swannies
Brownlow Medallist
10k Posts
Armchair Endzone Minor Comp Winner
Armchair Endzone Participant
The next 2 weeks have 3 teams having the bye each weekend. This weekend though, there are some crucial matches, with a top of the table clash and 2 top 4 aspirants trying to keep a gap between themselves and the chasing pack.
Thunder v Sharks
On Saturday the Thunder will take on the Sharks, who will be keen to keep some breathing space between themselves and the teams outside the top 4. The Thunder seemed all but assured the spoon last weekend and are playing for pride.
The Thunder lose Ebert to the Eagles but they retain Crichton and Faulks from the Dockers. They have been a lot more competitive this year, with no where near as many blow outs as last year and they seem to be keeping a good, young core together. Lycett and Herring up forward give them some good focal points and they have a pretty solid, young defense. A bit more class on the ball might be handy, although Eddy and Healey, plus the Thorntons' give them some bite through that midfield.
The Sharks should be hungry after a week off and whilst Stevens is a fairly big out, the way he's been performing this year, Dodd is a very big out. Played well each time I've seen the Sharks and provides some very good flexibility, although Mitch Brown back sort of offsets that. The run doesn't diminish with the Sharks, with McNamara, Dalziell, McGough, O'Briens x 2, Hadley, Masten providing a pretty formidable running brigade at this level. Add young Boyle, who can run like Forrest Gump, all day, and the strength just gets greater.
This should be an interesting match, although I expect the Sharks to win.
Teams
Thunder
B M Battye J Flaherty B Gillam
HB J Jones P Faulks B Wilson
C C Eddy K Thornton R Healey
HF J Crichton A Thornton R Mason
FF P Pohlenz-Saw R Herring D Mcfarlane
F S Lycett M Brown B Jones
Int.B Thornton, L Meyers, L Mckenna, B Holmes, A Heal, M Green, R Beswick
In J Flaherty, B Gillam, A Heal, R Mason, L Mckenna, L Meyers
Out B Ebert, B Fotheringham, R Nye
Sharks
B A Stephen M Brown J Brennan
HB B Bucovaz L Weller B Sheppard
C B Dalziell M Mcgough T Houlihan
HF R O'Brien R Hadley B O'Brien
FF L Fasolo L Teakle D Chidlow
F R Young C Masten J Mcnamara
Emerg C Leslie T Howlett T Viney
Int.S Lee-Steere, C Yeo, S Horsburgh, M Boyle
In A Stephen, S Lee-Steere, S Horsburgh, M Boyle
Out K Stevens, S Dodd, M Warren, A Tropiano
Falcons v Tigers
This promises to be one of the most cracking matches of the season. Tigers must win to keep a chance of taking top spot off the Falcons.
The Falcons welcome back Mellington, who's been a good forward for them most of the year, Rice, Black and Bewick. That's how good they've been going, these 3 have been in and out most of the year. LeCras has been a revelation at CHB and the Kep plays his first? game of the year for the blue and reds. They've been playing irresistible team footy and deserve to start favourites for this possible GF preview.
The Tigers have been up and down a lot of the year, yet still sit in second spot, only 1 game behind. Both teams play a running based game, but the Tigers probably don't run as well defensively. The Falcons play a fairly stifling game style, giving you little room to breathe, but we'll find a lot out about the Tigers in this match, I reckon. Murphy is a pretty big out, as is Waters, although he's only played the 1 game, but if he does play, as suggested, it will give a few headaches to the Tigers forwards. Handley and Mitchell in are pretty handy ins.
Still have to tip the Falcons, in a reasonably close match.
Teams
Falcons
B D Burns D Fleay J Van Berlo
HB L Tedesco B Lecras R Bartholomew
C S Browne M Hutchings J Morrow
HF C Shadbolt J Gobbels A Strijk
FF J Mellington K Bradley A Tsalikis
F C Keunen M Guadagnin J Salecic
Int. M Crisp, S Bewick, S Tregear, F Stockley, K Manning, A Black, J Rice,
In J Mellington, A Black, J Rice, K Manning, S Bewick, F Stockley,
Out D Hunt, J Pearce, A Saylor,
Tigers
B L Stevenson B Franz C Rudeforth
HB B Jones J Laurie I Rowe
C A Foster R Brabazon C Mclernon
HF G Weedon D Crawford I Richardson
FF B Schammer B Wilkes B Anderson
F M Andrews K Mitchell L Blackwell
Int. M Orzel, B Nisbett, T Willett, T Lee, T Handley, B Saunders, A Gilligan,
In M Orzel, B Nisbett, T Willett, K Mitchell, T Handley,
Out B Waters, J Murphy
Lions v Bulldogs
The final match of the round is a vital one, 3rd v 5th. The beautiful town of Esperance gets to showpiece the WAFL this year and hopefully they get a beauty. The wind may well make it a scrappy affair, but we shall see.
