NSW/ACT Notebook: Round 17 Preview
By Caitlin Arnold
Sydney Swans vs. Carlton Blues
(12-3, 1st) vs. (5-10, 13th)
Gunning for their 12th straight victory – a feat that has not been reached at the club since 1935 – the new ladder leaders head into the clash with the Blues as towering favourites.
The Swans certainly have the wood on their Round 17 opponents having won 17 of their last 20 meetings, however the Swans remain without injured stars Dan Hannebery, Rhyce Shaw and Kurt Tippett, lending the Blues some hope.
The last time the two sides met was in the 2013 finals series – an aspiration now far from reach for Carlton after managing only five wins this season. The Swans ran out 24-point victors on that occasion making it two from two against the Blues last year.
Perennial emergency pick Dean Towers will make his debut for the Swans on Saturday as fellow 2014 debutant Zak Jones sits out with an achilles injury.
Carlton will be lamenting their decision to keep two-time 2014 NAB Rising Star nomination Troy Menzel on the field last weekend despite suffering a shoulder injury during the match, as he sits on the sidelines this Saturday. Andrew Carrazzo will also miss for the Blues with a calf injury. Nick Graham and David Ellard will replace the injured pair.
Considering the space between the two sides on the competition ladder, it is no surprise that the Swans’ percentages outrank the inconsistent Blues.
The Swans average a staggering 34 more disposals per game than Carlton and land an average 12 more tackles as well. With a well publicised internal challenge taking place between the Swans’ Ben McGlynn and Luke Parker to see who can gain the most tackles this season, the Blues will need to be wary of the chasing duo.
Can the Swans go 12 in a row? Only the final siren will tell.
Fremantle Dockers vs. GWS Giants
(11-4, 4th) vs. (4-11, 15th)
Patersons Stadium will provide the stage for one of the greatest challenges the GWS Giants have faced this year in coming up against the Fremantle Dockers at home.
On a current winning streak of seven games, Fremantle will be hoping to gain victory in order to break the chains holding them and three other clubs (Hawthorn, Port Adelaide and Geelong) on an equal 44-points on the competition ladder.
An away game that is feared by most clubs, the Giants will carry with them an extra element of trepidation as they have failed to kick more than six goals against Fremantle in their last two outings in Perth.
One man who will be hoping to cease that trend will be forward Jeremy Cameron who will play his 50th game for the Giants as he attempts to break his recent run of disappointing form.
Again, the Giants are set to make multiple changes to their Round 16 list as coach Leon Cameron has named an extended bench with a couple of key players to sit out the game.
Stephen Coniglio broke his thumb in the Giants’ loss to Adelaide in the last round and may not only miss this week’s match, but the remainder of the season. Adam Treloar will also skip the game having sustained a groin injury. With this pair missing there will be a major gap left in the GWS midfield.
Heath Shaw remains on the injury list following his jaw’s collision with Kurt Tippett’s knee back in Round 15. Coach Cameron revealed this week that Shaw had suffered a minor brain bleed in the incident and therefore, his overall recover remains priority.
Naming a long list of ‘ins’ on their extended bench, the Giants – who will also be replacing Kristian Jaksch and Sam Frost who have been omitted – could blood another youngster in Cameron McCarthy on Sunday.
Fremantle are also yet to finalise their squad, however we know that Garrick Ibbotson and Luke McPharlin will both miss for the Dockers due to calf injuries. Alex Pearce has been named on the extended interchange and could possibly make his senior AFL debut if he makes the final cut.
The contest that AFL fans are waiting to see is between the big men in the middle – Shane Mumford and Aaron Sandilands. With average hit-outs favouring Fremantle (54-47), Mumford will be hoping to reel in that statistic as he continues his inspiring 2014 form.
The Giants again lead their opponents in terms of average clearances (42-39), a trend they have set this year leaving them ranking equal-first with the Gold Coast for getting the ball clear.
The Dockers average 21 more disposals per game than the Giants (374-353), and 12 more contested possessions (147-135), and will be looking to dominate in these areas for a percentage-boosting win.
