagues smallest and fastest

 

[MiguelM]

They wont line up anything like named - whilst minutes will be managed the team will be more like;-

Prior McKay McGrath
Ridley Reid Shiel
Martin Caldwell Duursma
Perkins Caddy Gresham
Langford Draper Kako

Bryan Durham Merrett

Bench: Tsatas Hobbs Roberts Jones 2MP Edwards Hayes Setters

The basis of the team to face GCoast opening round is there. Redman will come in so this means the 6 guys in italics are likely fighting it out for the last two spots in the 23 to face the GCoast

Yeah, I don't even know why they bother with team positions anymore. Bygone era!

 

[MiguelM]

Lets just hope the Cats don't end our season before it has begun AGAIN!

At least we are not playing them in the first round.

I will be interested to see who can stop Holmes.

 

[eth-dog]

VFL squad:

Guernsey No.	Player
50	Jackson Hately
52	Dante Iacovone
54	Hamish Sinnott
55	Xavier O'Neill
56	Shane Clough
57	Noah Scott
61	Riley Leedham
62	Mahmoud Taha
63	Oskar Smartt
64	Domanic Akuei
65	Cam Nyko
69	Kieran Gallagher
73	Matthew Foley
75	Tyler Sellers
83	Nicholas Quigg

Expect 10 AFL players to join them. I think Clarke, SEH (half), Menzie (half), Unwin will all play, then Laverde, Goldstein, Gerreyn, Lual, Visentini and Johnson as well

Putting it into a 22 format, something like:

FB: Angus Clarke - Riley Leedham - Jayden Laverde
HB: Matthew Foley - Dom Akuei - Nicholas Quigg
MF: Luamon Lual - Zak Johnson - Saad El-Hawli
HF: Jye Menzie - Kayle Gerreyn - Rhys Unwin
FF: Oskar Smartt - Vigo Visentini - Tyler Sellers
OB: Todd Goldstein - Jackson Hately - Xavier O'Neill
IC: Dante Iacovone - Hamish Sinnott - Shane Clough - Noah Scott
IC: Cam Nyko - Kieran Gallagher - Mahmoud Taha

 

[Schnitzengruben]

I actually really like that team and it's probably the strongest we've fielded since 2020 (albeit on paper). Forward line especially looks more dynamic and faster.

Cats by 70.

 

[The Airing of Grievances]

I actually really like that team and it's probably the strongest we've fielded since 2020 (albeit on paper). Forward line especially looks more dynamic and faster.

Cats by 70.

Certainly agree with your first paragraph. While we can expect that Geelong will as ever be a well organised and drilled unit, it will be disapppointing if this list of ours can't be at least competitive. Disappointed is of course not necessarily amazed.

 

[IHurley]

VFL squad:

Guernsey No.	Player
50	Jackson Hately
52	Dante Iacovone
54	Hamish Sinnott
55	Xavier O'Neill
56	Shane Clough
57	Noah Scott
61	Riley Leedham
62	Mahmoud Taha
63	Oskar Smartt
64	Domanic Akuei
65	Cam Nyko
69	Kieran Gallagher
73	Matthew Foley
75	Tyler Sellers
83	Nicholas Quigg

Expect 10 AFL players to join them. I think Clarke, SEH (half), Menzie (half), Unwin will all play, then Laverde, Goldstein, Gerreyn, Lual, Visentini and Johnson as well

Putting it into a 22 format, something like:

FB: Angus Clarke - Riley Leedham - Jayden Laverde
HB: Matthew Foley - Dom Akuei - Nicholas Quigg
MF: Luamon Lual - Zak Johnson - Saad El-Hawli
HF: Jye Menzie - Kayle Gerreyn - Rhys Unwin
FF: Oskar Smartt - Vigo Visentini - Tyler Sellers
OB: Todd Goldstein - Jackson Hately - Xavier O'Neill
IC: Dante Iacovone - Hamish Sinnott - Shane Clough - Noah Scott
IC: Cam Nyko - Kieran Gallagher - Mahmoud Taha

Our VFL team is really going to struggle this year unless we have a charmed run with injuries.

 

[eth-dog]

Our VFL team is really going to struggle this year unless we have a charmed run with injuries.

I disagree. We still have a few B23 players from our VFL squad not playing that game. Plus there's the fact we have 26 in the senior Praccy too

 

[Happyskeret]

Interesting that they are trying 2 ruck forwards in the twos.

 

[eth-dog]

Interesting that they are trying 2 ruck forwards in the twos.

Us? Not really. Come round 4 we'll probably have Wright, Visentini and Gerreyn all there, unless they try Gerreyn back.

 

[ant555]

Our VFL team is really going to struggle this year unless we have a charmed run with injuries.

The VFL squad is as strong as it has been since maybe 2018. Nearly all the key players returned and the young guys now have a season under their belt. Of course AFL listed injuries have an effect but the squad is maid up of mainly young blokes who have come through the under 18 system or NGA so they have been part of the elite pathways.

 

[Happyskeret]

Us? Not really. Come round 4 we'll probably have Wright, Visentini and Gerreyn all there, unless they try Gerreyn back.

I just the forward setup this year intriguing. For both grades.