eth-dog
Tier 1 WW Player
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Sweet F.A. 300+ Games Played in the SFA
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Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2007
- Posts
- 129,349
- Reaction score
- 88,999
- Location
- Melbourne
- AFL Club
- Essendon
- Other Teams
- Coburg Lions, All Boston sides
Observations
Essendon: Had a massive loss to St. Kilda. The only good player was Dyson Heppell. Cale Hooker kicked 3 goals.
Melbourne: Had a big loss against one of the top four contenders this season in West Coast in a pretty average game. Nathan Jones did pretty well, collecting 29 disposals with 7 clearances, and youngster Alex Neal-Bullen also impressed with two goals for the Demons
Head to head (last 5)
Essendon 1-4 Melbourne
Last 5
Essendon: 0W 5L
Melbourne: 1W 4L
TAB odds
Essendon: $1.58 line (-11.5) $1.92
Melbourne: $2.40 line (+11.5) $1.92
Possible sides
Essendon vs Melbourne
B: Baguley - Hooker - Fletcher
F: Garlett - Dawes - Spencer
HB: Winderlich - Hurley - Dalgleish
HF: Watts - Hogan - Howe
C: J Merrett- Watson - Stanton
C: Vince - N Jones - Toumpas
HF: Zaharakis - McKernan - Z Merrett
HB: Neal-Bullen - McDonald - Cross
F: Laverde - Daniher - Goddard
B: Jetta - Dunn - Garland
R: Giles - Hocking - Heppell
R: Gawn - Tyson - Viney
I: Kavanagh - Langford - Browne
I: M Jones - Stretch - Lamumba
S: Gleeson
S: Bail
Essendon defence vs Melbourne forward line
A battle that heavily favours Essendon, having one of the best defences in the AFL over the past two seasons against a side that averages a mediocre 11 goals a game so far in 2015. Melbourne have a very bad efficiency rating in terms of forward entries per goal, only kicking a goal 26% of the time they enter the forward 50. Essendon are excellent on the flip side, containing their opponents to 12 goals a game so far this season, best of the sides outside the top 8. They also contain their opponents to scoring a goal 23% of the time that they enter the forward 50. Jesse Hogan has gotten Melbourne fans excited so far in 2015, averaging 2 goals a game so far this season and monstering All Australian defenders like Alex Rance while doing it. He has a tough assignment this week against a player in All Australian form in Michael Hurley, who has shut down players and provided great rebound for the Dons. Chris Dawes and Jake Spencer have important roles to play against Hooker and Fletcher respectively as well, giving the young forward a foil and kicking goals so their man doesn't zone off. Jeff Garlett lowered Mark Baguley's colours in pre-season, which won't please the small defender and will attempt to make amends this week.
Midfield battle (rucks included)
As usual, the game is won and lost in the midfield, with the major factor being in the clearances. Essendon's midfield has been struggling this season in that department, being 17th on clearance differential so far this season. Luckily they come up against a similarly poor side in the clearance this week and will be welcoming back one of their best winners at the stoppage, who also happens to be their best blocker at a stoppage in Heath Hocking this week, who will likely go to one of Melbourne's two gun ball winners in Nathan Jones or Dom Tyson. A lot will still rest on young Dyson Heppell's shoulders, who has had a good season so far without being fantastic, averaging 26 disposals and 4.5 clearances a game so far this season. Melbourne will be looking to shut him down through Jack Viney, who did a good job on Elliott Yeo just the last week, but Heppell may get off the chain a bit because Viney does also try to attack the ball wherever he can which will leave Heppell open on the outside. Running wise, Essendon will attack through players like Martin Gleeson, Brent Stanton, David Zaharakis, Alex Browne and Zach Merrett , all of whom can flow on and attack with either speed, agility or pure gut running. Alex Neal-Bullen, Jimmy Toumpas and Bernie Vince will be the pick of the outside runners for Melbourne. The ruck contest will be an interesting one as well, with Jonathon Giles and Shaun McKernan forming a formidable duo at VFL level, although they were beaten by Max Gawn and Jake Spencer when the Essendon reserves played the Casey reserves. Watch McKernan try to blow the Melbourne pair up around the ground like he has done consistently this season.
Melbourne defence vs Essendon forward line
Essendon's forward line has been similarly mediocre to Melbourne's so far this year, lacking in structure, movement and the ability to kick straight with set shots. Joe Daniher will be the focal point up there and has had an okay season so far this season, kicking over 20 goals. Tom McDonald will be a tough opponent, he's had an average month and a half but he will see this as an opportunity to get back to his early season form. McKernan and Giles will likely be getting Colin Garland as their opponent while resting forward, and it'd be a good opportunity to try to overpower their opponent. Essendon will be hoping that their resting midfielders in Brendan Goddard, Jackson Merrett and Jobe Watson will be effective while resting forward. Courtenay Dempsey has had a mini revival up forward in the past couple of games, impressing with his pace and delivery and the freedom of playing a solely attacking game, but Neville Jetta will be a tough opponent for him to overcome.
X-Factor player
Billy Stretch, son of Melbourne legend Steven, has been quiet since coming into the side but is looking like he might be building into something exciting for Melbourne. Could be ready to have a big game for the Demons.
Key stat for each side
Essendon:
Tip
Essendon just lost to St. Kilda by over 100 points. Melbourne by 57 points.
