Richard Hinds' Previews Round One

Sydney Morning Herald

Friday March 21, 2008

Richard Hinds

Collingwood v Fremantle

Saturday 2.10pm, MCG

COLLINGWOOD

BH Shaw Wakelin Goldsack

HB Maxwell Brown O'Brien

C Didak Pendlebury Lockyer

HF Clarke Rocca R Shaw

F Cloke Rusling Thomas

Foll Fraser O'Bree Davis

Int Wood Egan Medhurst Swan

New: Cameron Wood, 21, Brisbane; Nathan Brown, 19, North Ballarat U18

FREMANTLE

B Grover Mark Johnson,Mundy

HB Crowley, Michael Johnson, Hayden

C Black Headland Peake

HF Solomon Pavlich Farmer

F McPharlin Tarrant Schammer

Foll Sandilands J Carr Bell

Int Dodd Gilmore McManus M Carr

New: Mark Johnson, 29, Essendon

Hinds's preview: Two teams with high hopes, despite patchy pre-seasons, clash in a match where potent attacks and equally vulnerable defences could hold the key. Without the injured defender Simon Prestigiacomo, the Pies have a major problem countering powerful Dockers forward Matthew Pavlich. Harry O'Brien is likely to be asked to concede some height and weight. At the other end, Collingwood will load up a tall attack with Travis Cloke, Anthony Rocca and Josh Fraser likely to create problems. If the Pies can keep Pavlich to respectable numbers, their faster midfield rotation should just give them the edge in a tight contest.

Prediction: Collingwood by 7 points.

Last time: Collingwood 15.13 (103) d Fremantle 13.16 (94), round 10, 2007, MCG.

Past five: Collingwood 2, Fremantle 3.

TAB Sportsbet: Collingwood $1.68, Fremantle $2.10.

TV: Fox Sports 1 live, 2pm.

St Kilda v Sydney

Saturday 7.10pm, Telstra Dome

ST KILDA

B Gram Hudghton Gilbert

HB R Clarke S Fisher X Clarke

C Blake Hayes Montagna

HF Harvey Riewoldt Schneider

F Milne Koschitzke Gehrig

Foll King Dal Santo Ball

Int M Gardiner C Gardiner Jones Geary

New: Michael Gardiner, 27, West Coast; Steven King, 29, Geelong; Jarryn Geary, 19, Bendigo U18, Charlie Gardiner, 25, Geelong

SYDNEY

B Kennelly Barry Mattner

HB C Bolton Roberts-Thomson Jack

C McVeigh Kirk Buchanan

HF O'Keefe O'Loughlin J Bolton

F Bird Hall Grundy

Foll Jolly Goodes Moore

Int Ablett Bevan Davis Richards

New: Craig Bird, 19, NSW-ACT U18; Martin Mattner, 25, Adelaide

Hinds's preview: There was a spy-versus-spy debate among coaches in the pre-season but, with St Kilda boasting their Swans connection of coach Ross Lyon, fitness adviser Dave Misson and recruits Adam Schneider and Sean Dempster, the Saints have plenty of insider information. The Swans are punting on fresh blood, with debutant Craig Bird among a handful of youngsters being given an early game, and recruit Martin Mattner comes straight into the line-up. However, the loss of ruckman Peter Everitt and regulars Nic Fosdike and Ted Richards should hand the advantage to the Saints, who were up and running in the pre-season competition.

Prediction: St Kilda by 12 points.

Last time: Sydney 12.10 (82) d St Kilda 9.11 (65), round 19, 2007, Telstra Stadium.

Past five: St Kilda 3, Sydney 2.

TAB Sportsbet: St Kilda $1.33, Sydney $3.10.

TV: Channel Ten live, 7pm.

West Coast v Brisbane

Saturday 7.40pm, Subiaco Oval

WEST COAST

BB Jones Glass Wirrpanda

HB Waters Hunter A Selwood

C Embley Kerr Braun

HF Fletcher Hansen Rosa

F Graham Lynch LeCras

Foll Cox Priddis Stenglein

Int Hurn Nicoski Seaby Staker

BRISBANE

B Drummond Merrett Patfull

HB Stiller Macdonald Begley

C Notting Adcock Johnstone

HF Power Brown Lappin

F Bradshaw Brennan Hooper

Foll Charman Black Rischitelli

Int Copeland Leuenberger Selwood Corrie

New: Travis Johnstone, 27, Melbourne

Hinds's preview: An interesting early test for two teams looking to revitalise line-ups that have lost premiership heroes. The fitness of Daniel Kerr is crucial to the Judd- and Cousins-less Eagles midfield as it will be all season. So is how replacements such as Matthew Priddis handle the more intense pressure of opponents who were once fixated on the departed stars. Brisbane have a promising array of youngsters but still rely heavily on the output of their brutal power forward Jonathan Brown. If Eagles skipper Darren Glass takes Brown expect a tough, entertaining contest that, along with the Eagles' significant home-ground advantage, could determine the outcome.

Prediction: West Coast by 25 points.

Last time: Brisbane 13.13 (91) d West Coast 9.10 (64), round 14, 2007, Subiaco Oval.

Past five: West Coast 4, Brisbane 1.

TAB Sportsbet: West Coast $1.40, Brisbane $2.80.

TV: Fox Sports 1 live, 7.30pm.

