The MC have stated they don't especially like to take youngsters interstate... I'd be surprised if Both Stevens and Scotland were dropped... I'd also anticipate few changes - it'll be seen as a chance to make up for last Friday.
B: Steven Browne, Michael Jamison, Jordan Bannister HB: Bryce Gibbs, Bret Thornton, Dennis Armfield C: Shaun Grigg, Andrew Carrazzo, Heath Scotland HF: Ryan Houlihan, Mark Austin, Kade Simpson F: Eddie Betts, Setanta O’hAilpin, Brad Fisher Foll: Shaun Hampson, Marc Murphy, Chris Judd
I/C: Matthew Kreuzer, Nick Stevens, Aaron Joseph, Jeff Garlett
OUT: Bower (inj) Fevola (inj) IN: Thornton, Garlett.
Bit of flexibility with the talls: Austin can go back if Freo go tall, push O'Hailpin to CHF and Fisher to FF, pop Garlett in the pocket. I think Gibbsy still play better when he has a really specific role or opponent. I'd tell him to make Headland's life miserable for the day. Brown to Solomon - Browny won't take Dean's shit. Banno on Ballantyne - both are really just good WAFL/VFL players and they seem a good match-up. The Key forwards will probably be a mix of Tarrant, McPharlin and Sandilands... and maybe Kepler Bradley if he's brought back in. I'd back Thornton and Jamo on either of them, with possibly swingman support from Austin. The good thing about Freo is that they'll have to rob peter to pay paul and have blokes who have played most of the season down back pinch-hit up forward, like Tarrant and McPharlin. Hill has gone off the boil too, as it's a long season and he's just a kid. Joseph can play on Hasleby, and everyone else plays their own game, but if you don't let them run they have nothing, Freo.
Freo lined up like this on Saturday:
B: Greg Broughton, Antoni Grover, Scott Thornton HB: Steven Dodd, Luke McPharlin, Paul Duffield C: Nic Suban, Paul Hasleby, Garrick Ibbotson HF: Stephen Hill, Matthew Pavlich, Andrew Foster F: Hayden Ballantyne, Chris Tarrant, Dean Solomon Foll: Aaron Sandilands, Byron Schammer, David Mundy I/C: Brett Peake, Matt de Boer, Clancee Pearce, Zachary Clarke Emg: Clayton Hinkley, Des Headland, Kepler Bradley
In: Ballantyne, Clarke, Peake Out: Adam Campbell, Kepler Bradley, Michael Walters
Headland played in the end, but I'm not sure who for. There's not much there for Freo. Take out Pav and Grover and replace them with... Bradley and Campbell? Their biggest advantage is still Sandilands, and they aren't doing a great job of using that advantage. Just remember to get goal-side of stoppages up forward and stop the set-plays.
If they drop either of Stevens or Scotland it'll have to be for a runner. Anderson may finally get a game.
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