When you look at 14th vs 17th on the AFL ladder, you often think of a match that doesn't mean too much, but for both the Western Bulldogs and the Brisbane Lions, there is a lot on the line on Saturday night at Etihad Stadium. Whilst both teams are a bit off from being top-eight teams, they still have much to play for.
For the visiting Lions, they are yet to earn premiership points from their first seven games. At 0-7, it sounds like another long slog ahead for Brisbane supporters. Truth be told is that they have been pretty competitive in most of their matches so far in 2018. Last week's game against Collingwood was perhaps their best game yet. Whilst it ended in heartbreaking fashion, the Lions stuck with the in-form Pies from start to finish and could hold their heads up high.
Despite showing competitive signs all throughout the year, the Lions still have things to work on. Even though they scored over 100 points for the first time since Round 21 last year last Sunday evening, the Lions are still the 16th-best scoring team in the league, averaging 70.4 points per game. Whilst the Dogs aren't that much better on the scoring front, Brisbane struggle at marks inside 50, where as their opponents are top of the league in this statistic.
Etihad Stadium hasn't been too kind to the Lions either in recent memory. They have lost eight of 14 encounters with the Bulldogs at Docklands and have lost seven of their past nine at the same venue. In terms of recent head-to-heads, the Lions have lost four of the last five games against the Dogs, with their last win over the red,white and blues happening in round 23, 2015 at the Gabba.
The Western Bulldogs have been on a small roll, recording tough wins over both Carlton and Gold Coast. Whilst expected to beat the Blues, the Suns – sans both co-captains – gave them a much more run for their money and recorded a thrilling and memorable victory over at Ballarat's Mars Stadium – their first win at the venue in the history of the club. What made the win even better was that they did it without captain Easton Wood and stand-in captain Marcus Bontempelli, who was a late out last Saturday.
The Dogs are currently boasting the youngest team in the AFL right now and a team that is currently got an eye towards the future, but sitting at 3-4 isn't a bad sight right now. Many expect this encounter against Brisbane to be a game which evens out the Dogs' start to the year at 4-4, but they must not and cannot afford to take this Brisbane team lightly. As they have showed last week, their best football is very capable and one would have to sense that their first win will be just around the corner. Will this be the weekend the young Lions notch their first win of the year? Or can the Dogs get win number three of the year and remarkably get their year back on track?
The Teams
Western Bulldogs IN: Marcus Bontempelli, Lukas Webb OUT: Tim English, Lin Jong (Both Omitted) B: Matthew Suckling, Aaron Naughton, Zaine Cordy HB: Bailey Williams, Lewis Young, Hayden Crozier C: Jason Johannisen, Lachie Hunter, Josh Dunkley HF: Patrick Lipinski, Marcus Bontempelli, Mitch Wallis F: Luke Dahlhaus, Billy Gowers, Bailey Dale FOL: Tom Boyd, Toby McLean, Jack Macrae INT: Lukas Webb, Ed Richards, Mitch Honeychurch, Caleb Daniel
EMG: Jackson Trengove, Shane Biggs, Roarke Smith, Lin Jong
The Western Bulldogs have made two unforced changes to the team that defeated the Gold Coast Suns by nine points last week in Ballarat. Of the two inclusions, they will welcome back reigning club best and fairest Marcus Bontempelli after he was a late withdrawal last week with hip soreness. He may still not be 100-percent but the coaches believe he’s fit enough to play. Lukas Webb also comes back into the side after good form in the VFL.
However, the omission of ruckman Tim English means that Tom Boyd will have to shoulder the majority of the ruckload on Saturday - I just can’t understand why you wouldn’t bring in Jackson Trengove or Tom Campbell, who have been grinding it out in the VFL? It is understood that Jordan Roughead is just making his way back from a hamstring injury, so I can understand why they wouldn’t play him. Lin Jong is the other omission after an ordinary couple of weeks in the seniors.
Brisbane Lions IN: Nick Robertson OUT: Jacob Allison (Omitted)
B: Luke Hodge, Harris Andrews, Darcy Gardiner HB: Daniel Rich, Tom Cutler, Alex Witherden C: Lewis Taylor, Mitch Robinson, Dayne Zorko HF: Cam Rayner, Eric Hipwood, Hugh McCluggage F: Allen Christensen, Daniel McStay, Charlie Cameron FOL: Stefan Martin, Jarrod Berry, Dayne Beams INT: Nick Robertson, Zac Bailey, Matt Eagles, Oscar McInerney EMG: Ben Keays, Claye Beams, Jacob Allison, Sam Mayes
Brisbane have made one change to their side after it narrowly missed out on their first win last week, bringing back in defender Nick Robertson after he missed last week with a one-week suspension. Jacob Allison is the unfortunate one that has to make way. I didn’t expect Chris Fagan to make many changes after a performance that he labelled as the best he’s seen from this young side.
