Preview Round 20: Essendon vs Sydney, MCG, Sunday 01/08/2021, 3:10 PM

[andleanback]

I'd just love one more tall in there at either end. Ideally I'd have Laverde on Heeney but he probably has to take Reid

Laverde perfect match up for Heeney. Silly match committee if they are worrying about Reid over Heeney.

 

[bombreys]

Really happy with the changes.

Good to see form rewarded for Clarke and Franger.

Would love to see Langers get a full 4 quarters as a forward too

 

[eth-dog]

Laverde perfect match up for Heeney. Silly match committee if they are worrying about Reid over Heeney.

I agree. But that leaves Heppell or Ridley on Reid, which is also less than ideal. If we had Bryan in as a forward/ruck, it allows the Stewart/Francis on Reid/Buddy thing either way.

 

[Vander18]

Happy with these changes. Needed to do something to re-energise the group and think they got it right this week.

Langford and Clarke in for the much smaller Zaka and Ham balances out the midfield group nicely - we got monstered around the footy against GWS.

Hate to say it but Hooksy had to go. Don’t mind which of Frang or Stewart play forward.

Will say that non-selection bodes poorly for Guelfi. Seems like the coaches are right off him for reasons that aren’t immediately apparent to me. Think his spot on the list is in real jeopardy.

 

[andleanback]

I agree. But that leaves Heppell or Ridley on Reid, which is also less than ideal. If we had Bryan in as a forward/ruck, it allows the Stewart/Francis on Reid/Buddy thing either way.

Ridley can take care of him, he’ll probably break down anyway.

 

[blitzer]

I quite like the team we've named vs Sydney. Its much more balanced and well rounded and we've dropped some guys that have been underperforming.
Mind you its quite a tall order to beat them as they are in great form with a fully fit list so hopefully we can take it up to them.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

Clarke?

I think people forget how good Francis was as a forward, reminiscent of Hurley and to a lesser extent Crameri. It's all about delivery.
Along with Stewart, Francis gives us great adaptability. Need to keep them both if we want to be up there with the big boys.

Dont mind trying Francis forward but hasn’t done anything up there that matches what Hurley did. Hurls has had eight bags of four or more goals.

 

[MiguelM]

Hope Clarke does well. He is a player that can lockdown on an opposition midfielder.

Still room for a tag IMO. Might have been handy against Whitfield.

Good to see Langers back, we have missed him as well as Francis. Franga's penetrating kicks help open up the game for us.

 

[JT_the_Man]

Like the changes. Will be interesting to see who plays forward out of Stewart/Francis, as it seems that one will have too.

 

[Petrify]

I don't think Clarke will play a tagging role. Its not apart of our midfield style. Hope they just let him play

 

[Milanista28]

I'd sooner sit him on Dawson. Far more damaging than Lloyd

Yeah him too, super player.

 

[WindyHillZephyr]

Good changes. Our tackling/ pressure numbers should be WAY up.

 

[Kyptastic]

Ham the only emergency not named in the VFL so will be the sub tonight

 

[Lore]

Brisbane area is going into lockdown at 4pm...

 

[fpm84]

Brisbane area is going into lockdown at 4pm...

Game presumably to be played with no crowd? Or moved to Merticon?

 

[DapperDon]

Game presumably to be played with no crowd? Or moved to Merticon?

Suns and Dees at Metricon

 

[Lore]

Game presumably to be played with no crowd? Or moved to Merticon?

Our players are staying in Noosa (Noosa Shire), the Gabba is in the City of Brisbane and Metricon is in the City of Gold Coast. All three of those LGAs are locked down from 4pm.

Normally the AFL gets advanced notice of a lockdown and evacuates before it's announced.

If any of the players on either side has been exposed then the whole thing could blow up, otherwise they might evacuate to another part of Queensland (Cairns?) or maybe back to Vic?

 

[Lore]

On the plus side, the AFL has their own lockdown rules that players have to adhere to across the country, which is basically the four reasons thing. So there's a solid chance they haven't been to the exposure sites and would've been wearing masks (hopefully properly).

 

[bacon buster]

It’s a good thing it wasn’t an Essendon scheduled home game this week. With VIC clear to play AFL games the AFL could have looked really silly. And unfair.

 

[Lore]

It’s a good thing it wasn’t an Essendon scheduled home game this week. With VIC clear to play AFL games the AFL could have looked really silly. And unfair.

Did the GWS and Sydney players at least get to reunite with their families? I think families had to quarantine two weeks in Queensland before they could meet up right? If the families are out of lockdown then maybe all players and families can relocate together today before 4pm. Maybe to Cairns or something.

 

[Hird05]

Did the GWS and Sydney players at least get to reunite with their families? I think families had to quarantine two weeks in Queensland before they could meet up right? If the families are out of lockdown then maybe all players and families can relocate together today before 4pm. Maybe to Cairns or something.

Four or five days ago I think

 

[Lore]

Eh okay. So she just said no football games (edit: including NRL and AFL, professional and community sport).

And also; These rules apply to anyone who's been within the 11 LGAs from 1:00am this morning.

So there's no relocating. This game will have to be postponed and they'll be locked down for at least 3 days

 

[Hird05]

Fly them to tassie. No cases here in a year and a half

 

[Hird05]

Eh okay. So she just said no football games.

And also; These rules apply to anyone who's been within the 11 LGAs from 1:00am this morning.

So there's no relocating. This game will have to be postponed and they'll be locked down for at least 3 days

Thanks for putting us in a hub afl. Great work

 

[Lore]

Thanks for putting us in a hub afl. Great work

It made sense at the time, at least in terms of trying to reduce travel across closed state borders and get games away, was very poorly communicated though.

Now it's a real * up.