Extended Teams: Round 1

[lamaros]

NORTH MELBOURNE
B: Scott Thompson, Michael Firrito, Shannon Watt
HB: Daniel Pratt, Josh Gibson, Daniel Wells
C: Adam Simpson, Daniel Harris, Andrew Swallow
HF: Shannon Grant, Corey Jones, Lindsay Thomas
F: Drew Petrie, Nathan Thompson, Aaron Edwards
Foll: Hamish McIntosh, Brady Rawlings, Brent Harvey
I/C (from): Sam Power, Ben Ross, Leigh Brown, David Hale, Matt Campbell, Leigh Harding, Scott McMahon
New: Sam Power (Western Bulldogs), Ben Ross (Gippsland Under-18), Scott Thompson (Geelong VFL)

ESSENDON
B: Courtenay Dempsey, Mal Michael, Dustin Fletcher
HB: Henry Slattery, Patrick Ryder, Jay Nash
C: Ricky Dyson, Jobe Watson, Bachar Houli
HF: Leroy Jetta , Adam McPhee, Scott Lucas
F: Alwyn Davey, Matthew Lloyd, Sam Lonergan
Foll: David Hille, Brent Stanton, Mark McVeigh
I/C (from): Courtney Johns, Jason Johnson, Jason Laycock, Nathan Lovett-Murray, Angus Monfries, Damien Peverill, Adam Ramanauskas

I assume the on field guys will stay. Guessing that the bench will be NLM, Laycock, and.. the other two are hard to say.

 

[Not a Wellman]

So no Andrew Welsh fair loss in my opinion. Looks like Sammy Lonergan gets his chance to play welshies role down forward on their running half backer.

I think Laycock NLM Pev and Rama will be on the bench. Maybe even Mon fires instead on sammy even though he looks like he's playing.

 

[Merv]

Months of speculation will finally end on Monday afternoon when a new-look Essendon line-up take to the Dome to do battle with the Kangaroos in Round 1 of the season proper.

The game will provide a good measure of where the Bombers are at this season, but you would be hard pressed to pick a winner on this occasion with the four points seemingly anyone’s for the taking.

The Bombers surprised many armchair experts with their impressive form in the pre-season competition and should have confidence on their side going into the match. Meanwhile the Kangaroos are a highly underrated team in the competition and proved last year that their talented playing stock can take them deep into the finals.

One area of the game where Essendon could hold the advantage is their leg speed through the midfield and their quick ball movement into attack. To capitalise, the Bombers need to ensure their tackling pressure is in top gear in order to create turn-overs and shut down the opposition’s opportunities before the ball is taken deep into enemy territory.

The battle in Essendon’s forward line will be an exciting tussle. The Bombers boast an exciting array of forwards including spearheads in Matthew Lloyd and Scott Lucas, goal sneaks in Alwyn Davey and Leroy Jetta and a resting ruckman in David Hille or Jason Laycock. While their Bombers height might cause some trouble, all will need to be firing in order to hurt an experienced Kangaroos backline which features the likes of Daniel Wells, Leigh Harding and Michael Firrito.

Ricky Dyson will be looking to impress this week in his 50th game in the red and black guernsey. He has made the most of opportunities presented to him by the new coach throughout the pre-season and has been earmarked by Matthew Knights as the key improver over the break. He looks set to play an important role in Essendon’s midfield which has exhibited a slick new dynamic so far this season and the 22-year old will be wanting to deliver on high expectations.

Fans should be excited to see Mal Michael and Dustin Fletcher prowling the Bomber backline again this year. The pair haven’t played a full game together this year and, with his first full pre-season under his belt since arriving at Windy Hill, Michael could inflict some serious damage. Their possible clashes with Nathan Thompson and Aaron Edwards will be crucial to the final result.

Patrick Ryder and Jay Nash are likely to add support in this area with their linking up by hand and foot exceptional during the pre-season competition, while Courtenay Dempsey is likely to be called upon to provide run out of defence.

Despite no Essendon players debuting in the Round 1 match, Knights has posted a relatively young side. He has given budding defender Sam Lonergan the chance to play just his second AFL match and Bachar Houli and Jetta their fifth AFL games

I/C (from): Jason Laycock, Nathan Lovett-Murray, Damien Peverill, Adam Ramanauskas

Dempsey will probably play HBF and Slatts to tag Harvey imo.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Bench should be Laycock, Monfries, NLM, Rama or Pev (one or the other)

 

[BomberAce7]

No Reimers? I would have thought he had done enough in the NAB Cup to get a guernsey for Round 1?

