I sound like a parrot - where's the evidence that we're going to defeat Adelaide this coming Saturday? Where's the improvement going to come from?
Again, here's the respective team lists the last time we played the Crows in Round 17, 2008 at the SCG (definite changes to each list are bolded):
SYDNEY SWANS
B: Paul Bevan, Lewis Roberts-Thomson, Martin Mattner
HB: Craig Bolton, Ted Richards, Tadhg Kennelly
C: Kieren Jack, Jarrad McVeigh, Craig Bird
HF: Ryan O?Keefe, Adam Goodes, Luke Ablett
F: Henry Playfair, Barry Hall, Jarrad Moore
Foll: Darren Jolly, Brett Kirk, Jude Bolton
Interchange: Peter Everitt, Heath Grundy, Nick Malcesk, Matthew O?Dwyer
Emg: Luke Brennan, Ben Mathews, Nick Smith
In: Hall, Malceski.
Out: Leo Barry (hamstring), Michael O?Loughlin (ankle)
ADELAIDE
B: Kris Massie, Ben Rutten, Nathan Bassett
HB: Brad Symes, Nathan Bock, Michael Doughty
C: Nathan van Berlo, Simon Goodwin, Bernie Vince
HF:Andrew McLeod, Nick Gill, Richard Douglas
F: Jason Porplyzia, Kurt Tippett, Chris Knights
Foll: Ivan Maric, Scott Thompson, Tyson Edwards
Int: Robert Shirley, David Mackay, Scott Stevens, Bryce Campbell
Emg: Brad Moran, Andrew Otten, Jared Petrenko
In: Gill, Mackay, Porplyzia
Out: Luke Jericho (hamstring), Brad Moran (omitted), Graham Johncock (omitted)
This time, we're without Kennelly, Everitt, Brennan, Matthews, and Playfair. Hopefully, Craig Bolton will be back (although our back line wasn't too bad on Saturday night). I can't see Ablett, Malceski (or Buchanan) coming back just yet; I don't know about O'Dwyer, or Barry. O'Loughlin is back in the team.
For the Crows, this time we won't have to contend with Kris Massie and Nathan Bassett. Gill, Shirley and Campbell are also gone. Simon Goodwin was out with a knee injury before the break, so he might be back. Johncock was missing from last year's team in Round 17, but he's well and truly back.
We've only averaged 6 goals a game against these guys over the last 4 games Again - where's the match-winning improvement going to come from? Where's the evidence that Roos has a new game plan that Neil Craig won't know how to counter? Our record against the Crows is even worse that of Collingwood, with one one win in the last 10 starts (although, oddly enough, our three best efforts in all those losses have been at AAMI stadium).
I'd just love to see us beat the Crows, but really, there's no evidence we will. About the only thing we have going for us is desperation.
The Crows will be almost unbackable favourites on Saturday. We'll be doing well to get of AAMI Stadium in one piece. Crows by 39.
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