VFL Game Day Footscray vs Essendon, Western Oval, Saturday 02/06/18, 6 PM

[eth-dog]

Footscray and Essendon renew their VFL rivalry this week after the Dons entered the top 4 for the first time since round 1 this season, the Dogs remaining one win and percentage outside of the top 8. The pair have met in finals every year for the past 3 years and have usually been tight affairs, Footscray winning 3 of the last 5 between the two sides.

Footscray have had up and down form this year, and have only won 2 of their last 5 games and fell by 32 points to Collingwood on Saturday, only kicking 4 goals in the second half to Collingwood's 11 after holding an 8 point lead at half time. Mitch Honeychurch and Fletcher Roberts kicked 2 goals apiece for the Dogs up forward whilst young Will Hayes was named best afield for the Dogs once again, which will pique some recruiters eyes.

Essendon have won four on the trot now, after running over Preston in the last quarter with 8.6 to 0.1 in the last quarter to win by 72 points. Darcy Parish was excellent, collecting 29 disposals whilst Mitch Brown was excellent up forward once again, kicking 4 goals for the Dons along with 3 from now leading VFL goal kicker Danny Younan whilst Aaron Heppell captained the club for the first time with 22 disposals in the middle.

Essendon are in fantastic form, but this is always a test. Still backing us to win by 25

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Is there actually a single reason within the realms of logic as to why this is a night game?

 

[eth-dog]

Is there actually a single reason within the realms of logic as to why this is a night game?

They play a 1:45 game next Saturday. Using it as a curtain closer. Seriously don't know why they didn't go with:

11:40 Richmond vs Essendon VFLW
2:30 Richmond vs Essendon VFL
7:25 Essendon vs Richmond AFL

Make a day of it and allow fans a break between the VFL and AFL for, um, reasons

 

[eDPS]

 

[BrunoV]

They play a 1:45 game next Saturday. Using it as a curtain closer. Seriously don't know why they didn't go with:

11:40 Richmond vs Essendon VFLW
2:30 Richmond vs Essendon VFL
7:25 Essendon vs Richmond AFL

Make a day of it and allow fans a break between the VFL and AFL for, um, reasons

VFL are w***ers, that's why.

That's the sort of day that should be a showpiece of footy and marketed accordingly.

Punt Road is a great place to watch footy.

 

[eth-dog]

VFL are w***ers, that's why.

That's the sort of day that should be a showpiece of footy and marketed accordingly.

Punt Road is a great place to watch footy.

Plus if the Dogs wanted a curtain closer, why not let them play Casey? Then let Collingwood play Williamstown?

 

[eth-dog]

So I'm guessing that we have Hartley, Colyer and Clarke (he was the travelling emergency IIRC?) come in this week, for Parish, Darby and hopefully Crosbie (who just looks like a bog average player honestly). Potentially Hind and Hocking as well for, well, I don't actually know. Looking likely we'll have one of our strongest VFL teams of the year until the week after the bye where Ambrose is likely to play. Overall it would look like:

Sheahan - Hartley - Francis
Redman - BZT - McNiece
Merrett - Heppell - Hind
Hocking - Brown - Boyse
Green - Leuenberger - Younan
Draper - Clarke - Mynott
Houlahan - Lavender - Long/Colyer - Harrison*

Reason I'm listing it as Long/Colyer is because I expect us to run with an emergency for a half and then Colyer for the second half. If there's an early late change (as in when they're normally announced) slide someone like McQueen into Long's spot but if there's no late change we play with 4 on the pine for the first half and 5 in the second. The VFL really screwed us by moving it forward 1 hour (originally at 7 PM)

 

[Shanghaistu]

Good to see Colyer back.
Any chance of Leuenberger and/or Redman getting a call-up for the firsts?

 

[JuniorWatch]

What is wrong with the VFL? Seriously, do they not want people to come to games?
6pm. Shakes head.

