Matchups against Freo

[Crave]

Im not the slightest bit concerned about our matchups in the front and back half, my main concern is in the middle and at stoppages. Sandilands will almost certainly have 30+ hitouts....thats 30 times our rovers will at least have to be at the top of their game and take any chance of first use away from them.

 

[Ealesy]

Can we please play NLM on Matthew Carr.

After the roundhouse he laid him out with last year, Carr would probably be too afraid to get within 80m of NLM...well at least not without his equally pissweak brother holding his hand!!!

Or maybe we should play NLM on Josh this year, just so he can have an opportunity to say he's laid out both the Carr brothers!!

 

[Jono B]

Im not the slightest bit concerned about our matchups in the front and back half, my main concern is in the middle and at stoppages. Sandilands will almost certainly have 30+ hitouts....thats 30 times our rovers will at least have to be at the top of their game and take any chance of first use away from them.

We havent got enough in close players to match them in this regard. Other than Jobe who would be our top clearence winners??

 

[mathew ollaik]

Pavlich - Fletcher
Tarrant - Mcveigh
Sandilands/Longmuir - Ryder
Campbell - NLM
Solomon - Mcphee
Headland - Welsh
Mal Michael free in the back-line

I think these will be great match ups. Mcveigh has got both speed and stregnth to play on tarrant. Fletcher can handle Pavlich and with Mal hanging around Pavlich will be destroyed. Ryder has the speed on Longmuir and Sandilands. NLM has speed and enough stregnth to play on Campbell. Headland isn't a big worry, so welsh can play on him. Soloman and Mcphee would be a great match up, because solomon use to play for essendon and mcphee use to play for freamantle. With Mal Michael free, he can spoil plenty of marks.

 

[Darealrath]

We havent got enough in close players to match them in this regard. Other than Jobe who would be our top clearence winners??

Hird. Big challenge for Winderlich, Lovett and Stanton though.

 

[Merv]

Pavlich - Fletcher
Tarrant - Mcveigh
Sandilands/Longmuir - Ryder
Campbell - NLM
Solomon - Mcphee
Headland - Welsh
Mal Michael free in the back-line

I think these will be great match ups. Mcveigh has got both speed and stregnth to play on tarrant. Fletcher can handle Pavlich and with Mal hanging around Pavlich will be destroyed. Ryder has the speed on Longmuir and Sandilands. NLM has speed and enough stregnth to play on Campbell. Headland isn't a big worry, so welsh can play on him. Soloman and Mcphee would be a great match up, because solomon use to play for essendon and mcphee use to play for freamantle. With Mal Michael free, he can spoil plenty of marks.

That won't happen

 

[Ealesy]

You know how certain players who have other players who are their bitches, for example Paul Medhurst is McVeigh's bitch, Chris Judd is Steven Barker's bitch.....well I wouldn't be too worried about Sandilands because while he's got about 10cm 15kg on Hille, Hille does a very good job on him.

 

[Dr Ralph Dagg]

This is only a worry if our midfield pressure is non existant and they are hitting blokes lace out. Otherwise Mal's superior experience, strength and judgement should play to our advantage.

Freo can be pretty quick off half back like Adelaide so I'd like to see Welsh play HF again in a defensive role, on someone like Peake. Thought he did that well last week.

This is the closest I've seen to what I reckon could happen. The outcome won't be decided in either back half. It'll be about getting the pill and then delivery into the forward line. Last week we lacked intensity in the second half, and turned over the ball by foot too many times.

I think either forward line has the ability to rip the opposition defence to bits depending on the quality of service.

When you have beaten us at TD in the past it because we can't get hold of the pill. You've beaten us physically. Not so easy to do that now. We also tend not to kick very straight at TD.

As to Sandi, from what we've seen in pre-season and last week, he has gone to another level. He'll make life interesting for Hille.

 

[Longy413]

Can we please play NLM on Matthew Carr.