The Lions have improved on last year but are still not able to break into the top 4. Currently they sit 2 games out and need to knock off a couple of top 4 teams to have a chance. Anthony is out, leaving a larger work load to fall on Broadhurst, but he seems to revel with the responsibility. Rix in is a massive in and should give control of the ruck to Subi, whether they can take advantage of that is another story. Joyce is another promising kid coming through the ranks with Kerr, Blechynden and Wheeler, whilst Hughes gives them great flexibility and a bit of class.
The Bulldogs have turned their form around this year, even though they have still had a significant injury list. Murphy is named in the ruck, while Kelly will probably ruck and Murphy the backup, I presume. Running is the key to the bulldogs and they have a pretty fair fleet in Adams, Cook, Bairstow, Phillips, Palumbo, Gaff, Hams, Dell-olio et al. Wilson is named on the bench, but there's not much chance of him starting there as they will need his height and he's started to hit some good form in the past couple of weeks.
This will be close and is harder to pick than it looks, but I'm going for the Bulldogs.
Teams
Lions
B R Forrest C Wheeler K Bloxsidge
HB B Randall A Parker B Keevers
C D Hughes C Phelan S Hildebrandt
HF P Hassett B Stevenson J Joyce
FF A Pickett B Broadhurst D Rumble
F M Rix J Bristow K Horsley
Int. G Hampson, R Blechynden, R Kerr, S Douglas, A Davey, S Ward, S Worthington,
In M Rix, G Hampson, B Stevenson, S Ward,
Out J Anthony
Bulldogs
B R Adams T Adams T Bairstow
HB N Borovac R Cook M Cooper
C A Gaff A Hams P Hasleby
HF C Dell-Olio J Head L Kelly
FF A Mccarrey T Mcgrath K Miller
F R Murphy H North J Palumbo
Emergemcy J Winter M Leece A Collica
Int. N Phillips, C White, C Wilson, J Woods,
In A Hams, N Borovac,
Out P Mugambwa, J Winter
Thunder v Sharks
On Saturday the Thunder will take on the Sharks, who will be keen to keep some breathing space between themselves and the teams outside the top 4. The Thunder seemed all but assured the spoon last weekend and are playing for pride.
The Thunder lose Ebert to the Eagles but they retain Crichton and Faulks from the Dockers. They have been a lot more competitive this year, with no where near as many blow outs as last year and they seem to be keeping a good, young core together. Lycett and Herring up forward give them some good focal points and they have a pretty solid, young defense. A bit more class on the ball might be handy, although Eddy and Healey, plus the Thorntons' give them some bite through that midfield.
The Sharks should be hungry after a week off and whilst Stevens is a fairly big out, the way he's been performing this year, Dodd is a very big out. Played well each time I've seen the Sharks and provides some very good flexibility, although Mitch Brown back sort of offsets that. The run doesn't diminish with the Sharks, with McNamara, Dalziell, McGough, O'Briens x 2, Hadley, Masten providing a pretty formidable running brigade at this level. Add young Boyle, who can run like Forrest Gump, all day, and the strength just gets greater.
This should be an interesting match, although I expect the Sharks to win.
Teams
Thunder
B M Battye J Flaherty B Gillam
HB J Jones P Faulks B Wilson
C C Eddy K Thornton R Healey
HF J Crichton A Thornton R Mason
FF P Pohlenz-Saw R Herring D Mcfarlane
F S Lycett M Brown B Jones
Int.B Thornton, L Meyers, L Mckenna, B Holmes, A Heal, M Green, R Beswick
In J Flaherty, B Gillam, A Heal, R Mason, L Mckenna, L Meyers
Out B Ebert, B Fotheringham, R Nye
Sharks
B A Stephen M Brown J Brennan
HB B Bucovaz L Weller B Sheppard
C B Dalziell M Mcgough T Houlihan
HF R O'Brien R Hadley B O'Brien
FF L Fasolo L Teakle D Chidlow
F R Young C Masten J Mcnamara
Emerg C Leslie T Howlett T Viney
Int.S Lee-Steere, C Yeo, S Horsburgh, M Boyle
In A Stephen, S Lee-Steere, S Horsburgh, M Boyle
Out K Stevens, S Dodd, M Warren, A Tropiano
Falcons v Tigers
This promises to be one of the most cracking matches of the season. Tigers must win to keep a chance of taking top spot off the Falcons.