W Bulldogs v Adelaide

Sunday 1.10pm, Telstra Dome

WESTERN BULLDOGS

B Gilbee Lake Morris

HB Hargrave Wight Griffen

C Akermanis West Eagleton

HF Murphy Hahn Johnson

F Higgins Minson Welsh

Foll Hudson Cooney Cross

Int fr: Addison Boyd Giansiracusa Hill Stack Street Tiller

New: Brennan Stack, 19, Perth; Ben Hudson, 29, Adelaide; Scott Welsh, 29, Adelaide

ADELAIDE

B Johncock Rutten Bassett

HB Doughty Bock Goodwin

C Douglas Thompson van Berlo

HF Vince Steves McLeod

F Porplyzia McGregor Burton

Foll Griffin Reilly Edwards

Intfr: Tippett Shirley MackaySymes Maric Jericho Campbell

New: Kurt Tippett, 20, Southport Qld; David Mackay, 19, Oakleigh U18; Brad Symes, 23, Port Adelaide

Hinds's preview: While the pre-season competition is a notoriously unreliable source of intelligence, the Crows' fitness, impressive rookies and more attacking style prompted many to upgrade their chances. The Bulldogs, on the other hand, remain something of an enigma. The recruitment of a couple of former Crows in Scott Welsh and Ben Hudson might go some way to addressing their height deficiency and Jason Akermanis looks in good touch. But there remains a certain fragility about the Dogs that a team as fit and well-drilled as the Crows seems capable of exploiting.

Prediction: Adelaide by 15 points.

Last time: Adelaide 15.17 (107) d Western Bulldogs 11.7 (73), round 20, 2007, AAMI Stadium.

Past five: Western Bulldogs 1, Adelaide 4.

TAB Sportsbet: Western Bulldogs $2.05, Adelaide $1.72.

TV: Fox Sports 1 live, 1pm.

Hawthorn v Melbourne

Sunday 4.40pm, MCG

HAWTHORN

B Guerra Gilham Birchall

HB Ladson Croad Murphy

C Dew Mitchell Young

HF Rioli Boyle Bateman

F Williams Roughead Franklin

Foll Taylor Sewell Tuck

Int fr: Campbell Clarke Ellis KennedyMorton Osborne Stokes

New: Stuart Dew, 28, Port Adelaide; Cyril Rioli, 18, St Marys (NT)/Scotch College; Josh Kennedy, 19, Xavier College/Sandringham U18; Jarryd Morton, 19, Claremont (WA); Cameron Stokes, 18, Darwin (NT)

MELBOURNE

B Wheatley Carroll Garland

HB Petterd Bell McDonald

C Green McLean Buckley

HF Bruce Miller Yze

F Newton Neitz Robertson

Foll White Davey Jones

Int fr: Bode Frawley Jamar PJohnson Moloney Morton Weetra

New: Isaac Weetra, 19, Port Adelaide (SANFL); Cale Morton, 18, Claremont (WA)

Hinds's preview: In what has been a miserable lead-up to a season in which few believe they can prosper, the one chink of light for the Demons is that Hawthorn will suffer the consequences of poor discipline, with Shane Crawford, Luke Hodge, Jordan Lewis and Campbell Brown all suspended. The downside is that the Demons don't seem to be able to take advantage of those absences against a team widely tipped to reach the top four. Hard nuts Brock McLean and Nathan Jones will work hard in the middle, but it could be a big start for Hawks forwards Lance Franklin and Jarryd Roughead against an embattled defence.

Prediction: Hawthorn by 28 points.

Last time: Hawthorn 17.14 (116) d Melbourne 14.10 (94), round 2, 2007, MCG.

Past five: Hawthorn 3, Melbourne 2.

TAB Sportsbet: Hawthorn $1.33, Melbourne $3.15.

TV: Fox Sports 1 live, 4pm.

Kangaroos v Essendon

Monday 2.10pm, Telstra Dome

KANGAROOS

BS Thompson Firrito Watt

HB Pratt Gibson Wells

C Simpson Harris Swallow

HF Grant Jones Thomas

F Petrie N Thompson Edwards

Foll McIntosh Rawlings Harvey

Int fr: Power Ross Brown Hale Campbell Harding McMahon

New: Sam Power, 24, Western Bulldogs; Ben Ross, 19, Gippsland U18; Scott Thompson, 21, Geelong VFL

ESSENDON

B Dempsey Michael Fletcher

HF Slattery Ryder Nash

C Dyson Watson Houli

HF Jetta McPhee Lucas

F Davey Lloyd Lonergan

Foll Hille Stanton McVeigh

Int From: Johns Johnson Laycock Lovett-Murray Monfries Peverill Ramanauskas

Hinds's preview: New coach Matthew Knights had the Bombers playing a fast, attractive style of football in the pre-season with lively youngsters such as Leroy Jetta and Courtenay Dempsey off the leash. But it remains to be seen if a plan that worked well in practice games will stand up to the more physical challenge of the real thing. The Roos regain power forward Nathan Thompson, who, at the very least, attracts a good opponent. The question is how well he gels with the unexpectedly lively attack that carried them so far last season. But the Roos' more talented inside ball-winners should ensure they get off to a good start.

Prediction: Kangaroos by 18 points.

Last time: Kangaroos 18.9 (117) d Essendon 13.17 (95), round 7, 2007, Telstra Dome.

Past five: Kangaroos 5, Essendon 0.

TAB Sportsbet: Kangaroos $1.84, Essendon $1.90.

TV: Channel Seven live, 2pm.

© 2008 Sydney Morning Herald

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