Where and when: GMHBA Stadium, 7.10pm AEDT
Who’s playing?
GEELONG
B: J.Henry 38 M.Blicavs 46 T.Stewart 44
HB: M.O’Connor 42 L.Henderson 25 Z.Tuohy 2
C: I.Smith 7 P.Dangerfield 35 S.Menegola 27
HF: G.Miers 32 J.Cameron 5 S.Higgins 4
F: G.Rohan 23 T.Hawkins 26 T.Atkins 30
Foll: S.De Koning 16 J.Selwood – C 14 B.Parfitt 3
I/C: J.Bews 24 J.Clark 6 C.Guthrie 29 J.Jenkins 11 J.Kolodjashnij 8 C.Constable 18 Z.Guthrie 39 F.Evans 31
Emerg: N.Kreuger 15 Q.Narkle 19 B.Jarvis 10 S.Neale 33
Notable absentees: Rhys Stanley
Rookies: Zac Guthrie (DEF/MID, $180,500), Sam De Koning (DEF, $123,900), Francis Evans (FWD, $123,900)
ESSENDON
B: J.Stewart 17 A.Francis 10 J.Laverde 15
HB: N.Hind 19 J.Ridley 14 D.Heppell – C 21
C: K.Langford 4 Z.Merrett 7 N.Cox 13
HF: D.Shiel 9 H.Jones 23 W.Snelling 40
F: A.McDonald-Tipungwuti 43 P.Wright 20 C.Hooker 26
Foll: S.Draper 2 J.Caldwell 6 B.Ham 33
I/C: N.Cahill 28 A.McGrath 1 D.Parish 3 D.Smith 5 M.Gleeson 8 N.Bryan 24 A.Perkins 16 A.Waterman 42
Emerg: T.Cutler 12 Z.Reid 31 B.Zerk-Thatcher 30 J.Eyre 32
Notable absentees: Michael Hurley (hip), Jake Stringer (achilles), David Zaharakis (knee)
Rookies: Nikolas Cox (DEF/FWD, $175,800), Archie Perkins (MID/FWD, $171,300), Alec Waterman (FWD, $102,400), Ned Cahill (FWD, $161,200), Nick Bryan (RUC, $123,900), Harrison Jones (FWD, $123,900)
The Salamander’s tip: Although the Bombers will want to register a pre-Round 1 win after going down the Blues last week, the Cats will be eager to please their home crowd, so that extra bit of motivation should get them over the line. Geelong by 12 points.
Let us know in the comments if I’ve missed any rookies or notable absentees above.
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Expect Draper to score 300 points. De Koning is very lightly built
Merrett making a pig of himself in the pre-season, what an amateur
Still not sure Jordan Clark is best 22 for the Cats but he’s had plenty of it
Goes all right when it matters too.
Essendon : 5.10.40 lead at H/T Geelong : 6.2.38
Zach Merrett 90 Tom Atkins 61 Dangerfield 60 Nick Hind 58 Dylan Shiel 55 Sam Draper 53 Jordan Ridley 52 Darcy Parish 51 Tom Stewart 45 Jeremy Cameron 44 Devon Smith 40 Jye Caldwell 34
Geelong : 9.5.59 lead third Q. Essendon : 6.15.51
Zach Merrett 119 Jordan Ridley 99 Tom Atkins 92 Dangerfield 89 Lachie Henderson 88 Tom Stewart 80 Sam Draper 78
Nick Hind right shoulder issue rested last quarter.
James Stewart hamstring 3rd Q.
Geelong : 12.7.79 Defeated Essendon : 9.18.72
Tom Stewart 133 Zach Merrett 127 Jordan Clark 120 Tom Atkins 120 Jordan Ridley 110 Josh Jenkins 97 Dangerfield 94 Peter Wright 92 Darcy Parish 89 Jye Caldwell 88 Lachie Henderson 88 Kyle Langford 85 Mark Blicavs 81
Isaac Smith 79 Sam Draper 71 didnt play last Q. Dylan Shiel 68 didnt play last Q.
Dyson Heppell 53
Bombers will be happy. Should have won.
any players putting there hand up for SC selection wighty?
I didn’t watch the game.
Mav, I’m going with Draper at R2….no 1 ruck spot is his and he has a friendly bye. Stepping stone to Grundy after r14. Caldwell looks like a nice m8/f6 and dpp. Jones is an exciting type but a downgrade when on the bubble. Hind looks like the Saad replacement. Cox also exciting but his price is a worry. I’m going with cats Clark instead who looks like he will have a permanent spot with a few def retirements at cats, and he has d/m. I’ll look at Cox when on the bubble.
Hope that helps.
Great insight wighty! Thanks mate
I have flirted with Draper but would like to see Stef yet and Grundy did no harm with his 118 I really hoped he spudded it to make my decision easier.
Grundy only went well when Nank was rested. Scored 70 of his 118 against youngsters.
Heppell only 53.
Anyone who saw the game have any insight on him?
Played OK, disposal was a bit rusty but to be expected considering how much footy he’s missed recently. Extended benches mean most scores are going to be down a bit. If you’re keen on him, I wouldn’t let this game change your mind
I’m a bit concerned….reckon he has 4 htb against him in two games.
Few candidates putting there hand up if Lloyd is not 100% by round one. Ridley has upside still young so plenty of room to improve and should still be plenty of ball down Essendons defence through the year. Could be a nice little pod and average you 105ish
And Caldwell starting to look a genuine option? Does he look to have that midfield role locked in? That’s two decent games now…
Didnt get to watch the game but seeing Nick Hind have a decent impact with 20 disposals in 3 quarters and from Telstra tracker spending 65% of the game in the defensive half. This shows signs of the replacement of Saad as seeing from an article last year.
“We like him across half back as a running defender and losing ‘Saady’ (Adam Saad), we wanted to get some speed into the team.
“He’ll play that role and speaking to ‘Truck’ (senior coach Ben Rutten), he’s earmarked him for that role, and we think he’ll be able to really assist our forward transition.”
Then the match report: ‘Former Saint Nick Hind looked polished at half-back for the Bombers before he was taken out of the game in the final term’
Hind as a 330k Fwd playing as what could potentially be a half back. Just concerning on how the body holds up as seeing he was rested last quarter due to a shoulder injury. I’ve currently got him in my team but that injury causes doubt