Thursday’s only AFL Round 14 match is between West Coast Eagles and Essendon Bombers with the game to be played at Patersons Stadium. The opening bounce is set to commence at 6:10 PM local time or 8:10pm AEST with home team West Coast Eagles currently holding favouritism. View our AFL live scores, odds and results for the game between West Coast Eagles and Essendon Bombers.
WHERE AND WHEN: Patersons Stadium, 6:10 PM June 27, 2013
[iframe_loader width=”690″ height=”530″ src=”https://sportsnews.com.au/afl/match.php?id=3130112″]
Opening odds comparison:
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
| West Coast Eagles | 1.85 | 1.80 | 1.87 | 1.80 | 1.85 | 1.85 |
|
Essendon Bombers
|
1.98 | 2.00 | 1.93 | 2.00 | 1.98 | 1.98 |
Preview:
After a few weeks of shortened rounds, we’re back to a full round of nine matches and an early start, with Round 14 kicking off on Thursday night with West Coast and Essendon.
The Eagles suffered their second loss in three weeks when losing to Hawthorn in their most recent outing (123 – 103), which has left them in tenth position on the ladder and one win outside of the eight.
With more than half of their remaining games against teams in the top half of the competition, the Eagles need to start winning.
After a heavy loss to Sydney three matches back, the Bombers have recorded a hard-earned victory over Carlton before a comfortable win over the Gold Coast (115 – 72).
These latest wins have Essendon supporting a 9-3 winning record this year and firmly entrenched in the top eight, sitting in fourth spot.
They also boast a 4-1 covering the line when playing away from home.
It was a competitive effort by West Coast against the Hawthorn however, given the current form of both sides and the fact that West Coast are 2-4 when playing at home this year, the Bombers represent good value for mine.
Teams:
1 Mitchell Brown
2 Mark LeCras
3 Andrew Gaff (INT)
4 Daniel Kerr
5 Brad Sheppard (INT)
7 Chris Masten
8 Beau Waters
9 Nic Naitanui
11 Matt Priddis
13 Luke Shuey
16 Eric Mackenzie
17 Josh Kennedy
18 Bradd Dalziell
20 Dean Cox
23 Darren Glass
24 Matt Rosa
26 Sam Butler
27 Jack Darling
28 Ashley Smith
30 Blayne Wilson (EMG)
31 Will Schofield (EMG)
34 Mark Hutchings (INT)
35 Patrick McGinnity
43 Ashton Hams (EMG)
46 Simon Tunbridge (INT)
In
Ashley Smith ,Mark Hutchings ,Brad Sheppard ,Simon Tunbridge
Out
Shannon Hurn (Ankle) , Scott Selwood (thumb) , Blayne Wilson (Omitted) , Andrew Embley (Suspension)
New
Simon Tunbridge
Essendon Bombers:
1 Michael Hibberd
2 Tom Bellchambers
4 Jobe Watson
5 Brent Stanton
6 Joe Daniher (EMG)
8 Jason Winderlich
9 Brendon Goddard
10 Nick O’Brien (EMG)
11 David Zaharakis (INT)
12 Stewart Crameri
15 Courtenay Dempsey
16 Tayte Pears (INT)
17 Jake Melksham (INT)
18 Michael Hurley
20 Jackson Merrett
21 Dyson Heppell
22 Jake Carlisle
23 David Myers (INT)
26 Cale Hooker
29 Alwyn Davey
30 Patrick Ryder
32 Travis Colyer (EMG)
38 Nick Kommer
40 Ben Howlett
46 Mark Baguley
In
Courtenay Dempsey ,Tom Bellchambers
Out
Heath Hocking (Calf) ,Joe Daniher (Omitted)
Jobe Watson defended by coach, AFLPA
Essendon coach James Hird and the AFL players’ union have strenuously defended Jobe Watson amid calls he should lose his Brownlow Medal for taking a banned substance.
Watson has admitted he believes he took anti-obesity drug AOD-9604, which the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) confirms has been banned since 2011.
But he insists he has done nothing wrong, saying he had been told the substance was legal at the time, and it had been ticked off by club medical staff.
Hird says he was surprised with Watson’s public admission, but was in no way disappointed with his skipper for breaking ranks with the straight-bat approach the Bombers have taken to the issue.
And he doesn’t believe Watson’s Brownlow Medal for the competition’s fairest and best player last year is at risk of being stripped, nor tainted in any way.
“With the facts I have, I don’t believe it’s in doubt,” Hird said on Wednesday.
“I think we come back to the issue of the complicated nature of this (investigation), and the sensitive nature of this.
“I keep saying, if we wait until the investigation finishes, all the facts are on the table and we can actually tell you what we believe happened. It’ll be a great day for all of us.”
AFL Players’ Association chief executive Matt Finnis said it was premature and unfair to talk about whether Watson should lose the Brownlow or be suspended.
He said Watson and other Bombers had done nothing more than put their faith in Essendon officials, who players had a right to believe would have had the expertise to determine which supplements complied with anti-doping rules.
“Quite clearly there’s been failings here at the club,” Finnis said.
“While players have a responsibility in relation to their part of this process, culpability must reside with those who had the ultimate authority.”
Under WADA rules, ultimate responsibility for using banned substances – knowingly or not – rests with the player.
Hird also defended long-time Bombers club doctor Bruce Reid, describing him as a man of high integrity and saying all at the club retained the utmost faith in him.
Reid was implicated in Watson’s admission as having cleared his use of AOD-9604.
Hird said the issue of Essendon players making public comments about the ongoing ASADA inquiry had been addressed in the wake of Watson’s admission.
The Bombers play West Coast in Perth on Thursday night, aiming to consolidate their top-four position
