VFL Game Day VFL Semi Final: Essendon vs Werribee, North Port Oval, Sunday 08/09/19, 2:10 PM AEST

Who plays Williamstown next week?


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Observations

Essendon: The Dons streaked out to a 40 point lead against Richmond before running out of legs at the end to lose a heartbreaking qualifying final by 2 points against the flag favourites. David Myers was his prolific best, collecting 36 disposals whilst captain Aaron Heppell had 25 and kicked 4 goals from the midfield, whilst former Coburg duo Michael Hartley and Danny Younan kicked 3 apiece

Werribee: The Bees played the reigning premiers in Box Hill at North Port and were ahead all game, eventually running out 41 point winners. Tom Gribble was outstanding for Werribee with 28 disposals whilst former St. Kilda defender Nick Coughlan was intercepting everything with 22 disposals and 10 marks, whilst Joel Bennett had 3 goals in the win.


Head to Head (last 5)

Essendon 1-4 Werribee


Form Guide

Essendon: 1W 4L
Werribee: 5W 0L


Sportsbet odds (available Friday)

Essendon:
Werribee:
Line: ($1.90)


Possible sides

Essendon vs Werribee

B: Josh Tynan - Daniel Guccione - Matthew Dea
F: Joel Bennett - Timm House - Matthew Munro
HB: Jake Long - Brandon Zerk-Thatcher - Ben McNiece
HF: Jack Henderson - Kye Declase - Joe Maishman
C: Jordan Ridley - Trent Mynott - Tom Jok
C: Josh Clayton - Michael Barlow - Bior Malual
HF: Jordan Houlahan - Riley Bowman - Heath Hocking
HB: Michael Sodomaco - Daniel Coughlan - Max Spencer
F: Mark Baguley - Michael Hartley - Josh Begley
B: Ryan Hebron - Daniel Nielson - Louis Pinnuck
R: Zach Clarke - Will Snelling - David Myers
R: Angus Clarke - Dom Brew - Tom Gribble

I: Aaron Heppell - Kurt Aylett - Bruno Laguda - Tynan Smith
I: Darcy Bennett - Aiden Domic - Hudson Garoni - Matt Hanson
I: Liam McKenna - Nino Lazzaro - Dylan Landt - Danny Younan
I: Dane McFarlane - Keegan Grey - Max Augerinos - Ryan Kemp
23P: Matthew Day
23P: Jake Riccardi


Werribee defence vs Essendon forward line

Despite not having any tall targets of any quality for half the games Essendon still managed to be 2nd overall in terms of points scored this year behind Footscray. Werribee have been okay in defence, with the 6th least points conceded but have been prone to let smaller forward lines like Essendon's off the chain a bit. Daniel Nielson is likely to take imposing tall Michael Hartley who has been swinging between attack and defense the second half of the season whilst Daniel Coughlan probably takes Riley Bowman or Zach Clarke if the latter manages to get fit. Josh Begley and Danny Younan are the important match ups after they beat Ryan Hebron and Louis Pinnuck the last time these sides met however.


Midfield/rucks battle

This is a tale of two clubs, with Essendon's main strength being the outside run of the likes of Tom Jok, Will Snelling and co whilst Werribee have a very strong inside core of Tom Gribble, Matthew Hanson, Dom Brew and Michael Barlow. That's not to say Essendon don't have their fair share of ball winners with the likes of David Myers, Aaron Heppell, Kurt Aylett and Trent Mynott all very capable of winning the ball on the inside. The main thing for the Dons will be to break even here and try to bring those outside runners into the game whilst the Bees need to dominate in this area. Rucks wise, Clarke and Bowman had a field day against Clarke and Bennett the last time these sides met and should do so again, hopefully the bomber mids can make better use of it this time.


Werribee forward line vs Essendon defence

Werribee's strength is in it's attack lead by key forward Jake Riccardi, whilst Essendon have the fourth stingiest defence in the league, hence their top 4 placing. Impressive defender Brandon Zerk-Thatcher will likely take Riccardi whilst Daniel Guccione, cousin of tennis player Chris, will likely take former Geelong player Timm House and leave Kye Declase to Matt Dea as the third target. Joel Bennett will probably get Josh Tynan for company, the former Dee having been the go to player for lock down roles whilst Jake Long, Ben McNiece and Jordan Ridley are likely to take the rebounding roles of the team.


Key stat

Essendon: Inside 50 differential. The Dons are more efficient in attack and more efficient in defence. Get more inside 50's and they'll probably win

Werribee: Inside 50 conversion. Can't have another game where they kick double the points to goals, Essendon won't let you have 30 shots at goal.


Tip

Essendon's finals record at North Port is excellent. Dons by 22.
 

Cold Sober

Norm Smith Medallist
Sep 28, 2016
6,636
8,077
AFL Club
Essendon
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Man U .White Sox;Storm,Victory
Lets hope the legs/brains last a bit longer this week. Total heartbreak at weekend.
 
Us:

FB: Matthew Dea - Michael Hartley - Ben McNiece
HB: Tom Jok - Brandon Zerk-Thatcher - Josh Tynan
MF: Jordan Houlahan - Dylan Clarke - Jordan Ridley
HF: Liam McKenna - Daniel Guccione - Danny Younan
FF: Kurt Aylett - Josh Begley - Mark Baguley
OB: Riley Bowman - Trent Mynott - David Myers

IC: Wilson Berry - Nick Dixon - Aaron Heppell - Heath Hocking
IC: Bruno Laguda - Jake Long - Edyn Sibbald - Tynan Smith
23P: Dylan Landt

Them:

FB: Ryan Hebron - Daniel Nielson - Louis Pinnuck
HB: Michael Sodomaco - Nick Coughlan - Max Spencer
MF: Josh Clayton - Michael Barlow - Bior Malual
HF: Jack Henderson - Kye Declase - Joe Maishman
FF: Joel Bennett - Timm House - Matt Munro
OB: Angus Clare - Dom Brew - Tom Gribble

IC: Max Augerinos - Darcy Bennett - Jack Berry - Aiden Domic
IC: Keegan Gray - Matt Hanson - Ryan Kemp - Dane McFarlane
23P: Jake Riccardi

Still think we win this. Suspect it's Ridley, Clarke, Jok for Snelling, Marshall, Day. Maybe Smith comes in for Laguda, with the following rotations:

Def: Dea, Gooch, McNiece, BZT, Tynan, Long, Ridley
Inside mid: McKenna, Aylett, Mynott, Myers, Clarke, Heppell
Outside mid: Jok, Younan, Landt
Forward: Hocking, Smith, Begley, Baguley, Houlahan, Hartley
Ruck: Bowman/Hartley
 

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Tynan Smith was not picked. Idiotic decision
Eh. I like the kid, don't get me wrong, but it probably came down to him or Guccione, and we need that extra KPP. Would I have played him as 23rd man? Yes, but Dan Jordan likes Landt and I think Landt could be a player still.
 

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