ESSENDON vs NORTH MELBOURNE
Friday 2 May, 2:05pm, Windy Hill
ESSENDON
B: S. McKay (80), D. Akuei (64), J. Nguyen (42)
HB: Z. Johnson (40), L. Hayes (18), L. Lual (34)
C: N. Cox (13), A. Day-Wicks (44), A. Clarke (36)
HF: M. Guelfi (35), T. Sellers (75), R. Unwin (38)
F: S. El Hawli (41), K. Gerreyn (19), A. Davey (33)
R: V. Visentini (39), X. O'Neill (55), J. Hately (50)
INT: K. Gallagher (69), M. Foley (73), N. Quigg (83), C. Nyko (65), O. Smartt (63)
23rd Player: K. Gallagher (69)
EMG: J. Peris (53), J. Eckersley (58), J. Busuttil (68)
IN: A. Clarke, N. Cox, K. Gallagher, M. Guelfi
OUT: W. Hoare (managed), S. Clough, J. Eckersley, J. Peris (omitted)
NEW: Kieran Gallagher, 18, 184cm, Greenvale/Calder Cannons
NORTH MELBOURNE
B: G. Logue (19), T. Pink (32), A. Corr (4)
HB: M. Bergman (27), Z. Fisher (16), O. Lowe (70)
C: B. Hopkins (53), M. Keast (64), D. Macpherson (50)
HF: R. Stevens (36), E. Ford (40), G. Payne (23)
F: W. Dawson (18), B. George (33), J. Tarrant (79)
R: B. Teakle (43), D. Tucker (13), L. Urquhart (14)
INT: T. Goad (22), M. Whitlock (35), C. Harvey (37), R. Hansen Jnr (46), N. Sulzberger (65)
23rd Player: N. Sulzberger (65)
EMG: M. Spiteri (77), O. Van dam (74), O. Hotton (62)
IN: A. Corr, Z. Fisher, B. George, G. Logue, N. Sulzberger, D. Tucker, M. Whitlock
OUT: K. Dawson, R. Hardeman, F. Maley, W. Phillips, B. Scott (AFL), A. Tomlinson (managed), M. Spiteri (omitted)
NEW: Nathaniel Sulzberger, 18, 188cm, North Hobart/Tasmania Devils/Sandringham Dragons
Head-to-Head: Essendon 24-14-6; At Windy Hill: Essendon 4-1; Streak: Essendon 1; Last time: Essendon 15.9 (99) def North Melbourne 6.12 (48) – Round 8, 2024, Windy Hill
UMPIRES
ESSENDON vs NORTH MELBOURNE
FIELD: 3. Emiel Morvell, 19. Cam Williams, 24. Liam Dye. BOUNDARY: Madeleine Lum, Corey Malcolm, Ben Rofe. GOAL: Georgie Henderson, Josh Hickman.
* Other games to be updated.
Saturday May 3
12:05PM AEST Williamstown v Southport - DSV Stadium, Victoria
1:05PM AEST - Werribee Tigers v Frankston - Avalon Airport Oval, Werribee
2:05PM AEST - Collingwood v Footscray Bulldogs - Victoria Park, Melbourne
2:05PM AEST - Northern Bullants v Port Melbourne - Genis Steel Oval, Preston
7:10pm AEST - Box Hill Hawks v Richmond - Kinetic Stadium, Frankston
Sunday May 4
12:05PM AEST - Brisbane Lions v Gold Coast Suns - Brighton Homes Arena, Ipswich
1:05PM AEST - Coburg Lions v Carlton - Barry Plant Park, Coburg
4:35pm AEST - Sydney Swans v GWS Giants - SCG, Sydney
to quote ScoMo from the 2019 election 'i have always believed in miracles' but how Willi got up to beat Southport today has me completely stumped
Huge win by the Borough. I really didn't see that coming.
Bullants 8.8.54
Port 23.17.149
* It's time to restore the VFA name.
poor old Bullants - who coached them?
Yeah I don't know. I followed the game from Phuket and saw the second quarter and most of the final quarter and it looked pretty comprehensive.
* It's time to restore the VFA name.
While I’m happy that Port won yesterday I didn’t really get any pleasure. I thought that the Bullants were a good chance given how poor Port have been. It is really sad seeing Preston struggling, it kind of reminds me of Fitzroy in 96.
It was indeed a comprehensive win. The Bullants do have some midfield talent - their midfielders were matching it pretty well with ours in the first quarter and even in patches in the second. But fitness seems to be a serious problem for the Bullants. Port Melbourne tightened up defensively after the first quarter, but the Bullants' fitness really dropped off after halftime. I was at the game (I can't answer the question about who was coaching the Bullants, though, as I don't recognize the members of their coaching panel), and the Port defenders were actually talking at 3/4 time about the Bullants' forwards being tired and not going out on leads as much but looking for the ball to come out the back. I'm glad to see Port get our first win of the season, but I wish I could say I'd seen where improvement might come for the Bullants. After watching their preseason game against Werribee in Ballarat, I'd thought they were a chance to avoid the wooden spoon, but after watching Saturday's game, I'm doubting whether they'll win a game all season.
Any truth in the rumour that they could be gone any week from now (I got messaged that yesterday) or was that the rumour that vfl rewind warned us last night not to believe?
17 PREMIERSHIPS, 19 X Runners up
THE VFLS MOST SUCCESSFUL CLUB - THE MIGHTY PORT MELBOURNE BOROUGH!
I'M PORT MELBURNE BORN, I'M PORT MELBOURNE BRED, I'LL BE PORT UNTIL I'M DEAD!!!
I've heard nothing in my private chats with other people in the know, Looks like rumours only.
Let's hope the Bullants notch up a surprise win, to keep the doomsayers at bay.
* It's time to restore the VFA name.