VelvetSledge
Moderator
- May 24, 2007
- 17,493
- 35,308
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- Essendon
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- #1
The Past 5 weeks:
GEEL: B-L-W-W-L
ESS: B-W-W-L-W
Sportsbet Odds:
GEEL: $2.00
ESS: $1.85
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The Teams:
GEELONG CATS:
B: Joel Corey, Tom Lonergan, Matthew Scarlett
HB: Harry Taylor, Josh Hunt, Corey Enright
C: Andrew Mackie, James Kelly, Taylor Hunt
HF: Billy Smedts, Tom Hawkins, Steven Motlop
F: Paul Chapman, Josh Walker, Mitch Duncan
R: Trent West, Joel Selwood (c), Steve Johnson
I/C: Matthew Stokes, Cameron Guthrie, Jackson Sheringham, Jordan Murdoch
EMG: Jordan Schroeder, George Horlin-Smith, Mitch Brown
IN: Jordan Murdoch
OUT: Allen Christensen (shoulder)
ESSENDON BOMBERS:
B: Jake Melksham, Dustin Fletcher, Cale Hooker
HB: Kyle Hardingham, Jake Carlisle, Mark Baguley
C: Courtenay Dempsey, Jobe Watson (c), Dyson Heppell
HF: Alwyn Davey, Stewart Crameri, Leroy Jetta
F: Scott Gumbleton, Tom Bellchambers, Angus Monfries
R: David Hille, Brent Stanton, Ricky Dyson
I/C: Ben Howlett, Cory Dell'Olio, Nathan Lovett-Murray, David Myers
EMG: Tayte Pears, Sam Lonergan, Alex Browne
IN: Stewart Crameri, Angus Monfries
OUT: Michael Hibberd (quad), Kyle Reimers (hamstring)
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All game day discussion / running commentary in here.
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The Ins and Outs:
At the start of the year, I would've put this one down as a loss, pure and simple, no questions asked. Now that we're nearing the tail end of the season, and the Top eight contenders are well and truly decided, we're left with a giant question mark hanging over the head of the all-conquering Cats. There's no doubt that they are well below their usual output, and one has to question whether they will make the finals altogether. There is no doubt in my mind, however, that they are still a dangerous unit, with plenty of fantastic players ready to bite back at the critics and show why they won the flag last year, and why they are the undisputed best team of the last ten years.
Geelong have lost livewire key forward Allen Christensen to a shoulder complaint, and have brought in speedster Jordan Murdoch to play his third game in the AFL. Murdoch was the fastest player tested at last years Draft Combine, and plays to break the lines. He can run 20 metres in a little over 2 and a half seconds, and has fantastic decision making and disposal skills.
Essendon, on the other hand, have brought in two experienced campaigners to replace the injured duo of Michael Hibberd and Kyle Reimers, who both suffered leg injuries last weekend over in Adelaide. Stewart Crameri, one of the strongest men in the league, returns to his coveted spot in the Essendon forward line, to play with the comeback kid himself, Scott Gumbleton, for the first time. Joining him in the rejuvenated Essendon forward line is smooth-moving Angus Monfries, who has overcome a hamstring injury that sidelined him for a few weeks.
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Key Players:
JAKE CARLISLE, ESSENDON:
Jake "Buckets" Carlisle has had a fantastic year in 2012. Playing in defence alongside evergreen Dustin Fletcher has seen Jake's defensive skills really raise to a brilliant standard. He has played against some of the best forwards in the game today, and always makes a contest whenever the ball is in his area. His marking is among the best in the entire Essendon side, and for a kid who his 200cm+ tall, his running and ability to find space is invaluable to the Essendon rebound.
BEN HOWLETT, ESSENDON:
Arguably the most underrated player in the entire league, Ben Howlett is a tackling machine. Although he is now holds the second highest tackle count in the league, Howlett has absolutely busted his gut every week to become, after Jobe Watson, the most integral part of the Essendon midfield. He holds his feet at almost every contest, has enormous strength for his size, and is in the richest vein of form he has ever been in since coming to Essendon. He needs to fire for Essendon to come away with a win tonight.
STEVE JOHNSON, GEELONG:
Stevie J, the magic man. At least five times a season we will see this man do something that we didn't think was possible, and, sadly for us, it almost always happens against Essendon. Last year he was absolutely stifled out of the game for the first three quarters by Michael Hibberd, who, evidently, is not playing tonight. Who will we see go to Stevie J? 2nd gamer Mark Baguley? Perhaps high-flying Kyle Hardingham? We will have to wait and find out, but you will be in for a ride- Johnson is still one of the most exciting players in the league.
TOM HAWKINS, GEELONG:
Tomahawk practically won Geelong the premiership last year. The game he played last year was one of the best games I've seen a big full forward play since the days of Lloyd, Lynch, Brown and co. He continued his good form throughout the first half of the year, but, in the past few weeks, he has been well down on output and has played very far below himself. With critics writing him and his team off, he will be fired up and out for blood. Expect a big game from him, but also expect Cale Hooker to man up on him in the Cats attacking 50.
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The Tip:
As said earlier, at the start of the year I had this as a loss. Now I just don't know. With Essendon looking to be back into early season form late in the game against Port Adelaide, it seems as though we have the edge over a Geelong side that has very much plateaued this year. I am expecting a spirited fight from both teams, in a free flowing, high scoring contest, with plenty of forward pressure and a brilliant atmosphere at the game. Last year, this game got one of the best crowd reactions of the year, and we should aim to repeat that. If you have no plans tonight, come on down and cheer the Bomber boys on to solidify our spot in the Top 4-6!
Essendon by 26.
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Broadcasting:
TV: Channel 7, Fox FOOTY, Foxtel on Telstra T-Box & Xbox (ALL LIVE)
RADIO: ABC774, SEN, 3AW, Triple M
Internet Streams:
International viewers can get live video of games from http://www.afl.livesport.tv/. Please do not post in this thread asking for links to streams. Your account will be suspended for a day.
Text: http://twitter.com/#!/Essendonlive is doing live text updates.
so if we are struggling I may turn not only to beer but prayer as well as I really want us to win this one its a huge game in the context of our season.
