eth-dog
Tier 1 WW Player
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Sweet F.A. 300+ Games Played in the SFA
Doctor Who's Tardis
Essendon Player Sponsor 2024 - Archie Perkins and Nic Martin
Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2007
- Posts
- 129,849
- Reaction score
- 89,754
- Location
- Melbourne
- AFL Club
- Essendon
- Other Teams
- Coburg Lions, All Boston sides
Last game:
Gold Coast: The Suns fell to their second straight loss against Sydney, going down by 32 points in a game where they couldn't peg back Sydney's hot start to the game. Matt Rowell was prolific in the middle with 32 disposals and 8 clearances whilst Ben Long kicked 3 goals up front.
Essendon: Essendon snapped a 17 game losing streak, defeating Melbourne by 45 points after an 11 goal to 2 second half. Archie Roberts was excellent again with 42 disposals and a goal off half back, whilst Essendon's forward line shared the spoils around with Caddy, Duursma, May, Edwards and Kako kicking 2 apiece.
Head to head
Gold Coast 4-1 Essendon
Form Guide (last 5):
Gold Coast: 3W 1L
Essendon: 1W 4L
Possible sides
Gold Coast vs Essendon
FB: Zachary Reid - Ben McKay - Jacob Farrow
FF: Leo Lombard - Ben King - Will Graham
HB: Jordan Ridley - Lachlan Blakiston - Archie Roberts
HF: Jed Walter - Ethan Read - Christian Petracca
MF: Xavier Duursma - Andrew McGrath - Kyle Langford
MF: Lachlan Weller - Will Powell - Sam Clohesy
HF: Isaac Kako - Nate Caddy - Archer Day-Wicks
HB: John Noble - Mac Andrew - Dan Rioli
FF: Tom Edwards - Archer May - Jade Gresham
FB: Charlie Ballard - Sam Collins - Bodie Uwland
OB: Peter Wright - Sam Durham - Zach Merrett
OB: Ned Moyle - Noah Anderson - Matt Rowell
IC: Elijah Tsatas - Jye Caldwell - Jaxon Prior - Sullivan Robey - Darcy Parish
IC: Touk Miller - Lachlan Gulbin - Ben Long - Joel Jeffrey - Bailey Humphrey
Gold Coast in: Ned Moyle, Bailey Humphrey, Christian Petracca; out: Zeke Uwland, Jarrod Witts, Alex Davies
Essendon in: N/A; out: N/A
Gold Coast defence vs Essendon forward line
Essendon's forward line has been the strongest line for them this season, kicking a goal 25.78% of the time and scoring 48.89% of the time it enters their 50, 7th and 6th in those stats respectively. Gold Coast have conceded a goal 23.98% of the time it enteres their defensive 50, and a score 46.75% of the time, 8th and 11th in the league as it stands.
Sam Collins has been a premier key defender in the competition for the Suns the past few years and likely takes yong Bomber star Nate Caddy, whilst Charlie Ballard and Mac Andrew play on Tom Edwards and Archer May respectively, and John Noble to take dangerous small Isaac Kako.
Midfield/rucks battle
This is a battle of the two worst clearance sides in the comp, Essendon -9 in clearance difference and Gold Coast -5.6, whilst Essendon are stronger in the contested possession difference, 11th to the Suns 13th, though both sides lose the contested possessions more often than they win.
Andrew McGrath made a big difference in the midfield last week, limiting Melbourne's ability to leave stoppage quickly and will likely go on Matt Rowell in a run with role, whilst letting Darcy Parish who was back to his best last week go head to head with Noah Anderson, and the Suns normally not electing to tag but may consider running someone on Merrett. On the outside, Kyle Langford has had a return to form on the wing, likely to go head to head with Lachlan Weller, and Xavier Duursma on Sam Clohesy. Rucks wise, Peter Wright and Lachlan Blakiston have found their groove together, whilst Ned Moyle and Mac Andrew are likely to match up well against them respectively.
Gold Coast forward line vs Essendon defence
Gold Coast's 27.64% goals per inside 50 ratio is the second best in the league, despite being 9th in scores per inside 50 at 46.42%. On the flipside Essendon concede a goal 27.11% of the time it enters defensive 50, and a score 49.65% of the time, 14th and 13th in those areas respectively.
It'll likely be Ben vs Ben, McKay on King as the main match up, with Zach Reid and Jordan Ridley likely to take the younger combination of Ethan Read and Jed Walter in defence as well, and Archie Roberts the most likely match up for dangerous small Ben Long inside 50 for the Suns.
Key stat
Gold Coast: Clearances. They have one of the best midfields in the comp, how they're 17th for clearance difference is astounding
Essendon: Forward 50 efficiency. The Dons forward line has functioned well for the most part this season, need to get on top of this Gold Coast defence to win.
