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by Matt Quinn |
12th April 2017 |
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A decade ago this match would have been the Grand Final rematch - but in 2017 it's just another match, with a lot riding on it - West Coast to keep a season on track, and Sydney to try to relight one that's just about gone out already.
Squads |
| West
Coast Ruck |
B |
Brad Sheppard (5)
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Tom Barrass (37) |
Sharrod Wellingham (12) |
Sydney
Ruck |
| Jonathan Giles (22) |
F |
Will Hayward (9) |
Sam Reid (20) |
Oliver Florent (13) |
Callum Sinclair (18) |
| Luke Shuey (13) |
HB |
Shannon Hurn (25) |
Jeremy McGovern (20) |
Jackson Nelson (30) |
Daniel Hannebery (4) |
| Sam Mitchell (1) |
HF |
Harry Cunningham (7) |
Lance Franklin (23) |
George Hewitt (29) |
Luke Parker (26) |
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C |
Chris Masten (7) |
Matthew Priddis (11) |
Elliot Yeo (6) |
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C |
Jake Lloyd (44) |
Josh Kennedy (12) |
Kieran Jack (15) |
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HF |
Andrew Gaff (3) |
Jack Darling (27) |
Jamie Cripps (15) |
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HB |
Nic Newman (28) |
Aliir Aliir (36) |
Callum Mills (14) |
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F |
Mark LeCras (2) |
Josh Kennedy (17) |
Josh Hill (33) |
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B |
Zak Jones (10) |
Heath Grundy (39) |
Nick Smith (40) |
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| West
Coast Interchange |
Nathan Vardy (19), Jack Redden (8), Sam Butler (26), Liam Duggan (14), |
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Jordan Foote (6), Tom Papley (41), Robbie Fox (42), Harry Marsh (31), |
Sydney
Interchange |
Weather |
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Fine
Overnight Minimum:13
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Changes |
After a disappointing result in the rain last week against the Tiggers, the Eagles have made two changes, with Mark Hutchings and Lewis Jetta sent back to the magoos, with veteran Sam Butler recalled alongside youngster Liam Duggan.
The Swans have also made two changes, with Jordan Dawson omitted and ruckman Sam Naismith out with a knee injury, replaced by Harry Cunningham and Tom Papley |
Injuries and Suspensions |
Sydney are missing a few best 22 players, with Isaac Heeney (glandular fever), Kurt Tippett (ankle), Jarrad McVeigh (calf) and Dane Rampe (arm) joined this week by ruckman Sam Naismith.
The Eagles, other than in the ruck have most of a hypothetical best 22 and reserves available, though Jack Darling will be under the microscope late to determine if he's recovered from an ankle injury from last week's game |
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Lead up |
The Eagles would have been disappointed to lose to Richmond last week at the MCG, but generally have been pretty scratchy in all three matches, and could be considered lucky to have won two. Generally the Eagles still look like it's the pre-season, and will want to shift it up a gear as the season moves on.
Sydney were one of the pre-season premiership fancies, but have crashed (a bit like Freo last year in fact), having lost all three matches so far, crunched by the Crowbots in the opening week, and losing to the Bulldogs and in a squeaker to Collingwood last week. It might be early in the season, but a 0-3 start is not what a team wants if they're to make an impression at the pointy end of the season. |
Matchups |
The focus at the Eagles at the moment is on the defensive lineup that has proven quite leaky early in the season, in contrast to it's impressive work in the last two years. It would seem likely that's the reason for the recall of classy veteran Sam Butler to shore things up, but there would have to be pressure on Sharrod Wellingham in particular (among others) with long term defender Will Schofield sitting on the emergency bench. With the Swans featuring Buddy Franklin up forward there will need to be a more impressive effort down back this week.
In the centre, the Eagles will be hoping for a bit more pace - and hope that ex-Eagle Callum Sinclair doesn't dominate in the ruck. The Eagles looked a little one dimensional last week in the middle of the ground, and need to improve |
Recent Meetings
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| The Eagles have had a hard time of it against the Swans in recent years, with the 2015 victory the only one in several years. Last year the Swans won comfortably at the SCG, a venue where the Eagles haven't won since 1999 - though this game is at Subiaco |
| 2016, Round 5 |
SCG |
| Sydney |
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2.3 |
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5.6 |
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9.12 |
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12.16 (88) |
| West Coast |
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3.3 |
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4.3 |
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7.3 |
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7.7 (49) |
| Sat 23rd Apr 2016 |
Sydney by 39 |
| 2015, Round 17 |
Subiaco Oval |
| West Coast |
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5.0 |
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8.5 |
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12.10 |
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15.13 (103) |
| Sydney |
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0.5 |
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1.6 |
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5.7 |
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7.9 (51) |
| Sun 26th Jul 2015 |
West Coast by 52 |
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Head to Head |
| Overall: |
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West Coast |
20 |
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Sydney |
27 |
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Draws |
0 |
| At Subiaco Oval |
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West Coast |
13 |
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Sydney |
9 |
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Draws |
0 |
| West Coast biggest win: |
61 points; West Coast 19.14 (128) d Sydney 10.7 (67) at Subiaco Oval, 1990, Round 5 |
| Sydney biggest win: |
130 points; Sydney 30.21 (201) d West Coast 10.11 (71) at SCG, 1987, Round 16 |
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Summary |
| Sydney are running a bit weak with injuries, and will be a bit down after losing last week by just a point, but that's often when teams come out swinging. The Eagles will need to be a step up from last week to win this one, but should be able to prevail at home |
Prediction: West Coast by 22 points. |
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CMM
2017-04-12 23:09:56
Hopefully we come out firing, unlike our flats stats from the past couple games.
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