Sydney v Melbourne
7.20pm tomorrow, Telstra Stadium
SYDNEY
B: Mathews, James, Crouch
HB: Barry, C Bolton, Kennelly
C: Maxfield, Kirk, Saddington
HF: Schneider, Hall, Williams
F: O'Keefe, Goodes, Davis
Foll: Ball, Fosdike, J Bolton
Int: Bevan, Doyle, McVeigh, Roberts-Thomson
Emer: Buchanan, Ablett, Rogers
IN: Davis
OUT: Ablett
MELBOURNE
B: Bizzell, Nicholson, Brown
HB: Bruce, Rivers, Whelan
C: Green, Thompson, Wheatley
HF: Johnstone, Miller, Yze
F: Davey, Neitz, Holland
Foll: White, McDonald, Read
Int: Jamar, Godfrey, Rigoni, Armstrong
Emer: Carroll, Walsh, Broadbridge
IN: Johnstone, Jamar, Armstrong
OUT: Robertson (susp), Broadbridge, Walsh
HEAD TO HEAD
LAST TIME - Syd 14.10 (94) d Melb 9.6 (60), round 22, 2003, at the MCG. In a low-scoring, scrappy contest played in windy conditions, Sydney managed to break free with an eight-goal final quarter, O'Loughlin bagging five majors and Davis three. O'Loughlin, Goodes, Kirk, Fosdike and Jude Bolton were best on the day for the Swans.
RECORD OVERALL - Syd 102, Melb 88, drawn 1
AT THIS GROUND - Never played
IN THE 00s - Syd 5, Melb 3
COACHES - Roos 3, Daniher 0
BETTING - Syd $1.33, Melb $3
TV - Fox Footy Channel, 7pm
RADIO - 774 ABC, Triple M
WHO WILL WIN AND WHY - Melbourne comes into the game on a high after flogging Port Adelaide at the MCG last week. The Swans beat the Kangaroos in Canberra by 51 points and have won their two games in Sydney, but those were reasonably soft wins against Fremantle and Geelong. It's a tough one to call, but the balance is tipped in favour of the Swans by the fact they have players performing at their best all over the ground, with Mathews, Hall, Goodes, Saddington and Kirk all impressing last week. White and Jamar could find Goodes too hot to handle, and the Melbourne defence, impressive last week, also has to keep Hall under wraps. It might all prove too much.
PREDICTION - Sydney by 20 points.
- Dan Oakes
7.20pm tomorrow, Telstra Stadium
SYDNEY
B: Mathews, James, Crouch
HB: Barry, C Bolton, Kennelly
C: Maxfield, Kirk, Saddington
HF: Schneider, Hall, Williams
F: O'Keefe, Goodes, Davis
Foll: Ball, Fosdike, J Bolton
Int: Bevan, Doyle, McVeigh, Roberts-Thomson
Emer: Buchanan, Ablett, Rogers
IN: Davis
OUT: Ablett
MELBOURNE
B: Bizzell, Nicholson, Brown
HB: Bruce, Rivers, Whelan
C: Green, Thompson, Wheatley
HF: Johnstone, Miller, Yze
F: Davey, Neitz, Holland
Foll: White, McDonald, Read
Int: Jamar, Godfrey, Rigoni, Armstrong
Emer: Carroll, Walsh, Broadbridge
IN: Johnstone, Jamar, Armstrong
OUT: Robertson (susp), Broadbridge, Walsh
HEAD TO HEAD
LAST TIME - Syd 14.10 (94) d Melb 9.6 (60), round 22, 2003, at the MCG. In a low-scoring, scrappy contest played in windy conditions, Sydney managed to break free with an eight-goal final quarter, O'Loughlin bagging five majors and Davis three. O'Loughlin, Goodes, Kirk, Fosdike and Jude Bolton were best on the day for the Swans.
RECORD OVERALL - Syd 102, Melb 88, drawn 1
AT THIS GROUND - Never played
IN THE 00s - Syd 5, Melb 3
COACHES - Roos 3, Daniher 0
BETTING - Syd $1.33, Melb $3
TV - Fox Footy Channel, 7pm
RADIO - 774 ABC, Triple M
WHO WILL WIN AND WHY - Melbourne comes into the game on a high after flogging Port Adelaide at the MCG last week. The Swans beat the Kangaroos in Canberra by 51 points and have won their two games in Sydney, but those were reasonably soft wins against Fremantle and Geelong. It's a tough one to call, but the balance is tipped in favour of the Swans by the fact they have players performing at their best all over the ground, with Mathews, Hall, Goodes, Saddington and Kirk all impressing last week. White and Jamar could find Goodes too hot to handle, and the Melbourne defence, impressive last week, also has to keep Hall under wraps. It might all prove too much.
PREDICTION - Sydney by 20 points.
- Dan Oakes