Matches Thread - Round 13, 2010

[swannies]

Falcons v Tigers - The Falcons bounced back against the Sharks last week and the Tigers have had a rest before embarking on the second half of the season. Last time they meet both teams were undefeated, now 1 is fighting for a spot in the top 4, whilst the other is firmly ensconced on the top of the ladder.

The Falcons proved they have the running power against a pretty good running division at the Sharks. Lynch was sent to the forward line whilst LeCras was sent back and if Lynch stays in the team that's a handy bonus for the Falcons. The Falcons defence, I've said all year they are under rated, kept a team that had kicked 18 goals the week before to half that amount, so they continue to do their job. But, can they stop Jones, Richardson, Ninyette and co? Salecic, Guadagnin, Bewick, Crossland, Bartholomew, Rice et al will need to be at their running best.

Will the Tigers be a little rusty after the week off? Can Blackwell, Brabazon, Foster, Walton, Ninyette, Chidgzey et al continue their dominant midfield form? Will Thomson be back to take Lynch, or will Franz or Crawford take the Q? Laurie has been in fine form this year and will likely take LeCras or Tsalikis. The forward line speaks for itself with C Jones leading the goalkicking by a mile, Richardson kicking his own bags and then able support from Ninyette, Crawford, Weedon or whoever else is plonked in the forward line. Should be a cracker this match, especially being at the Falcons home ground.

Teams

Falcons
B D Burns D Hunt M Tedesco
HB:L Harvey C Shadbolt J Gobbells
C:J Rice M Guadagnin R Bartholomew
HF:R Bewick B Lecras A Saylor
F:J Salecic A Tsalikis T Crossland
Foll:C Keunen J Tindall S Dearle
I/C:C.Lasscock, J.Darling, S.Bewick, D.Fleay, C.Branch, R.Duckworth, M.Andrews
Emg:Nil
In:J.Darling, S.Bewick, D.Fleay, C.Branch, R.Duckworth
Out:A.Strijk

Tigers
B:K Mitchell J Laurie T De nardi
HB:B Jones B Franz C Rudeforth
C:B Anderson B Schammer L Stevenson
HF:A Browne D Crawford J Murphy
F:R Brabazon C Jones A Foster
Foll:T Derickx R Walton L Blackwell
I/C:I.Richardson, A.Ruck, T.Willett, M.Orzel, T.Swift, J.Ninyette, G.Weedon
Emg:Nil
In:A.Browne, C.Rudeforth, L.Stevenson, T.Swift
Out:N.Chidgzey

 

[swannies]

Royals v Lions - The Royals have strung together a couple of wins, the Lions a couple of losses. Can the Royals remain in touch with the top 4 or will Subi climb back into the 4, thereby almost ending the Royals season? A lot hangs on this match and there's not a lot of love lost already, so I smell fireworks!

The Royals belted a hapless Peel, but before that had beaten the reasonably well credentialled Falcons, so which Royals outfit turns up? Wulff plays his 150th match and he has been one of their consistent performers this year, so I expect this to fire them up. Merrington, Prior and Shepheard need to be effective targets up forward, with the other flankers providing support and defensive pressure on the Lions backs. Sweet, JON and Roberton have the capacity to taunt the Lions single paced midfield, if they use their pace and the space of Leederville right. In defence Webster, Noakes and Sampey need to blanket Campbell and Broadhurst and someone with some pace needs to mind Pickett and stick on him for the better of the team. Pickett single handedly got Subi back into last weeks game and needs to be watched.

The Lions need to run and bump and grind all day. They no longer have pace over their opponents across the whole field, although Pickett, Cossom and Keevers will cut you up if given a chance. The Lions need to grind out games now, which is how they beat Swans in the first encounter, so they're still a dangerous opponent. Rix and Newick or Douglas in the ruck is a fair combination. Parker and Rumble are still good defenders and Read, Cockie, Bristow, Webb will run all day.