 

[go_the_bombers]

Lovett to play in the VFL? do they have another practice match?

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Slattery very lucky indeed by the way, why NLM is not starting is a joke.

 

[fishguts]

Judging by what the clubs team map, we're playing to Half Forward lines

 

[bomber69]

who knows how hislop is goin?

 

[lemon chicken]

Bench should be Laycock, Monfries, NLM, Rama or Pev (one or the other)

Agreed there is no benefit in having both those 2 on the bench when you consider the Kangaroos talls. I wouldnt be surprised if Johns got a game. I wouldnt like to see it, but I wouldnt be surprised.

 

[Red Black and Blue]

Ten News before the game tonight gave updated teams said Dempsey, Jetta and Houli will all be playing not sure if they are talking s**t aren't the teams meant to be in tomorrow

 

[Sanj]

No Reimers? I would have thought he had done enough in the NAB Cup to get a guernsey for Round 1?

Spot on there Ace...Reimers should be in. No doubt about that. He was exceptional in the NAB cup games. I don't know how Reimers can miss out on a squard of 25, unless he is injured. Just staggers me. And to think the coaching panel thinks Sam Lonergan is ahead of him is plain madness.

Atleast Houli, Nash, Dempsey and Jetta are named. I just hope they are not dropped in a couple of weeks.

All these talk about giving kids a chance... In the end just like I suspected Pev, Rama, JJ and Johns named in the squad. We just can't afford to play two or more of them in the same team.

Hislop and Lovett missed all the pre-season games, so I guess they need a couple of games in the 2nds.

Monty-fries should make the bench. Where's Hocking?

 

[DonMania#5]

Jason Johnson, Jason Laycock, Nathan Lovett-Murray and Angus Monfries to make the bench imo.

 

[Red Black and Blue]

Spot on there Ace...Reimers should be in. No doubt about that. He was exceptional in the NAB cup games. I don't know how Reimers can miss out on a squard of 25, unless he is injured. Just staggers me. And to think the coaching panel thinks Sam Lonergan is ahead of him is plain madness.

Atleast Houli, Nash, Dempsey and Jetta are named. I just hope they are not dropped in a couple of weeks.

All these talk about giving kids a chance... In the end just like I suspected Pev, Rama, JJ and Johns named in the squad. We just can't afford to play two or more of them in the same team.

Hislop and Lovett missed all the pre-season games, so I guess they need a couple of games in the 2nds.

Monty-fries should make the bench. Where's Hocking?

Tweaked his groin out for 3 weeks I think

 

[retroparty]

I hope Bachar Houli plays well. Would be great if he could cement his spot in the 22 this year

 

[Jono B]

Spot on there Ace...Reimers should be in. No doubt about that. He was exceptional in the NAB cup games. I don't know how Reimers can miss out on a squard of 25, unless he is injured. Just staggers me. And to think the coaching panel thinks Sam Lonergan is ahead of him is plain madness.

Atleast Houli, Nash, Dempsey and Jetta are named. I just hope they are not dropped in a couple of weeks.

All these talk about giving kids a chance... In the end just like I suspected Pev, Rama, JJ and Johns named in the squad. We just can't afford to play two or more of them in the same team.

Hislop and Lovett missed all the pre-season games, so I guess they need a couple of games in the 2nds.

Monty-fries should make the bench. Where's Hocking?

Lonergan was clearly ahead of Reimers based on preseason form. Lonergan adds a lot more to the squad as what Reimers offered as we have Jetta and Davey filling his role (minus the agro).

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

Lonergan offers us grunt in the middle.

Seeing that Hird is gone, JJ and Pev are on their last legs, we actually need some more ball winners in which Lonergan fits the mould.

I think Angus and Pev are fighting out the last spot on the bench.

 

[jdwood]

Slatts very very lucky to have a spot.

 

[Darealrath]

I like it. Apart from the obvious it looks so inexperienced so I don't know what to expect.

Laycock, NLM, Rama and a toss up between JJ, Monfries and Pev for me.

 

[ant555]

Spot on there Ace...Reimers should be in. No doubt about that. He was exceptional in the NAB cup games. I don't know how Reimers can miss out on a squard of 25, unless he is injured. Just staggers me. And to think the coaching panel thinks Sam Lonergan is ahead of him is plain madness.

Atleast Houli, Nash, Dempsey and Jetta are named. I just hope they are not dropped in a couple of weeks.

All these talk about giving kids a chance... In the end just like I suspected Pev, Rama, JJ and Johns named in the squad. We just can't afford to play two or more of them in the same team.

