The Bombers will have a red hot go in their clash with the Eagles in Perth on Thursday night, and history seems to support them winning.
Of the 52 encounters between the two teams, Essendon has won 55 per cent of them, including some memorable victories away from home. The Bombers sit in tenth position on the ladder and the expected loss of Port Adelaide to Geelong would see them inside the eight by the end of the weekend.
However, the fact that both Joe Daniher and Devon Smith will not be seen again this year and there’s some doubt over Jake Stringer tips the scales slightly in the West Coast’s favour, helping them return to the top four.
For the Eagles, Jack Redden will bring up his 200th game. Redden played 129 for Brisbane, so he currently sits inside the top 100 game-player list at two different clubs.
1994 premiership player David Hart continues his slide down the Eagles’ top 100 game-players, being equalled this week by Will Schofield after suffering a similar fate at the hands of Andrew Gaff and Jack Darling in recent weeks. If Elliot Yeo passes his fitness test, he will match the game tally of Peter Wilson.
(Photo by Daniel Carson/AFL Media/Getty Images)
For Essendon, Cale Hooker will draw level with Len Bowe who, 100 years ago, was well on the way to becoming the first Essendon player to play 200 games before he retired on 187 due to being diagnosed with athlete’s heart, a condition that is now known to present no risk to a well trained athlete.
Michael Hurley will match the game totals of Norm Beckton – a best and fairest winner, two-time premiership player and captain of the Bombers in 1929 and 1930 – and 191cm ruckman Hugh Torney, who also won a best and fairest in 1940 and played in a premiership side in 1942. Torney formed a great partnership with Essendon legend Dick Reynolds.
Game two of the round is seen to be a ho-hum match with both teams seemingly out of the race for a finals berth. I’ll bet its not.
Sydney (15th) and Hawthorn (12th) are both renowned for being never-say-die clubs and will be fighting as hard as ever for the premiership points. Although Sydney will start short-priced favourites, Hawthorn have the better win-loss ratio, having won 93 of the 166 games between the two clubs.
Sydney will again be without Jarrad McVeigh while Nick Smith is out for the season. For Hawthorn, Ben Stratton is out suspended and Chad Wingard still appears to be one week away from returning.
Callum Sinclair will play his 100th, but as 29 of those were for the West Coast Eagles, he is still a long way short of becoming an elite top 100 player for the Swans.
Paul Puopolo will become the sixth most prolific wearer of the No.28 jumper in AFL football when he passes Essendon’s Alec Epis.
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