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Looks like next week is going ahead at this stage.
Ins & Outs ... go for it
No changes for me!
'The rules are pretty clear': Dons could play with bare minimum
Essendon may have to play its next two matches with a depleted squad if several players are forced to self-isolate after Conor McKenna's positive test
Andrew Dillon Explains The Next Steps For Essendon Following McKenna's Positive Test
Some big developments.
ferrisb 's Preview
I am supposed to be doing the preview this week, but am swamped at work.
I will do a proper preview in time, but for now...
1) It's *, so.... **** them.
2) They may lose several players to isolation. See point 1
3) * have been playing decent footy in 2020, so this would have been a challenge for us if they were full strength
4) Looking at their possible ins/outs, it's not quite as dire for them as you would think. Their backup defenders aren't disastrous. Possibly losing Merrett would be as big a loss for them as any of Hurley/Hooker/Saad. Heppel out too.
5) I think Weiters and Jones easily have Stewart and McKernan covered. On the flip side, Fantasia and AMT are the types that typically cause us trouble.
6) I think Ambrose is an excellent defender and a perfect matchup (for them) for McGovern. I think Levi annihilates Zerk-Thatcher and Harry may be too good for Francis who is talented but patchy and is giving away a lot of height
7) Will be interested to see how Pittonet goes against Bellchambers. I think that could be a win for us, but TBC is crafty and could put up a fight
8) Midfield is interesting. Smith and Shiel are very good, Parish is decent. I think their cupboard is a bit bare after that (especially without Merrett and Heppel), but they somehow manage to perform above what looks like an ordinary mix on paper.
9) In theory their midfield is very outside, although they have performed admirably in clearances and contested possessions so far this year. Cripps badly lowered his colours last year to NKOTB Dylan Clarke in what I suspect may have had something to do with Bolton's last days. I don't expect lightning to strike twice > Watch for Cripps to get 30 touches, 20 contested, 10+ clearances and multiple goals.
TL,DR: I hate *. Assuming they lose isolation players, I expect we will have too many weapons for their backline (and to a lesser extent midfield) to deal with. Cripps will go beast mode and we will win comfortably.
Blues by eleventy five hundred points.
