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http://eagles.newman-knights.com/news.php?newsid=36
What travel hoodoo?
Well it's great to have a win away from home under our belts, but it means nothing if we don't back it up by winning at home. This weeks opponents (in our first home game for four weeks) is cellar-dwelling Geelong. Personally not my choice of opponent, as it may be easy for the players to slip into a bit of complacency and turn what on paper should be an easy win into a tight match.
This game is a critical game as the Eagles try to consolidate their best run of form since early 1999, however Geelong have won the last five encounters dating back to round 5 2000, by a minimum of thirty points. That said, that is in line with the Eagles form.
Changes
The Eagles have made two changes from last weeks winning team. David Wirrpunda unsurprisingly comes back into the side along with Michael Braun. Travis Gaspar's hamstring sidelines him, while Damien Adkins has been sent back for a run in the WAFL.
Click here for the squad
Lead up
The Eagles come into this game on the back of two straight wins, something the club has been hard pressed to say often over recent years, and those two wins were an "away" Western Derby and a real away win over the Demons. The club is riding high in third position on the ladder with four wins from the opening six weeks, with only Adelaide and the unstoppable Lions higher.
Geelong on the other hand have had a dog of a season, their promise of 2002 (where they finished a creditable 9th) being followed up with a shocking start to 2003 which has seen the Cats slump to last with only one win so far, over the marshmallowy Demons at Kardinia Park. In between the Cats have also lost big to fellow strugglers the Western Bulldogs and Saint Kilda. However, the Cats were not too bad last week in only going down by fourteen points at home to Brisbane, but this game is not at Kardinia Park.
Injuries and Suspensions
Daniel Kerr will not be available as his ankle injury suffered when we knocked off the Dockers has not come good as yet. It is also unlikely that Travis Gaspar will be available after reinjuring his hamstring in last weekend's win. Ben Cousins and Trent Carroll are also sporting injuries, both corks, from last weeks Demon encounter, although both will probably be available. David Wirrpunda appears to have recovered from the hammy that has kept him out the last couple of weeks,
The Cats, belying their lowly position on the ladder have very few injuries, with only Marc Woolnough definitely not available for selection
Match Ups
Geelong's Steven King should be an interesting challenge for Eagles' inform ruckman Michael Gardiner. Gardiner is certainly the in form ruckman of the competition, but King has been pretty good this year himself.
Once again, the Geelong task will be to stop the Eagles midfield run. Ben Cousins, Chris Judd and Chad Fletcher are a pretty imposing trio, even without Daniel Kerr, and its hard to see the likes of Corey Enright, Cameron Ling and Gary Ablett shutting them down. That said, Ling has a good record on Cousins in recent years.
Other than that, the Eagles two small forwards, Phil Matera and Ashley Sampi are the players Geelong need to stop to stay in the game.
2002
The Eagles only played the Cats once in 2002, an insipid performance resulting in a loss at Kardinia Park
Round 14, Kardinia Park
Geelong 3.5 3.8 5.15 8.17 ( 65)
West Coast 1.5 4.7 4.9 4.9 ( 33)
Head to Head
Played 30; West Coast 17, Geelong 13, Draws 0.
Biggest Margin - West Coast : West Coast 20.23 (143) d Geelong 8.15 (63) - 80 points, M.C.G, Grand Final 1994
Biggest Margin - Geelong : Geelong 26.19 (175) d West Coast 11.14 (80) - 95 points, Kardinia Park, R2 1989
Milestones
The Eagles have two milestones this week, with 1994 premiership player Drew Banfield due to play his 200th game and Michael Gardiner playing his 100th. Both are former number one draft picks.
Summary
Barring complacency, Geelong aren't in the league of the Eagles; certainly not if the game is in Perth. The Eagles midfield should easily account for the Geelong side, however meritorious their performance against Brisbane last week. I can't find a reason not to tip the Eagles (and I'm happy to say that!). I'm sure John Worsfold won't allow the players to rest on their laurels after last week's game, so the team should be fired up for this week's match.