Tip
I'd love to win this but I can't see us getting close, Suns by 43.
Also, please note that this is likely the last preview I can do for a while, as we have a run of Saturday games whilst I'll likely be doing stuff at my local club. I'll be back for Dreamtime though.
Gold Coast: The Suns fell to their second straight loss against Sydney, going down by 32 points in a game where they couldn't peg back Sydney's hot start to the game. Matt Rowell was prolific in the middle with 32 disposals and 8 clearances whilst Ben Long kicked 3 goals up front.
Essendon: Essendon snapped a 17 game losing streak, defeating Melbourne by 45 points after an 11 goal to 2 second half. Archie Roberts was excellent again with 42 disposals and a goal off half back, whilst Essendon's forward line shared the spoils around with Caddy, Duursma, May, Edwards and Kako kicking 2 apiece.
Head to head
Gold Coast 4-1 Essendon
Form Guide (last 5):
Gold Coast: 3W 1L
Essendon: 1W 4L
Possible sides
Gold Coast vs Essendon
FB: Zachary Reid - Ben McKay - Jacob Farrow
FF: Leo Lombard - Ben King - Will Graham
HB: Jordan Ridley - Lachlan Blakiston - Archie Roberts
HF: Jed Walter - Ethan Read - Christian Petracca
MF: Xavier Duursma - Andrew McGrath - Kyle Langford
MF: Lachlan Weller - Will Powell - Sam Clohesy
HF: Isaac Kako - Nate Caddy - Archer Day-Wicks
HB: John Noble - Mac Andrew - Dan Rioli
FF: Tom Edwards - Archer May - Jade Gresham
FB: Charlie Ballard - Sam Collins - Bodie Uwland
OB: Peter Wright - Sam Durham - Zach Merrett
OB: Ned Moyle - Noah Anderson - Matt Rowell
IC: Elijah Tsatas - Jye Caldwell - Jaxon Prior - Sullivan Robey - Darcy Parish
IC: Touk Miller - Lachlan Gulbin - Ben Long - Joel Jeffrey - Bailey Humphrey
Gold Coast in: Ned Moyle, Bailey Humphrey, Christian Petracca; out: Zeke Uwland, Jarrod Witts, Alex Davies
Essendon in: N/A; out: N/A
Gold Coast defence vs Essendon forward line
Essendon's forward line has been the strongest line for them this season, kicking a goal 25.78% of the time and scoring 48.89% of the time it enters their 50, 7th and 6th in those stats respectively. Gold Coast have conceded a goal 23.98% of the time it enteres their defensive 50, and a score 46.75% of the time, 8th and 11th in the league as it stands.
Sam Collins has been a premier key defender in the competition for the Suns the past few years and likely takes yong Bomber star Nate Caddy, whilst Charlie Ballard and Mac Andrew play on Tom Edwards and Archer May respectively, and John Noble to take dangerous small Isaac Kako.
Midfield/rucks battle
This is a battle of the two worst clearance sides in the comp, Essendon -9 in clearance difference and Gold Coast -5.6, whilst Essendon are stronger in the contested possession difference, 11th to the Suns 13th, though both sides lose the contested possessions more often than they win.
Andrew McGrath made a big difference in the midfield last week, limiting Melbourne's ability to leave stoppage quickly and will likely go on Matt Rowell in a run with role, whilst letting Darcy Parish who was back to his best last week go head to head with Noah Anderson, and the Suns normally not electing to tag but may consider running someone on Merrett. On the outside, Kyle Langford has had a return to form on the wing, likely to go head to head with Lachlan Weller, and Xavier Duursma on Sam Clohesy. Rucks wise, Peter Wright and Lachlan Blakiston have found their groove together, whilst Ned Moyle and Mac Andrew are likely to match up well against them respectively.
Gold Coast forward line vs Essendon defence
Gold Coast's 27.64% goals per inside 50 ratio is the second best in the league, despite being 9th in scores per inside 50 at 46.42%. On the flipside Essendon concede a goal 27.11% of the time it enters defensive 50, and a score 49.65% of the time, 14th and 13th in those areas respectively.
It'll likely be Ben vs Ben, McKay on King as the main match up, with Zach Reid and Jordan Ridley likely to take the younger combination of Ethan Read and Jed Walter in defence as well, and Archie Roberts the most likely match up for dangerous small Ben Long inside 50 for the Suns.
Key stat
Gold Coast: Clearances. They have one of the best midfields in the comp, how they're 17th for clearance difference is astounding
Essendon: Forward 50 efficiency. The Dons forward line has functioned well for the most part this season, need to get on top of this Gold Coast defence to win.
Tip
I'd love to win this but I can't see us getting close, Suns by 43.
Also, please note that this is likely the last preview I can do for a while, as we have a run of Saturday games whilst I'll likely be doing stuff at my local club. I'll be back for Dreamtime though.
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