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Preview of AFL Round 13 matches (all times AEST).
FRIDAY, June 17
WESTERN BULLDOGS V ADELAIDE at Etihad Stadium 7.40pm
Head to Head: Bulldogs 16 Crows 18
Last clash: Round 19 2010 – Bulldogs 8.13 (61) bt Crows 7.11 (53) at AAMI Stadium
Tab Sportsbet: Bulldogs $1.22 Crows $4.00
Sportingbet: Bulldogs $1.25 Crows $4.00
Surely not the match-up Channel Seven were anticipating when they picked this one for the Friday night primetime slot. A game between 13th and 14th with six wins between them in 2011 says it all. The losing coach can expect another week of speculation about their future. The winner gets at least one week of respite. Adam Cooney is back for the Bulldogs, while Kurt Tippett has been named in the Crows team, despite hurting a shoulder last week.
Key: Robert Murphy has been one of the few Bulldogs who can hold his head high in 2011. Surely his teammates can lift for him in his 200th game.
Tip: Bulldogs by 29 points
SATURDAY, June 18
HAWTHORN V GOLD COAST SUNS at Aurora Stadium 2.10pm
Head to Head: First meeting
Last clash: N/A
Tab Sportsbet: Hawks $1.01 Suns $13.00
Sportingbet: Hawks $2.00 Suns $14.00
The severe Achilles injury suffered by Jarryd Roughead will hit the Hawks hard at the business end of the year. But not this week when they are rightly the unbackable favourites against Gold Coast at their second home ground. Both clubs will have to go with makeshift ruck divisions, with Hawk Brent Renouf recuperating after gall bladder surgery and young Sun Zac Smith getting a well-earned rest. Gary Ablett will do his level best for Gold Coast but Hawthorn have far too many trump cards. Karmichael Hunt has been recalled ahead of schedule after just one game in the reserves.
Key: Only inaccuracy in front of the big sticks has prevented Lance Franklin from taking a big lead in the Coleman Medal race, as opposed to the one-goal lead he holds over Tiger Jack Riewoldt. But if Buddy has got his kicking boots on this week, then look out.
Tip: Hawks by 58 points
ESSENDON V NORTH MELBOURNE at Etihad Stadium 2.10pm
Head to Head: Bombers 50 Kangaroos 94 drawn 1
Last clash: Round 17 2010 – Bombers 18.14 (122) bt Kangaroos 18.11 (119) at Etihad Stadium
Tab Sportsbet: Bombers $1.60 Kangaroos $2.25
Sportingbet: Bombers $1.65 Kangaroos $2.25
This shapes as one of those mid-season “elimination finals” with eighth-placed Essendon riding a three-game losing streak and 12th-ranked North heading in the other direction, having won their last two. Daniel Wells is finally enjoying the breakout season for North that his many supporters always thought was just around the corner. The Bombers really need a big game from their biggest men like Paddy Ryder and Tom Bellchambers. But fellow tall David Hille is among five omissions.
Key: The Bombers have shown they find it very hard to win without skipper Jobe Watson. But that excuse is no longer valid with Watson in his second game back from a hamstring injury.
Tip: Kangaroos by 6 points
BRISBANE V RICHMOND at Gabba 7.10pm
Head to Head: Lions 8 Tigers 10 drawn 1
Last clash: Round 6 2011 – Tigers 18.16 (124) bt Lions 14.14 (98) at MCG
Tab Sportsbet: Lions $2.15 Tigers $1.65
Sportingbet: Lions $2.30 Tigers $1.62
Richmond’s decision to catch a bus home from last weekend’s loss to Sydney will be retrospectively declared either a brilliant exercise in team bonding or rank amateurism, depending on the result of this match. Popular clubman Nathan Foley plays his 100th game after bouncing back from two seasons cruelled by injury. The Lions should fancy their chances of at least dominating in the ruck through Matthew Leuenberger and Mitch Clark. But can their midfield take advantage? Brisbane vice-captain Jed Adcock misses with a broken finger.
Key: Despite sitting second on the Coleman Medal standings, Jack Riewoldt has not reached the heights of 2010 so far this year. But with Brisbane fullback Daniel Merrett sidelined with a back injury, Riewoldt could enjoy a night out.
Tip: Tigers by 15 points
ST KILDA V GEELONG at MCG 7.10pm
Head to Head: Saints 82 Cats 124
Last clash: Round 1 2011 – Cats 6.12 (48) bt Saints 6.11 (47) at MCG
Tab Sportsbet: Saints $3.75 Cats $1.25
Sportingbet: Saints $3.70 Cats $1.28
The ninth-placed Saints remain on the cusp of the finals race after eking out three wins from their last four games. But Geelong are in a different stratosphere, unbeaten in 11 and sitting proudly atop the ladder. The four-game suspension to Joel Selwood will hurt the Cats, but such is their midfield depth that others such as Jimmy Bartel, Joel Corey and Paul Chapman will take up the slack. The Saints gain some experience with the inclusions of Leigh Montagna and Jason Blake.
Key: The only knock on Geelong was their lack of a dominant key forward. Six first-half goals last weekend by James Podsiadly against Hawthorn put that concern to rest.
Tip: Cats by 39 points
SUNDAY, June 19
Melbourne v Fremantle at MCG 1.10pm
Head to Head: Demons 12 Dockers 14
Last clash: Round 16 2010 – Dockers 11.16 (82) bt Demons 10.11 (71) at Subiaco
Tab Sportsbet: Demons $1.80 Dockers $1.95
Sportingbet: Demons $1.78 Dockers $2.05
If Melbourne can continue their boom-bust run of recent times, they are due for a good win following the Queen’s Birthday massacre dished out by Collingwood. Four goals from Colin Sylvia was one positive to come out of the game against the Magpies, but what the Demons would do for a strong, tall, marking forward. Fremantle at least showed last week against Essendon that they can win without Aaron Sandilands – and with Mark Jamar still absent the Demons’ ruck division is far from fear-inducing. Midfielder Michael Barlow is a welcome inclusion for Freo.
