AFL Football Round 5 Preview – Part 1
As I have already mentioned and everyone should already know, Sydney have had a week they would want to forget with the Barry Hall incident. They have brought in Nick Davis to fill his shoes in the forward line after kicking eight goals in the reserves last week. The game is at Skilled Stadium which may just suit the Swans. They will be able to close the game down very nicely on the small ground which is what they will be looking to do I reckon.
Michael O’Loughlin was great for the Swannies last week and will now need to take on the key forward role rather than lurking around in the pocket. He will probably be up against Scarlett so there will be no room to move there. Scarlett was outstanding last week and absolutely smashed the G Train. Looking at the Geelong side and you just can’t see a bad line, they are all in great form. Kieran Jack will get the job on either Ablett or Bartel, he was outstanding last week in negating Daniel Kerr but can he add one of these players to his list? Ryan O’Keefe looms as the key for the Swans and The Cats will have to shut him down, because he can create so much drive for The Swans. Tom Harley looks like the match up there so that will be pivotal to the outcome of the game. Brent Prismall finally gets an opportunity to show what he has got. Apparently he has had 38 touches in the VFL for the last few week and still failed to break into the team. He will be out to impress and look for a good game from him.
If The Swans can play their old style of game and shut the entire game down and play one on one contested footy that they are well known for then they may just be in with a show of causing the upset. But @ Silled Stadium and the way the Cats are playing it is hard to go past them. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the Swans get up though. Cats by 12 points in a close one.
Adelaide vs Fremantle
The Crows were some what disappointing against the Hawks last week but not as much as the Dockers were against the Tigers losing by 10 goals at Subiaco. The Dockers are in all sorts of trouble and have reacted by dropping Chris Tarrant. The Adelaide defense is a bit of a worry and the opposition have scored more than 100 points in the last 2 weeks against them. But the Dockers don’t have the forwards that can hurt them in that area so that shouldn’t be to much of an issue this week. The Dockers have a few out including Headland (knee), Tarrant, Warnock, Duffield, and Peake and have brought in Michael Johnson, M.Carr, McManus, Drum and Clayton Hinkley (Number 24 selection in the 2007 draft). Matthew Pavlich is trying to carry this team on his own back and needs some help, he will no doubt be followed around all day with a heavy tag this week, but who is going to give him a chop out? I just can’t see anyone in this Fremantle side that is ready to put their hand up to play a leading role.
Headland out is a big one, and I think The Crows midfield of Douglas, Stevens, Edwards, Porplyzia, Goodwin, McLeod will have a field day on their home track. These guys beat the Hawks at stoppages last week and should do the same against the Dockers, Scott Thomspon was one to impress last week against the Hawks a look for him to dominate this week. All Jon Griffen needs to do this week is be “competitive” with the big bean pole in Sandilands and the Crows should come away with an easy win.
Crows by 48 points.
Brisbane Lions vs Hawthorn
This should be a great game I reckon, The Lions were outstanding in their efforts to come from 47 points down in torrential rain last week and snatch the game from Port Adelaide, while the Hawks put in a very impressive display against the Crows. Up at the Gabba I give the Lions a real show in this one. They have Jamie Charman returning which will help out Luenberber in the Ruck. The Hawks have got some bigger in sthough in Lewis, Croad, Mitchell.
The Hawks forward line is in brilliant form and that man Buddie is leading the charge. This is the real worry for the Lions, have they gor the defenders to go with the likes of Franklin, Roughhead, Williams, Rioli, Crawford etc it is a big task and one that teams to date have struggled with. They are going to need some big help from the mid field group to try and stop the supply that is getting in there. Notting, Adcock, Johnstone, Black, and Rischitelli are going to have to be on the ball if the Lions are any chance here.
At the other end of the ground The Brown Dog, Jonathon Brown will be priming himself for another big one. It will be great to see him at one end and Franklin at the other in a shoot out. They are vying for the tag of Number 1 Center Half Forward in the AFL. The Hawks are a very well drilled side and Alistair Clarkson has got them playing some great consistent footy at the moment and it is hard to go past them in this one. Hawks in a another close game 18 points.
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