Game Day West Coast v Sydney - Round 4 @ Patterson's Domain Oval in Subiaco

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Wait, Sydney dropped a ruckman and a 190cm player and selected 2 guys below 181cm?

Seems like their coaching staff watched the Richmond game.
We don't have any rucks left in our team! Cameron and Naismith picked up an injury during the week with Tippett still recovering. Would expect to see Reid play second ruck during the game
 
We don't have any rucks left in our team! Cameron and Naismith picked up an injury during the week with Tippett still recovering. Would expect to see Reid play second ruck during the game
Giles and Vardy had the better of Nankervis last weekend. Didn't translate to much at ground level though

I wouldn't worry too much about Sinclair because that matchup won't decide the game
 

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Schoey to come in for darling
With Tippett and Naismith both missing I doubt we'll bring schoey in if darling stays in the tent

Moot or shred to come in
 

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Wouldn't get too excited. If the Swans finish poorly this year we get a great draft pick while if Hawthorn finishes badly this year Hawthorn gets nothing.
The AFL $wans will always be taken care of by head office - whether in the form of decades of being propped up financially, stars "encouraged" by the league to request a trade to the Swans (Tony Lockett & Barry Hall say hi), or cozy leg-ups over other sides like COLA, 'ambassador' payments & academies.

Your franchise exists solely to promote the code in NSW & increase the TV Rights value. One bottom 4 finish and the AFL will probably fall over themselves to hand amateur art investor Andrew Pridham a priority draft pick.. nobody wants to go back to the days of handing out free tickets to Swans SCG games right? :p
 
I think Simpson has seen that, despite several opportunities to use his pace, Jetta simply hasn't.

That was his attribute to the side and he refuses to use it.

Whilst I don't disagree he's been poorly managed I also believe the signs shown have been poor... I've so badly wanted Jetta to succeed in blue and gold colours. I don't think he really gives a shit about our club.
I think he might have muscle/tendon tightness that makes him hesitate to turn on his famous jet afterburners. Needs to get over the fear of a tear, or spend the rest of his career in the rear.
 
Wasn't booked onto my flight up to work today,the plan was to have a sleep then go straight to nights.
If I get on a flight this arvo hopefully they don't make me go straight to night shift tonight so I can watch the game!!

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So it's only Monday, but after a loss and a short week before the next game i feel it's time to move on quickly!

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Overall Head to Head
Played: 46. West Coast: 20 wins, Sydney: 26 wins

Last Five meetings
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From our perspective, it has been a bleak recent history between the two sides, losing four of the last five games and nine of the last 10. We often like to look back on the mid 2000's epic encounters for some sort of validation that we have a fierce rivalry, however it has been a one way street for far too long and it is time to right this wrong. If we want to look to some positives, we have won one of the last two encounters, so things are turning around!

Last Week

West Coast lost to Richmond by 11 points in what was a scarily sense of deja vu MCG effort and game style. The fact we were in the game was really down to the fact that the Tiger's are not a particularly good side. Had we taken our opportunities, it was a game we could have won, however poor kicking is poor football and overall, we did not deserve to win this. It was quite a tail of two dumb sides playing dumb football for a half. In the first half, the Tiger's kept kicking the ball in long and McGovern and Barrass were quite comfortable in the air, it took a masterstroke from Hardwick at half time to come up with the idea of taking this strength away by not bombing it in long and high...In the second half, we continued to play handball happy, even though the conditions were horrid. In summary, we got smashed around the contest, had to have extras around the ball, lost our forward structure and could not get the ball out of D50. Standard MCG affair.

The winless Sydney were playing at home against the winless Collingwood who were coached by dead man walking Buckley. The pies were in control most of the night, however a typically dogged swans outfit clawed their way into the match despite missing a host of players and fielding quite an inexperienced outfit. They deservedly lost by a point to leave them at 0-3 and in a very precarious position for the remainder of the season given they face us and then the giants in the next fortnight.

This Weeks Game
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When: Thursday, April 13. Bounce Down @ 6:10 PM AWST
(some other time for ever other state, no idea the status of your daylight savings)
Where: Subiaco Oval Wave Park
For What: Four points, bragging rights over the mrs and the HMAS Sydney II Trophy

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Weather:
Perfect night for football - no excuses
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So we are returning home on the back of a five day break to play a standalone fixture on a Thursday night against a historically tough at it Sydney outfit. Apparently the club request and who am i to question this, i mean the club surely needs the exposure and money that this national audience can bring in, so hopefully this will see us back in to the black and the result is really of second importance.
Major Talking Point
View attachment 355967
Swans fill in bench warmer Cal Sinclair practicing his gumbyness at training - he has the art perfected
Eagles totem pole Lewis Jetta shows more contact and sweat in the changeroom than the field.
Rubbish truck displays less stink than the two surrounding footballers

Spot the difference. In what could go down as one of the most even trades of all time - for all the wrong reasons, fans of both sides argue about who got the worst of this trade. While injuries have no doubt played a part, everything about these two players screams 'meh'. Oh and the difference is that the garbage truck is likely to be useful moving forward.

