by Booney » Fri Jun 17, 2016 11:28 am
The first of the Gary Coleman rounds, still entertaining, just a little shorter. Don’t forget next week you get Thursday night football action so make sure the fridge is full on Wednesday night. We don’t want to be at the drive thru at 7pm next Thursday.
North v Hawks –
North’s scoring has dried right up, no goals for Waite in the last 3 weeks, only 3 in 3 weeks for both Brown and Petrie. The midfield copped a battering last week too, midfield clearances were 20-8 for Geelong, no Jacobs in the side to try and at least nullify Dangerfield. Losing Waite, Swallow and Cunnington from the line up and only a 6 day break before they come to Adelaide next Thursday night. Not right at the top of their game but at 10-2 they have the luxury of managing players in the next 10 weeks.
The Hawks built up some real confidence smashing the Bombers last week. Clarko was still angry, fair enough though, the midfield kept bombing it in long to 14 Essendon players around the Hawks forwards. They’ll be smarting despite a 100+ point win. Breust, Gunston and Puopolo all bagging 4, some nice touch going into a top 8 clash. The ruck duel with Goldy will be important, both Hawks big men like to roll forward, so does Goldstein.
Hawks for mine here in another test for the Kangas against genuine opposition, they’ll want to show something here but might just be undermanned. Hawks by 28 points. ( North $3.50 Hawks $1.31 )
Lions v Eagles –
Firstly, how were the journo’s defending the journo who asked the dumbest question of the week to Leppa last week? I reckon Leppitsch did well not to blast shit out of him. Why ask him “You think you’ll be sacked?”. I guess they don’t really understand footy up there.....terrible from the Lions last week, when this current Fremantle side smash you you’re smelly. The Lions are really struggling forward of centre, they are loading young Schache up big time, he’s still a long way from being the player he’ll eventually be and recruits they got to help him are spuds.
Thankyou West Coast Eagles! My value bet last week was Adelaide at $2.80 and the Eagles showed their true colours by losing to another top 8 contender for the 5th time this year. Nic Nat out for what looks like the remainder of ’16 and the web is getting worked out by the smarter coaches and teams. Could their spot in the 8 be vulnerable? It might just be if the loss of Naitanui is as big as most people expect. Lycett has hung tough waiting for his time, here it is....and there it goes. “Failed to live up to the standards we set” = Drunk. Desperate times call for desperate measures and Jonothan Giles is your man.
No threat to the Eagles despite being on the plane this weekend. Eagles by 40 points. ( Lions $7.50 Eagles $1.09 )
Fremantle v Port –
The Dockers get two in a row, but hey ho, Essendon and Brisbane aren’t exactly scalps to write home about. The Pav stayed home and Taberner, Mayne, Weller and Ballantyne took care of the Lions with 23 more I50’s to the Dockers giving them plenty of chances. Barlow back in the side and doing a lockdown role, see who he goes to for Port this week. My guess, Wines. Both sides running back up / make shift ruckmen and Zac Clarke needs to step up, despite killing Brisbane he himself was held by Stef Martin. Trengove is no mug and Clarke needs to be on his best form.
Port have really got some momentum on the back of increased tackling pressure in the last month. The best tackling team in the game has worked into some form by finally putting some heat on the opposition as opposed to the heat we felt at the start of the year. Inside 50’s up in the last month, Dixon the target and the little blokes are thriving on it. Trengove playing as the 4th midfielder, Ollie Wines throwing his weight into it after an interrupted preseason and the small forwards all hitting the board. Made a good side play well to beat them last week.
Port made a good side play well to win last week, the Dockers have beaten two average sides. Port don’t mind going west. Port by 19 points. ( Dockers $2.25 Port $1.65 )
Bulldogs v Geelong –
The Doggies were challenged last week, not just by the sunshine, wind and rain but by a Port side offering loads of pressure. They took it all on board and some of them even enjoyed it. Stringer stood up when it counted, Redpath loved having an under sized defender on him, The Bont showed he’s up for playing big in big games and Dale Morris held Wingard but for a few moments of brilliance. I wasn’t convinced about the Dogs, not that a win over Port is the catalyst but watching them first hand showed me they’re as good as almost any.
Well, what can you say about Dangerfields game that hasn’t already? Not much. So I won’t. The forward half was going to be tested without Hawkins and they stood up. Menzel with his brilliance, the inconsistent yet handy Kersten did the job in the front half and the mids all came down to chip in with one or two. Jimmy Bartel looks to be enjoying his role in the F50, he’s as smart as any modern day player and he might have three careers, all good. Midfield, half back and now deep forward. Johnson could play that role, yes?
Cracking match up here. The betting looks all out of whack. Bulldogs $2.25 Geelong $1.65 suggest the Cats are strong favourites. Tough to be that over these Dogs. Bulldogs in a ripper by 4 points. They might just have enough forwards to keep the Cats smart back half busy.
Sydney v Melbourne –
The Swans were beaten at their own game last week. The Giants beat them up around the contest, gave them no space and held the key forwards down. The loss of Tippett will be hard to measure right away as the capable Sinclair takes over. He’s no Tippett, but he can play his role as the ruckman. Question is, can he hit the scoreboard too? 15 goals for Tippett this year means Sinclair needs to bag one a week to keep some consistency in that position. Big test for him with Max Gawn first up. They’ll bounce back hard which.....
Doesn’t really augur well for the Demons. While these lads are certainly on the improve in the grunt of the midfield the polish going forward and the defensive action is still lacking. Probably a key back short of pushing for the 8, probably need a top notch small forward too. Kent looks ok, Stretch is looking more comfortable and Petracca looks an out and out gun in the making. Max Gawn huge last week against 3 Collingwood fence posts. Made them look worse than what they actually are which isn‘t an easy thing to do!!!
Sydney at home, off a loss, too good here. Sydney by 33. ( Sydney $1.23 Melbourne $4.20 )
Essendon v GWS –
This one spells trouble. The week after the Giants roll the Swans by 7 goals they get the chance to beat up on the Bombers and I suspect that’s exactly what they’ll do. Inside pressure, outside run, clever forwards all around with some genuine big man targets and a back 6 who have some generals running the show. Pretty much most of what Essendon don’t have. What Essendon do try and do is flick the ball around on the outside and keep it off the opposition, won’t fly against this unit who are in your face in a split second.
Good signs off field with Tom Scully reportedly taking a big pay cut to keep money in the pot for all the talent around him. However, after 6 years at $6m a pay cut really isn’t going to hurt the spare change tray in the car.
This one under the roof, GWS will go large. GWS by 80+. ( Essendon $17 GWS $1.02 )
If you want to go quickly, go alone.
If you want to go far, go together.
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