eth-dog
Tier 1 WW Player
Observations
Geelong:
Essendon: Essendon had a belting at the hands of the reigning premiers, which was understandable due to Richmond having most of their premiership side in and the Dons having a nasty case of gastro running through the club. Devon Smith impressed in the midfield along with Dyson Heppell and Adam Saad.
Head to Head (last 5)
Geelong 4-1 Essendon
Form Guide
Geelong:
Essendon:
Sportsbet odds
Geelong:
Essendon:
Line: ($1.92)
Possible sides
Geelong vs Essendon
B: McKenna - Hartley - Ambrose
F: Cockatoo - Hawkins - Menzel
HB: Gleeson - Hurley - Saad
HF: Parfitt - Crameri - Menegola
C: Parish - Stringer - Z Merrett
C: Duncan - J Selwood - Guthrie
HF: McDonald-Tipungwuti - Daniher - Fantasia
HB: Tuohy - Henderson - Stewart
F: Stewart - Hooker - Begley
B: Kolodjashnij - Taylor - Bews
R: Bellchambers - Goddard - Heppell
R: Z Smith - Dangerfield - Ablett
I: McGrath - Langford - Myers - Z Merrett - Leuenberger - D Smith - Zaharakis - Brown
I: S Selwood - McCarthy - Parsons - Blicavs - Kelly - Thurlow - Buzza - Horlin-Smith
Geelong defence vs Essendon forward line
Essendon's forward line was the highlight of the 2017 season, finishing 3rd in terms of overall goals/inside 50 ratio behind the two teams in Adelaide, with an efficiency rating of 28%. Geelong had a solid defensive efficiency rating last season, conceding a goal 24% of the time. Daniher will be keen to get some good form going after having his colours lowered against Richmond, and will get a real challenge in the form of Lachie Henderson, whilst Cale Hooker and James Stewart will have their first proper hit out for the season against the likes of Harry Taylor and Jake Kolodjashnij, and star small forwards Orazio Fantasia and Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti will probably cop Jed Bews and Tom Stewart, in a good hit out for the players.
Midfield/rucks battle
The biggest challenge for Essendon will be trying to win it in the middle, Essendon's hasn't been very well performing well in recent years, finishing 14th in clearance differential and 10th in Contested Possession differential last season, with Geelong finishing 10th and 2nd in those categories respectively. Essendon have added two shiny new things to their midfield in Devon Smith and Jake Stringer, the former having seemingly made an immediate impact to the Essendon side, and the latter has made an impression in terms of what he's doing to his body this year. Geelong have a new plaything as well, a bloke a couple of blokes might know, just some hack called Gary Ablett jr, who will make a fine addition to a midfield that already boasts the likes of Patrick Dangerfield, Joel Selwood, Mitch Duncan and Cameron Guthrie. Not a bad player to put in there as well. Ruck wise it'll be a good battle between Zac Smith and Tom Bellchambers as the pair probably go head to head for most of it.
Geelong forward line vs Essendon defence
Essendon's defence had an enjoyable 2017 for the most part despite being under extreme pressure most weeks, they had a very high defensive efficiency rating of 23% in the last season. Geelong were a good attacking side, kicking a goal 26% of the time it entered their forward 50. Michael Hartley is likely to get the Tom Hawkins match up, whilst Wylie Buzza will probably go head-to-head with All Australian defender Michael Hurley, leaving Patrick Ambrose to likely take former Don Stewart Crameri in the head-to-heads for the key talls, whilst Martin Gleeson is likely to take the dangerous Daniel Menzel as mediums, with Conor McKenna and Adam Saad likely to take a rotation of the smalls.
X-Factor Player
Adam Saad is the third of Essendon's new toys, the man coming down from Gold Coast and will be aggressive as always in his rebound for the Dons, the man arguably the one who'll have the biggest impact of the three with the way Essendon play
Key stat
Geelong: Defensive efficiency. Their defense is very experienced, and an excellent core of KPP's need to get on top of the Dons' elite 1-2-3 punch forward
Essendon: Clearances. Need to win this for Essendon to have an impact, as last game showed.
