PREVIEW: Round 7 2003

ESSENDON

v.

RICHMOND

MATCH DATE: Saturday, 10 May 2003
MATCH TIME: 2:10 PM
VENUE: MCG

It is back to square one for the Bombers this week. Last weekend’s loss to Fremantle saw Essendon square the ledger in terms of wins and losses. If that ratio is maintained for the remainder of the season, it will only be luck that will see the Bombers play finals’ football. But let’s not over-dramatise things this early in the season. Essendon must simply focus on beating the Tigers at the MCG this Saturday afternoon and getting back in the black. Essendon only travels twice more this season – Round 11 v Sydney and Round 15 v Adelaide. Apart from that the Bombers have six games left at the MCG and eight games at The Dome – two venues where the Bombers’ feel very much at home. But while the draw looks reasonable, the Bombers must start putting some wins together and that needs to start this Saturday. And it will be no easy task. Both sides have their injury problems but that aside, Richmond has started the season in good style. The Tigers of 2003 are a gritty bunch – they looked like being blown away by Port Adelaide last weekend after the first quarter by they fought back to hit the front during the third quarter. Richmond ultimately lost the match but the Tigers of old might have lost by plenty. Essendon’s form on the other hand has been a little inconsistent this season – the last two weeks highlighting that fact. A thumping win over Collingwood was followed by a lacklustre loss to Fremantle in Perth. Essendon supporters have ridden every wave and felt the disappointment of each loss. They will want to see the real Bombers return this weekend and stay for good. The Essendon midfield was down against the Dockers and it won’t want to produce the same sort of performance against Richmond. Despite Wayne Campbell missing with a calf injury, the Tigers still have plenty of quality in Joel Bowden (137 possessions), Mark Coughlan (130), Kane Johnson (123) and Greg Tivendale (107). Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy said after the Fremantle game that the Bombers’ midfield needed to be freshened up. The inclusion of first-gamer Jason Winderlich has done just that. It will be interesting to see how Joe Misiti, Jason Johnson and Damien Peverill respond. Richmond’s contribution up forward has been shared by many. After six rounds they still don’t have a player who has kicked in excess of 10 goals. The Richmond midfield has certainly contributed on the scoreboard with Coughlan (9) and Greg Stafford (8) leading the way. Leon Cameron (9) has been very useful up forward for the Tigers while David Rodan (8) is capable of the miraculous. Given the above, it will be important for Essendon’s small to medium sized defenders to switch on from the first bounce. The likes of Mark Johnson, Joel Reynolds, Andrew Welsh, Mark McVeigh and Dean Solomon will need to be at their best. Down the other end of the ground the Bombers will simply need Matthew Lloyd to continue his outstanding form in his 150th game for the club. He will get Darren Gaspar. Damian Cupido has been an invaluable contributor to the side while James Hird will want to get on the scoreboard again. It will be interesting to see where the Bombers play Scott Lucas. If he goes forward, he might stretch a Richmond defence that is a little light on for height. Providing the Bombers have sufficiently recovered from their trip west they should have enough firepower up forward to win this match. The key will be winning enough ball out of the midfield and disposing of it well.