Teams
There are some interesting discussion points around the teams for this game. Do the eagles make changes after another lackluster away performance, on the back of a five day break after a one way slow midfield was again exposed. Will we drop players for 'team balance' and give them the out that they are a 'bit banged up and sore'
Have the swans got anyone to come back in? They have been fielding a very youthful team as they do not have a lot of depth with experience given that Buddy has taken all the cash and injuries are taking there toll.

I think we could see three changes this week
Out: Mitchell (old man, five day break and he actually attacked the contest hard), Hutchings, Redden/Jetta
In: Sheed (had a big game int he WAFL), Schofield (we are likely to bring a guy in with experience but no real form), Mutimer (next in line?)

Not sure what Sydney have coming back - Will they rush a few players due to being 0-3 and in desperate need of a win? Tippett and Papley (LTI list?) may be possible inclusions

UPDATE
West Coast: In - Duggan, Butler. Out - Jetta (dropped), Hutchings (dropped)
Sydney: In - Cunningham, Papley. Out - Dawson (dropped), Naismith (injured)

No Sheed here is a surprise after a dominant display in the WAFL. Duggan hadn't been setting the world on fire so perhaps some fresh legs is the reasoning here given he was the travelling emergency. Jetta and Hutchings out is the right move and serious question marks will continue to hang over Jetta. Hackdorn has hinted there are deeper personal issues with Jetta and given the evidence, it would be hard to discount this. Bringing the defender in and two mids out is likely to mean we release Yeo a bit further up the ground for some speed. Perhaps we are banking on him being in some good form and hoping he can take that to whatever position he plays.

The Swans are going to go in with one Forward / Ruckman in our old mate Sinclair - so i guess they win this trade. Papley has been rushed back in and will be a dangerous small forward.

Given the 5 day break i think we may see a late change or two depending on how some of the boys rock up at the ground.

Key Match Ups

Kennedy vs Grundy / Aliir Aliir Aliir Aliir
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Josh Kennedy celebrates as he views the names in the Sydney backline.
Aliir Aliir happy with the news he is being dropped for this weeks game - 'we're fecked mate'

Our forward line is our major weapon and Kennedy will once again be a key to the result of this match. he has shown that even if kept quiet for 3/4 he can turn the game in a burst. If he can some decent supply i feel he can get on top of this defence and he should be tough to stop. Five goals from him and we win this.

The Midfield
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On paper, this is not pretty reading - and not pretty in picture either, the swans have a much better looking midfield. If Mitchell does need to be rested, this gives the Swans a distinct advantage. Given it would be our first game without a dominant ruck and Mitchell, it is a little concerning how our guys will hold up. We have been a little too Mitchell centric in the opening rounds and it has almost been as if we are all trying to emulate his play. The swans midfield have not been firing on all cylinders, however have shown glimpses and we do not want this to be the game they all click for the first time this season. Rumour has it Buddy has got Hanners back on the froths, so we may have to make Subi oval a dry zone Thursday night.

Franklin vs The Zone
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No key matchup against the swans is complete without including big Bud. The man is capable of winning any match off his own boot if he has one of those days. He is not going to beat us in the air - as a) he is a rubbish overhead mark and b) we have the two best in the business intercept markers and our lads would halve any aerial contest against him. What do we do when he gets up the ground and tries to turn us around? Yeo has been in ripping form, do we try and beat him going the other way and make him accountable? Does Shepperd go with him and try to beat him for pace. Schofield has done a job in the past, doe she come in to stand the Budweiser. A lot is going to come down to the midfield pressure and limiting good lace out supply. I think we can cover him inside 50, its whether we get opened up on the counter and he gets out the back enough to cause us too much damage.

The Unknown​
Sydney have a lot of 'nameless' players who going through a team sheet would not really worry you, however it is these lesser lights that love to cause us damage and bob up with three goals or 25 possessions. We never have this sort of thing - mostly because we are a settled outfit and do not like to try new players...Hopefully given they only have an extra days break after a tough Friday night encounter and there is such a large group of unknowns coming over to the big bad West, it all becomes too much for the young cygnets

Stats
So three games in, we should be able to get a bit of a read on how things are shaping up. We clearly have a greater uncontested, disposal happy game style. We have far fewer tackles and contested possessions and this is something we need to make a priority this week - pressure on the ball carrier and a turn up in intensity. Contested marks and marks inside 50 is an expected advantage to us, so we need to make use of this and get our accuracy back up after last weeks blip
Given Sydney's injury concerns and youthful inexperienced lineup and this game is at home i expect us to be able to get on top. The short break is a concern, but i feel there may be a lag effect in that we will get up for this game, but really struggle the following week. The swans will no doubt control this game for large periods and we will be screaming for someone to get on Kennedy and Hanneberry and Parker will probably pop up for two goals, however i'm tipping a big one for our JK and for Lecras to have a breakout game against Sydney. My overall feel is more same same from previous seasons - which while is frustrating in that we appear to be stagnating, it should be enough to see us over the line in this one. Eagles by 14 points
Brilliant preview. Hoping that's all the brilliance we're going to see from you guys for about the next 24 hours!
 
All I ask is you use lube.

Please.

kthxbai

Oh - can we leave young Cal there when we come back. Will accept a half a pack of sweet chili chips in exchange.

One proviso: chips have to be in their use by date (damn I hope that isn't a deal breaker)
 

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Game Day West Coast v Sydney - Round 4 @ Patterson's Domain Oval in Subiaco

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