Ian ConstantineWEST COAST vs SYDNEY; COUSINS RETURNS TO AFL'S GREATEST RIVALRY
July 20th 2007 04:40
Return of the fallen hero; Ben Cousins
A total of 13 points has separated the Swans and the Eagles in their past 6 clashes, with the last three ending within a heart-stopping point. Such is the closeness of these two great sides; their rivalry will surely go down in AFL folklore. They have played in consecutive Grand finals and turned on some of the most exhilarating finishes in finals history. Their rivalry has elevated stars on both sides to legendary status; Leo Barry’s mark in the dying seconds of the 2005 Grand final immortalized the Swans. That single leap will go down as one of the most memorable moments in AFL history. It catapulted a new era in AFL football and marked (no pun intended) the true arrival of a Sydney based team.
The Swans-Eagles blockbuster has been further boosted by the news Barry Hall and Tadhg Kennelley will play after both proved their fitness. It is a must-win game for both clubs with West Coast desperate to stop their downward spiral whilst Sydney are franticly trying to maintain their spot in the top 8. The ‘Bloods’ sit on 8th spot of the competition ladder, only percentage separates them from Adelaide and Essendon on 32 competition points. West Coast are currently in 4th spot, but only one win clear of the red and white army. Saturday nights clash is almost a final in itself, with a sold-out crowd expected to provide a euphoric atmosphere.
Each match the two clubs play is a new chapter in one of sports greatest rivalries. What role will Ben Cousins play in this thrilling spectacle? Will Barry Hall overcome his recent form slump? Can the match live up to all the hype? All these questions will be answered on Saturday night with the era’s most anticipated rivalry set to reunite old acquaintances.
The Line Ups;
WEST COAST v SYDNEY
Saturday, 5.40pm WST, Subiaco
WEST COAST
B: Brent Staker, Darren Glass, Adam Selwood
HB: Beau Waters, Adam Hunter, Brett Jones
C: Andrew Embley, Chris Judd, Michael Braun
HF: Daniel Chick, Ashley Hansen, Tyson Stenglein
F: Mark LeCras, Quinten Lynch, Mark Seaby
FOLL: Dean Cox, Ben Cousins, Daniel Kerr
I/C: Shannon Hurn, Rowan Jones, Matt Priddis, Matt Rosa
EMG: Steven Armstrong, Chad Fletcher, Eric Mackenzie
In: Ben Cousins, Ashley Hansen, Daniel Kerr, Brent Staker, Tyson Stenglein
SYDNEY
B: Ted Richards, Leo Barry, Sean Dempster
HB: Paul Bevan, Craig Bolton, Ben Mathews
C: Luke Ablett, Brett Kirk, Nick Malceski
HF: Ryan O’Keefe, Michael O’Loughlin, Adam Goodes
F: Adam Schneider, Barry Hall, Peter Everitt
FOLL: Darren Jolly, Jude Bolton, Nic Fosdike
I/C: Nick Davis, Tadhg Kennelly, Jarrad McVeigh, Tim Schmidt
EMG: Heath Grundy, Simon Phillips, Luke Vogels
No change
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