Losing isn't an option in this week's Essendon vs Casey Scorpions and Collingwood vs Werribee match-ups.
1st Elimination Final
Essendon (5th) vs Casey Scorpions (8th)
Sunday September 6, 11.40am, North Port Oval
The Bombers double-chance hopes were dashed in the final home-and-away round with Footscray’s last-gasp win over Werribee pushing them down into fifth position and into a cut-throat final. Despite a disappointing AFL season, Essendon has shown some depth at VFL level in 2015. The Bombers are ranked no.2 in the league for disposals and second only to Box Hill for kicks and marks, with ball-winners such as Dan Coghlan, James Polkinghorne and Jordan Schroder often racking up big numbers.
However, the Scorpions got the best of them in the teams’ only 2015 encounter at Windy Hill in Round 3, winning by 33 points after a seven-goal-to-nil third term blew the game open. Rucking has been a key strength of Casey’s this year, whether the post has been filled by Max Gawn earlier in the season or Mark Jamar and Jake Spencer more recently. Midfielders such as Matt Jones (30 disposals), Aidan Riley (23) and Rohan Bail (23) feasted on the work of Gawn and Spencer back in May, and will be looking to gain first use of the ball this weekend to nullify Essendon’s high-possession game plan.
2nd Elimination Final
Collingwood (6th) vs Werribee (7th)
Saturday September 5, 12.10pm, North Port Oval
The Tigers have taken some big scalps this season – including Box Hill and Williamstown twice each – but at Victoria Park in Round 9, the Magpies were too strong for them. After trailing by 20 points at half time, Collingwood slammed on 10 goals to two behinds in the third quarter to turn the game on its head. Brenden Abbott was the Pies’ best with six goals but won’t play this weekend, while tough midfielder Ben Moloney (25 disposals, nine tackles) and ruck pairing Mason Cox and Scott Greenhough matched it with Majak Daw and Dan Currie.
The Collingwood rucks (likely including Jarrod Witts this time) will need to keep Werribee’s big men under control, because the Tiger midfielders might just be the key to this game. Werribee is a strong contested possession team but struggles to hold onto the ball away from the contest, ranking in front of only Frankston in terms of disposals per game. If players like Matt Hanson, Isaac Conway and Will Fordham enjoy silver service at the stoppages, Werribee has the tall timber up forward to trouble a Magpie defence that conceded easily the most points of any top-eight team.
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Last Modified on 03/09/2015 11:51