Hislop and Lovett missed all the pre-season games, so I guess they need a couple of games in the 2nds.

Monty-fries should make the bench. Where's Hocking?

You are a negative nelly arn't you
Hocking is injured . Has a groin problem.
Lonergan is in the side becasue he offer us more as far as midfield roataions go. Yes Reimers was good during pre season but hasn't got the engine to push into the midfield like Lonergan does. I guess you missed the good work Sam did in the middle in the couple of games he played. It is not madness at all that he was selected. His pres season was pretty good.
And Knights is giving the kids a chance. He said if there fitness was where it needed to be they would be selected. Lets face it there are 9 players named on the ground that have played under 50 games. How much more inexperienced would you like them to go in ? Too many more kids in the side and we would be tanking, sorry i belive the term is now turning over the list , in round 1.

 

[dave_27]

Based on pre season form Pev should get the last spot on the bench with Laycock, Lovett-Murray and Ramanauskas.

 

[OrangeCutter]

Like the side we have choosen, Im glad unlike others that slatts is in,but if he is in Pev should be out. Love remies but we cant have 22 players under 22 years of age playing so someone had to misss out, dont worry he'll get his chance. Lonergon deserves a run really happy with that, that being said he JJ just lost his spot imo. the bench should be

Laycock, Rama, NLM and i hope monfries

Dont have a clue what to exspect though

 

[hulld]

the bench will be chook, rama, gus and nat-rat

just as i had predicted:
dempsey a lock for round 1
sammy gets a gig
no reimers in the squad
at most just one of pev, jj or gus to play

 

[mick4]

Some of the possible match ups for the game. I think that Essendon stacks up fairly well.
FF: Scott Thompson Sam Lonergan, Michael Firrito Matthew Lloyd, Shannon Watt Scott Lucas
HB: Daniel Pratt Alwyn Davey, Josh Gibson Adam McPhee, Daniel Wells Leroy Jetta
C:Adam Simpson Ricky Dyson, Daniel Harris Jobe Watson, Andrew Swallow Bachar Houli
HB:Shannon Grant Henry Slattery, Corey Jones Jay Nash, Lindsay Thomas Courtenay Dempsey
Drew Petrie, Dustin Fletcher, Nathan Thompson Mal Michael, Aaron Edwards Patrick Ryder
R:Hamish McIntosh David Hille, Brady Rawlings Brent Stanton, Brent Harvey Mark McVeigh

 

[Sanj]

You are a negative nelly arn't you
Hocking is injured . Has a groin problem.
Lonergan is in the side becasue he offer us more as far as midfield roataions go. Yes Reimers was good during pre season but hasn't got the engine to push into the midfield like Lonergan does. I guess you missed the good work Sam did in the middle in the couple of games he played. It is not madness at all that he was selected. His pres season was pretty good.
And Knights is giving the kids a chance. He said if there fitness was where it needed to be they would be selected. Lets face it there are 9 players named on the ground that have played under 50 games. How much more inexperienced would you like them to go in ? Too many more kids in the side and we would be tanking, sorry i belive the term is now turning over the list , in round 1.

Ant, I don't think I am being negative. I just say what I believe. (ie, I am not the type who nods the head and says great for everything. I have an opinion).

I think you misunderstood me. Lonergan has played ok games where he did a couple of good things. (I like the kid btw). But Reimers played a couple of great games, where he kicked three goals or so.

In my opinion, I wouldn't mind if both were in the final 22 but if I had to choose between the two to be in the starting 18, then I would have Reimers way ahead of Lonergan. (That too to be named in the forward line).

Regarding midfield rotations, I don't think Sam is any superior than Kyle for agility and stamina. And plus Reimers attack on the footy and attack on the man with the footy is second to none.

Just having a look at the results from agility test of the super draft of 2006:

Agility

David Armitage - 7.88 sec
Daniel Hayes - 8.04 sec
Andrejs Everitt - 8.06 sec
Tom Hislop - 8.10 sec
Simon Hogan - 8.14 sec
Kyle Reimers - 8.16 sec
Gavin Urquhart - 8.17 sec
Nathan Djerrkura - 8.18 sec
Colin Garland - 8.18 sec
Brock O'Brien - 8.19 sec

He was in the top 6.

And don't you think Reimers is in our best 25 atleast?

Anyways putting that aside, I hope we can beat the Kangaroos. I think the last time we beat them was when we came from 69 points down. I feel exhausted just thinking of that game.