- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
The Essendon Bombers host the St Kilda Saints tonight at Etihad Stadium, with both sides looking to bounce back after big losses in Round 4. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 7:40pm AEST.
Both sides suffered their biggest loss of the 2014 season last week. The Saints copped an 86-point thrashing at home from the Crows, while the Bombers travelled west to face Fremantle and were thumped by 53 points.
Unsurprisingly, both teams have made significant changes to the line-ups that were so disappointing last week – the Bombers have made four changes and the Saints have made five.
Essendon welcome back regulars Patrick Ryder, Paul Chapman, Dustin Fletcher and David Myers, who will instantly strengthen their team by a great deal. Dylan Van Unen and Travis Colyer have been dropped, Jason Winderlich rested, while Brendon Goddard will miss due to the groin injury he sustained during the match in Perth.
The Saints changes are less impressive. Ruckman Tom Hickey comes in after missing last week through injury, and Sebastian Ross and Adam Schneider have been recalled. No. 3 draft pick Jack Billings will play his second game for the club, while the Saints are also debuting former GWS Giant Josh Bruce.
Beau Maister, Billy Longer and Shave Savage were all omitted form the Saints side to make way, while David Armitage (knee) and Nathan Wright (leg) will miss through injury. It’s especially disappointing for Savage, who crossed to the Saints from Hawthorn with the goal of playing regular AFL footy.
While both sides enter the clash with 2-2 records, Essendon are the clear favourites. They were dominant against North Melbourne and Carlton, and pushed Hawthorn to the edge, while the Saints were the beneficiaries of a soft opening fortnight.
The Bombers are a better quality team and should win this one comfortably.
Essendon by 54 points