My prediction: West Coast by 31 points
What travel hoodoo?
Well it's great to have a win away from home under our belts, but it means nothing if we don't back it up by winning at home. This weeks opponents (in our first home game for four weeks) is cellar-dwelling Geelong. Personally not my choice of opponent, as it may be easy for the players to slip into a bit of complacency and turn what on paper should be an easy win into a tight match.
This game is a critical game as the Eagles try to consolidate their best run of form since early 1999, however Geelong have won the last five encounters dating back to round 5 2000, by a minimum of thirty points. That said, that is in line with the Eagles form.
Changes
The Eagles have made two changes from last weeks winning team. David Wirrpunda unsurprisingly comes back into the side along with Michael Braun. Travis Gaspar's hamstring sidelines him, while Damien Adkins has been sent back for a run in the WAFL.
Click here for the squad
Lead up
The Eagles come into this game on the back of two straight wins, something the club has been hard pressed to say often over recent years, and those two wins were an "away" Western Derby and a real away win over the Demons. The club is riding high in third position on the ladder with four wins from the opening six weeks, with only Adelaide and the unstoppable Lions higher.
Geelong on the other hand have had a dog of a season, their promise of 2002 (where they finished a creditable 9th) being followed up with a shocking start to 2003 which has seen the Cats slump to last with only one win so far, over the marshmallowy Demons at Kardinia Park. In between the Cats have also lost big to fellow strugglers the Western Bulldogs and Saint Kilda. However, the Cats were not too bad last week in only going down by fourteen points at home to Brisbane, but this game is not at Kardinia Park.
Injuries and Suspensions
Daniel Kerr will not be available as his ankle injury suffered when we knocked off the Dockers has not come good as yet. It is also unlikely that Travis Gaspar will be available after reinjuring his hamstring in last weekend's win. Ben Cousins and Trent Carroll are also sporting injuries, both corks, from last weeks Demon encounter, although both will probably be available. David Wirrpunda appears to have recovered from the hammy that has kept him out the last couple of weeks,
The Cats, belying their lowly position on the ladder have very few injuries, with only Marc Woolnough definitely not available for selection
Match Ups
Geelong's Steven King should be an interesting challenge for Eagles' inform ruckman Michael Gardiner. Gardiner is certainly the in form ruckman of the competition, but King has been pretty good this year himself.
Once again, the Geelong task will be to stop the Eagles midfield run. Ben Cousins, Chris Judd and Chad Fletcher are a pretty imposing trio, even without Daniel Kerr, and its hard to see the likes of Corey Enright, Cameron Ling and Gary Ablett shutting them down. That said, Ling has a good record on Cousins in recent years.
Other than that, the Eagles two small forwards, Phil Matera and Ashley Sampi are the players Geelong need to stop to stay in the game.
2002
The Eagles only played the Cats once in 2002, an insipid performance resulting in a loss at Kardinia Park
Round 14, Kardinia Park
Geelong 3.5 3.8 5.15 8.17 ( 65)
West Coast 1.5 4.7 4.9 4.9 ( 33)
Head to Head
Played 30; West Coast 17, Geelong 13, Draws 0.
Biggest Margin - West Coast : West Coast 20.23 (143) d Geelong 8.15 (63) - 80 points, M.C.G, Grand Final 1994
Biggest Margin - Geelong : Geelong 26.19 (175) d West Coast 11.14 (80) - 95 points, Kardinia Park, R2 1989
Milestones
The Eagles have two milestones this week, with 1994 premiership player Drew Banfield due to play his 200th game and Michael Gardiner playing his 100th. Both are former number one draft picks.
Summary
Barring complacency, Geelong aren't in the league of the Eagles; certainly not if the game is in Perth. The Eagles midfield should easily account for the Geelong side, however meritorious their performance against Brisbane last week. I can't find a reason not to tip the Eagles (and I'm happy to say that!). I'm sure John Worsfold won't allow the players to rest on their laurels after last week's game, so the team should be fired up for this week's match.
My prediction: West Coast by 31 points