I can guarantee that won't happen.

You know how certain players who have other players who are their bitches, for example Paul Medhurst is McVeigh's bitch, Chris Judd is Steven Barker's bitch.....well I wouldn't be too worried about Sandilands because while he's got about 10cm 15kg on Hille, Hille does a very good job on him.

I said it earlier, but Sandilands is a significantly better player than he was in the past. His improvement in the last 12 months is a lot greater than any improvement from Hille. Sandilands is the second best ruckman in the competition, he's just about their best player.

 

[hulld]

at least last week when he got the ball he turned it over. i wouldn't be surprised if he handballed at every opportunity this week

 

[ant555]

I can guarantee that won't happen.

Yes it does look that way judging on this mornings events.

 

[hulld]

how did laycock look ant???

 

[ant555]

how did laycock look ant???

no problems

 

[gossy]

It'll be interesting to see what Sheedy does with Welsh as well. I thought he looked pretty good in the forward line last week.

I agree. Welsh played very well, but he was put forward to tag one of their offensive defenders (as weird as that sounds). So wouldn't be surprised to him play another tagging role again this week, as we have been hearing a lot about him improved fitness over the break.

 

[hulld]

welshy could play on mundy as he creates a fair bit of play from defence, or maybe matty carr if he lines up on the back flank for freo

i reckon they will play solomon on hird. solly would be able to play in the numerous positions that hird will have. also the fact that he is similiar to archer who has had a bit of success on hirdy over the years

 

[Longy413]

welshy could play on mundy as he creates a fair bit of play from defence

I reckon that will almost definately happen.

 

[hulld]

I reckon that will almost definately happen.

 

[dominguez]

Tarrant and Pavlich are both very athletic, which ever one of the two Michael goes to (probably Pavlich) will start 35-40m from goal and lead up the ground, while the other will play from the goal square.

Your backline matches up on our forwards better than our backs match up on yours, which must fill you guys with confidence (Dodd and Johnson, our first and second choice at CHB are suspended). If you can hold Pav and Tarrantino to under 7 goals between them and essendon win the clearances you should win the game, and Adelaide statistically are much better in that area than Fremantle.

Looking at your fixtures for the first nine rounds, a win against us on Sunday would make Essendon a pretty good bet to make the eight.

 

[Crave]

We havent got enough in close players to match them in this regard. Other than Jobe who would be our top clearence winners??

Winders springs to mind. Players like Pev, Slattery and even MJ are able to play relatively tight against their opponent, which could work well at stoppages. In close players could be next on our shopping list come trade/draft time though to further add to our stocks.

 

[Longy413]

Tarrant and Pavlich are both very athletic, which ever one of the two Michael goes to (probably Pavlich) will start 35-40m from goal and lead up the ground, while the other will play from the goal square.

If Essendon want Mal to play at FB he will. He won't have a specific matchup, he'll have a position. And he'll take whoever plays there.

I have no doubt Essendon would absolutely love Dustin Fletcher to start 35m's out from goal.

 

[hulld]

i agree longy.

i reckon mal will be on tarrant for most of the game. he isn't fit enough yet to roam around the wings.

i hope we play fletch on pavlich. but sheeds may want fletch to be creative. imo we should play our best defender on their best forward

 

[Longy413]

I don't think you necessarily play your best defender on their best forward, you structure your team in a manner that gives us the best opportunity to win the game.

Pavlich had a great battle with Fletch last time out, Fletch probably shaded him for a half and then Pav dominated. It takes more than one player to beat Pav, you need support from your midfield and your half back line. I'd like to think we are now in a better position to do that than we were last season.

 

[hulld]

hopefully smoky and paddy can help with the one-on-one contests

 

[monty1104]

We should almost be looking to play a zone defence. MM at FB, Fletch at CHB. Mcphee roaming in between. Who cares about where the Freo guys play, just as long as our guys play to their strengths, we should come out OK.