Key: Covering for Sandilands is one thing. But with David Mundy and and Hayden Ballantyne joining the Dockers’ long injury list it’s hard to make a case for them breaking an MCG hoodoo dating back to early 2007.
Tip: Demons by 19 points
CARLTON V SYDNEY at Etihad Stadium 2.10pm
Head to Head: Blues 126 Swans 84 drawn 6
Last clash: Round 6 2011 – Blues 12.15 (87) bt Swans 10.11 (71) at SCG
Tab Sportsbet: Blues $1.25 Swans $3.75
Sportingbet: Blues $1.28 Swans $3.70
With every passing week, the Blues look more and more like the real deal. In his second game back after a knee reconstruction, ruck-forward Matthew Kreuzer gives Carlton another blue-chip option. Only dreadful inaccuracy in front of goal prevented Sydney’s win last week against Richmond being comprehensive rather than close. Josh Kennedy continues to impress and Adam Goodes rarely has two quiet games on the trot.
Key: Everyone knows that Chris Judd is having another stellar season. But what’s even more exciting for Blues fans is that Marc Murphy, Michael Jamison, Heath Scotland and Co are doing more of the heavy lifting, meaning Carlton are no longer a one-man band.
Tip: Blues by 24 points
WEST COAST V PORT ADELAIDE at Subiaco 4.40pm
Head to Head: Eagles 7 Power 15
Last clash: Round 2 2011 – Eagles 16.20 (116) bt Power 15.8 (98) at AAMI Stadium
Tab Sportsbet: Eagles $1.05 Power $8.50
Sportingbet: Eagles $1.07 Power $8.50
Does any club have more players currently defying the ageing process than West Coast? Dean Cox, Daniel Kerr, Darren Glass and Andrew Embley have all defied expectations that they were on the slide. The comparison with Port Adelaide could hardly be more stark, with Chad Cornes languishing in the SANFL and Kane Cornes and Brett Ebert treading water.
Key: The Eagles look much stronger all over the ground, nowhere moreso than up-forward where Josh Kennedy and Mark LeCras lead a multi-pronged attack.
Tip: Eagles by 50 points
BYE: Collingwood
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The Crowd Says (7) | Page 1 of Comments
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June 17th 2011 @ 10:58am
GrantS said | June 17th 2011 @ 10:58am | Report comment
Your selections are pretty much in line with the sports betting odds.
Bulldogs should win by about 3 goals and Hawthorn should win easily but it will be interesting to see how their missing players affect the game.
The Bombers have their strongest team in since the start of their form reversal ,although they persevere with Ryder at the expense of Hille ,which is something the figures don’t support. This is a very close game and I have taken the draw at $51.00.
I have Richmond to win by 7 points but it depends on which Brisbane team turns up to play.
I thought Fremantle could win against Melbourne but the game looks like a one kick result either way.
Geelong and West Coast look easy winners but Sydney might push Carlton to a closer result than 24 points.
An interesting round!
June 17th 2011 @ 9:04pm
The Cattery said | June 17th 2011 @ 9:04pm | Report comment
HT, about to start the 3rd quarter, Crows lead Dogs by 2 pts. Crows had a big first quarter, dogs came back into it in the second quarter, but Tippett looks dangerous every time the ball goes into the Crows’ 50.
Knights has been subbed off, has blurred vision from a knock.
June 17th 2011 @ 9:07pm
The Cattery said | June 17th 2011 @ 9:07pm | Report comment
Giansiracusa has just put the dogs in front, perhaps for the first time tonight, dogs have kicked five of the last six goals.
June 17th 2011 @ 9:21pm
The Cattery said | June 17th 2011 @ 9:21pm | Report comment
Dogs back in front, mid way through 3rd quarter, turning into a good game here at Etihad.
June 17th 2011 @ 10:15pm
The Cattery said | June 17th 2011 @ 10:15pm | Report comment
Dogs win tonight 14.16 (100) to Crows 10.10 (70).
Crows burst out of the blocks and had six goals to 2 at quarter time, but could only kick 4 goals in the next three quarters.
Williams managed to get on top of Tippett, but the key to the win was the tackling outside of def 50, cutting off the supply to Tippett. From there, we had some run and carry of old, blokes like Murphy, Griffen, Higgins and Wood took out of half back with pace and a bit more precision than they’ve managed in recent weeks. When the targets weren’t there, they held it up, so a very disciplined team effort tonight.
Dogs have the suns and dees coming up next two weeks, which could see them get back to 6-8, but I still think they are shot for the season, recalling where the Crows sit. There’s a massive crush of teams between 7th and 13th.
June 17th 2011 @ 10:22pm
The Cattery said | June 17th 2011 @ 10:22pm | Report comment
Only 19,363 tonight, very poor crowd for Friday night.
Six years ago, these two sides got 28k at Etihad.
June 17th 2011 @ 10:26pm
The Cattery said | June 17th 2011 @ 10:26pm | Report comment
Champion Data:
FT: Best players: R.Murphy (wb), R.Griffen (wb), A.Otten (ad), S.Higgins (wb), R.Henderson (ad) #afldogscrows
Murphy, Griffen and Higgins – ran it off halfback after quarter time, found each other often, kept ball safe, found targets, made good decisions, Griffen broke the lines like he does at his best.