VelvetSledge
Moderator
- May 24, 2007
- 17,493
- 35,307
- AFL Club
- Essendon
- Other Teams
- Liverpool FC, Melbourne Storm
- Moderator
- #1
ESSENDON BOMBERS
The definite tale of two halves from the Bombers, with a disgusting first half completely wiped out by the best half of football we've played this year.
Joe Daniher returned and hit his straps in the third term, marking strongly and displaying his incredible field kicking before slotting three majors in a brilliant return from injury.
Andrew McGrath is an A-Grade midfielder now; he's made it. A full 10 coaches votes for an incredible performance where he gathered 32 touches, alongside Zach Merrett's 36.
Kyle Langford's performances this year have gone under the radar, but he's turning into a truly reliable mid/forward. It took him a while to get there, but he's now fully realizing his immense potential.
Jordan Ridley continues to go from strength to strength, and should be a shoe-in for a debut All Australian jumper in his first full year of AFL footy.
Maybe we've found a new role for Dylan Clarke? He popped up last week with two goals in critical moments, and whilst he didn't get a lot of the footy (5 disposals in fact), he made the difference.
Cale Hooker the swingman. In game 199, the big Chook was the talisman to our game, swinging forward and wrenching the game from the Hawks, as he's done so many times before. What a man.
**** Hawthorne.
HAWTHORNE 10.11 71 def. by ESSENDON 13.9 87
BEST: McGrath, Merrett, Daniher, Langford
GOALS: Daniher 3, Hooker, Stringer, McDonald-Tipungwuti, Clarke 2, Stewart, Langford
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WEST COAST EAGLES
The Eagles' eight-game winning streak was ended in emphatic fashion, with Richmond wrestling their way to a 27-point win against the West Australian heavyweights.
The third term turned the tide, with Tigers piling on 6 goals to head into the final term with a 14 point lead.
With dominant key forward Josh Kennedy forced from the game early due a nasty collision with Noah Balta's knee, it was always going to be an uphill battle; even with Jack Darling slotting three.
Nic Naitanui found himself quelled by the duo of Soldo and Nankervis, although Andrew Gaff was impressive whilst gathering 32 touches.
The Eagles have now lost four of it's six games in Queensland this year, and will be desperate to avoid another loss tonight.
RICHMOND 14.4 88 def. WEST COAST 9.7 61
BEST: Gaff, Ryan, Kelly, Darling
GOALS: Darling, Ryan 3, Cripps, Kelly, Naitanui
CHANGES:
ESSENDON INS: Dyson Heppell, Michael Hurley, Sam Draper
ESSENDON OUTS: Andrew Phillips, Brayden Ham, Mason Redman (All Omitted)
WEST COAST INS: Jack Redden, Jackson Nelson, Lewis Jetta, Oscar Allen
WEST COAST OUTS: Jamie Cripps (Rested), Josh Kennedy (Concussion), Jarrod Brander, Nic Reid (Both Omitted)
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MILESTONES:
CALE HOOKER - ESSENDON - #26
200 GAMES
Jesus Christ, those ins! After missing basically the entire year with foot and ankle injuries, inspirational captain Dyson Heppell is fit to come straight back into the senior side this week. Whilst he hasn't played any scratch matches, he looks to be in absolutely outstanding nick. Lean, strong, and fit as a fiddle, it'll be interesting to see how Truck uses Hep in this side. In the guts, sweeping on the outside, playing off half back? We'll just have to wait and see. Returning with him is All Australian Michael Hurley, who was a little sore last week but is right as rain to take on the Eagles. Joining Heppell and Hurley is the great white hope in Sam Draper, an absolute colossus of a man who will be up for the physical contest with Nic Naitanui. The man who he is replacing, Andrew Phillips, could consider himself really stiff considering how well he played last week; as well could Mason Redman. Whilst he hasn't been fantastic this year, Redman's last few games have been much better and more like his breakout year of 2019. Brayden Ham has again found himself on the outer with a less than stellar performance last week.
Whilst Jamie Cripps is listed as rested, he's heading home to Perth to be with his partner as they welcome a child into the world. Josh Kennedy is not allowed to play this week under the concussion rule after his run in last week with Noah Balta, whilst Jarrod Brander and Nic Reid have both been dropped. The Eagles welcome back some serious class though, with Jack Redden and Lewis Jetta both coming into the side. Youngsters Jackson Nelson and Oscar Allen have both been recalled.
ELIMINATION FINAL, 2019
Oh god why do I put myself through remembering this s**t
Optus Stadium
5/9/19
WEST COAST EAGLES 17.14 116
def.
ESSENDON BOMBERS 9.7 61
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ESSENDON GOALS: Saad, Snelling, McDonald-Tipungwuti 2, Fantasia, Laverde, McGrath
WEST COAST GOALS: Kennedy, Cripps 4, Ryan 3, Darling, Waterman 2, Sheed, Rioli
ESSENDON BEST: Heppell, McGrath, Shiel, Saad
WEST COAST BEST: Cripps, Redden, Shuey, Kennedy
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CHANGES SINCE THEN
ESSENDON OUTS: Ambrose, Francis, Bellchambers, McKenna, Fantasia, Ham, Redman, Laverde, McKernan, Brown
ESSENDON INS: Gleeson, Zerk-Thatcher, Ridley, Stewart, Mosquito, Smith, Daniher, Draper, Guelfi, Clarke
WEST COAST OUTS: Cripps, Kennedy, Rioli, Yeo, Masten, Waterman, Schofield, Hickey
WEST COAST INS: Cole, Duggan, Williams, Allen, Ah Chee, Kelly, O'Neill, Rotham
Playing the Eagles in September, who would have thought it?
Whilst highly, highly unlikely, if we were ever going to sneak a win against this dominant Eagles outfit it would be now. High on confidence after our best half of football this year last week, with our inspirational captain and full forward back in the side, plus taking into account the fact that the Eagles just look like a different side here than in Perth, the Bombers could consider themselves a sneaky chance. Factor in the missing personnel from the Eagles side, and it only amplifies that chance.
Do I think it will happen? No.
But that doesn't mean I'm not hoping it will.
West Coast by 21.
