MIDFIELD V MIDFIELD PREMIERSHIP V PREMIERSHIP

 

 

As most people know these days the game is played and won in the midfield. Geelong and St.Kilda have most arguably the 2 best midfield’s in the game. So when the 2 teams go head 2 head today in what should shape out to be a cracking match it will be, MIDFIELD V MIDFIELD. So I will look at how the midfield’s should line up against each other and see the battle’s inside THE BATTLE!

# 2 Steven King V #24 Mark Blake

This will be one of the most intense battle’s ruckman V ruckman, enemy V enemy. After King took Blake’s spot in the memorable 2007 Grand Final, Blake would always find a way for revenge. Today is Blake’s day and if Blake can get the wood on King early. Bye, Bye St.Kilda. Winner: Blake (Geelong)

 #38 Clinton Jones V #29 Gary Ablett

Jones V Yablett. Tagger V Gun. Saint V Cat. Ablett is clearly the best of the best, but if Clint Jones can stop Ablett and help the Saints win the flag surely Jones has to be the best of the best. Obviously not. Last Time Jones went head to head with Yablett, Ablett had 27 touches but weren’t that effective as most of them were in the back half. Ablett kicked 2 goals though and today in a low scoring game Jones can’t afford Ablett to be kicking goals. Winner: Ablett (Geelong)

#7 Lenny Hayes V #45 Cameron Ling

Hayes V Ling. Last Week Hayes was on fire. Bursting through the middle, evading tackles, hitting players lace out and most importantly kicking a crucial goal. Hayes will have to be stopped. Hayes is a great and courageous player and deserves a premiership for his great ability. But premierships don’t come easy, but I believe if Hayes does what he did last week, he’ll be very hard to stop. Winner: Hayes (St.Kilda)

#26 Nick Dal Santo V #3 Jimmy Bartel

Leader V Leader. Bartel has already been here, done that but Nick Dal Santo won’t leave without a fight. I thought this would be a great match-up. Both ball winners and both outstanding talents. I’m not sure if Dal Santo is ready to live the dream but I think he could. If and when St.Kilda win, Dal Santo will have been a huge part of the victory. Dal Santo has shown the way to all the youngsters at St.Kilda this year and after he was dropped last year his game has improved to new heights. Winner: Bartel (Geelong)

#22 Farren Ray V #11 Joel Corey

Last Year, Ray was an average player at the Western Bulldogs and this year Ray and St.Kilda have taken his game to a new level. Ray has shown his true potential this year and today will be a real challenge. I believe Ray can play on a star player like Corey but I’m not sure if Ross Lyon will agree. Ray needs to play his normal game and he’ll get through. Ray is my roughie for the Norm Smith. Winner: Ray (St.Kilda)

#11 Leigh Montagna V #14 Joel Selwood

Selwood has played 3 seasons now and played in 3 Grand Finals. I believe today he will have to do it the hard way and play on prolific ball winner Leigh Montagna. Selwood has been great in his last 2 Grand Finals so there is no reason why he won’t be the difference today. Montagna needs to concentrate on winning the ball but also make sure that Selwood does not get hold of him. If any of these players make an impact on the scoreboard, the other will get a big spray. Winner: Montagna (St.Kilda)

The Winner: Saints 3-3 Geelong

St.Kilda V Geelong-Toyota AFL Grand Final 2009

 

 

Umpires: Ryan, McBurney, Rosebury 

All The Odds:

Outright: St.Kilda $2.40 Geelong $1.58

Line: St.Kilda +8.5 $2.05 Geelong -8.5 $1.74

First Score: St.Kilda point $3.75 St.Kilda goal $3.60 Geelong point $3.50 Geelong goal $3.25

First Goal Scorer: Riewoldt $9 Chapman $9 Mooney $10 Johnson $11 Koschitzke $11

Most Disposals: Ablett $2.80 Hayes $6 Montagna $7 Corey $7.50 Bartel, Dal Santo $8

Leading Goal Kicker: Riewoldt $3.75 Chapman $5.50 Mooney, Johnson $7.50

Teams:

Geelong vs. St Kilda
B:Darren Milburn – Matthew Scarlett – Corey Enright
HB: Tom Harley – Harry Taylor – Andrew Mackie
C: Joel Corey – Cameron Ling – James Kelly
HF: Jimmy Bartel – Cameron Mooney – Steve Johnson
F:Travis Varcoe – Tom Hawkins – Paul Chapman
Foll:Mark Blake – Joel Selwood – Gary Ablett
Int:Brad Ottens, Shannon Byrnes, Max Rooke, David Wojcinski
Emerg: Shane Mumford, Simon Hogan, Mathew Stokes

St Kilda
B:Jason Blake, Zac Dawson, Steven Baker
HB: Brendon Goddard, Sam Fisher, Sam Gilbert
C:Farren Ray, Lenny Hayes, Nick Dal Santo
HF:Andrew McQualter, Justin Koschitzke, Clint Jones
F:Stephen Milne, Nick Riewoldt, Jason Gram
Foll:Steven King, Leigh Montagna, Adam Schneider
I/C: Luke Ball, Raphael Clarke, Sean Dempster, Michael Gardiner
Emg:David Armitage, Jarryn Geary, James Gwilt

