The Gold Coast SUNS face an enormous challenge when they travel south to play Essendon on Saturday night. Guy McKenna’s charges will be well versed on their opponents when they run out onto Etihad Stadium thanks to the work of Opposition Coach Brett Munro.
Round 12
Saturday, 15th June
GC SUNS away to Essendon
Etihad Stadium, 7:40pm
STATS THAT MATTER
Clearances (difference) vs. Opposition (ave)
Gold Coast +4.9 (Ranked 2nd) vs. Essendon +0.9 (9th)
Contested Ball (difference) vs. Opposition (ave)
Gold Coast +7.3 (Ranked 4th) vs. Essendon +6.9 (5th)
Tackles (difference) vs. Opposition
Gold Coast +3.2 (Ranked 7th) vs. Essendon +3.6 (6th)
Inside 50's For (ave)
Gold Coast 52.2 (Ranked 9th) vs. Essendon 58.6 (Ranked 1st)
Score For (ave)
Gold Coast 87pts (Ranked 11th) vs. Essendon 104pts (Ranked 3rd)
MATCH UPS
The Brownlow Medallist’s
G. Ablett vs. H. Hocking
Hocking gets a role most weeks, last week (vs. Carlton) he was opposed to Marc Murphy before being switched to Chris Judd in the last quarter. In Round 9 against Sydney the veteran tagger also spent most of the night on Dan Hannebery. Can Hocking limit Ablett to less than his average of 32 disposals?
J.Watson vs. D.Prestia
Watson averages 28 disposals, 6 clearances, 4 Inside 50's & has hit the ccoreboard when pushing Forward (12.15). Can Prestia limit his output when on-ball, and who gets the job when he plays deep Forward (Tom Murphy, Trent McKenzie)
The Big Question?
J.Carlisle / M.Hurley
Which end will each of them play or will it be a bit of each after both players spent time forward & back during their nail-biting five-point victory over Carlton at the MCG. Carlisle was swung back in their Round 9 match against Sydney in the final quarter and kicked 2.1. Hurley also switched down back into defence in what turned out to be a Win/Win situation for Essendon (Carlisle impacted the scoreboard & Hurley limited the output of Jarrod Waite).
In the Media
Gold Coast SUNS Coach Guy McKenna…
“Their ability to show resilience and perform under the microscope that is placed upon them with what has been going on at their footy club – you certainly have to take your hat off to them,”
“But when the ball gets bounced all those things get forgotten,”
They have a potent forward line and a very solid midfield,”
“Jobe Watson is probably in career-best form so it’s a tough ask, but it’s our last week going in to the bye and we have a job to do before we can put our feet up for the week, so we want to go down and compete for four quarters of hard football.”
Essendon Bombers senior coach James Hird was full of praise for Carlisle and Hurley, telling essendonfc.com.au the swingmen’s great versatility would be of great importance against the GC SUNS on Saturday night.
“I thought that he (Hurley) added something in the backline, stopped a couple of goals and then Carlisle up forward created well,” Hird said.
“It is a great luxury to have two guys that can switch between going back and forward and it creates another weapon for us.”
Opposition Scout - Round 12
The Gold Coast SUNS face an enormous challenge when they travel south to play Essendon on Saturday night. Guy McKenna’s charges will be well versed on their opponents when they run out onto Etihad Stadium thanks to the work of Opposition Coach Brett Munro.
