Geelong Cats v Gold Coast SUNS
Skilled Stadium, Geelong
Saturday July 31, 2010 - 12.30pm
Four changes for away game against Cats
The Gold Coast SUNS will be looking to make it three wins in a row when it travels to Geelong’s Skilled Stadium to take on the Cats this Saturday.
The SUNS took the points when the two clubs met at Southport earlier in the season but there’s no doubt Geelong will be a much tougher test on home soil.
Ruckman Rory Thompson and defender Michael Gugliotta return to the squad this week. Matthew Shaw has been named in the forward pocket after spending most of his season in the back half. Big-kicking wingman Trent McKenzie will also re-join the side.
League convert Karmichael Hunt will play his first game in the midfield.
The full squad is:
B: Taylor HINE Joel TIPPETT Michael GUGLIOTTA
HB: Rex LIDDY Jake CRAWFORD Piers FLANAGAN
C: Marc LOCK(c) Maverick WELLER Trent McKENZIE
HF: Mathew FOWLER Charlie DIXON Sam ILES
F: Brandon MATERA Nathan ABLETT Matthew SHAW
R: Tom NICHOLLS David SWALLOW Daniel HARRIS
INT: Rory THOMPSON, Karmichael HUNT, Joey DAYE, Hayden JOLLY,
Danny STANLEY
With several AFL regulars likely to turn out for Geelong, SUNS Senior Coach Guy McKenna said he expected a formidable opponent.
“Geelong are Geelong. Their position on the ladder probably doesn’t reflect how they’re tracking. You expect the best from them, especially down there. And it’s a challenge for us with the travel. It’s pretty much the longest away trip we have.”
McKenna said his squad would be tested in coming weeks with the SUNS playing away from the Gold Coast for five of the competition’s last seven rounds.
“The travel requirements are challenging. It’s about striking a balance between physical capability and on field needs. We did it once when I was playing at West Coast back in ’91 when I think we travelled six times in nine weeks or so. So I know from experience it’s going to bite at some point. We’re mindful of that, and we’re planning for it as best we can. But the boys have their tails up after a couple of good wins, so hopefully they can take that confidence into this week’s game and beyond.”
After threatening a few times to run league-convert Karmichael Hunt through the middle in recent weeks, McKenna says the time has finally arrived.
“We certainly want to have a look at him in there and with only four games left we’re running out of chances.”
This week’s wet weather has made it difficult to give Hunt an ‘in-training’ taste of life as a midfielder, but McKenna remained unperturbed.
“We did a bit of ‘chalk and talk’ yesterday and he’ll have a run on the training track tomorrow. But often it’s a case of the less you know the better. Perhaps it might be best that he just goes out there and does it. Either way, we’re very much looking forward to the experiment.”
• Rex Liddy has been named in the back line again this week. Although used as a forward for most of the year an assured game last week as a playmaker across half back has seen him offered a second opportunity in the role.
• The SUNS’ starting line up includes four school students this week – Taylor Hine, Piers Flanagan, Tom Nicholls and Maverick Weller are all in Year Twelve at Gold Coast’s All Saints College.
• Geelong, currently twelfth on the VFL ladder, has lost four games from five starts since toppling ladder leader North Ballarat in Round 7. The Cats squad is expected to include several AFL regulars including Simon Hogan, Trent West, Mitch Duncan, Ryan Gamble, and Marcus Drum.
• The SUNS remain a mathematical possibility of playing finals. It’s a long shot, but if the team maintains its solid end of season form and Bendigo and Box Hill drop games, the SUNS may well sneak into an Elimination Final in a months’ time.
