AFL Premiership Round 22, 2010
LIONS Vs SWANS
Gabba, Saturday 28 August, 7.10pm (AEST)
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WEATHER
7c-21c Sunny.
TEAMS
Late Changes:
IN: Rohan, Reid
OUT: Kennelly, Hannebery
Brisbane Lions
B: Jed Adcock, Daniel Merrett, Ashley McGrath
HB: Pearce Hanley, Brent Staker, Cheynee Stiller
C: Michael Rischitelli, Daniel Rich, Jack Redden
HF: James Polkinghorne, Jared Brennan, Luke Power
F: Todd Banfield, Mitchell Clark, Joel Patfull
Foll: Matthew Leuenberger, Simon Black, Tom Rockliff
I/C: Ryan Harwood, Justin Sherman, Albert Proud, Tom Collier
Emg: Amon Buchanan, James Hawksley, Bryce Retzlaff
In: Collier, Proud
Out: Jonathan Brown (groin), Troy Selwood (ribs)
Sydney Swans
B: Paul Bevan, Ted Richards, Rhyce Shaw
HB: Nick Malceski, Heath Grundy, Tadhg Kennelly
C: Lewis Jetta, Brett Kirk, Jarrad McVeigh
HF: Daniel Hannebery, Ryan O?Keefe, Josh Kennedy
F: Trent Dennis-Lane, Adam Goodes, Jesse White
Foll: Mike Pyke, Jude Bolton, Kieren Jack
I/C: Martin Mattner, Brett Meredith, Jarred Moore, Nick Smith
Emg: Gary Rohan, Sam Reid, Patrick Veszpremi
In: O?Keefe, Moore
Out: Shane Mumford (knee), Gary Rohan
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TV & RADIO
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BETTING
SportsBet Odds: Brisbane Lions V Sydney Swans $3.25 V $1.36
FORM & HISTORY
Head to Head: Brisbane Lions 21 wins, Sydney Swans 19 wins, one draw
Last time: Sydney Swans 16.11 (107) d Brisbane Lions 13.9 (87), round six, 2010 at the SCG
Brisbane Lions: LLWLW
Sydney Swans: LLWWW
SYDNEY SWANS PLAYER STATS
AFL LADDER: Bailey AFL Ladder Predictor
PREVIEW
The Sydney Swans will look to conjure up a win against the Lions, and further their chances in the finals, and hopefully delay Captain Brett Kirk and Coach Paul Roos' final farewell matches.
This game has nothing in it for the Brisbane boys, and they will be playing for pride alone, looking to give their loyal home fans a win, after a dismal and disappointing season, one with much expectation thrust upon them. Although they do have an opportunity to dictate where Sydney end up on the ladder, and who and where they play in the first week of finals. This factor should motivate Sydney, and complacency shouldn't be an issue.
This time last year, it was the Lions playing the Swans at their home ground, battling it out for a home final, in what truly was an exciting game. Round 6 saw these two teams last meet, with the Swans holding off a Lion's final quater fightback, to prevail by 20 points. If recent history is anything to go by, fans should expect a fiery contest, and one which will be decided by a close margin. This was just the second loss in the Lions season, and was the beginning of their horror season which we have so far witnessed.
Sydney come into this game after an impressive 44 point drubbing of a lifeless Western Bulldogs outfit, to back up their impressive victory over Fremantle. The Lions have won two of their last three games, after winning their first game in Melbourne for the year against Essendon, and effectively slamming the door on Matthew Knights' coaching career at Windy Hill in the process. As mentioned before, Sydney will look to wrap up the home final, and Brisbane will look to gain some confidence going into season 2011, and give their fans something to cheer about, and reward them for having to put up with many insipid performances over the course of this year.
Players To Watch:
Adam Goodes
You cannot go past this man. He is the Swan's best player, and when on song, he will destroy you. Is versatile, and can play anywhere on the field. Coming off a great 25 possession game against the Dogs last week, and he will be one of the men the Lions will have to shut down if they are to win.
Trent Dennis-Lane
The young lad is reaching great heights, and is coming off his best game, kicking a handy 4 goals against the Dogs. He will prove a handful for the Lion's backmen, as he is small, quick, speedy, and has a good pair of sticky dukes on him. If he can make the most of his opportunites, and put in a performance similar to last week's, it will go a long way in deciding who wins this match.
Jarred Brennan
In what will most likely be his last game for the Lions, it will be interesting to see how the young man will go. He is all class and one who will be sadly missed greatly by the Lions. Will he put in one final game of brilliance? Or will he continue to go about it like he does every week? But if he does go with the former, it will be the Lion's four points.
Why Sydney Can Win:
Why can't Sydney win would be the more appropriate question. They outdo the Lions in nearly every aspect on the field. They are finalists, they are fired up, they are ready to battle and they have more signifcant reasons to win. It's all about the urgency and will to play for each other. If Sydney go in with a "we're going to win" frame of mind, they'll be shown up. But they are a disciplined side, with much pride in the way the go about it. Dennis-Lane will play a vital role with his speed and goal sneaking, and young Kieren Jack is fast becoming one of the best in and under players in the league. He has will to win the contested ball, and his disposal is entering the "elite" category.
Why Brisbane Can Win:
The Lions always have good games with the Swans, and automatically go in with a chance. With the two wins from the past three, this down and out group would of regained some confidence, despite the quality of opposition being quite poor. As mentioned earlier, big games from Brennan and Brown will do wonders for the Lions. But with rumours of Brown missing, Clark will have to be the man for the job. And he can do it too - proving quite valuable against the Crows with 5 goals two weeks ago. The young midfield will have to put in 110%, with Redden, Rich, Harwood and Banfield needing above average games to ensure a Lion's victory. The skill is there, but it's using in matches, and using it consistently which is this team's problem.
My Prediction:
The Swans are simply better and have too much importance riding on this game. Don't expect a comfortable victory by any means, but if Brown is out, the result could get into the 30's and 40's. Otherwise, assuming Brown plays, the Lions will put in a contest, but unfortunately for them, finish second in this two-horse race. Sydney will earn 5th position on the ladder, and play 8th at ANZ Stadium next week, giving Brett Kirk and Paul Roos one final farewell from their beloved Sydney fans.
Thanks to Phil Carapalis of AussieSportsFan for the preview. Check out ASF page for previews on other AFL games being played this round.
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