Friday only AFL Round 9 match is between Essendon Bombers and Sydney Swans with the game to be played at Etihad Stadium. The opening bounce is set to commence at 7.50pm local time with away team Sydney Swans currently holding favouritism. View our AFL live scores, odds and results for the game between Essendon Bombers and Sydney Swans.

Round: Round 9, Friday May 16, 7.50pm
Stadium: Etihad Stadium
Weather: 22° Mostly sunny.

Odds Comparison:

Essendon Bombers	3.05	3.20	3.15	3.20	3.05	3.20
Sydney Swans	1.38	1.36	1.38	1.36	1.38	1.36

All odds are subject to change. Odds listed are correct at the time of the latest update.

Preview:

The Friday night match this week is between the Swans and the Bombers, 7.50PM at Etihad Stadium.  The Swans had an impressive 19-point win over the reigning premiers Hawthorn last week, and will go into this match as favourites.  That victory put Sydney in 4th ladder position, with a 5-3 record so far in 2014. The return of Kurt Tippett last Friday was a big boost for the Swans, and he will be looking for another big game this weekend.  If Tippett and the entire Swans forward line play to their potential, the Bombers will have to watch out.

In contrast, Essendon have looked pretty ordinary of late even though they have won their last two games.  The Bombers will have to fight very hard to nullify the Swans attack this round, and may not have what it takes to suppress them over four quarters.  If Essendon can rise to the challenge, however, this game may just give their season the kick start it has been waiting for.

Teams:

Essendon Bombers:

B, Courtenay Dempsey, Michael Hurley, Dustin Fletcher
HB, Mark Baguley, Cale Hooker, Dyson Heppell
C, Brent Stanton, Jobe Watson, Michael Hibberd
HF, Jackson Merrett, Joe Daniher, Brendon Goddard
F, Patrick Ambrose, Patrick Ryder, David Zaharakis
Fol, Tom Bellchambers, Heath Hocking, David Myers
I/C, Jake Melksham, Jake Carlisle, Kurt Aylett, Zach Merrett
Emg, Kyle Hardingham, Jason Ashby, Travis Colyer,
In, Tom Bellchambers, David Myers,
Out, Martin Gleeson (Omitted), Paul Chapman (suspension)

Sydney Swans:
B: J.Laidler, T.Richards, N.Smith
HB: R.Shaw, H.Grundy, N.Malceski
C: K.Jack, C.Bird, D.Rampe
HF: L.Jetta, K.Tippett, D.Hannebery
F: S.Reid, L.Franklin, L.Parker
FOLL: T.Derickx, JP.Kennedy, J.McVeigh
I/C: H.Cunningham, A.Goodes, B.Jack, J.Lloyd
EMG: L.Roberts-Thomson, G.Rohan, D.Towers
IN: B.Jack
OUT: B.McGlynn (illness)

 News:

Mark Thompson hailed his defence – led by the grand old man of the AFL – for saving wobbly Essendon from a Brisbane Lions’ boilover on Saturday night.

With Lions teenagers James Aish, Marco Paparone and Lewis Taylor enjoying their best games to threaten a Gabba upset, it took some sure and steady hands to ensure a tense eight-point victory.

Dustin Fletcher, now in his 40th year on earth, and his Bombers backline stood tall to repel a surging Brisbane outfit that lifted the gloom on a week where the embattled club’s chief executive Malcolm Holmes fell on his sword.

“If they hadn’t played so well we would have been beaten by 10 goals,” Thompson said.

“It was the best game by a 39-year-old in 100 years.”

Birthday-boy Fletcher was his usual reliable self while Michael Hurley and Cale Hooker, marking Jonathan Brown, deserved the high praise in the 9.11 (65) to 8.9 (57) win.

Brisbane had two more inside 50s and were the better side in the second-half, but they lacked the composure and experience of their rivals after leading by four points at the last change.

As the Bombers’ defensive end held firm, in the scrappy clash featuring seven lead changes, Jackson Merrett and Paddy Ryder kicked the only two goals of the final term to jump into the top eight.

“We got the points so we have to be happy with that,” Thompson said. “But I’m not happy with the way we played.”

Guilty of going missing at vital stages in recent weeks, Essendon did fade badly in the third term when a 20-point lead evaporated.

Wearing a throwback Brisbane Bears guernsey, Aish, Paparone and Taylor were prominent in the turnaround.

Club leaders Jed Adcock and Tom Rockliff were also inspirational for Brisbane, while livewire Josh Green booted a game-high three goals, but the home side failed to find the polish and deliver the finishing touches required.

“I said to the boys that there were two or three boys who had their best games for the club,” Justin Leppitsch said.

“What it shows is our kids have talent, but we’ve still got a lot of games to go.”

With fallout from Jack Viney tribunal visits dominating headlines, two second-term incidents within two minutes of each other ensured more debate about the bump.

Paul Chapman raised his elbow in a collision with Jack Redden just before Andrew Raines’ shoulder collected Brendon Goddard high as they both lunged for the loose ball, and post-match action will be intriguing.