The Falcons welcome back Mellington, who's been a good forward for them most of the year, Rice, Black and Bewick. That's how good they've been going, these 3 have been in and out most of the year. LeCras has been a revelation at CHB and the Kep plays his first? game of the year for the blue and reds. They've been playing irresistible team footy and deserve to start favourites for this possible GF preview.
The Tigers have been up and down a lot of the year, yet still sit in second spot, only 1 game behind. Both teams play a running based game, but the Tigers probably don't run as well defensively. The Falcons play a fairly stifling game style, giving you little room to breathe, but we'll find a lot out about the Tigers in this match, I reckon. Murphy is a pretty big out, as is Waters, although he's only played the 1 game, but if he does play, as suggested, it will give a few headaches to the Tigers forwards. Handley and Mitchell in are pretty handy ins.
Still have to tip the Falcons, in a reasonably close match.
Teams
Falcons
B D Burns D Fleay J Van Berlo
HB L Tedesco B Lecras R Bartholomew
C S Browne M Hutchings J Morrow
HF C Shadbolt J Gobbels A Strijk
FF J Mellington K Bradley A Tsalikis
F C Keunen M Guadagnin J Salecic
Int. M Crisp, S Bewick, S Tregear, F Stockley, K Manning, A Black, J Rice,
In J Mellington, A Black, J Rice, K Manning, S Bewick, F Stockley,
Out D Hunt, J Pearce, A Saylor,
Tigers
B L Stevenson B Franz C Rudeforth
HB B Jones J Laurie I Rowe
C A Foster R Brabazon C Mclernon
HF G Weedon D Crawford I Richardson
FF B Schammer B Wilkes B Anderson
F M Andrews K Mitchell L Blackwell
Int. M Orzel, B Nisbett, T Willett, T Lee, T Handley, B Saunders, A Gilligan,
In M Orzel, B Nisbett, T Willett, K Mitchell, T Handley,
Out B Waters, J Murphy
Lions v Bulldogs
The final match of the round is a vital one, 3rd v 5th. The beautiful town of Esperance gets to showpiece the WAFL this year and hopefully they get a beauty. The wind may well make it a scrappy affair, but we shall see.
The Lions have improved on last year but are still not able to break into the top 4. Currently they sit 2 games out and need to knock off a couple of top 4 teams to have a chance. Anthony is out, leaving a larger work load to fall on Broadhurst, but he seems to revel with the responsibility. Rix in is a massive in and should give control of the ruck to Subi, whether they can take advantage of that is another story. Joyce is another promising kid coming through the ranks with Kerr, Blechynden and Wheeler, whilst Hughes gives them great flexibility and a bit of class.
The Bulldogs have turned their form around this year, even though they have still had a significant injury list. Murphy is named in the ruck, while Kelly will probably ruck and Murphy the backup, I presume. Running is the key to the bulldogs and they have a pretty fair fleet in Adams, Cook, Bairstow, Phillips, Palumbo, Gaff, Hams, Dell-olio et al. Wilson is named on the bench, but there's not much chance of him starting there as they will need his height and he's started to hit some good form in the past couple of weeks.
This will be close and is harder to pick than it looks, but I'm going for the Bulldogs.
Teams
Lions
B R Forrest C Wheeler K Bloxsidge
HB B Randall A Parker B Keevers
C D Hughes C Phelan S Hildebrandt
HF P Hassett B Stevenson J Joyce
FF A Pickett B Broadhurst D Rumble
F M Rix J Bristow K Horsley
Int. G Hampson, R Blechynden, R Kerr, S Douglas, A Davey, S Ward, S Worthington,
In M Rix, G Hampson, B Stevenson, S Ward,
Out J Anthony
Bulldogs
B R Adams T Adams T Bairstow
HB N Borovac R Cook M Cooper
C A Gaff A Hams P Hasleby
HF C Dell-Olio J Head L Kelly
FF A Mccarrey T Mcgrath K Miller
F R Murphy H North J Palumbo
Emergemcy J Winter M Leece A Collica
Int. N Phillips, C White, C Wilson, J Woods,
In A Hams, N Borovac,
Out P Mugambwa, J Winter