Matt Eagles, who once was a winner on reality show ‘The Recruit’, on debut looks a likely type, whilst first-year players Oscar McInerney, Zac Bailey and Cam Rayner along with Alex Witherden, Jarrod Berry and Hugh McCluggage are keys to the club’s future and will be looking for a big game against a side that is just as young, if not younger.
Recent History (Last 10 Matches)
Round 20, 2017 – Gabba: Brisbane Lions 13.11.89 def by Western Bulldogs 14.19.103 Round 5, 2017 – Etihad Stadium: Western Bulldogs 17.20.122 def Brisbane Lions 14.6.90 Round 5, 2016 – Etihad Stadium: Western Bulldogs 17.18.120 def Brisbane Lions 10.7.67
Round 23, 2015 – Gabba: Brisbane Lions 19.16.130 def Western Bulldogs 19.8.122
Round 12, 2015 – Etihad Stadium: Western Bulldogs 22.14.146 def Brisbane Lions 11.8.74
Round 12, 2014 – Etihad Stadium: Western Bulldogs 13.9.87 def by Brisbane Lions 14.11.95
Round 22, 2013 – Gabba: Brisbane Lions 15.10.100 def Western Bulldogs 13.15.93
Round 1, 2013 – Etihad Stadium: Western Bulldogs 19.13.127 def Brisbane Lions 7.17.59 Round 23, 2012 – Gabba: Brisbane Lions 19.14.128 def Western Bulldogs 9.7.61
Round 13, 2012 – Etihad Stadium: Western Bulldogs 7.14.56 def by Brisbane Lions 18.6.114 Players To Watch
Western Bulldogs Lachie Hunter The man who took over as the captain of last week's great win over the Gold Coast Suns is under the spotlight this week. Not that he's doing much wrong – he's having himself a wonderful season, averaging 28.8 disposals, seven marks and five inside 50s, playing the outside midfielder role remarkably well so far in 2018. Season 2017 was somewhat of a down year in comparison to the year before, but since coming into the leadership group this year, he has playing some really awesome football.
Tom Boyd Sometimes statistics aren't the be-all/end-all in a football player. A point in case is former number one draft pick Tom Boyd. Since coming back into the fold following a lengthy lay-off, he has been playing with a sense of vigour and sense of enjoyment that we haven't witnessed since his remarkable 2016 Finals campaign. In his three games this year, Boyd has averaged 11.6 disposals, 4.6 marks and a goal per game. Keep in mind that his career-best haul of four goals came against Brisbane back in 2015.
Brisbane Lions
Dayne Zorko The form of Dayne Zorko has been one of the more perplexing subplots in Brisbane's season thus far in 2018. After a banner year which saw him claim a spot in the All-Australian team for the first time, he has struggled to recapture that very same form after seven games in 2018. The reason for this is because of being so heavily tagged in recent weeks. Last week was a massive return to form, kicking four goals and recording 34 touches in a stunning effort against the Pies. The Dogs must stop him on Saturday night. Charlie Cameron
Since coming across from the Adelaide Crows in the off-season, Charlie Cameron has been in fine touch in 2018. He started the year on fire, kicking nine goals over the first three games but has since petered out a little bit, only kicking three goals over his past four games. But he's one of a few players that the Dogs can't afford to underestimate up forward. He's on target to break the personal season best 29 goals this year if he can continue to kick goals. He has the pace and he's often proven to be reliable in front of the big sticks.
Final Verdict There is no doubt that the Brisbane Lions will be up for this game. They haven't lost their opening seven games to the season since 2011 and will be looking to avoid at the very least equalling their biggest losing streak to start a season – that being 1991 when they were known as the Brisbane Bears, however the recent history at Etihad Stadium won't bode well for them, that's why I'm going for the Bulldogs in another tight contest. It'll be very interesting to see how the Dogs can address their goal-kicking issues this week. I'll give them a pass for last week, because Ballarat is a very windy place and it's often tricky at a windy venue to kick an accurate score. Just ask North Melbourne and Hawthorn down in Tasmania. In their past three victories against the Lions, they have recorded more behinds than goals, with tallies of 14.19, 17.20 and 17.18. This does establish that they have had the wood over them in past games, but poor kicking means that they just haven't smashed them.
They have to continue to utilise Jack Macrae, Lachie Hunter, Luke Dahlhaus and Toby McLean in the middle as they all loom as the keys to winning the midfield. Will Johannisen start forward this week? He's been underwhelming off half-back this year, but as a forward he has looked more threatening, and watching Aaron Naughton and Eric Hipwood match up as a battle of the future looks mouth-watering on paper.
Western Bulldogs By 12 Points
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