The Western Bulldogs are just one win away from securing a spot in the 2018 AFLW Grand Final, and they can do it on Saturday night, as they travel up to Canberra for a meeting with the Greater Western Sydney Giants at Manuka Oval in a match consisting of the AFLW's biggest improvers.
Whilst I have harped on and on about the Bulldogs and how they have been so brilliant and so outstanding this year. It's a little easy to overlook how the Giants have also improved greatly. Having finished as the inaugural wooden-spooners last year, the Giants have nestled themselves inside the top-four this year and are still well and truly in the hunt for an unlikely Grand Final berth – only sitting half a game behind the second-placed Brisbane Lions.
Under new coach Alan McConnell, the Giants have improved on a lot of aspects in their game. They were last in the league in contested possessions last year, and have jumped to fourth in this category, averaging from 85 to 101 per game and have jumped from last in the league in inside 50s to fourth in the league, averaging 27 inside 50s per game. However one issue that coach McConnell hasn't addressed is the uncontested possessions. Last year they were the worst team in this statistic, averaging 85 uncontested possessions a game. This year they're still the worst in the league, averaging 70 per game.
The Giants lost their opening two games of the season, but since their loss to Carlton in round two, they haven't lost a match. They defeated Collingwood, drew with Adelaide and then defeated Fremantle in Fremantle last week in what was considered a bit of an upset. With two games to go, the Giants must continue to win, but for them, the last two weeks consists of the two sides occupying the top-two spots on the ladder, starting with the ladder leaders.
Where as the Giants are a side that aren't overly good at uncontested possession, the Western Bulldogs thrive on working the uncontested footy. They work so hard on finding open players, ranked second in the AFLW in uncontested possessions, averaging 102 per game. The differential of this stat between the two sides will be a bit of a talking point come Saturday night. Last week they got through a Collingwood outfit that made the Daughters of the West earn their four points. It was physical, it was scrappy at times, but the Pies made it a very nervous finish.
Will the Giants' improvement take the ladder leaders down for their second loss of the season? Or can the Bulldogs stamp their ticket to this year's AFLW Grand Final with a big win in Canberra?
The Teams
Western Bulldogs
IN: Deanna Berry OUT: Laura Bailey (Omitted)
B: Hayley Wildes, Libby Birch, Nicole Callinan HB: Hannah Scott, Aasta O'Connor, Angelica Gogos MID: Tiarna Ernst, Emma Kearney, Kirsty Lamb, Ellie Blackburn HF: Brooke Lochland, Lauren Spark, Monique Conti F: Jenna Bruton, Bonnie Toogood, Kim Rennie INT: Kirsten McLeod, Aisling Utri, Deanna Berry, Naomi Ferres, Emma Mackie EMG: Bailey Hunt, Laura Bailey
The Bulldogs have made just the one change to the side that beat Collingwood by eight points last week, bringing former Demon Deanna Berry back into the side after missing the last couple of weeks in favour of Laura Bailey, who could only manage two kicks in their win last Sunday. The Dogs will hope that Berry can provide something in the final weeks of the season after what I believe has been a pretty underwhelming campaign. There were rumours rumbling around the media that captain Katie Brennan was a chance to return from her ankle injury this weekend, and if it wasn't this weekend then it could be next Saturday night's massive game against Melbourne. It's a little bit of a dilemma when you consider the fact how well the Bulldogs have been performing since her injury back in round three, but it's impossible to ignore the fact how good of a player she is.
GWS Giants No Changes B: Amanda Farrugia, Tanya Hetherington, Phoebe Monahan HB: Nicola Barr, Emma Swanson, Maddy Collier MID: Erin McKinnon, Courtney Gum, Britt Tully, Alicia Eva HF: Jess Dal Pos, Phoebe McWilliams, Ellie Brush F: Jacinda Barclay, Cora Staunton, Rebecca Beeson INT: Aimee Schmidt, Elle Bennetts, Renee Tomkins, Jodie Hicks, Pepa Randall EMG: Alex Saundry, Melissa Freckelton
Coach Alan McConnell has opted to go with the same 21 women that got the job done over Fremantle last weekend. When your side hasn't lost a game since round two and have won two of the past three games, why would you want to change the side? The Giants have hit some good form at the right time of the season and with the side they have in this weekend, they will definitely be keen to knock off the team sitting atop the AFLW ladder.
