Round 9 – Sal’s previews and tips (Part 1): The Prognosticator’s Lament

Greetings All,

 

Thursday night footy is bad making selections guessing what team line ups will be, now they throw this at us!  A genuine category B problem given the challenges being faced around the globe so this prognosticator will have to cope.  It is also a great test for the clubs to see how they will cope with the compressed schedule and how they plan to use their lists.  Which clubs will try and keep their best on the park and which will choose to play the long game and rest a few.  Some tough decisions given the closeness of the competition.

 

Beverage Time ($1.83) vs Stacked Up ($2.18)

 

A ripping start to the marathon, the Dogs playing an entertaining style of footy while Richmond will try to enforce their blueprint.  Lloyd and McLean are handy for the Dogs and Cotchin really important for the Tiges who also bring back Sydney Stack to play midfield.  The biggest change though is the loss of Vlastuin, he has been that spare player picking off the opposition forays and then creatively sending it back the other way.  Dylan Grimes can do the picking just not as clean with the disposal and is generally needed on a dangerous forward.  The question whether the Bevo and the Bullies can exploit it?  Reckon they can provided they can win the ball enough in the middle and also win it back off the Tiges and look after the footy going forward.

 

 

May Day ($2.32) vs Rozee Coloured Glasses ($1.72)

 

Steven may looks the best equipped Demon to get the task on Dixon as they face the ladder leaders who are being question on the quality of the opposition.  Nothing they can do about it except keep winning.  Massive test for Ladhams up against Gawn, maybe a losing ruckman might assist the Port midfield with predictability as it did for Brisbane last week.  Oliver, Petracca and Viney got plenty of it last week but they lost the clearances 22 to 35.  Losing Marshall might unbalance Port but they have plenty of skill up forward with Gray and Rozee to make up for it.  Reckon Melbourne are a chance, but got to stick with the leaders for this one.

 

 

Cripptology ($1.53) vs Jaeger Meister ($2.66)

 

The last time these sides met Carlton were coming off their first win for 2019 and their first time over 100 for many a year, they went to Launceston and blitzed the Hawks leading by 31 at the half.  They paid scant regard to O’Meara who torched in the second half leading Hawthorn to a 5 point win.  5 games and losses later Brendon Bolton was gone.  He now plots the Blues demise alongside Clarkson.  Game style and pace make the Blues a pretty good team to watch and at their best should be too slick for the Hawks.  However Clarkson is the master to try and get the game played on his terms and the Blues have let teams back in the contest as they don’t quite have the experience and polish to keep them at bay.  Probably see Cripps get more freedom but the Blues should wary of what they complain about as Ed Curnow can put on a pretty good stranglehold too.  Reckon they will hold on and finally get ahead of the ledger.

 

 

Shielded ($3.05) vs Dee Stroyers ($1.48)

 

The Bombers welcome back Dylan Shiel but still copped more injuries.  The Lions have been remarkably healthy over the last couple of years but are picking up a couple now that will test their depth with Smith, Rich and Lester joining Martin on the sidelines.  Makes The Big O the main man against The Big Bell – a great test for him and the club as they needs to plan for life without Stefan Martin.  Bombers play with pace, nothing that the Lions lack either.  Just reckon the Lions have a bit more fire power up forward to keep them ticking along nicely.

 

Go Blues,

 

Cheers, Sal

 

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