Wednesday Tidbits

McVeigh & Fletcher Suspended

Essendon will be without two key players as Mark McVeigh and Dustin Fletcher will this this Saturday night’s important AFL Round 15 clash with the Western Bulldogs at the Phone Dome.

Fletcher accepted the one week offered by the AFL Match Review Panel from striking Cat Kane Tenace near half time in last Friday night’s disaster against Geelong.

McVeigh challenged his suspension at the AFL tribunal on Tuesday night but was unsuccessful getting the suspension dismissed, but however have his demerit points total reduced on a downgraded charge.

McVeigh pleaded guilty to striking Geelong’s Gary Ablett, but argued the punch was to Ablett’s chest and not high, as the match review panel viewed the incident. The tribunal members agreed and reduced his demerit total from 185.63 points to 103.12, after changing the contact from high to low.

Sheedy ponders his future

Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy publicly mulled over his future on Wednesday conceding that the Bombers “may want a younger man in the job.”

“They might want to look at different things and different aspects of where footy’s going and you’ve got to take that on board. I’ve been here 27 years; it’s a pretty good effort to be allowed to coach (that long).” Sheedy said. “They could — I don’t know. I have no idea. But you’ve got to take up all options on behalf of the club; they’ve got to do the right things by the fans.”

Against the Western Bulldogs on Saturday night, Sheedy will take the AFL record for games played and coached, pushing him past Collingwood’s Jock McHale’s 878 matches.

Changes galore expected

Essendon could make up to six changes for the match against the Bulldogs from the team that went down to Geelong last Friday night.

With McVeigh and Fletcher suspended and James Hird (calf) and Alwyn Davey (arm) already ruled out by injured. Fitness clouds hang over Patrick Ryder (ankle) and Tom Hislop (knee) also.

Skipper Matthew Lloyd will return from suspension, while ex-Bluescum Scott Camporeale is expected to play his 250th AFL game and Nathan Lovett-Murray, Brent Stanton, Kepler Bradley and Angus Monfries inline for senior selection.

Posted 11 July 07 in News