Last Time They Met – Round 7, 2017
GWS Giants 3.2.20
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Western Bulldogs 7.10.52
In the final round of the 2017 AFLW season, both the Giants and the Western Bulldogs were well and truly out of the hunt for a spot in the first-ever Grand Final. Instead they were fighting to avoid the wooden spoon. Playing under the lights of Manuka Oval, the Giants kicked the first two goals of the match in the second term after a goal-less opening quarter. The Bulldogs managed to regain the lead before half time with two goals of their own. They kicked away in the second half with five goals to GWS' one to win by a comfortable 32 points and avoided the wooden spoon, which was awarded to the Giants.
Ellie Blackburn had a monster game for the winners, recording 27 disposals, six marks and five tackles and despite kicking a wayward 1.3, she was a menacing presence up forward. Emma Kearney also capped off a fine season with another good performance of 18 disposals and five tackles. Kirsty Lamb was the only player on the ground with multiple goals, kicking two goals on the night, whilst Hannah Scott (13 disposals and eight tackles) had a standout game in defence. Emma Swanson (19 disposals, four tackles and three marks) and Jess Dal Pos (17 disposals and eight tackles) were the Giants' best players.
Players To Watch
Western Bulldogs
Libby Birch
Aside from Brisbane's Kate Lutkins, I don't think you can find a more in-form defender in the AFLW at the moment than Libby Birch. In 2018, the former Netballer is steadily building up a list of big names that she has taken on and beaten. Kaitlyn Ashmore, Darcy Vescio and Moana Hope are the names that have been beaten by Birch so far this year and they have been beaten well. Could she be the one who goes to in-form GWS forward Phoebe McWilliams? As of this moment, McWilliams sits equal second in the league in goals, with seven majors from five games.
Kirsten McLeod
This is a big game for small forward Kirsten McLeod, who has struggled to stamp her impact on games since she was brought back into the line-up a few weeks ago. McLeod has averaged only five disposals, one tackle and has yet to put a goal on the board. It sounds a little unfair given that she has only played two games, but it must be reminded about how threatening she has been towards goal last year. McLeod kicked an inaccurate 4.8 in six games last year. With her pace, agility and the nous to get into the right spot, she has potential to break games open.
GWS Giants
Alicia Eva
Eva has firmed as one of the best recruits of the year, with the former Collingwood on-baller having herself an even better year in the midfield than she did last year wearing the black and white. In 2018, Eva averages 17 disposals, eight tackles and three clearances per game. Expect her to have a huge performance if the Giants are to get up on Saturday. Eva is one of their most important players at the present time.
Jess Dal Pos
Whilst Eva has been a standout in 2018, Jess Dal Pos has struggled to back up what was a very impressive 2017 campaign, which saw her nab an All-Australian selection. This season, Dal Pos averages just under 10 disposals per game, alongside six tackles and two clearances per game, after averaging 14 disposals and seven tackles per game. I think the Giants would like to get a little bit more output from her on Saturday – it could be the key to another huge win.
Final Verdict
The Western Bulldogs are the in-form side at the moment. It doesn't matter whether they thump a side by 70-plus points or they narrowly beat the last-placed side, they find ways to win, and that's what premiership-calibre side does.
Expect the Giants to give them a challenge much similar to what Collingwood did last week. I predict it's going to be another scrappy game and one that could potentially have a bit of feeling in this contest – one that might rival the male teams of the Bulldogs and Giants. Watching Alicia Eva and Courtney Gum take on both Ellie Blackburn and Emma Kearney in a battle of the midfield will be a very interesting match-up to watch.
However, I think the Dogs will continue their winning ways with another hard-fought win. A huge problem last year was a lack of scoring options, however it has been rectified greatly this year, with a multitude of contributors, with Brooke Lochland and Bonnie Toogood leading the charge up forward. Hopefully this is the week that Monique Conti gets her first goal in the AFLW. Not only is she in red-hot form right now, she has been threatening the last few weeks now to put goals on the board.
Western Bulldogs By 9 Points