Preview Round 2: Sydney vs Essendon, SCG, Sunday 14/06/20 @ 3:35 PM

[Lore]

According to the AFL website:

Who can attend matches?
The South Australian government has given clearance for 2240 people to attend Saturday night's Showdown between Adelaide and Port Adelaide. It will be split between club members, corporates and Adelaide Oval members. Greater Western Sydney and Sydney have been granted 350 people for respective matches against North Melbourne and Essendon on Sunday. Fans in Victoria and Queensland will need to wait. Media are allowed to sit in assigned media areas but no media members - except one broadcast boundary rider and camera staff - are allowed on the ground.

What's changed? Eight things you need to know about the AFL's season restart

How many games to go? How many on the bench? Check out what's different about the AFL post-COVID

www.afl.com.au

So 350 Swans fans at this game? Or both clubs?

 

[quotemokc]

Everyone is going to be underdone to some degree but we can't play blokes like Heppell if he is only just fit enough to play.

 

[ghostdog]

Everyone is going to be underdone to some degree but we can't play blokes like Heppell if he is only just fit enough to play.

I'd say the minutes will be managed very rigidly with a bench 8 deep.

 

[Millky95]

Reckon either side will score more than 36?

 

[eth-dog]

They probably go Sinclair and Hewett for Naismith and Ronke.

I think we go Hooker, Heppell, McKernan, Ambrose for BZT, Fantasia, Laverde, Francis

Our back vs their forward:

Hooker vs McCartin
Hurley vs Blakey
Ambrose vs Heeney
Ridley/Redman/Guelfi vs Hayward/Gray
Saad vs Papley

Obviously there will be rotations but that'll be the main head to head clashes

Midfield:

Inside: McGrath/Merrett/Heppell/Shiel/Parish vs Parker/Kennedy/Florent/Rowbottom/Hewett
Outside: Cutler/Langford/Zaharakis vs Taylor/McInerney/Cunningham
Ruck: Bellchambers vs Sinclair

Our forward vs their back:

McKernan vs Brand
Stringer vs Aliir
Townsend vs Rampe
Walla vs Lloyd
Smith/Snelling vs Mills/Dawson/O'Riordan

Those are less than ideal match ups for us. I'd rather Hooker forward, Smith in the middle and Francis on McCartin whilst dropping Zaharakis (but that won't happen). Pushes Aliir onto Smack, Rampe on Stringer and Lloyd on Townsend which we can exploit.

 

[Lore]

I'd say the minutes will be managed very rigidly with a bench 8 deep.

It'll be a standard bench of four, and a standard field of 18 for a total of 22. 16 minute quarters and rotations capped at 90. Other than the length of the quarters there hasn't been a change there, though they did talk about it for a while.

 

[ghostdog]

Reckon either side will score more than 36?

Depends. If we're locked at 35 all with 5 seconds to go in our forward fifty and an umpire blows the whistle, Sydney will.

 

[ghostdog]

It'll be a standard bench of four, and a standard field of 18 for a total of 22. 16 minute quarters and rotations capped at 90. Other than the length of the quarters there hasn't been a change there, though they did talk about it for a while.

Oh, my bad. I've mistaken today's squad for the team then.

 

[Lore]

Oh, my bad. I've mistaken today's squad for the team then.

Yup, pesky Sunday games!

 

[DallasCrane316]

Final teams in

IN- Heppell, Hooker, Mckernan
OUT - Fantasia, Laverde, Zerk-Thatcher.

Surprised Ambrose isn’t in. Guess Walla passed the fitness test today?!

 

[DapperJong]

heppell hooker smack

fantasia BZT laverde (omit)

 

[ILikeCheese]

Does Guelfi give us anything more than what Ambrose could?

 

[eth-dog]

Would love for Ambrose to be a late in and swing Hooker forward.

 

[DallasCrane316]

Over on blitz they did say that Ambrose wasn’t 100% during the match practice against Stringer - maybe the selection panel are taking a cautious approach?

 

[DapperJong]

Mckernan looks like cover for TBC. I think it's an ok choice. TBC absolutely died in the arse in round 1.

 

[JT_the_Man]

For once, I see nothing wrong with our changes.

 

[eth-dog]

Hurley on Heeney?

 

[Jobe Watson]

Go Dons.

 

[ghostdog]

2 days to go!

 

[ghostdog]

Does Guelfi give us anything more than what Ambrose could?

Maybe a turn of pace given there's no McKenna. I don't mind it. Guelfi will be persistent in defence and can run along with Saad. Redman and Ridley can rebound by foot with excellent accuracy as well.

 

[nickh32]

Ins and Outs since last time they played:



Round 16 2019(MCG)

Essendon Ins: Heppell, Bellchambers, Ridley, Cutler, Smith, Snelling, Townsend

Essendon Outs: Laverde, Clarke, Fantasia, Gleeson, Brown, Clarke, Mckenna



Sydney Ins: Brand, Taylor, Gray, Sinclair, McInerney

Sydney Outs: Jones, Reid, Rose, Melican, Ronke,



Round 8 2019(SCG)

Essendon Ins: Mckernan, Snelling, Townsend, Cutler, Ridley, Langford

Essendon Outs: Fantasia, Mckenna, Ambbrose, Clarke, Ham, Myers



Sydney Ins: Cunningham, Brand, Taylor, Gray, McInerney, Rowbottom

Sydney Outs: Fox, Jones, Thurlow, Reid, Jack, Melican,

 

[DapperJong]

We have the better side on paper but they are the better oiled machine.

 

[Schnitzengruben]

We have the better side on paper but they are the better oiled machine.

I honestly don't think they are any more or less oiled than us.

 

[DapperJong]

I honestly don't think they are any more or less oiled than us.

they are better drilled in my opinon

they have half a team of players I’ve never heard of but they will come in and play their role

we should really win this one though

 

[rumply]

I honestly don't think they are any more or less oiled than us.

Would hope that the recent coaching changes have helped in this department.