Tip
Hard to know how each side will take things, but I suspect Essendon will get up as they need good form running into Adelaide round 1, Dons by 18
Geelong:
Essendon: Essendon had a belting at the hands of the reigning premiers, which was understandable due to Richmond having most of their premiership side in and the Dons having a nasty case of gastro running through the club. Devon Smith impressed in the midfield along with Dyson Heppell and Adam Saad.
Head to Head (last 5)
Geelong 4-1 Essendon
Form Guide
Geelong:
Essendon:
Sportsbet odds
Geelong:
Essendon:
Line: ($1.92)
Possible sides
Geelong vs Essendon
B: McKenna - Hartley - Ambrose
F: Cockatoo - Hawkins - Menzel
HB: Gleeson - Hurley - Saad
HF: Parfitt - Crameri - Menegola
C: Parish - Stringer - Z Merrett
C: Duncan - J Selwood - Guthrie
HF: McDonald-Tipungwuti - Daniher - Fantasia
HB: Tuohy - Henderson - Stewart
F: Stewart - Hooker - Begley
B: Kolodjashnij - Taylor - Bews
R: Bellchambers - Goddard - Heppell
R: Z Smith - Dangerfield - Ablett
I: McGrath - Langford - Myers - Z Merrett - Leuenberger - D Smith - Zaharakis - Brown
I: S Selwood - McCarthy - Parsons - Blicavs - Kelly - Thurlow - Buzza - Horlin-Smith
Geelong defence vs Essendon forward line
Essendon's forward line was the highlight of the 2017 season, finishing 3rd in terms of overall goals/inside 50 ratio behind the two teams in Adelaide, with an efficiency rating of 28%. Geelong had a solid defensive efficiency rating last season, conceding a goal 24% of the time. Daniher will be keen to get some good form going after having his colours lowered against Richmond, and will get a real challenge in the form of Lachie Henderson, whilst Cale Hooker and James Stewart will have their first proper hit out for the season against the likes of Harry Taylor and Jake Kolodjashnij, and star small forwards Orazio Fantasia and Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti will probably cop Jed Bews and Tom Stewart, in a good hit out for the players.
Midfield/rucks battle
The biggest challenge for Essendon will be trying to win it in the middle, Essendon's hasn't been very well performing well in recent years, finishing 14th in clearance differential and 10th in Contested Possession differential last season, with Geelong finishing 10th and 2nd in those categories respectively. Essendon have added two shiny new things to their midfield in Devon Smith and Jake Stringer, the former having seemingly made an immediate impact to the Essendon side, and the latter has made an impression in terms of what he's doing to his body this year. Geelong have a new plaything as well, a bloke a couple of blokes might know, just some hack called Gary Ablett jr, who will make a fine addition to a midfield that already boasts the likes of Patrick Dangerfield, Joel Selwood, Mitch Duncan and Cameron Guthrie. Not a bad player to put in there as well. Ruck wise it'll be a good battle between Zac Smith and Tom Bellchambers as the pair probably go head to head for most of it.
Geelong forward line vs Essendon defence
Essendon's defence had an enjoyable 2017 for the most part despite being under extreme pressure most weeks, they had a very high defensive efficiency rating of 23% in the last season. Geelong were a good attacking side, kicking a goal 26% of the time it entered their forward 50. Michael Hartley is likely to get the Tom Hawkins match up, whilst Wylie Buzza will probably go head-to-head with All Australian defender Michael Hurley, leaving Patrick Ambrose to likely take former Don Stewart Crameri in the head-to-heads for the key talls, whilst Martin Gleeson is likely to take the dangerous Daniel Menzel as mediums, with Conor McKenna and Adam Saad likely to take a rotation of the smalls.
X-Factor Player
Adam Saad is the third of Essendon's new toys, the man coming down from Gold Coast and will be aggressive as always in his rebound for the Dons, the man arguably the one who'll have the biggest impact of the three with the way Essendon play
Key stat
Geelong: Defensive efficiency. Their defense is very experienced, and an excellent core of KPP's need to get on top of the Dons' elite 1-2-3 punch forward
Essendon: Clearances. Need to win this for Essendon to have an impact, as last game showed.
Tip
Hard to know how each side will take things, but I suspect Essendon will get up as they need good form running into Adelaide round 1, Dons by 18
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