The two fs – fitness and form – always play a big part in the fortunes of all teams as the season progresses and they vie for a place in the final eight.
List management, injury management and suitable replacements are all part of the formula for keeping a competitive team on the park each week.
Top teams Richmond, West Coast, Collingwood and Greater Western Sydney so far have managed to cover their injuries and will look forward to some of their champions returning between now and the finals.
Sunday’s three games reflect the impact the two fs have on a club’s progress. St Kilda, with a dozen players on their injury list, have been denied the services of two of their few elite players for most of the season but are still a chance for the finals. Port Adelaide have had a bad run with injuries but by the end of June may have only two players unavailable for the run home and Shanghai has to be the ultimate home ground advantage so Power should win comfortably.
Essendon’s big loss is the club’s current elite goal kicker Joe Daniher for the season, but they are also missing other goal scorers in Jake Stringer and Orazio Fantasia, plus star recruit Dylan Shiel. Despite this, I expect Essendon to improve their recent record against Carlton with Anthony Wipungwati kicking some goals as Carlton are without their two most experienced current day elite game players.
The two elite Blues that are playing will both achieve top 100 milestones with Matthew Kreuzer equalling Fred Gilby. Gilby was recruited from Coburg after they completed their first year in the VFA in 1925 and served Carlton well for 12 years, playing 179 games which included the grand final loss in 1932 and 11 other finals.
Fittingly, Ed Curnow will draw level with Charlie Hammond who debuted for the Blues against Essendon 114 years ago and was the club’s most successful premiership player ever despite a four-year absence from the club, including one year when he appeared not to play anywhere. After playing in premierships in 1906, 1907 and 1908 he left the club in protest at the sacking of coach Jack Worrall and played in the VFA for three years and nowhere for one before returning to the Blues and playing in two more premierships.
For Essendon, David Zaharakis – their highest ranked elite game player – will join David Hille on 197 games. Hille was stand-in captain for the Bombers in 2006 due to a season-ending injury to captain Matthew Lloyd and won the club’s best and fairest in 2008. Michael Hurley will match the game efforts of Greg Sewell and Bill Sewart.
West Coast, who have already won nearly 65per cent of their games against the Western Bulldogs, are expected to continue their winning ways at home against the Dogs. Josh Kennedy will equal Quinton Lynch’s games record for the Eagles and Andrew Gaff will join David Hart on 184 games.
For the Bulldogs, Jack Macrae will get a boost up the ladder, joining Don Ross, Darren Baxter and Shaun Higgins.
Who’s in your ultimate team? Pick the best team and compete with other fans for daily prizes on Draftstars. For the best odds on the game try out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Think. Is this a bet you really want to place? Set a deposit limit.
It's a festival of footy as Anzac Round dawns, with matches to be played across a whopping five days in 2024's most spread-out 'weekend'…
Things heating up in Canberra!
Diplomatically answered, Darcy!
For all the pomp and circumstance that surrounds the now-traditional Anzac Day clash at the MCG, there has been one thing conspicuously lacking over…