Teams

Royals
B Travers L Sampey J Derickx
HB:J Oakley-nicholls B Hancock A Lovett
C:A Pickering L Webster C Wulff
HF:H Shepheard J Birrell D Cadwallader
F:M Swan A Merrington A Prior
Foll:Z Clarke A Sweet C Glancy
I/C:T.Noakes, B.Fotheringham, M.Seal, H.Fryer, B.Dobson, D.Macaulay, J.Keath
Emg:Nil
In:J.Derickx, B.Hancock, C.Wulff, Z.Clarke, J.Keath
Out:J.Eastwell, D.Roberton

Lions
B:C Phelan D Rumble R Kerr
HB:B Broadhurst A Parker B Randall
C:B Keevers K Horsley S Hildebrandt
HF:C Cossom A Campbell P Read
F:A Pickett M Re A Cockie
Foll:M Rix P Hassett R Blechynden
I/C:A.Scott, T.Viney, L.Newick, J.Adamson-holmes, R.Stack, R.Muller, T.Richards
Emg:Nil
In:A.Scott, T.Viney, J.Adamson-holmes, R.Stack, R.Muller, T.Richards
Out:J.Wooden, M.Webb, S.Worthington

 

[swannies]

Bulldogs v Swans - Another important game for both teams finals aspirations. The Bulldogs to get to within a game or so of the top 4 and Swans to retain a top 2 spot.

The Bulldogs need to find more support for Phillips, who's been a consistent performer all year. Murphy and Wilson are a dangerous pairing forward. In defence Hunt has been reasonable, along with McCarrey and Bossong looks like he's getting back to some form and add the Hams brothers and that's a pretty good defence. McGrath has been up and down but if he gets back to form, along with Phillips, Siegert, Adams, Guglielmana, White, Miller and North there's a reasonably good midfield as well. Where the Doggies can dominate, IMO, is with Graham and Delmenico in the ruck against Spaanders.

Swans should have blown Subi away last week, but let them back in it and had to fight every step of the way, which will be required again this week. The running game is still Swans strong suit with Roberts, Krakouer, Roach, Wolfenden, Hinkley, Davis, Walters, Garlett, Riggio all combining well and running hard. Hansen has been in white hot form at FF and is very ably supported by Geappen, Simpson and Notte. Defensively Swans have been very good this year, well lead by Ames, Spencer, Pratt and Jetta. This should be a cracker and I feel my blood pressure rising already from the stress!

Teams

Bulldogs
B:K Hams S Hunt C Bossong
HB:R Adams A Mccarrey H North
C:A Guglielmana T Bairstow C White
HF:N Phillips R Murphy P Mugambwa
F:A Hams C Wilson A Collica
Foll:S Delmenico K Miller T Mcgrath
I/C:J.Palumbo, J.Winter, C.Amato, M.Carter, B.Stanford, J.Head, C.Dell-olio
Emg:Nil
In:B.Stanford, J.Head, C.Dell-olio
Out:Nil

Swans
B:L Pratt T Ames G Jetta
HB:W Twomey M Spencer T Casserly
C:C Hinkley J Roberts T Roach
HF:B Colreavy T Geappen L Daly
F:M Walters T Notte A Krakouer
Foll:L Spaanderman R Davis M Riggio
I/C:B.Wolfenden, C.Garlett, C.Pearce, J.Simpson
Emg:J.Embley, R.Manton, B.Van groningen
In:L.Daly
Out:A.Hansen

 

[swannies]

Sharks v Thunder - After letting one get away last week, the Sharks will be wanting to bounce back and hard. Peel will be in for another long day at Shark park.

The Sharks have a very good running division, lead by McGough, McNamara, Stevens, Monteath, Houlihan, Fasolo. Forward line is probably their weakness, but Dunn provides a good target and Bucovacz knows how to find the ball and put it through the big sticks. Defence is a strength of the Sharks with Warren, Spangher, Brennan, Stephen, Dodd and Green.

