B: 29. P. Ambrose, 36. M. Hartley, 30. B. Zerk-Thatcher
HB: 41. B. McNiece, 10. A. Francis, 14. J. Ridley
C: 32. T. Colyer, 57. N. Hind, 39. T. Mynott
HF: 34. J. Long, 38. S. Draper, 20. J. Merrett
F: 15. J. Green, 17. J. Stewart, 40. L. Lavender
R: 22. M. Leuenberger, 37. D. Clarke, 19. K. Mutch
Int: 61. W. Berry, 51. A. Boyse, 76. L. Collins, 75. T. Crosbie, 63. M. Darby, 59. A. Heppell, 77. H. Hocking, 24. J. Houlahan, 79. J. McQueen, 72. J. Ottavi, 70. J. Sheahan, 55. D. Younan
23P: 62. N. Lazzaro
–
In: L. Collins, J. Ottavi, M. Darby, J. McQueen, W. Berry, J. Green, T. Crosbie, J. Sheahan, A. Boyse
B: 37. D. Johnstone, 17. S. Frost, 42. J. Wagner
HB: 33. J. Kennedy-Harris, 21. C. Pedersen, 63. B. Vince
C: 56. O. Baker, 71. D. Tyson, 11. C. Spargo
HF: 31. B. Fritsch, 26. S. Weideman, 16. D. Kent
F: 36. J. Garlett, 38. T. Smith, 43. J. Harmes
R: 34. M. King, 12. T. Bugg, 15. B. Stretch
Int: 54. H. Balic, 47. L. Filipovic, 9. M. Gent, 1. J. Hutchins, 45. D. Keilty, 41. M. Lefau, 18. J. Lockhart, 22. G. Lok, 24. C. MacHaya, 6. J. Munro, 27. A. Scott, 13. C. Wagner
23P: 49. C. Stockdale
–
In: J. Harmes, D. Tyson, B. Vince, D. Kent, A. Scott, B. Fritsch, L. Filipovic, T. Smith, D. Keilty
Can’t really read much into that.
When the AFL is sunday they normally name a lot of the extended bench in the VFL squad.
It’s an interesting situation though, because of who will be the heldover emergency and miss out on a VFL game.
Colyer
Mutch
Green
Stewart
Ambrose
Francis
So 2 of those guys are going to play AFL, 3 will play VFL and 1 will be the heldover emergency.
If anyone has to miss a game completely this week, Green is the most logical. I wouldn’t want to see Colyer or Mutch getting no football this week and it’s rare for a tall to be the heldover emergency.
Essendon (3rd, 7-3) defeated the Box Hill Hawks by 14 points last week to post back-to-back wins. The Casey Demons (2nd, 8-2) are the VFL’s form team, with a 77-point win against Coburg in Round 12 their sixth in a row.
KEY QUESTION
Is this a genuine qualifying final preview? It’s third against second here, but only two games separate first from ninth on the ladder and so much can change on the result of these matches. The Bombers beat Geelong in their only clash with a current top-four team, while the Demons have lost to Richmond and the Cats and would be keen for a big scalp.
KEY STAT
Not surprisingly these teams generate a heap of scoring opportunities, with Essendon averaging 58 inside-50s per game (second in the VFL) and Casey 57 (third). When it comes to converting those opportunities though, the Demons are ranked third for goals per inside-50 (26 per cent efficiency) while the Bombers are eighth (23 per cent).
I was gonna take the young fella down to the game for a run-around. We might stay at home with the weather.
The last time I went out to Craigieburn, I watched the the Bendigo Bombers. The weather was similar as today, and there was literally no rain cover at the ground. From memory Jake Carlisle was BOG. He was clunking everything in the backline, even a slippery water logged ball.