WAFL Round 18, 2009

[swannies]

So there's only 2 matches this round, but what important matches they are. It's a top of the table clash and one of the late chargers for that 4th spot is on show.

Fri night - Subi v Souths

The holder v the contender. With Stenglein and Cockie back for Subi, v Thornton back for Sowfs you'd think the odds were in favour of the Lions re-taking top spot. Either way, 1 of these teams has a chance to almost guarantee a top 2 spot nearing the end of the season. However, if you look at the runners and forwards for Souths, you'll see that this game will go to the wire.
There's Bell, Hams x 2, Adams, Miller, McGrath, Dell'olio, Graham, Smithers up against Bristow, Fletcher, Stenglein, Cockie, Cossom, Hildebrandt, Keevers, Horsley, Pickett, Newick and Rix. Some decent cattle amongst that lot, a lot to look forward to.
For Souths forward Wilson is in a rare vein of form and I would try to match him with Parker, because I think he could get hold of "egg shells". Murphy against Rumble and Farmer against Stack?
Then looking from the other side, Smith against Hunt? Maplestone v Bairstow (is he fit?) or will Wilson be forced to move back? Which would be a win for Subi I reckon. Broadhurst is probably the hardest to match up on and maybe Siegert? takes him - I don't rate Siegert just can't think of another name. Dennis-Lane will be taken by either White or Ugle, I'd say.
Should be a great match and I look forward to getting along there tomorrow night.

Peel v East Perth

An equally important match if the Royals have any delusions towards finals participation. If they get there they can certainly do some damage, as Swans and Subi can attest. However, with 2 byes in the last 5 rounds they will need to win all matches to have a chance.
This is the chance some fringe AFL players get to work themselves back into form, namely McKinley and Schofield. Morabito can impress further, as can Duncan, Hutchings, Stratton, Luff and possibly Beswick and Mason.
Whilst you can't see the Royals losing this one, this is exactly the sort of match they lose, when they're not pumped up against a big opponent and I expect Peel to give a much better account of themselves.

Anyway, for many it's a long and boring weekend but for those going to the footy, enjoy and show you're passion for your team and the WAFL, like Benjamin who rang 6PR tonight!

 

[Moo]

Where are those tips Swannie?

I made a few dollars on East Perth last week thanks to you too

 

[swannies]

Where are those tips Swannie?

I made a few dollars on East Perth last week thanks to you too

Ha Ha Ha, I am glad you did, I really hoped someone would, , because I don't gamble and never take my own advice!

Tonight's match was a strange old affair because I turned up and hardly recognised a number of the players. It was odd seeing Martin at one end for the Lions and Phillips at the other for the doggies.

In the first Subi were the more committed side and Bulldogs players were going in half hearted, body not fully behind the ball, one handed etc and kept coughing it up to the Lions runners. Cockie started like he was trying to impress someone at the Eagles and Cossom, Keevers, Forrest etc followed. Broadhurst continued to work hard up forward and Maplestone was having a good start. However, when Souths jagged their second to be only 11 points behind at the quarter break I thought it was game on.

Souths came out more committed in the second, Bell started to get his hands on the ball and run really hard, Head disappeared from the game (which was a good thing - trust me) and the defence started to really click and run the ball out well. Everytime someone got their hands on the ball in the back 50 they were yelled instructions to "run it", making their game plan pretty obvious. I even heard Hunt screaming at Bell to "run it, RUN IT, RUNNNNN ITTTT" at one stage, thought the poor guy was going to have a heart attack! The doggies only ended up 2 goals in front at the half, but controlled the quarter and could have been so much more.

The Premiership Quarter was just that for Souths and the cream continued to rise to the top. Souths dominated initially and after kicking 6 or 7 consecutive points McGrath got his hands on the ball about 50 out and finished clinically, when no one else could. After another goal or 2 Subi wrested back control but it was McGrath, IMHO who stopped the momentum swinging to the Lions. Rix and Graham were having a ding dong battle and Rix running Graham down on the HF line was a highlight of the quarter. Listened to Dimmer at 3/4 time and he took 35 aside to give some advice to and then explained to Head where he should be kicking the ball to the leading forward, ie Wilson, at certain times in the quarter. Sounded much like Dawson does at Swans, told them their tackle count was down and 1% ers. The man is a genius, the way he instructed the players and got them up for the final quarter.

In the last it was a bit of an arm wrestle, with first one team, then the other getting on top. Fletcher, Rix and Dennis-Lane sparked the Lions first, then Graham, McGrath and Bossong's run from defence came to the fore for the doggies. It became a heated battle, with a couple of skirmishes which led to 50's to either team. Fletcher even took a contested mark for the Lions and Dennis-Lane finished with a fantastically athletic goal over his head. He's a real spring heeled jack, but doesn't stay in the game long enough for mine. In the end, Wilson's 5 goals and a bit more class across the board led to the Bulldogs winning by about 3 goals. Very enjoyable game though and the result I wanted for the Swans!