The Thunder have tried hard but been fighting out of their weight division most of the year. Battye is probably their most important player and he Holmes and R O'Brien make a big difference to this team. They seem bereft of leaders, but young players like Crichton seem to be developing OK, with many youngsters being in the team, like Bennell, Mason, Luff, Brown, Green needing to play like seasoned veterans for them to be competitive.

Teams

Sharks
B:J Brennan M Warren J Sgherza
HB:A Stephen M Spangher S Dodd
C:J Venturini M Mcgough C Hall
HF:K Green B Bucovaz J Mcnamara
F:J Perham A Monk L Fasolo
Foll:R Young T Houlihan K Monteath
I/C:S.Lee-steere, J.Murray, T.Bruce, A.Ware, D.Chidlow, A.Ciotti, R.Cooyou
Emg:Nil
In:S.Lee-steere, A.Ciotti, J.Sgherza, J.Venturini, J.Murray, A.Ware, R.Cooyou, J.Perham
Out:R.Dunn, J.Bayliss, L.Weller, J.Slattery, K.Stevens

Thunder
B:C Luff D Chartres B Filo
HB:M Holmes T Clarke R Mason
C:M Ware R O'brien J Crichton
HF:B Daniels M Brown B Holmes
F: D Murray H Mcleod B Jones (c)
Foll:J Williams C Timbrell M Brown
I/C:R.Beswick, M.Green, T.Mcculloch, B.Gillam, C.George, M.Giumelli, L.Padwick
Emg:Nil
In:B.Daniels, D.Murray, T.Mcculloch, C.George
Out:T.Kovacevich

 

[swannies]

Lance Daly debuting for Swans this weekend and I see a number of other names that I don't recall seeing in the past, so good luck to these guys in their debuts.

 

[BeinPurplenGreen]

Thanks for the updates Swannies, really appreciate the insights. Is Lovett making an impact?? Will aWolfemndon and the other "mature age players" (ie over 14 - Mugumbaaba, Salecic, Brabazon, Delmenico and Phillips) that missed attention in the last AFL draft get much game time this round?

 

[swannies]

Thanks for the updates Swannies, really appreciate the insights. Is Lovett making an impact?? Will aWolfemndon and the other "mature age players" (ie over 14 - Mugumbaaba, Salecic, Brabazon, Delmenico and Phillips) that missed attention in the last AFL draft get much game time this round?

Would expect these mature age players to attract interest:
Phillips;
Davis;
Laurie;
Brabazon;
Mzungu;
Luff;
Ninyette;
Mason;
Harvey (I rate);
Sweet;
Collica;
Brennan;
Carter.

 

[Kram]

Rod Willet - A little bit jacket with the warm on

 

[EaglesFlyingHigh]

Swans Up by 2 at quarter time
Tigers Up by 1

 

[pacemaker]

Dissapointing from West Perth to let the game blow out in the end at home. Felt they really played below par and shouldn't have losted by more than 5 goals

 

[swannies]

Well, that's it, I knew it would be tough against Souths but I've got to get home and have a lie down and get my blood pressure back down!

Oh, and well done EP beating Subi. Are they officially on the rocks now? Perth might have a chance next week!

 

[Ljp86]

Oh, and well done EP beating Subi. Are they officially on the rocks now? Perth might have a chance next week!

This season was always going to be tough for us with the losses we had. I think we can still make the four but I don't think we'll go further than the first semi-final if we do indeed make the finals.

Our main problem has been our defence in the last few weeks, Rumble and Parker don't seem to have the influence on games that they used to and aren't winning as many battles with the opposition forwards. The change of personnel in the midfield and the general dynamic of the sides that won those flags just isn't there and as a result we've gone on the decline.

It was always going to happen, it was just a matter of time before it happened but we have had a pretty good run for the last seven or eight years. The real test now will be to develop our younger players and also recruit smartly to get the Lions back at the top of the WAFL.

 

[swannies]

^^, but you're back in 4th, even with the loss, Perth next week, should lock in 4th for another week, certainly in the mix. BUt yes, it'll be a bit up and down I reckon.