In 2015, the Cats are thrilled to be partnering with fantasy experts footyprophet.com to bring you all the insight you need about AFL Fantasy and the Cats’ fantasy value. Stay tuned for a wealth of information from the experts as they help you to fantasy glory.
FORM & HISTORY
In their most recent encounter, an Etihad Stadium thriller, Geelong won a nail biter despite Dyson Heppell’s best efforts in collecting 40 disposals and three Brownlow votes. It has been Geelong who have dominated Essendon in modern times, including three of the last five and ten of the last twelve, spanning back to 2005.
Both Geelong and Essendon will enter the clash as the two worst clearance teams, influencing each team’s scoreboard results with the Cats ranked 12th and Bombers 14th for average scores. Saturday night’s encounter will also be the 213th time in their history, spanning back to the league’s inaugural season in the pre-1900 era.
THE LEAD UP
Both Geelong and Essendon are perhaps among the most perplexing teams to read this season, resting on a 4-5 record – a trait shared with a further two franchises. Geelong enter the game having reintroduced key senior players over the past few rounds, while contrastingly, Essendon will be required to cover the losses of captain Jobe Watson and 400 gamer Dustin Fletcher. A foot injury to Mitch Clark ($289 000, FWD/RUC) has been the only change for the hoops as Josh Walker earns a recall to first team duties.
KEY MATCH-UP
Tom Hawkins ($354 000, FWD) is yet to kick a handful of goals this season however has played a pivotal role up forward. A slow start to the season has meant he has fallen in price although 88 and 92 across the last two rounds suggests the Geelong’s power forward’s stock may be on the increase. On Saturday night, he’ll go head to head with Michael Hurley – who has quietly found his niche as a key defender. In season 2015, while the goals haven’t come thick and fast for Hawkins, his tackling has improved vastly having recorded over four tackles on three occasions and seven against Carlton in round eight.
BOOM OR BUST
Steven Motlop ($458 000, MID/FWD) was lackluster against West Coast, and more so the week before against Carlton – goalless in both weeks. Against Carlton, he was held in close check by Dennis Armfield, and again against the Eagles. He is likely to attract small defender Mark Baguley when they lineup at the start of the match, although as Motlop moves up the ground as required, Baguley may opt to stay inside the Geelong forward fifty. In 2014, Motlop won the game for Geelong off his own boot against Essendon despite the tag from the now injured Heath Hocking. A proven track record against the Bombers will work in Motlop’s favour given his recent form slump. He has all but bottomed out in AFL Fantasy and not much is required for Motlop to return to his scintillating best and reward owners in the process.
All of a sudden, Joel Selwood ($502 000, MID) has drifted distantly away from his usual fantasy relevance. He’s one of the best players in the league, receiving guaranteed opposition tags in the majority of Geelong’s games. Unfortunately, Selwood’s fantasy aspirations have fallen dramatically. Since the start of the season, Joel has dropped $101,000 after managing just one score above 100 since round four. Nonetheless, Joel is a tried and proven performer and like Motlop, only continuity and the ability to break the tag are stopping Selwood from returning to his days of old. Against Essendon, it is likely that the Bombers will deploy some sort of negation tactic on Selwood, yet with first option tagger Heath Hocking injured, it is relatively inconspicuous who may go head to head with him.
FOOTY PROPHET'S FANTASY FIVE
- Mark Blicavs ($503 000, MID/RUC)
- Corey Enright ($478 000, DEF)
- Steve Johnson ($461 000, MID)
- Matthew Stokes ($411 000, MID)
- Jackson Thurlow ($394 000, MID/DEF)