	TV AND RADIO DETAILS TV COVERAGE Channel 10: Melbourne: 4.00pm Adelaide: 1.30pm Sydney: 2.00pm Brisbane: 2.00pm Fox Footy (pay TV): NSW/ACT: 1.00am QLD: 1.00am SA: 1.00am VIC/TAS/NT: 1.00am WA: 12.00pm (live) All times are local times. RADIO COVERAGE Live coverage: MMM Melbourne 12:00 PM 3AW Melbourne 12:00 PM ABC Melbourne 12:10 PM NIRS Perth 11:30 AM ABC Perth 12:00 PM 6PR Perth 12:00 PM 5AA Adelaide 1:00 PM ABC Adelaide 1:30 PM ABC Canberra 12:10 PM ABC Hobart 12:10 PM ABC Darwin 1:05 PM NIRS Brisbane 1:30 PM ABC Brisbane 2:00 PM ABC Sydney 2:00 PM All times are local times. HEAD TO HEAD RECORD GAMES PLAYED 182 ESSENDON WINS 99 RICHMOND WINS 79 DRAWN GAMES 4 ESSENDON HIGHEST SCORE v RICHMOND Round 2, 1960 ESSENDON 25.20.170 v. RICHMOND 5.15.45 ESSENDON LOWEST SCORE v RICHMOND Round 8, 1918 ESSENDON 3.4.22 v. RICHMOND 5.15.45 LAST TIME THEY MET Round 17, 2002 ESSENDON 4.2 5.8 5.9 7.12.54 RICHMOND 1.2 2.3 6.6 7.11.53 ESSENDON GOALKICKERS: Lucas 2, Lloyd 2, Salmon 2, Hille RICHMOND GOALKICKERS: Stafford 3, Richardson 2, Hall, Coughlan ESSENDON BEST PLAYERS: Rioli, J Johnson, Blumfield, Ramanauskas, Lucas, Peverill, Hird Venue: MCG     Crowd: 39,650     Full match report... LAST 10 MEETINGS YEAR ROUND SCORES VENUE 2007 21 ESSENDON 13.14.92 RICHMOND 17.17.119 MCG 2007 9 ESSENDON 12.20.92 RICHMOND 12.12.84 MCG 2006 21 ESSENDON 16.17.113 RICHMOND 20.9.129 MCG 2006 6 ESSENDON 13.17.95 RICHMOND 13.19.97 MCG 2005 15 ESSENDON 9.12.66 RICHMOND 14.8.92 MCG 2004 15 ESSENDON 24.11.155 RICHMOND 11.11.77 MCG 2003 20 ESSENDON 13.14.92 RICHMOND 7.11.53 MCG 2003 7 ESSENDON 5.12.42 RICHMOND 11.18.84 MCG 2002 17 ESSENDON 7.12.54 RICHMOND 7.11.53 MCG 2002 2 ESSENDON 16.16.112 RICHMOND 8.12.60 MCG

B A C K S	1. Mark Johnson Flogged Farmer and then went into the middle against Freo.	21. Danny Jacobs Started forward last week. Full back with Fletcher out.	23. Mark Bolton Gives the Bombers important run out of the back half.
H B A A L C F K    S	10. Mark McVeigh Kept Medhurst quiet before going forward.	6. Sean Wellman One of the Bombers best last week. Great leader.	7. Dean Solomon Spent time forward last week. Might return to wing / half back.
C E N T R E S	13. Damian Cupido Been a revelation up forward. Gives the Bombers options.	24. Joe Misiti Got a bit of it last week but no real influence.	33. Adam McPhee Worked very hard against his old side. Has made excellent start at Essendon.
H F A O L R F W    A    R    D    S	5. James Hird Didn't look quite right for most of last week.	25. Scott Lucas Might go forward to stretch smallish Tiger defence.	16. Paul Barnard Back from a hamstring injury.
F O R W A R D S	27. Steven Alessio Very good last week as he has been for most of the season.	18. Matthew Lloyd Going very well. Playing his 150th game.	2. Mark Mercuri Back from a knee injury. Goalkicker when in form.
R U C K S	19. David Hille Was okay last week. Need to be at best against in-form Stafford.	14. Jason Johnson Got a lot of it last weekend.	11. Damien Peverill Not at his best past couple but too good to think a good one isn't around the corner.
I N T E R C H A N G E	29. Joel Reynolds Didn't have his best game last week. Better than that.	8. Jason Winderlich First game. Quick and very hard at it.	38. Shane Harvey Also adds pace. Finds the football and uses it well.
	12. Andrew Welsh Has been very good although didn't have a real influence last week.
E M E R G	20. Ted Richards	28. Cory McGrath	36. Jordan Bannister
IN:	Paul Barnard, Shane Harvey, Jason Winderlich, Mark Mercuri
OUT:	Dustin Fletcher (ankle), Dean Rioli (hamstring), Cory McGrath, Darren Walsh (omitted)

B:	Hilton	Zantuck	Rogers
HB:	A. Kellaway	Gaspar	Chaffey
C:	Tivendale	Coughlan	Newman
HF:	Cameron	Bowden	Nicholls
F:	Krakouer	Stafford	Fleming
Ruck:	Hall, K. Johnson, Rodan
I/C:	Fiora, Biddiscombe, Vardy, Pettifer
Emerg:	Hyde, Schulz, King
IN:	Nicholls, Vardy
OUT:	Campbell (calf), Houlihan (hamstring)