Team V Essendon

[jod23]

WEST COAST v ESSENDON
Friday, 7:40pm, Subiaco

WEST COAST
B: Chick, Glass, Hunter
HB: Banfield, Lynch, Morrison
C: Wooden, Cousins, Butler
HF: Jones, Hansen, Judd
F: Matera, McDougall, Seaby
FOLL: Cox, Kerr, Fletcher
I/C: Sampi, Wirrpunda, Braun, Adkins
EMG: Waters, Staker, Green
IN: Chick
OUT: Nicoski (shoulder)

ESSENDON
B: McVeigh, Fletcher, Richards
HB: Welsh, Bolton, Bradley
C: Solomon, Misiti, Ramanauskas
HF: J.Johnson, McPhee, Haynes
F: Murphy, Lloyd, Lovett-Murray
FOLL: Allan, M.Johnson, Peverill
I/C: Hille, Stanton, Dyson, Bullen
EMG: Alvey, Mercuri, Winderlich
IN: Stanton, Fletcher, Bolton
OUT: Alvey (flu), Hird (ribs), Lucas (hamstring)

Bit of good fortune for us this week with Hird and Lucas out of the side. Lucas has a history of tearing us apart as does Hird, see the last quarter of our clash against them earlier this year. So they are both huge outs for us.

Lloyd will be a thorn in our side though but Glass is in awesome form and Lynch too has been in great form so they may double team him if either of them are getting beaten.

Nicoski is a bit of a blow as he has been excellent for us off half back but Wirrpunda is back and in some good form. Plus the IN is good with Chicky coming back into the side. He adds some strength, toughness and experience down back.

Overall I think we should be too strong with Lucas and Hird out and having the home ground advantage. Eagles by a couple of goals.

 

[dougthelegend]

annoying, last week we miss Fletcher and Bolton and go into a game with a makeshift defence, this week we miss Lucas and Hird and go in with a depleted forward line. However, the forwards still look pretty strong with Lloyd and Murphy in good form, McPhee's a gun player but will need to stand up this game and deliver the ball in forward. the worry for us isn't either end this game, but preventing your gun midfield from dominating... cousins, kerr, judd, fletcher its always one or two of them that carve us up - u can stop a couple but the others get under the guard. Misiti's far too slow to cope with them, but is a general in close clearing the pack ball, he'll be fine when he has the ball but when he doesn't he's a liability. with his experience i think he'll play a forward role this game with JJ playing midfield, and Dyson and Stanton both getting time on the wing with their pace. also i think young Bradley will play wing/HFF for the major part of the game and should go well playing his first game back in WA. the key is the midfield, if we can at least break even by stopping your key midfielders from dominating play then we'll win, if not you'll run all over us.

 

[The Passenger]

like that team, given the players we have unavailable.

Although i would rather see Staker in there, probably for Adkins.

We do lack height on the bench.

We should be too strong though, given our great record at home and a bit confidence after an away win (even if it was a 4 point scrap over the probably wooden spooners)

 

[daddy_4_eyes]

Every week I get more and more excited about the future. The team out there doesn't look too bad, and we still have Gardiner and Embley to come back in, with Nicoski, Staker and B.Jones all arguably being in our best 22 (or thereabouts).

We should win this, but one thing I've learnt this season is to not take anything for granted. Its been a horrible year for making predictions, so you never know.