vfl.com.au previews this week's Peter Jackson VFL Legendairy Preliminary Finals.
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2nd PRELIMINARY FINAL
Collingwood vs Footscray
Saturday September 17, 2.40pm, North Port Oval
The Magpies had better be prepared to do battle for a full four quarters, as the Bulldogs have regularly shown they’re never beaten until the final siren sounds this year. A case in point was last week’s Semi Final against Essendon, when Footscray came from three goals down at the last change to prevail by 19 points on the back of Mitch Hannan’s three final-term majors, Jordan Russell’s sterling defensive performance and Mitch Honeychurch’s relentless effort in the middle.
Just two weeks prior, the Bulldogs snapped Collingwood’s 12-match winning streak by recovering from a 21-point quarter-time deficit to seal their top-four spot with a 32-point triumph at VU Whitten Oval. Since then, Footscray has lost vice-captain Mark Austin to a serious knee injury and the Magpies their tough mid-forward Ben Moloney to a broken leg. Moloney (12 tackles) was one of the players who pressured Williamstown into submission in their Qualifying Final, along with Brent Macaffer (12 tackles) and unheralded VFL-listers Nick Gray (eight) and Gus Borthwick (eight).
The Bulldogs will need the likes of Jed Adcock and Liam Nash to match that intensity to ensure Collingwood tall targets Corey Gault, Jarrod Witts and Lachlan Howe (three goals against the Seagulls) can’t dominate the air inside 50 – because up the other end, Footscray’s relatively small forward line will have to contend with star interceptor Ryan Pendlebury and rebounder Jordan Kelly (pictured, left).
1st PRELIMINARY FINAL
Casey Scorpions vs Williamstown
Sunday September 18, 2.40pm, North Port Oval
The Seagulls found their midfield mojo against Sandringham last week after being shut down by Collingwood’s suffocating pressure in their Qualifying Final. Usual suspects Ben Jolley (41 disposals against the Zebras), Michael Gibbons (37) and Willie Wheeler (29) would have sent a timely reminder to the rested Scorpions of what the reigning premiers can do.
Casey’s centre-square crew is rather capable itself though, easily ranking first in the VFL for disposals per game and second only to Williamstown for contested possessions and clearances. Melbourne-listed ball-winners such as Jack Grimes, Viv Michie and Alex Neal-Bullen ran riot against Footscray two weeks ago, effectively implementing the handball-happy game plan that served the rising Demons so well in the AFL this year.
Tackling pressure will be the key to determining who wins this midfield battle: Williamstown has shown it can be susceptible to high-pressuring opposition while Casey’s quick-fire ball movement will give Williamstown tacklers Ed Carr and Sean Hetherington chances to cause panic. When these teams last met in Round 3 at Casey Fields, the Scorpions won more of the ball but lost by 44 points as the Seagulls laid 96 tackles. Indeed, the team that can best escape congestion and deliver clean entries inside 50 to mobile forwards such as Sam Dunell (Williamstown) and Tim Smith (Casey - pictured, right) will go a long way towards securing a Grand Final berth.
* Casey Scorpions photo: Morgan Hancock
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Last Modified on 15/09/2016 23:11
