It’s a huge game Saturday night as the Swans glide into Subi, a game which may determine our ladder position at the conclusion of the season. Sure, it’s only Round 3. But As I stated earlier in the week the Eagles only have around 13 games they have a realistic chance at winning. This is one of them.
Last time we met the Swans was in Sydney, where a surge by our young ‘guns’ just fell short. A lot has changed since then at Sydney. Coach Roos and Captain Kirk are no longer. Yet a lot hasn’t changed in that they are still bastards. They are the same bastards (in spirit) that stole the 2005 GF. They are the same bastards that continue to edge us by less than a goal.
Or are they?
I’m not so sure. Their round 1 performance showed they lacked the killer instinct. Round 2 on the other hand, showed a team that could pull themselves together when all seemed lost.
So who are they? They are still a dangerous team with game breakers like Goodes and O’Keefe.
I am feeling rather ambivalent about our chances in this game. I don’t have the same confidence I did going into Round 1 and 2. The team selection is part of the reason.
West Coast
FB: Mitchell Brown, Darren Glass, Shannon Hurn
HB: Sam Butler, Eric MacKenzie, Scott Selwood
C: Matt Rosa, Matt Priddis, Andrew Embley
HF: Brad Ebert, Josh J. Kennedy, Luke Shuey
FF: Mark Nicoski, Quinten Lynch, Jack Darling
Fol: Dean Cox, Adam Selwood, Daniel Kerr
Int: Will Schofield, Nic Naitanui, Patrick McGinnity, Andrew Gaff
In: Butler, MacKenzie
Out: Beau Waters, Brad Sheppard
Sydney
FB: Paul Bevan, Ted Richards, Martin Mattner
HB: Rhyce Shaw, Heath Grundy, Alex Johnson
C: Ben McGlynn, Kieren Jack, Nick Smith
HF: Jude Bolton, Samuel Reid, Adam Goodes
FF: Ryan O’Keefe, Jesse White, Daniel Hannebery
Fol: Shane Mumford, Josh P. Kennedy, Jarrad McVeigh
Int: Craig Bird, Gary Rohan, Lewis Jetta, Andrejs Everitt
In: Johnson
Out: Brett Meredith
Eric MacKenzie is back. I can’t really articulate how I feel about E-Mac. He cost us at least 2 games last year, that I can remember (including the Swans game) with truly horrendous kicking. I mean, it is the most fundamental skill in the game and if you can’t do it you should not be playing at this level.
Yet, he’s selected. So every time he gets the ball I’ll be anticipating a disaster. He’s in to replace Brad Sheppard who has continued to look mediocre after an average rookie season. I still can’t fathom how we chose him as the overall number 2 selection in 2009.
Waters is out with the elbow. Sam Butler replaces him. I’m not a huge Butler fan. I know he played in the premiership side. I know he looks like Ben Cousins. But he doesn’t play like him. He’s workman-like and even more injury prone than the man he replaces.
This aside, the two teams are pretty even. I think we’ll need our ruck duo to dominate ‘Mummy’, as they did the Bogan last week. We have some bigs up forward in Darling and Kennedy which should cause problems for their undersized defence.
This all goes to say that we can win. But, we will have to be efficient with the ball (ie don’t let E-Mac kick). Unlike last week, we’ll have to kick well in front of goal.
A consistent 4 quarter effort will give us a shot.
See you on the other side.
Mis. Eagle.
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