 

[eth-dog]

Footscray side:

Dalgleish - Roberts - Lynch
Biggs - Young - William
Hayes - Prudden - Nash
Greene - Dunkley - Webb
Monfries - Mullenger-McHugh - Porter
Campbell - Jong - M Wallis

Greenwood - Olsson - Smith - Sullivan
Symeopouos - Tashevski-Bethwick - Wales - J Wallis
23P: Henness

Our side:

Francis - Darby - McNiece
Heppell - BZT - Redman
Colyer - Hocking - Mynott
Long - Brown - Merrett
Green - Boyse - Younan
Draper - Myers - Clarke

Crosbie - Harrison - Hind - Houlahan
Lavender - McQueen - Sheahan - Strachan
23P: Lazzaro

Expecting their bench to be ATB, Greenwood, Wallis and Smith. They have a small side in, with really only 6 KPP's in the side (assuming Smith plays), one of which will be the 23rd player. Don't be surprised if Roberts lines up forward, Smith and Henness are key defenders.

I also expect Merrett to not play, and for us to be going with Hind, Hoops, Lav, Sheahan and Strachan on the bench. If Myers fails to get up I hope Harrison or McQueen gets a gig. Our side has 8 KPP's in all likelihood. Lazzaro is a high flying half forward who plays for Fitzroy in the VAFA.

 

[BrunoV]

Footscray side:

Dalgleish - Roberts - Lynch
Biggs - Young - William
Hayes - Prudden - Nash
Greene - Dunkley - Webb
Monfries - Mullenger-McHugh - Porter
Campbell - Jong - M Wallis

Greenwood - Olsson - Smith - Sullivan
Symeopouos - Tashevski-Bethwick - Wales - J Wallis
23P: Henness

Our side:

Francis - Darby - McNiece
Heppell - BZT - Redman
Colyer - Hocking - Mynott
Long - Brown - Merrett
Green - Boyse - Younan
Draper - Myers - Clarke

Crosbie - Harrison - Hind - Houlahan
Lavender - McQueen - Sheahan - Strachan
23P: Lazzaro

Expecting their bench to be ATB, Greenwood, Wallis and Smith. They have a small side in, with really only 6 KPP's in the side (assuming Smith plays), one of which will be the 23rd player. Don't be surprised if Roberts lines up forward, Smith and Henness are key defenders.

I also expect Merrett to not play, and for us to be going with Hind, Hoops, Lav, Sheahan and Strachan on the bench. If Myers fails to get up I hope Harrison or McQueen gets a gig. Our side has 8 KPP's in all likelihood. Lazzaro is a high flying half forward who plays for Fitzroy in the VAFA.

Obviously's Myers' bleed was code for 'bruise'.

I don't understand why they're playing Strachan ahead of Ottavi.

There should be a bit more space for Houlahan and Lavender without Draper/Leuenberger playing as a key forward. That is probably a good thing.

Having botched the scheduling of this match, surely there will be a stream of this match available at some point.

 

[eth-dog]

Obviously's Myers' bleed was code for 'bruise'.

I don't understand why they're playing Strachan ahead of Ottavi.

Ottavi is a better forward but they might like Strachan as a better ruck would be my guess.

 

[tha Freak]

Anyone at the game? Scores?

 

[Old Stuckup]

Anyone at the game? Scores?

https://www.flashscore.com.au/afl/australia/vfl/

 

[gordo2016]

Anyone at the game? Scores?

Dogs 26 Essendon 10.

 

[Red Black and Blue]

Jesus Christ they are strong. Biggs, Jong, Dunkley, Wallis, Campbell, Monfries, fletcher-Roberts, Webb, would guess about 500 games AFL experience there.

 

[McKennabomber]

34 (dogs) - 26 (dons)

 

[eth-dog]

We lost by 2 goals. Apparently Redman was good.

 

[Duckworth]

According to VFL website (top 6 players from the game)
6. Colyer
5. Green
4. Francis
3. Redman
2. Hind
1. Long

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

Green comes in

 

[eDPS]

Green comes in

For who?

 

[eth-dog]

Green comes in

Nope.

 

[Darealrath]

According to VFL website (top 6 players from the game)
6. Colyer
5. Green
4. Francis
3. Redman
2. Hind
1. Long

I'd totally missed that Colyer was playing footy again. Could be very handy in the second half of the year.

 

[Donakebab]

For who?

Stewart. Need a genuine lead up forward to straighten us up.

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

For who?

Maybe Laverde?