Essendon: Had a massive loss to St. Kilda. The only good player was Dyson Heppell. Cale Hooker kicked 3 goals.
Melbourne: Had a big loss against one of the top four contenders this season in West Coast in a pretty average game. Nathan Jones did pretty well, collecting 29 disposals with 7 clearances, and youngster Alex Neal-Bullen also impressed with two goals for the Demons
Head to head (last 5)
Essendon 1-4 Melbourne
Last 5
Essendon: 0W 5L
Melbourne: 1W 4L
TAB odds
Essendon: $1.58 line (-11.5) $1.92
Melbourne: $2.40 line (+11.5) $1.92
Possible sides
Essendon vs Melbourne
B: Baguley - Hooker - Fletcher
F: Garlett - Dawes - Spencer
HB: Winderlich - Hurley - Dalgleish
HF: Watts - Hogan - Howe
C: J Merrett- Watson - Stanton
C: Vince - N Jones - Toumpas
HF: Zaharakis - McKernan - Z Merrett
HB: Neal-Bullen - McDonald - Cross
F: Laverde - Daniher - Goddard
B: Jetta - Dunn - Garland
R: Giles - Hocking - Heppell
R: Gawn - Tyson - Viney
I: Kavanagh - Langford - Browne
I: M Jones - Stretch - Lamumba
S: Gleeson
S: Bail
Essendon defence vs Melbourne forward line
A battle that heavily favours Essendon, having one of the best defences in the AFL over the past two seasons against a side that averages a mediocre 11 goals a game so far in 2015. Melbourne have a very bad efficiency rating in terms of forward entries per goal, only kicking a goal 26% of the time they enter the forward 50. Essendon are excellent on the flip side, containing their opponents to 12 goals a game so far this season, best of the sides outside the top 8. They also contain their opponents to scoring a goal 23% of the time that they enter the forward 50. Jesse Hogan has gotten Melbourne fans excited so far in 2015, averaging 2 goals a game so far this season and monstering All Australian defenders like Alex Rance while doing it. He has a tough assignment this week against a player in All Australian form in Michael Hurley, who has shut down players and provided great rebound for the Dons. Chris Dawes and Jake Spencer have important roles to play against Hooker and Fletcher respectively as well, giving the young forward a foil and kicking goals so their man doesn't zone off. Jeff Garlett lowered Mark Baguley's colours in pre-season, which won't please the small defender and will attempt to make amends this week.
Midfield battle (rucks included)
As usual, the game is won and lost in the midfield, with the major factor being in the clearances. Essendon's midfield has been struggling this season in that department, being 17th on clearance differential so far this season. Luckily they come up against a similarly poor side in the clearance this week and will be welcoming back one of their best winners at the stoppage, who also happens to be their best blocker at a stoppage in Heath Hocking this week, who will likely go to one of Melbourne's two gun ball winners in Nathan Jones or Dom Tyson. A lot will still rest on young Dyson Heppell's shoulders, who has had a good season so far without being fantastic, averaging 26 disposals and 4.5 clearances a game so far this season. Melbourne will be looking to shut him down through Jack Viney, who did a good job on Elliott Yeo just the last week, but Heppell may get off the chain a bit because Viney does also try to attack the ball wherever he can which will leave Heppell open on the outside. Running wise, Essendon will attack through players like Martin Gleeson, Brent Stanton, David Zaharakis, Alex Browne and Zach Merrett , all of whom can flow on and attack with either speed, agility or pure gut running. Alex Neal-Bullen, Jimmy Toumpas and Bernie Vince will be the pick of the outside runners for Melbourne. The ruck contest will be an interesting one as well, with Jonathon Giles and Shaun McKernan forming a formidable duo at VFL level, although they were beaten by Max Gawn and Jake Spencer when the Essendon reserves played the Casey reserves. Watch McKernan try to blow the Melbourne pair up around the ground like he has done consistently this season.
Melbourne defence vs Essendon forward line
Essendon's forward line has been similarly mediocre to Melbourne's so far this year, lacking in structure, movement and the ability to kick straight with set shots. Joe Daniher will be the focal point up there and has had an okay season so far this season, kicking over 20 goals. Tom McDonald will be a tough opponent, he's had an average month and a half but he will see this as an opportunity to get back to his early season form. McKernan and Giles will likely be getting Colin Garland as their opponent while resting forward, and it'd be a good opportunity to try to overpower their opponent. Essendon will be hoping that their resting midfielders in Brendan Goddard, Jackson Merrett and Jobe Watson will be effective while resting forward. Courtenay Dempsey has had a mini revival up forward in the past couple of games, impressing with his pace and delivery and the freedom of playing a solely attacking game, but Neville Jetta will be a tough opponent for him to overcome.
X-Factor player
Billy Stretch, son of Melbourne legend Steven, has been quiet since coming into the side but is looking like he might be building into something exciting for Melbourne. Could be ready to have a big game for the Demons.
Key stat for each side
Essendon:
- Marks inside 50's. Essendon's forward line continues to lack movement and rely upon taking contested marks inside 50, rather than on the lead.
- Inside 50 efficiency. Melbourne suck at kicking goals from their inside 50's, and Essendon are great at stopping goals from opposition inside 50's.
Tip
Essendon just lost to St. Kilda by over 100 points. Melbourne by 57 points.