In: Dempster
Out: Robert Eddy

Player Profiles:

GEELONG

#2 Tom Harley Games: 197 Goals: 12

#3 Jimmy Bartel Games: 156 Goals: 96

#4 Andrew  Mackie Games: 105 Goals: 60

#5 Travis Varcoe Games: 55 Goals: 51

#6 Brad Ottens Games: 209 Goals: 238

#7 Harry Taylor Games: 42 Goals: 6

#9 James Kelly Games: 146 Goals: 63

#11 Joel Corey Games: 198 Goals: 61

#14 Joel Selwood Games: 69 Goals: 23

#17 Shannon Byrnes Games: 75 Goals: 58

#20 Steve Johnson Games: 129 Goals: 250

#21 Cameron Mooney Games: 191 Goals: 250

#24 Mark Blake Games: 78 Goals: 11

#26 Tom Hawkins Games: 42 Goals: 57

#29 Gary Ablett Games: 167 Goals: 217

#30 Matthew Scarlett Games: 227 Goals: 16

#33 Max Rooke Games: 133 Goals: 56

#35 Paul Chapman Games: 174 Goals: 238

#39 Darren Milburn Games: 255 Goals: 90

#40 David Wojcinski Games: 152 Goals: 48

#44 Corey Enright Games: 174 Goals: 49

#45 Cameron Ling Games: 203 Goals: 113

ST.KILDA

#1 Jason Gram Games: 100 Goals: 51

#2 Steven King Games: 233 Games: 83

#7 Lenny Hayes Games: 213 Goals: 71

#10 Steven Baker Games: 177 Goals: 34

#11 Leigh Montagna Games: 121 Goals: 68

#12 Nick Riewoldt Games: 181 Goals: 397

#13 Adam Schneider Games: 140 Goals: 159

#14 Luke Ball Games: 141 Goals: 58

#15 Michael Gardiner Games: 157 Goals: 100

#16 Raphael Clarke Games: 56 Goals: 6

#18 Brendon Goddard Games: 136 Goals: 54

#19 Sam Gilbert Games: 60 Goals: 12

#22 Farren Ray Games: 99 Goals: 37

#23 Justin Koschitzke Games: 141 Goals: 170

#24 Sean Dempster Games: 81 Goals: 13

#25 Sam Fisher Games: 119 Goals: 13

#26 Nick Dal Santo Games: 167 Goals: 88

#27 Jason Blake Games: 160 Goals: 33

#32 Andrew McQualter Games: 58 Goals: 29

#38 Clinton Jones Games: 49 Goals: 15 

#43 Zac Dawson Games: 36 Goals: 2

#44 Stephen Milne Games: 187 Goals: 377

Key Match Up’s:

Clinton Jones V Gary Ablett

Brownlow Medallist Gary Ablett just simply has to be stopped by Clinton Jones if the Saints want to win on Saturday. Last Time they met in Round 14 Ablett had: 101 SC points, 27 disposals, 70% efficiency, 4 clearences, 2 goals and 8 goal involvements. While Jones collected 22 disposals of his own and managed to hurt Ablett on the scoreboard, kicking a goal.

Nick Riewoldt V Harry Taylor

Harry Taylor has had the wood on Saints big man Nick Riewoldt in recent times. But the chances are that where ever Riewoldt goes he will be taken by 2 or 3 Cats. The Cats said they would not attack Riewoldt because of his damaged knee, but if I were Roo I would keep an eye out for any big bumps. Riewoldt took 7 contested marks last week against the Dogs, hopefully Taylor can limit the amount of marks because if Riewoldt is let off the leash, the Cats are in danger.

Lenny Hayes V Cameron Ling

Last Week Lenny Hayes tore the Dogs to pieces. Several clearences and his bag of tricks really hurt the Dogs. He scored a crucial goal and scored a huge 179 SC points. In Round 14 against Geelong Hayes racked up 33 touches and got 174 SC points next to his name. Hayes just has to be stopped.

Coaches Corner:

Ross Lyon

3 words: Stop Gary Ablett

Mark Thompson

St.Kilda’s zone has held teams to extremely low scores this year. It is similar to the zone that Sydney set up in 04, 05 and 06 when they made 2 Grand Finals. As Ross Lyon used to be an assistant at Sydney, you would imagine that is where the zone came from. Geelong needs to either use perfect kicking effciency or handball their way through the zone. Geelong needs patience and if they do St.Kilda will be having problems.

How They Will Win:

For St.Kilda to win Gary Ablett must be stopped. For Geelong to win Hayes must be stopped. But thats not all. There is plenty of other ways that either team can win. First of all: Last Year Geelong got the wobbles, missing numerous chances from set shots and from normal play. Geelong and St.Kilda for that matter must kick straight. Cam Mooney must keep his cool in front of the big sticks. Mark Blake will be up for this game as 2 years ago Steven King took Blake’s spot in the side. King will now be in the reverse role, playing against his own team-mates and more importantly against Mark Blake. Blake and Ottens will have to stop Gardiner and King floating forward as Geelong should have already learnt. St.Kilda have been the best team all year but….

THE WINNER…

Josh = Geelong by 8 points. Norm Smith: Jimmy Bartel.

Ben = Geelong by 14 points. Norm Smith : Nick Riewoldt